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aimeerose
Jan 1, 2008, 5:43 AM
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I'm surprised no one has posted this yet. So sad, I think I'm going to cry. And such a slap in the face to the climbing community, especially to do it on such short notice and in the middle of the season.
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curt
Jan 1, 2008, 6:04 AM
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aimeerose wrote: I'm surprised no one has posted this yet. So sad, I think I'm going to cry. And such a slap in the face to the climbing community, especially to do it on such short notice and in the middle of the season.
It's been posted before, but not confirmed to anyone's satisfaction--nothing on the Hueco Tanks website--or on the Rock Ranch website. Are you sure this is true?
Curt
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escalabrasil
Jan 1, 2008, 7:46 AM
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Climbing magazine's website has a story on it that includes a picture of the closure sign. Sad indeed.
www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/mushroomclosed07/
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curt
Jan 1, 2008, 7:50 AM
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Thanks for the info. I also fixed your link.
Curt
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supersonick
Jan 2, 2008, 1:29 AM
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It is most certainly closed. Erosion at the base has caused artifacts to come to the surface.
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curt
Jan 2, 2008, 3:11 AM
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Jesus, just bury 'em again and get on with the bouldering.
Curt
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knieveltech
Jan 2, 2008, 3:17 AM
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curt wrote: Jesus, just bury 'em again and get on with the bouldering. Curt
Or get an archaeologist out there, do the dig, fill the hole, THEN get on with the bouldering.
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obe
Jan 2, 2008, 3:23 AM
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never been to hueco, what problems were on the boulder/area
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aimeerose
Jan 2, 2008, 4:34 AM
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Ok, now I'm sad that this has only gotten 9 posts. Doesn't anyone care?
What problems weren't on this boulder???? Classics from V0 to V10 (Mushroom Roof, The El Murrays, Local Flakes, Woman with a Hueco in her Head)
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supersonick
Jan 2, 2008, 5:01 AM
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aimeerose wrote: Ok, now I'm sad that this has only gotten 9 posts. Doesn't anyone care? What problems weren't on this boulder???? Classics from V0 to V10 (Mushroom Roof, The El Murrays, Local Flakes, Woman with a Hueco in her Head)
aimeerose wrote: What kind of nasty response? They won't ever do anything about it though. That's the real shame. They should just excavate and reopen it, but they won't. You're there, was it as abrupt as it seems? Hope you're having a good season. We were there in Nov, but only climbed one day in Hueco and the rest of the time at the Tunnel. Kyle forgot your website, so we didn't get in touch. Did you see Ella on climbing.com? http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/talltales/ellaanorexic/
Aimee,
I am consolidating the parallel threads.
It's big news around here - there is even a "town hall" type meeting with Wanda on Sunday to discuss the closure with the community. (Wanda asked Rob if she needed to bring armed guards.) It was extremely abrupt. No one heard anything about it, and then boom, one day there was a notice at the ranger center explaining the situation. Don't really know what can be done though - there are artifacts that need to be preserved but there is probably not enough money to do a proper excavation anytime soon. My bet is that it is closed for good. Anyway, I am going to the town hall meeting on Sunday and I'll post more when I know more.
Yes I saw Ella on climbing.com, she is definitely developing into a world class boulderer at a very young age. But tell her she's crazy - Anorexic is at least solid V6.
I will send you a PM with all my contact info. See you down here sometime soon I hope.
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curt
Jan 2, 2008, 5:37 AM
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supersonick wrote: ...It's big news around here - there is even a "town hall" type meeting with Wanda on Sunday to discuss the closure with the community. (Wanda asked Rob if she needed to bring armed guards.) It was extremely abrupt. No one heard anything about it, and then boom, one day there was a notice at the ranger center explaining the situation. Don't really know what can be done though - there are artifacts that need to be preserved but there is probably not enough money to do a proper excavation anytime soon. My bet is that it is closed for good. Anyway, I am going to the town hall meeting on Sunday and I'll post more when I know more...
Well, good luck, but you and aimee are both probably correct: Mushroom Boulder is likely closed for good--and they won't do anything about the "artifacts" except to keep people away from them.
It's really no surprise that Texas State Parks would implement yet another incremental step towards their ultimate goal of banning climbers from Hueco altogether. They have systematically done this over the last 10 years or so and they won't be happy until the Park's largest user group is gone--and the rangers can then merely sit on their lazy asses while the 10 or 20 other non-climbing visitors come through each day.
Curt
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supersonick
Jan 2, 2008, 6:02 AM
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Honestly I don't think that's the case. These are not the same rangers as ten years ago and that is not the vibe I get around here. The rangers now are not standoffish and the relationship between them and us does not seem adversarial at all.
