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lunabruandabby
Jun 13, 2007, 4:52 PM
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The forest service recently released a scoping letter that states an intention to open and operate a granite quarry at the base of the most popular crag. With less than a month left, it is important that all outdoorspeople, Montanans' and others write to ensure that the resource isn't lost for a generation. (At the very least.)
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ATTN: CLIMBERS!
Help Stop the Forest Service Plan to start mining the quarry at Lost Horse!
The Proposed Forest Service Plan Will:
- Expand the quarry at Lost Horse
- Operate the quarry every year for 10 years
- Put in gates, restrict access
- Destroy the adjacent cliffs and trails
- Closures from Oct – April, every year for 10 yrs
-Crawlers, Loaders, Dump trucks, primary crushing plant at Montana’s best climbing area.
- Whats next? The Lost Horse Boulders?
Forest Service public comment period ends July 9th, 2007!
Write a letter to:
District Ranger, Darby Ranger District
P.O. Box 388, Darby, MT 59829.
Tell them that this is Montana’s best multi-pitch climbing area. The quarry will destroy trails, access, no more all year climbing, negatively impact the wildlife of the area. Surely there are other areas to get gravel!
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Dear Interested Public:
The Bitterroot National Forest is considering a proposal from Ravalli County Road and Bridge Department for the use of the Lost Horse Quarry on the Darby Ranger District, for a period of 10 years. The area from which they wish to remove rock and excavate material is an existing quarry in the W1/2 Sec.18, T4N, R21W, approximately 4.5 miles up Lost Horse Road and 1000 ft. north on Forest Road #62969. The quarry is in Management Area 3c as identified in the Bitterroot Forest Plan (pg. III-30).
PROPOSED ACTION:
It is proposed to issue a Mineral Materials Contract to Ravalli County Road and Bridge Department for the removal of 125,000 to 150,000 cubic yards of material over 10 years. Ravalli County seeks to remove loose rock from the pit, and excavate new material with a crawler tractor, loader and dump trucks. There would be a primary crushing plant on site to process the rock material. The area of operations would be approximately 4.9 acres in size. The existing perimeter of the quarry would be increased in size.
CONTACT PERSON:
For information about the proposed action contact Elizabeth Ballard, Resource Coordinator, located at the Stevensville Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest, 88 Main St., Stevensville, MT 59870 (406-777-7421)
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lunabruandabby
Jun 21, 2007, 3:32 PM
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bump......
.....
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fulton
Jun 21, 2007, 4:17 PM
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http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2007/06/07/news/news04.txt
Forest Recreation project manager Mary Laws wrote: “Eighty percent of the time when they're in there operating, people would be able to climb on the routes,” Laws said. “ I'm sure there'll be times when they may be blasting or have heavy equipment or trucks when we'd say, ‘No you can't access this pit.' But I think we'll be able to get people to go around the pit and have access to climbing routes.”
Ravali County road supervisor David Ohnstad wrote: “ We're not looking at doing any drilling, shooting or blasting,” he said. “The material already has fallen from the vertical rock wall, so we're essentially just cleaning up what nature has deposited there over the course of decades.”
?
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alpinismo_flujo
Jun 21, 2007, 4:31 PM
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WTF is this guy a US politician or what....?
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alpinismo_flujo
Jun 22, 2007, 8:12 AM
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^apprently my post was misunderstood....because I thought the quotes fulton used were both from the same guy. Which I took as contradicting..
i.e
"80% climbers can climb except when we are blasting" and then "we don't plan on doing any blasting"
Let me restate: What are THESE guys politicians?
Shit I want to help and planning on writing a letter to that effect.
Sorry for the confusion 
(This post was edited by alpinismo_flujo on Jun 22, 2007, 8:12 AM)
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fulton
Jun 22, 2007, 8:41 AM
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I was happy to see that this issue made it to the front page of this morning's paper -
The article's author, Michael Moore, did a nice job of clearing some of the ambiguities I pointed out in the last article.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/06/22/news/mtregional/news08.txt
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easton
Jun 22, 2007, 8:59 AM
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lunabruandabby wrote: - Closures from Oct – April, every year for 10 yrs
Do a lot of people climb from Oct to April in Montana?
lunabruandabby wrote: -Crawlers, Loaders, Dump trucks, primary crushing plant at Montana’s best climbing area.
Is an old quarry really Montana's best? I don't know the area, and am likely speaking out of turn. I would think there is a lot of great climbing other than in a quarry. Let's face it, we need gravel, and wouldn't digging an old quarry be better than starting a new one? Maybe not for climbing but surely for the environment. Plus it sounds like they are trying to work with climbers.
