Sphinx Rock Access: Denied

I am a south platte resident and climber and was thoroughly dismayed at access issues this morning at Sphinx Rock. Our day of swimming and climbing was thwarted by the new land owner. The land owner, Keith, owns 50 acres that include, according to him, Squat, Sphinx, and Honed rocks. I spoke with him for about 30 minutes and got a pretty good picture of the problem. He has had his house broken into, has found 5 new and recently used fire pits despite the ban, and of course litter and broken glass. As we all know, this is non climber debris and behavior, but now effects us all. There were some climbers from Canada and New Mexico taking pics on Sphinx crack today. Apparently they spoke to Keith yesterday and begged for one more day of climbing.

Any case, Keith told me that he will be calling the sherriff's dept. and is writing down license plate numbers himself. He warned me that anyone who parks in the area will be ticketed. I checked the Park county assessors maps for verification of land boundaries, but to no avail. I have also contacted Deanne at Access Fund to get the name of the Regional Coordinator for the South Platte area.

I have been climbing at Sphinx Rock for about 5 years. I have met the previous owner, who was happy to let us climb so long as we respected her property. This basically meant that we weren't to hike north of the big boulders in the creek. As long as we stayed on the hill and down stream of the big boulders (where the little swimming hole is) then we were fine.

This apparently is a brand new issue since the new owner has just moved in a few months ago and the area is seeing summer time pressure. However, I climbed there last weekend (the day of the pine valley fire) with no problem at all.

Bucksnort slab access is still ok, but of course the parking is minimal. Let's hope some dialogue can begin so Sphinx Rock will remain climable.

Wow bad news. This really sucks, and I hope something can be resolved.

We were there (squat and bucksnort) Saturday, June 3 and saw no signs, no angry land owners and we also saw people hanging on sphinx crack. Is this an issue for Sphinx only, or are other crags affected as well? If so, what can be done?

I'd say let Chris Jones look into this & see what is going on and how the sheriffs are handling everything.

I agree with Mark. Just let us know if there's anything we can do to help the situation. I would personally go up there and do a clean up, remove fire pits, establish a real approach trail, or whatever if it would be of any help, again just let me know.

Sorry.... had to bump this thread. Still no news/progress? Has anyone talked to the Access Fund?

According to info that I got from the Jeffco Assessor's site, the land that Sphinx is on is owned by Monty & Linda Cousins of Castle Rock. This is Parcel ID 71-271-00-006.

I couldn't distinctly make out Squat Rock on the map I was looking at, but from what I could tell, it was located on property adjacent to and under the same ownership as the property with the house on it...Keith Rye. If this is the correct lot, it's Parcel ID 71-271-11-002.

It also looks like to get to Sphinx, we cross land owned by Winfred and Judy Boyer of Valparaiso, FL. This is Parcel ID 71-271-00-003. This is the land on both sides of the road up to just before the driveway on the Rye property (the property with the house).

Hopefully someone can use this info.

Lee

Thanks, Lee.

I think what I'll do to solve this is marry one of their daughters; that ought to really make them proud!!

I spent the weekend up at Glenelk and did some research. All anyone in Pine can attest to is that the various properties are rather blurred. One thing for sure is Keith Rye is fucking serious. He may have a sense of the property lines in that his signs stop just before the normal approach to the rock. Anyhow I would leave him alone till this is worked out. He has parked his trucks in a hilarious display of menacing machoness at the mid-point of his driveway as though they are poised to rumble right over and get some evil doer type who might dare to cross the creek. He seems to spend most of his time relaxing in his mountain home lurking about looking scary. I hope we can help him relax if nothing else.

It seems that as mediocre as the climbing is over all at Sphinx rock, it is hugely historical and would be tragic to lose it. It's fun that people come year after year from all over the world to attempt the crack. I hope we can get this resolved somehow.

Andrew,
Unfortunately I ran into Keith too and brought up the access fund. The guy does not want anything to do with the Access Fund and told me that he bought the property to "get away". He runs a business out of the house 24/7. I've been wanting to free return (Sphinx is currently out of my ability) but it looks like waiting until he moves or using a headlamp @ 2-3am is the only option at this point :)
-Ben

He's been scoring major points with the Pine community. Last weekend he ran off a group of ten year olds with a rake! He's ignoring the sheriff's advice to let the law take care of "trespassers" and is taking it into his own hands. Best of all the new restaurant has a huge mural of a woman climbing with Sphinx rock as the background. I'd sure like to witness his face when he see that.