It's also not consistent with all the additional guiding concessions that the park granted last year. There are now four or five groups able to offer tours as opposed to just one (Wagon Wheel, Rob, Austin Rock Gym, and one or two others I don't remember the name of). The rangers seem genuinely concerned with trying to provide greater access balanced with preservation. They apparently knew about the artifacts under the Mushroom boulder, but felt they were buried deeply enough to allow climbing to continue. The problem is, that boulder sees so much traffic that erosion has essentially brought these artifacts to the surface.
The much larger concern for access is the Texas Historical Society. They have consistently vied to take over custodial responsibilities for the park. If they did, the park would almost certainly be open only to academics. Incidentally, this possibility caused quite a panic last season among the rangers here. I realize they want to keep their jobs, but I saw some of their internal emails and they seemed pretty angry about the possibility of the park being closed to the public.
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supersonick
Jan 2, 2008, 6:34 PM
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I just talked to Wanda and the forum on the Mushroom Boulder will be held at the Rock Ranch this Saturday at 6:30PM.
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curt
Jan 3, 2008, 2:25 AM
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Well, I sincerely hope that you are right--and I'm wrong on this one. Like I said, good luck.
Curt
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supersonick
Jan 3, 2008, 4:06 PM
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Unfortunately I am with you - I think the park is still very much in danger. I just think that enemy #1 is the THS now not the TPWD.
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dreday3000
Jan 3, 2008, 5:04 PM
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Man o man, what a tragedy! The Mushroom boulder was defiently the best all around boulder in the Park. Like Mrs Rose said, it had everything; steep roof climbing (Mushroom) delicate +powerful climbs (the Murrys) and down ride hard climbing (Women with a Hueco). Very sad indeed.
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kyote321
Jan 6, 2008, 12:44 AM
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one could make the case that the mushroom is the most singularly important boulder in bouldering history.
so, the question is, when will climbing become legitimate enough that the last 30+ years of history surrounding the boulder will be as important as where a native left some scraps?
oh, and walking happens! they are essentially banning the practice. if want to preserve things the way they were, stop building roads, cutting forests, and allowing SUVs to be manufactured.
for the record, Wanda worked at Hueco ten years ago. she is a yes person, just like the rest of them, so don't expect anything but the party line. it is interesting that it is being held at the rock ranch. is it really in the rock ranch's interest to fight for something that doesn't pay for tours?
don't expect much of a fight from the climbers that are at hueco these days. it ain't the rebel posse of pete's hut and skinner's house. they all left for the part of america that is still free.
.. and thank god they did, otherwise we might not have bishop, joe's or the hundreds of quality local areas that we been developed since hueco was closed ten years ago.
(This post was edited by kyote321 on Jan 6, 2008, 1:35 AM)
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jemco
Jan 11, 2008, 8:58 AM
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This is sad news indeed. I was living in the area in the years leading up to the 98 closure and the public was hardly considered there. After countless hours of meetings and conversations the park moved to Phase 3 as a first step instead of the gradual phase1, phase, phase 3 progression that we all thought was going to be the case. Even then, 10 years ago it was the historical society that was leading the charge. I have long ago given up on Hueco, despite the fact that it remains my first love in bouldering. I respect the historic aspects of the park, but even 10 years ago it was clear (because of confusing, contradictory, and false reasons for the initial closure) that the park was NOT interested in remaining an international climbing destination and they would do what ever it took to make that happen. I am sad, but not surprised.
jemco
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jgloporto
Jan 11, 2008, 4:36 PM
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aimeerose wrote: I'm surprised no one has posted this yet. So sad, I think I'm going to cry. And such a slap in the face to the climbing community, especially to do it on such short notice and in the middle of the season.
Boulderers are weke.
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tradrenn
Feb 7, 2008, 3:31 AM
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curt wrote: Well, good luck, but you and aimee are both probably correct: Mushroom Boulder is likely closed for good--and they won't do anything about the "artifacts" except to keep people away from them. It's really no surprise that Texas State Parks would implement yet another incremental step towards their ultimate goal of banning climbers from Hueco altogether. They have systematically done this over the last 10 years or so and they won't be happy until the Park's largest user group is gone--and the rangers can then merely sit on their lazy asses while the 10 or 20 other non-climbing visitors come through each day. Curt
Can we buy Hueco ?
After all we did buy rocks before, right ?
V.
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texansherpa
Feb 21, 2008, 8:53 PM
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Posts: 138
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So two things,
1) http://www.craghead.net/newmoviepage2.php?movie=72
Is that James O'Connor in the maroon shirt in that video? He is my hero.
2) Ella has grown a lot! I was out there last summer shortly after she was born and I stayed at the ranch, thats a hilarious picture set. I have to show my friends who were there...
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