It's never good news to tear up part of the forest, but at some point we have to unless you don't like concrete, lumber, and gravel in which case I sure hope you live in a mud hut.
Regardless, you obviously feel it is important to stop this action, and I wish you the best.
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fulton
Jun 22, 2007, 11:53 AM
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easton wrote: Do a lot of people climb from Oct to April in Montana?
Yes.
The Bitterroot Range is located within Montana's 'Banana Belt' where the weather stays much warmer than other areas of the state. Add to that much of the rock in the Bitterroot faces South.
Since I moved to Montana I've done most of my climbing during those months and much less in the summer - but that is just one guy's experience.
easton wrote: lunabruandabby wrote: Crawlers, Loaders, Dump trucks, primary crushing plant at Montana’s best climbing area. Is an old quarry really Montana's best? I don't know the area... I would think there is a lot of great climbing other than in a quarry.
Well, the Lost Horse Climbing and the Lost Horse Quarry really just share space. One could say that the two occupy two different 'zones,' with the climbing poised about 200 vertical feet above where the quarrying action will be. The climbing zone is located on less accessible stone that today remains natural and intact.
And whether or not Lost Horse is the "best" is also up for debate. Every Bitterroot climbing area is a gem for its own reason--but no doubt its a gem.
I think that a central concern is that the quarry will ruin the ambiance of the canyon - lots of things rumbling, grinding, burning diesel and kicking up dust.
The serenity of the canyon will be ruined for all users; hikers, climbers, anglers, aquestrians, those on ATVs, and campers will inevitably traffic other canyons.
easton wrote: Let's face it, we need gravel, and wouldn't digging an old quarry be better than starting a new one?
Philisophical question I think. I have talked to others about the near by Sapphire Mountains, as they have much less recreational appeal, but I can't speak to whether or not the Sapphire's have the mineral wealth necessary to fit the county's needs--its a growing place.
hope that answers your questions
(I am not an authority on anything Lost Horse, just some guy who has climbed there a few times)
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lunabruandabby
Jun 22, 2007, 12:37 PM
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Yup, California.....
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lunabruandabby
Jun 22, 2007, 12:38 PM
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Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at the Quarry.
This is one of our last chances to meet with the other side and learn what you can do to be a part of the solution.
Justin
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alpinismo_flujo
Jun 22, 2007, 1:34 PM
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Post up after the meeting and I'll write whatever is needed.....we just had the letter campaign for Williamson and people from all over the US participated - so I'd like to do the same; whether if it's the best or worst place in MT. 
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lunabruandabby
Jun 22, 2007, 3:23 PM
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These are the addresses. The first is probably the most important.
Justin
Barry Paulson
Acting Forest Supervisor Bitterroot National Forest
Bitterroot National Forest
1801 North 1st Street
Hamilton, MT 59840
Send copy of letter to Ravalli County Commisioners:
Attn:
Kathleen Driscoll
Carlotta Grandstaff
Alan Thompson
James E. Rokosch
Greg Chilcott
To: Glenda Wiles, Administrative Assistant
Ravalli County Commissioners Office
215 S. 4th Street, Suite A
Hamilton, MT 59840
Send copy of letter to:
Ravalli Republic
Attn: Jennny Johnson
232 West Main
Hamilton, MT 59840
The Missoulian
Letters to the editor
P.O. Box 8029
Missoula, MT 59840
Send copy of letter to:
Senator Max Baucus
Missoula Field Office
1821 South Avenue West, Suite 203
Missoula MT 59801
www.baucus.senate.gov
Senator Jon Tester
Missoula Field Office
116 West Front Street
Missoula, MT 59802
www.tester.senate.gov
Congressman Denny Rehberg
Kelly McQuiston, Field Representative
310 East Broadway, Suite 2
Missoula, MT 59801
www.house.gov/rehberg
Governor Brian Schweitzer
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 200801, Helena, MT 59620
governor.mt.gov/
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easton
Jun 22, 2007, 3:47 PM
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lunabruandabby wrote: Yup, California.....
Actually I just moved here from Indiana, so I do appreciate the scarce resource that is climbable rock. I just assumed Montana had a lot more than it seems from your original post. I was just playing Devil's Advocate a bit. I am sorry to hear of recreation areas being ruined. And yes, your climbing in 20-degrees is a good bit hardier than what I'm used to. You da man.
Fulton, thank you for the eloquent correction of my incorrect assumptions. I stand corrected. I pictured it being like a limestone quarry back in IN. I'll have to swing up and see what I'm missing. Good luck in your efforts.
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