My name is Patrick Pharo, and I have been working with the Access Fund in order to determine land ownership around Sphinx and Squat Rock. There is currently no climbing organization or Access Fund volunteer for this area. James Martin and myself have agreed to serve as the liaisons to and on behalf of the climbing community on this issue. We would love to have as much help with this issue as possible, and welcome input. Please feel free to contact me at patrick.pharo@gmail.com if you would like to be involved. We will set up a mailing list for those who are interested in the progress of access to the areas.

So far, I have determined ownership of Sphinx and Squat Rock as well as ownership of the approach trails to both. I am still fact finding, and could really use help with the following:

Does anyone know other land owners in the South Platte that allow climbing access on their property?

Does anyone have personal contacts with members of the government (sheriff, city of pine, etc.)?

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. And, please don't hesitate to email me directly or post on mountainproject.com.

Thanks, Patrick

Unfortunately the Land owner Keith knows exactly where his property corners are, because I am the Surveyor who located them. and i know for a fact Squat is on land and the access for it is also on his property. however i am not sure if Sphinx is i haven't climbed sphinx but if the access is in jeopardy, its a matter of finding a new path, and i have walked most that area and its all real steep. The land owner is rightly pissed off, and while climbers are not the violators, we have to suffer for the deeds of several jerks and junkies. This guy's home has been invaded and trespassers have trashed his property, he has found syringes and the like!! i have climbed there when the last owner (the lady)owned it, but this guy is serious! As for the ticketing No part of the road is on his property!!! his land at the north end begins about 8 feet of the eastern edge of road and then runs at an angle diagonal uphill and upriver direction so the entire access to squat is on his land. so parking on the road is only an issue for the police to decide on. there is other land that people can access and the road is not posted (no parking or no stopping).. and anyone thinking of removing property corners IT IS A CRIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO REMOVE PROPERTY MARKERS, AND COMPENSATION TO REPLACE DAMAGE EXCEEDS $1000.00 WHICH CAN GET YOU CHARGED WITH A FELONY.... this is serious. it is a huge shame that this guy has gone beyond reasoning with the climbing community and will not compromise with us. look for new areas to develop and CREATE AND MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH LAND OWNERS. A friend and i right now are beginning to develop a small crag in my neighborhood, its on private land and the owner only tolerates the trespass cause the area is in Better shape when we leave and we don't tolerate anyone that will jeopardize access to considerate users!!! We Police our own, to keep the access open!!!

I appreciate your candor & understand you have a job to do. I don't believe we are talking about upsetting the guy's right of quiet enjoyment as we would be on established routes that do not encroach on his residence and which have been a part of that community for a good while, probably many decades since the town chased off the initial blasters that started the formation of the Sphinx Crack. And, I don't think we are talking about taking out the property line stakes; climbers won't do something like that.

It's the issue of forming some type of quick & dirty association so as to allow a private owner to enforce a trespass on property owned by a different owner. Then, to chase kids around with a weapon for playing in the creek or climbing on a rock is just over the top; as is obstructing the public ROW with slash that has the potential to ignite the entire area. This is what doesn't sit well with me.

If the guy doesn't want climbers on his property, fine. I'll go elsewhere as will my friends, and my brother & his friends. We will not be there to monitor trash, broken bottles, shooting (improper), fire rings, call in any really bad sh*t like a meth lab, or introduce others to proper conservation that prevents or mitigates erosion.

We greatly appreciate what that town has offered to climbers, and am grateful to still be able to go to the Bucksnort Slab and enjoy some wild climbs. We have all worked to maintain the land as which we found it and still enjoy protected climbing.

I believe climbers are a big part of why the area has been treated as an area to be kept wild. We also stood up against an attempt to try and ruin the entire Platte valley, we helped people in need during the fires & help to rebuild after, we will continue to introduce people to climbing in the wild, and continue to offer conservation assistance and education. We are an important part of the S. Platte valley and the land upon which we travel.

