Respecting the Access Agreement

[*Chris*]

Yesterday, I arrived at Cochrane lane to find a long line of cars, each with a ticket in the window. It read to the effect:

"Your trespassing at a military access point. Please don't . Please just call in and make us happy. If you don't we might do some search/seizure action that's within our power but we'd prefer not to. Again, calling in and/visiting us at Petersville Hill is easy.

XOXOXO... the Canadian Army"

I'm paraphrasing of course, but it's just a reminder to respect the access agreement. This is especially true if you happened to be someone local, who knows better than to bring a large group of new climbers to the crag without checking in.

Speaking of respecting access... or just your fellow climbers... the following items left at Cochrane lane yesterday were not cool: 1) garbage, 2) beer cans along the road at the farmer's field, 3) two piles of human waste literally on the approach trail. Must have been visitors since I know that local climbers know better. Please just show a bit of courtesy.

[Terry_M]

UNB R & I have been in contact with Gagetown about the check-in/check-out procedure. In addition to calling in, we will have membership cards we can put on our car dash or something. There is also a communication break down with the folks on the other end of the line. They do not ask the number of climbers in your party, nor do they ask for a phone number, license plate number, etc. I suppose we should be giving them all that info whether they ask for it or not.

And yeah, CL was a zoo yesterday. Leaving human waste on the trail is pretty greasy. Even my dog doesn't crap on trail...

[Adam]

wow. brutal - right on the trail???? wtf is wrong with people. i heard there were a mass of people camping up at exfoliated... any connection??

for the record, the last 3 times i have called in, they have asked no questions, not even my name, let alone how many people, license plates etc.

yes, we need to honour the agreement, but when we get extremely inconsistent response from their end it makes it seem like they're not taking it seriously and might suggest to people that they don't have to take it seriously either. we definitely should keep calling in, regardless of their response, just sayin' that the CFB side has been pretty flakey IMHO.

[*Chris*]

I suspect that Range Control is taking an audit based approach to monitoring our use. It seems as if every once in a while, they choose to focus on climbers and check for breaches of process. That's fine. That's the same way that Revenue Canada makes sure we pay our taxes correctly. You are correct in saying that we should still be following the process regardless of how random they seem to be at their end.

As for the parties involved in the other stuff... I won't mention anyone specific. I didn't witness anything so it's not fair for me suggest I did. Whoever it was should damn well know better.

Adam, do you remember hearing how Yosemite locals dealt with finding wag bags exploded at the base of El Cap from a visiting party? For the benefit of others... they organized a clean-up crew... collected as much as they could... and returned it kindly to the visitors rental car. Nice.

[Dom]

Those are legit concerns and as Terry has said, we (the execs) have established a dialogue with range control. We are working to make sure that it becomes consistent. I have had different experiences as well in the last month and it also pisses me off but at the end of the day it is their land.

Anyways, like Terry said, we will be giving cards for UNB Rock & Ice Members so they can put it on their dash. We told Range control that we would send the list of members by the end of September and to give us a transition period until then. They agreed. So, this seems weird that they would've put these pamphlets on the cars at CL yesterday.

So all in all, make sure you have your membership all straightened out with the UNB Rock & Ice Club by September 20th and you will not have any problems accessing Cochrane Lane or the other Welsford crags. Memberships go on sale September 1st of every year and are good for a full year.

The onus is on you to make sure you're on the list we send at the end of September.

[Shawn B]

My guess would be that they did an early morning patrol of the area and saw there was a half a dozen cars that had parked there overnight and no one had called in to say that they would be spending the night. Their concerns are justified in that if a patrol sees that a vehicle was there overnight means that there is a possibility that someone is injured on THEIR property. They have no way of knowing whether someone is just camping unless they have been notified.

There was a large group heading in to camp at the exfoliated campsite which seemed to be led/organized by Cory Richardson. So Cory it is your responsibility to call into range control as it states on the sign which you walk past. If you don't follow the requirements as put forth by the landowner you should not enter upon their property. Otherwise you are trespassing. And potentially causing access issues for other climbers. And you should know better. My apologies if you did try to call and the base didn't take your information.

Like Chris said we have no way of knowing who left the human waste, beer cans and garbage. I'm certain it must have been through ignorance rather than just a disgusting act of selfishness and total lack of respect for the environment, the landowner and other users.

