Shutdown Updates

For sure the best approach is to just have a blast, celebrate the mountains, and others will be influenced by that and will be able to relax and change with the environment more. Some trash laying around? Big deal, if there is a flood again this spring Merced will have to deal with it all, and Yosemite will go back to the pristine Ringing Crystal Vortex / Sacred Healing Valley that we know her as.

Got your panties in a bunch about some non-climber generated litter in Yosemite?..... how about the myriad of trails that crisscross the forest, and a complete lack of signage, to even the most popular crags / climbs (multiplying climbers impact on this sensitive landscape), or the thousands of gross old bolts littering the cliffs (still being relied upon, many way beyond decent), the numerous dead trees still strangled by yards of bleached webbing hanging from the cliffs, and really the worst - no designated climbing center and museum where information can be spread, and history preserved.......seeing these things manifest in the coming years (and a via-ferrata up the East Ledges of El Cap Please!) is gonna be so awesome!  

Here's a pic from thigh-deep Northside drive during last years flood, looking across Leidig meadow (the meadow right across from Camp 4)

Our future is bright Yosemite Climbers! Shine On! Woot Woot!
Erik Sloan, owner, Yosemitebigwall.com RockclimbYosemite.com

These periodic reminders of why Erik Sloan doesn't deserve a dime from anyone shopping for a Yosemite guidebook are a real boon. Shine on!

Erik Sloan wrote: For sure the best approach is to just have a blast, celebrate the mountains, and others will be influenced by that and will be able to relax and change with the environment more. Some trash laying around? Big deal, if there is a flood again this spring Merced will have to deal with it all, and Yosemite will go back to the pristine Ringing Crystal Vortex / Sacred Healing Valley that we know her as.

Jesus are you really saying that trash is okay because soon it will be swept out of your sight?

Erik Sloan wrote: For sure the best approach is to just have a blast, celebrate the mountains, and others will be influenced by that and will be able to relax and change with the environment more. Some trash laying around? Big deal, if there is a flood again this spring Merced will have to deal with it all, and Yosemite will go back to the pristine Ringing Crystal Vortex / Sacred Healing Valley that we know her as.

Got your panties in a bunch about some non-climber generated litter in Yosemite?..... how about the myriad of trails that crisscross the forest, and a complete lack of signage, to even the most popular crags / climbs (multiplying climbers impact on this sensitive landscape), or the thousands of gross old bolts littering the cliffs (still being relied upon, many way beyond decent), the numerous dead trees still strangled by yards of bleached webbing hanging from the cliffs, and really the worst - no designated climbing center and museum where information can be spread, and history preserved.......seeing these things manifest in the coming years (and a via-ferrata up the East Ledges of El Cap Please!) is gonna be so awesome!  

Here's a pic from thigh-deep Northside drive during last years flood, looking across Leidig meadow (the meadow right across from Camp 4)

Our future is bright Yosemite Climbers! Shine On! Woot Woot!
Erik Sloan, owner, Yosemitebigwall.com RockclimbYosemite.com

are you fucking high?

Can I return my book for a refund?

Erik Sloan wrote: For sure the best approach is to just have a blast, celebrate the mountains, and others will be influenced by that and will be able to relax and change with the environment more. Some trash laying around? Big deal, if there is a flood again this spring Merced will have to deal with it all, and Yosemite will go back to the pristine Ringing Crystal Vortex / Sacred Healing Valley that we know her as.

Got your panties in a bunch about some non-climber generated litter in Yosemite?..... how about the myriad of trails that crisscross the forest, and a complete lack of signage, to even the most popular crags / climbs (multiplying climbers impact on this sensitive landscape), or the thousands of gross old bolts littering the cliffs (still being relied upon, many way beyond decent), the numerous dead trees still strangled by yards of bleached webbing hanging from the cliffs, and really the worst - no designated climbing center and museum where information can be spread, and history preserved.......seeing these things manifest in the coming years (and a via-ferrata up the East Ledges of El Cap Please!) is gonna be so awesome!  

Here's a pic from thigh-deep Northside drive during last years flood, looking across Leidig meadow (the meadow right across from Camp 4)

Our future is bright Yosemite Climbers! Shine On! Woot Woot!
Erik Sloan, owner, Yosemitebigwall.com RockclimbYosemite.com

How high are you Erik????
The most absurd shit i've ever heard from a climber, let alone a guidebook author.
Do us all a favor and just STFU please.

I always wondered why people were so tough on you. Now I see. You are just a moron and can't help yourself.

caesar.salad wrote:

are you fucking high?

I understand the temptation to blame drugs but I think in this case we're dealing with something totally organic...

Eric... dude.... da fuck

Erik Sloan wrote: For sure the best approach is to just have a blast, celebrate the mountains, and others will be influenced by that and will be able to relax and change with the environment more. Some trash laying around? Big deal, if there is a flood again this spring Merced will have to deal with it all, and Yosemite will go back to the pristine Ringing Crystal Vortex / Sacred Healing Valley that we know her as.