Okay, you got the wrong idea, i am not trying to defend him. I personally could care less! it is fully his right to ban or grant access. To address your problems... i am not defending him, i am telling you the way it is. it is unfortunate because i have climbed the slab and squat, and enjoyed myself, but Squat rock and the access is 100% on his property. Sphinx crack location is up in the air, but if the access is on the guy's property, WE have to find another way in, and not wine about it. As for the rake chasing off the kids, he could dress like Rambo, machine guns and all and along as he doesn't shoot anyone unprovoked, it is perfectly legal to be armed and "brandish a weapon or a gun" to evict trespasser, even if it is a ten year old, you don't have to like that fact but its the way it is, he can act like a maniac and its his land, he can't shoot anyone unprovoked but you have rights to protect your land regardless how Ridiculous the behavior or politically incorrect the act.
Regarding the slash in public access, unless it is on the road there is NO PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AT ALL ALONG THAT ROAD ANYWHERE NEAR THE SQUAT Rock TRAIL. unless he is blocking the road, there is no valid complaint. He can pile slash to the heavens and you can't do squat about it, except wine and if you really care about thte fire danger i can find about ten slash piles way worse than anything that Guy could pile up himself within a 1/4 mile radius!
Yeah so your right, Climbers will go else where and not report the dregs of society that will not heed his denials of access,as they violate his privacy. Everyone will reap what is sown in this one and everyone loses to varying degrees. I think climbers are beneficial to areas they frequent,and would allow access to something like Squat to all climbers, but not everyone would agree, and that is tough for one side, well tough Sh*t .
We can hope he will compromise or move away and both are slim chances of nothing, NO one can force him to allow climber back just because the area is historic to climbers and has been around forever, no law, no politition, no lawyer. so find new access to Sphinx and keep climbing the slab and forget about Squat for the meantime.

In researching the property lines at the Jefferson County Courthouse, it is obvious that Mr. Rye does not own Sphinx rock, or its associated access trail. Sphinx IS on private property, but the land owners do not live on location. Hopefully this ends the debate as to the ownership of Sphinx.

Squat rock and its access, however, ARE ENTIRELY on Mr. Rye's property, and must be considered closed to the public.

Patrick Pharo

I talked to my friend who is a law professor. He said a case can by made for a right of way (easement), if someone would by willing to fight. There was horse trail that people used for many years in Aspen, behind Aspen Lodge, and a new land owner closed the trail. The lodge sued, and the land owner lost the case, so it can be done.

To bad you included NO details about the court case, Boundry disputes are some of the MOST difficult to prove, i doubt you Law friend really has any idea about boundry law. If he is a teacher, it is probably because, "those who cannot do... Teach." There is no case for any of you to force an easement(never happen in a million years. even if you could somehow claim adverse possesion,though i doubt any climbers have been paying property taxes on the land that Squat rock is on, and/or been using the rock and accesss for 18+ years (the same person) not climbers in general, but since no one started a claim BEFORE the landowner kicked you all off, that resets the clock COMPLETELY. Taking the rights of a land owner away is serious business, and most people are ignorant about what the law REALLY allows people to do. And i certainly don't see anyof you opening your own wallets to try to start a fight with that guy. We all dropped the ball, climbers are like everyone else, and we all caused the loss of the area, by trespass and building fire pits and not acting to keep the area clean and keeping loser dopers out of the area before this guy went ballistic.

Hi Patrick, mucho thanks for acting on behalf of climbers re. Sphinx and Squat rocks. From your latest posting, I can't tell if you're implying that since Mr. Rye does not own either Sqhinx Rock or its access trail, it's OK to go to Sphinx Rock, via its access trail. Other sources indicate that we should still consider Sphinx 100% out of bounds until further notice. Can you clarify?

Mr. Dob, I was wondering where you studied Real Estate Law? Neither a prescriptive easement or an adverse possession claim is restarted with the transfer of title. There are many climbers who have climbed at Squat Rock and Sphinx for 18+ years therefore those climbers WOULD have grounds to file a suit against Mr. Rye, most likely for a prescriptive easement, if they could prove open, notorious, hostile, visible, and continuous use.
Of course the issue is what climbers want to deal with that kind of hassle to climb at Squat Rock?

i've been climbing in the south platte for years.... squat rock specifically is one of my favorite places to enjoy some terrific climbs. i was devastated to see its access laboriously blocked yesterday. i have never been aware of access issues or abuse in the area, and never encountered landowners, as access is quite out of the way of any residence.

i hope climbers can achieve an agreement with this man, a man whom i understand has not yet familiarized himself with the local community before taking such a vehement stance against climbing on his property.

for the time, i will avoid squat rock and do anything i can to support regaining access to its terrific routes.