Cory if you read this could you check with members of your group and if any of them are responsible tell them to please clean up their mess and instruct them on proper disposal of human waste and that they pack out their garbage.

[Corazon]

Hi folks... and thanks to Denise for the heads up on this as I don't ever use this forum, as much as I love climbing and do want to respect the use of the cliff for everyone's enjoyment. I just left the camping area and we took out all the trash I saw, and picked up a snack bar wrapper on the trail and beer cans of the side of the road in the parking area. As for the campfire... maybe that fire pit should be taken out totally if there is no fires to be had there?

I honestly didn't know the sign stating we should call the base was serious... as I never have in all these years called, and never heard of the army putting paper on windows. I will next time.

I have not been climbing in Welsford much as creating hammock play spaces at the music festivals takes up most weekends. This event was a chance to bring some friends from the festivals to enjoy climbing, just a free fun thing to share a different scene, not going to be a regular thing. People came from Halifax, Sussex and PEI.

I mentioned to the dozen of you who I passed on the trail, that I would be leaving the cargo net hammocks in place for a couple weeks for anyone to enjoy. Everyone was ok with that or at least didn't say anything contrary. I plan to take a few more local friends up to camp and climb in these next two weeks, so we'll take them after that. I have a camp stove and will observe the no fire rule if that's the going concern. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It certainly is a place we all need to protect, and I will be glad to do my part, ...which sounds like getting a UNB rock membership is in order.

-C

[cory]

I would be leaving the cargo net hammocks in place for a couple weeks for anyone to enjoy.

You might want to check with range patrol before leaving semi-permanent structures in place on their property for a prolonged period.

I honestly didn't know the sign stating we should call the base was serious... as I never have in all these years called,

Really? You've been climbing for 20 years. The area got closed down, eliminating all access until the usage agreement based on historical precedent was reestablished. At this point the sign appeared, and you thought it was a joke? That is not a rational conclusion.

will observe the no fire rule if that's the going concern.

You were aware of the no fire rule, (and the call in for access procedure) as it was printed in the previous edition of the guidebook which Tom borrowed from me, and while you looked through it, you spilled coffee on it.

[Ken P]

By any chance did anyone snap a pic of the ticket left on their windshield by Range Contol?

[F Côté]

I'm just being the devil's advocate here, but pretty sure if I remember correctly the sign in the farmer's field near where people park mentions calling for people who are not members of unb rock and ice but doesnt say anything about members needing to call. I know about the calling procedure because it's been talked about a lot, but I'm just saying that if I didn't know and just read the sign, I wouldn't call because I am a unb R&I member.

[Greg]

You were aware of the no fire rule

If we are serious about discouraging fires and promoting a no fire rule at CL then the fire ring at the Exfoliated campsite should be dismantled.

[cory]

the fire ring at the Exfoliated campsite should be dismantled.

I've dismantled that one at least once a year for the past 3 years. I've dismantled one at lookout 3 times in the past 2 years, and one at the base of pyramid (soot all over sarcophagus) this spring. Maybe we should bring up a roll of sod to cover it up and erect a flashing neon sign, 'cause some people don't seem to get it.

[Greg]

Perhaps we need to define the term dismantled

[SMW]

By any chance did anyone snap a pic of the ticket left on their windshield by Range Contol?

I arrived at Cochrane Lane quite early with Chris on Sunday, August 25. There were a number of parked cars with notices on their windshields.

I didn't snap a photo, but I did call range control as usual to sign us in and ask about the notices. I spoke to a Sgt. whose name I can't recall. He told me there had been a patrol and the vehicles obviously parked overnight indicated to them that there were people on base property who had not called in, therefore not following access procedures for base property. If you are members and call in, it's still wise to let range control know if you are staying overnight.

I've been communicating with someone else from range control who requested we provide UNB Rock & Ice Club members with membership cards that can be placed in the vehicle of the windshield so that people on patrol can identify that a vehicle belongs to a climber. Range control will also be provided with a list of members at the end of September, so make sure you come by the wall to renew your membership by September 20.

[Nihoa]

What's a hammock play space?

[Shawn B]

Can unb r&i ask the base for a more official sign stating "no fires". The ones currently there are climber made and not very official looking. Perhaps the no fire regulation would be better followed if the sign were more official.