Virgin on the Edge of Rediculous, Lower Town Wall at Index
(Photo Larry Kemp collection).
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Washington presently has several rock climbing areas that lie all or in part on State Park land. Beacon Rock and Peshastin Pinnacles are two of the more well known, but Larrabee State Park has coastal bouldering near Bellingham, Iron Horse State Park houses a popular crag often referred to as Exit 38, Steamboat Rock State Park contains crags near Banks Lake, Riverside State Park contains areas known as Deep Creek and McClellan near Spokane, and the Upper Town Wall at Index already lies within Forks of the Sky State Park and the Index crag known as "The Country" is immediately adjacent to the property we are targetting here and is already on State Park land.
Rock climbing has been the primary recreational activity within the Forks of the Sky State Park although hikers enjoy the view from Lookout Point and the top of the Upper Town Wall, two formations well known to Index rock climbers. The land managers at Forks of the Sky State Park have been very supportive of rock climbing and have contributed to crag maintenance efforts, participated in or aided the occasional rescue effort, and assisted in our efforts to warn climbers and vandals of the danger posed by throwing large objects from the top of the Upper Town Wall. We seek to continue this relationship in any new State Park or addition to the existing State Park with the purchase of the Lower Town wall, Inner Wall, Middle Wall, and other nearby crags that fall on the parcel currently owned by Bedrock LLC.
In considering our options as we decided to purchase the Lower Town Wall and surrounding crags rather than risk area closure and a possible transfer to quarry operators, we considered (1) holding title in the name of the Washingotn Climbers Coalition or a separate climbers' cooperative, and operating a private climbing area, (2) transferring the property to a land trust should one be willing to take it, or (3) transferring the property to Washington State Parks. For a variety of reasons, this last option, the public option, appears to be the best choice. Washington State Parks is already involved in climbing area managemment in the immediate vicinity and climbers have been happy with them as "landlord;" they are most likely to be able to maintain the current balance of recreational access, stewardship, and long term preservation; and State Parks is an organization that will last forever.
The Washington Climbers Coalition is currently exploring legal options whereby we can make stipulations regarding permanent climbing access and provisions for climbers' involvement in ongoing management and stewardship of any new State Park property at Index. We are hopeful that a beneficial arrangement can be put in place and that climbing at Index will continue largely as it always has. Climbers have enjoyed and cared for this area for fifty years and we hope to continue doing so forever.
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