Williamson Rock

A comment period and public meetings for a plan to reopen Williamson Rock was just announced. The Access Fund has a web page explaining the history and reasons for the closure. It looks like the plans is to reopen with seasonal closures, trail improvements, and a permit system limiting to 90 people a day.

Here is the email I got yesterday from the USFS:
***
Notice for Draft EIS 45-day Comment Period
Williamson Rock/Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Project

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Williamson Rock Project is now available for public review and comment. The project is intended to better manage the recreation use and balance of the needs for resource protection.
The Draft EIS analyzes the environmental consequences of four alternatives. Documents are available on the Angeles National Forest’s project webpage at: fs.usda.gov/project/?projec…

Public meetings will be held on August 9, and 11, 2018.

This project is subject to 36 CFR 218 for objection/administrative review. Only those who submit project-specific written comments during a public comment period are eligible to file an objection. Individuals or representatives of an entity submitting comments must sign them or verify identity upon request.

Comment due date is September 10, 2018

 ***

I'm not particularly convinced that the Forest Service has much interest in reopening Williamson.  I know that people who have interfaced with them suggest patience and working within the system.  However, based upon the progress or lack thereof thus far, I'm not sure if they have much interest in working with us as a group.  I think the comment periods as window dressing intended to comply with some process that likely exists.  Once they've done it, they'll bury it just like the Dept. of the Interior did with the call for comments on shrinking Bears Ears.  

There was a lengthy thread on Supertopo a while back that discussed the prior appellate court decisions and some of the applicable statutes.  My understanding of the issue after a quick skim (and, though I'm a lawyer, I really don't deal with federal regulations at all) was that the failure to reopen Williamson was not the result of any factual finding about the frogs but rather the result of the Forest Service not exercising an election to undertake certain acts within a prescibed period provided for by that statute.  In other words, while the closure may have started with the frogs, it has remained closed because the Forest Service has not decided to take any course of action necessary to modify the earlier closure.  Pessimistically I believe that unless someone is willing to lawyer up and advance alot of costs and fees (which might not even be successful), it isn't going to reopen, at least not anytime soon.

Fat Dad wrote: I'm not particularly convinced that the Forest Service has much interest in reopening Williamson.  I know that people who have interfaced with them suggest patience and working within the system.  However, based upon the progress or lack thereof thus far, I'm not sure if they have much interest in working with us as a group.  I need the comment periods as window dressing intended to comply with some process that likely exists.  Once they've done it, they'll bury it just like the Dept. of the Interior did with the call for comments on shrinking Bears Ears.  

There was a lengthy thread on Supertopo a while back that discussed the prior appellate court decisions and some of the applicable statutes.  My understanding of the issue after a quick skim (and, though I'm a lawyer, I really don't deal with federal regulations at all) was that the failure to reopen Williamson was not the result of any factual finding about the frogs but rather the result of the Forest Service not exercising an election to undertake certain acts within a prescibed period provided for by that statute.  In other words, while the closure may have started with the frogs, it has remained closed because the Forest Service has not decided to take any course of action necessary to modify the earlier closure.  Pessimistically I believe that unless someone is willing to lawyer up and advance alot of costs and fees (which might not even be successful), it isn't going to reopen, at least not anytime soon.  

Sounds like a job for Access Fund though I don’t think their legal council is all that great.

jg fox wrote:

Sounds like a job for Access Fund though I don’t think their legal council is all that great.

The Access Fund has been working on it though I get the feeling that since the Sierra Club is part of the original suit to close it, along with The Center For Biological Diversity that the Access Fund doesn't want to burn bridges with the Sierra Club.  I'm not holding my breath.  

Initial thoughts on it

• interesting to control F that pdf and see the word "climb" come up 246 times. 
• Its 189 pages long
• There are multiple proposed actions, many of which the climbing community will be happy about. 
• One of the proposed actions is to simply close certain walls based on proximity, for example "Stream Wall".
• They are absolutely aware that the climbing community has been adversely affected "Consistent with the Angeles National Forest Land Management Plan recreation goals and objectives, there is also a need for a quality, sustainable rock climbing opportunity at Williamson Rock (USDA Forest Service, 2005).
• I'm too lazy to read to the whole, but this certainly seems like a good sign. 

 "Implementation of the proposed action or alternatives that limit or eliminate access to Williamson Rock could adversely affect public use and enjoyment, particularly for rock climbing activities. "

"The purpose and need of the project is to utilize adaptive management principles to protect natural resources in the area including the federally listed mountain yellow-legged frog, peregrine falcon and other sensitive resources while providing for a quality, sustainable recreation opportunity at Williamson Rock, and public use and enjoyment of the PCT where it passes through the project area. The Angeles National Forest proposes to provide limited, managed recreational activities at Williamson Rock and in the surrounding vicinity. The proposed action would include allowing access to the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) and limited seasonal access to Williamson Rock, "

We have the opportunity here to comment on which one of four alternatives we would like to see implemented - they can be viewed here:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=43405

Is the climbing at Williamson really worth it? I never had a chance to experience the rock so I don't really know, but with other options a few hours further I am curious.

