! ACCESS ALERT – SONOMA COAST STATE PARK FEE PROPOSAL – KEEP ACCESS TO SUNSET ROCKS !

! ACCESS ALERT – SONOMA COAST STATE PARK FEE PROPOSAL – KEEP ACCESS TO SUNSET ROCKS !

Local and regional climbers have a real and immediate access threat to Sunset Rocks at Goat Rock on the Sonoma Coast. It came to the attention of the climbing community very recently that the most recent revision to the Sonoma Coast State Park Fee Proposal includes the construction of a fee collection entrance station (kiosk) right at the location where we park and access Sunset Rocks. This proposed kiosk location eliminates essential parking and access to Sonoma County’s premiere climbing location for recreational climbers and for permitted groups that take young and new climbers out to experience this amazing climbing location and teach climbing and outdoor stewardship. Beyond this specific access threat for climbers, the proposed fee program, if approved by the California Coastal Commission, will install pay stations (kiosks) at Bodega Head, Goat Rock and Willow Creek and self pay stations (iron rangers) at Stump Beach, Shell Beach and Freezeout Creek.

The Rock Ice & Mountain Club is taking an active role to oppose the Sonoma Coast State Park Fee Proposal, with support from the Access Fund, American Alpine Club, B-Rad Foundation, Vertex Climbing Center and the Bay Area Climbers Coalition. We are joining forces with Surfrider Foundation and many other local and regional stakeholder groups to oppose this project. We are currently developing an opposition letter to send to California Coastal Commission staff and want climbers to join in on a letter writing campaign to oppose the project. Right now, the Surfrider website has the best and most current information regarding this issue. Please go to their website at

http://sonomacoast.surfrider.org

WE HAVE AN ON-LINE PETITION UP AT

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/994/314/983/stop-the-sonoma-coast-fee-proposal-keep-access-to-sunset-rocks./#sign

We really want local and regional climbers of the San Francisco Bay Area to sign the petition, but if you have climbed at Sunset Rocks in the past and feel compelled to sign the petition, please do so.

You can keep up to date on this issue at the Rock Ice & Mountain Club facebook page at

https://www.facebook.com/RockIceMountainClub

The Rock Ice & Mountain Club urges anyone who cares about this issue to contact your California State legislators and provide written comment via email by March 25, 2016 to

sonomastateparksappeal@coastal.ca.gov

Below are two maps showing the proposed location of the Fee Entrance Station and how it will affect our parking and access to Sunset Rocks.

Overview Map – showing Goat Rock Road and the location of proposed fee collection entrance station (kiosk) at Sunset Rocks parking area.

Detail Map – showing the location of the proposed fee collection entrance station (kiosk) at Sunset Rocks parking area and the road widening and improvements that will eliminate both parking areas to Sunset Rock.





photo credit: Jerry Dodrill