Horsethief Butte

[Matt Perkins]

I was recently contacted by someone wondering about a ban on the use of chalk at Horsethief Butte. Does anybody know what the origin of this may be? Clearly, in an environment like the Butte, it can have a serious visual impact and I can only guess that somebody complained about it.

On the State Parks' website I find this:

"Horsethief Butte is a very popular rock-climbing location. Two areas are signed "no climbing" for cultural resource protection. NOTE: Climbers are directed to limit their use of chalk when climbing at the butte."

[Andy Fitz]

There was a climbing management plan put together for the State Park around the same time as the Beacon Rock, Peshastin and Exit 38 plans, probably 1996. The "no chalk" (or minimal chalk) rule was part of the plan. Another part was that no climbing (bouldering) is allowed in a couple of places with pictograph panels.

I wasn't involved in developing that plan; some folks from Portland were (Gary Rall, among others). I'm going to try to get a copy. We should include Horsethief in our climbing area profiles.