Dear HCN,
I am a long-time climber
and resident of Wyoming and have worked here as a professional
mountain guide for the past five years. I would like to make it
known that many climbers and guides of Wyoming support the
voluntary closure of climbing at Devils Tower (HCN, 4/16/96). It is
unfortunate that many of the climbing community think themselves
and their climbing more important than the spiritual tradition of
an indigenous people that have already been deprived of justice and
respect for far too long.
All the park and the
Indians are asking for is one month – surely for one month we can
climb someplace else.
The climbing community
often views itself as environmentally and politically righteous. In
reality we are just another special-use group which has its own
impact on the environment and indigenous peoples. Whether it is
trampled vegetation on the Lower Saddle of the Grand Teton, piles
of garbage at Everest base camp, Nepalese villagers, or Lakota Sun
Dancers, we need to be responsible and respectful of the people and
places that we visit.
Forrest
G. McCarthy
Wilson,
Wyoming
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Climbing ban makes sense.
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