Got your panties in a bunch about some non-climber generated litter in Yosemite?..... how about the myriad of trails that crisscross the forest, and a complete lack of signage, to even the most popular crags / climbs (multiplying climbers impact on this sensitive landscape), or the thousands of gross old bolts littering the cliffs (still being relied upon, many way beyond decent), the numerous dead trees still strangled by yards of bleached webbing hanging from the cliffs, and really the worst - no designated climbing center and museum where information can be spread, and history preserved.......seeing these things manifest in the coming years (and a via-ferrata up the East Ledges of El Cap Please!) is gonna be so awesome!  

Here's a pic from thigh-deep Northside drive during last years flood, looking across Leidig meadow (the meadow right across from Camp 4)

Our future is bright Yosemite Climbers! Shine On! Woot Woot!
Erik Sloan, owner, Yosemitebigwall.com RockclimbYosemite.com

Who up voted this?? C'mon man...

Paul Allen wrote:

Who up voted this?? C'mon man...

isn't it obvious that on an Eric Sloan comment with ONE upvote the voter is none other than Eric Sloan?

Actually, Sloan is a genius.

Promote valley tourism, sell tons of guidebooks, then flood the valley to clean up the mess......

Woot..... ;)

Wow!  This Dude must be related to the 'Orange Disease.'  I am glad I have never purchased any of his guidebooks.  In the end karma will get these idiots.

You guys are too easily trolled and distracted by Erik

David Ebel wrote:

Yep just got kicked out of the campground myself. 

Looking to go to Red Rocks next week and wanted to get some clarification on the campground. I was assuming it would remain open but unstaffed. Is it completely closed?

Yeah for sure the climbers I meet in Yosemite are largely an educated, pick-up-after-themselves group.....so no need to fall into the negative, fear mongering that land managers are suggesting. I went to El Cap today and it was incredible, tshirt weather. There was parking everywhere. I didn't see any trash (picked up a nice pair of gloves someone must have dropped, that was it at the base).

For sure let's show the more general tourists that we climbers know how to celebrate and maintain Yosemite - and while we're at it let's talk about real climber impacts, and how we are quick to get on these cheesy thread debates about picking up menial trash but largely shy away from even talking about the tough, harder to alleviate problems I've noted above.

Woot Woot! E

For example a super easy, common sense solution to these very temporary crisis' in Yosemite, would be for the Yosemite Conservancy, which raises around 100 million a year to fund projects in Yosemite, creates a 'rainy day / disaster relief / government shutdown fund,' and each year some token amount goes into that fund. The result: Right now the YC could hire twenty people from nearby communities to show up and pick up trash, and the park would be pristine.....totally trivial thing for an organization regularly funding project that are 10s of millions of dollars in the park.

Erik Sloan wrote: For example a super easy, common sense solution to these very temporary crisis' in Yosemite, would be for the Yosemite Conservancy, which raises around 100 million a year to fund projects in Yosemite, creates a 'rainy day / disaster relief / government shutdown fund,' and each year some token amount goes into that fund. The result: Right now the YC could hire twenty people from nearby communities to show up and pick up trash, and the park would be pristine.....totally trivial thing for an organization regularly funding project that are 10s of millions of dollars in the park.

A conservancy raises 100 million dollars a year? 

I try to stay away but the shameless plugs to come to a place where you’ve conveniently written a guidebook to. Have you no shame? 

Well, they wouldn't dare do that Erik, as it would be counter to the narrative that the sky is falling.

Erik Sloan wrote: For example a super easy, common sense solution to these very temporary crisis' in Yosemite, would be for the Yosemite Conservancy, which raises around 100 million a year to fund projects in Yosemite, creates a 'rainy day / disaster relief / government shutdown fund,' and each year some token amount goes into that fund. The result: Right now the YC could hire twenty people from nearby communities to show up and pick up trash, and the park would be pristine.....totally trivial thing for an organization regularly funding project that are 10s of millions of dollars in the park.

It took me a whopping thirty seconds to check this surprising [and - spoiler alert - inaccurate] claim about the Yosemite Conservancy's fundraising. Here are their actual numbers for the past four years, copied from their annual reports. These reports are available on their website (and are the top result if you bother to Google any reasonable combination of search terms):

• 2017: $16,558,360 in support/revenue; $10,687,792 spent on aid in the park

• 2016: $13,526,857 in support/revenue; $18,081,935 spent on aid in the park

• 2015: $14,866,868 in support/revenue; $13,207,357 spent on aid in the park

• 2014: $17,872,322 in support/revenue; $10,214,399 spent on aid in the park

(YC annual reports: https://www.yosemiteconservancy.org/annual-reports)

mediocre wrote:

A conservancy raises 100 million dollars a year? 

Narrator: They don't.