RER wrote: Is the climbing at Williamson really worth it? I never had a chance to experience the rock so I don't really know, but with other options a few hours further I am curious.

Where do you normally climb?   For me the answer is an easy yes it’s worth it.   One hour door to crag with clear cool air and a wide variety of climbing.  Way better than anything in the Santa Monica Mtns.  

I'm with Kevin - it's amongst the best crags locally. Some of the climbs are spectacular. Now I'm beginning to realize that an entire climbing generation hasn't climbed on the Generation Wall. 

Williamson was never my fave (hard to be when you have Idyllwild and Josh as alternatives) but it was close, had cool temps and felt like a gazillion miles from LA without a really long drive.  The rock is oddly different and I thought some of the routes had really weird movement but, all that notwithstanding, I had many a good time there.  Definitely worth the effort to reopen.  

Spider Savage wrote: RANT:  Frogs survived that whole canyon being logged (50's or 60's), the hotel that was just above them at Eagles' Roost (1930's)(including a dam on the creek, still there) and massive stocking of invasive spieces of fish at the Little Rock resevoir at the bottom of the canyon, massive ATV activity at the resevoir site.  Still some good fly fishin in the lower part of the canyon below Buckhorn.  There is NO WAY even the level of climbing activity in the 1990's exceeds the impacts of the Logging operations that went through that valley OR the fish in the lower half of the canyon.

SUSPISCION:  Someone just doesn't like climbers.  Girlfriend in college left them for a climber or something.  

ADDITIONAL RANT:  Land mananagers simply closed the Rattlesnake Cyn trail and built NO replacement, routing PCT through-hikers onto the friggin highway.  I really want to have the power to fire land managers. I am frequently confounded by their stupidity and can rarely point to anything done right.

indeed

Chris Owen wrote: I'm with Kevin - it's amongst the best crags locally. Some of the climbs are spectacular. Now I'm beginning to realize that an entire climbing generation hasn't climbed on the Generation Wall. 

Chris, I actually named it the Generation Wall because my father introduced me to Williamson when I was 11 years old and it was the first Wall I established a new type of climbing for me at least, sport climbing.   The route was at the far left of the wall called Second Generation.  Prior to that I was using old 1/4” studs and drilling on lead or climbing any natural lines I could find but those are few and far between.  

Great story, Kevin. I hope so, too. 

Here's the email I just received from the Access Fund <katie@accessfund.org>:

Hi Chris,Thanks for reaching out. I am the Public Land Policy Associate and California Regional Director for Access Fund. We have been actively pushing to get the FS to finish this plan for several years and we are excited to see some forward progression.
Access Fund is currently conducting a thorough analysis of the DEIS we will be submitting comments for Access Fund as well as developing a summary and talking points for climbers. We will put this information in an action alert and share out to the climbing community to help them comment on this very important and detailed plan. We hope to have an action alert launched this week, however we want to make sure we take time to do some local outreach and really dive into the DEIS to craft the best plan and message from the climbing community. The comment period is 45 days.

There will also be two public meetings which I will be attending and conducting further
 outreach to the local climbing community to ensure the climbing communities voice is heard and strongly represented in this very important planning process. Stay tuned for an action alert from us, this easy to use tool will help climbers submit individual comments on this plan during the public comment period.
Public  Meeting Dates and Locations:
August 9, 2018
7-9pm
ANF Acton Work Center
33708 Crown Valley Road
Acton, CA 93510
August 11, 2018
1-3 pm
Angeles Training and Conference Center
701 N. Santa Anita Avenue
Arcadia, CA 91006
Please feel free to contact me directly anytime and I please share any thoughts or feedback you have. I will be sure to update you as things progress and I hope to see you at one of the public meetings.
Best,
Katie Goodwin.

Does anyone know if it’s has opened up yet? 

https://www.accessfund.org/take-action/campaigns/ongoing-campaigns/williamson-rock-california

Tapawingo Markey wrote: accessfund.org/take-action/…

Thanks for the info! 

The closure at Williamson Rock was extended for another two years (12/4/18 - 12/31/20).

https://www.reddit.com/r/socalclimbing/comments/abes58/the_closure_at_williamson_rock_has_been_extended/

Here's info on the four plans the USFS was considering in 2018 along with maps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/socalclimbing/comments/99h9t7/heres_a_map_of_the_four_proposals_put_forward_by/ 

This link has the most recent updates.

https://www.accessfund.org/take-action/campaigns/ongoing-campaigns/williamson-rock-california

Due to the recent fires the land is under review and Public access is prohibited until 4/1/2022

Andrew Bwrote:

This link has the most recent updates.

https://www.accessfund.org/take-action/campaigns/ongoing-campaigns/williamson-rock-california

Due to the recent fires the land is under review and Public access is prohibited until 4/1/2022

So the last update was a year ago?  This has got to be one of the longest games of Kick The Can ever.  Bravo Access Fund.