May Public Meeting

Meeting attended by:
Mark R., Peyton R., Ian, Ben Wade, Craig Kerner, Cheryl, Darryl, Sydney, Brian, Matt, Sam, Tom, Beth, Brandon

Falling Rock Clean up

• Huge success, 40 bags of trash filled, including shopping cart and more

• Forest service was excited that we cleaned it up, they gathered the trash afterwards, 

• Needs more love, lots of work to be done below

• We will need a bigger crew next year with some pulleys and ropes to remove the bigger trash

Survey Purpose:

• We saw the need  to reassess the coalition desires and needs since the coalition has changed alot lately

Results

1. BHCC Focus (5-10 Years)

• Majority: Focus on strengthening stewardship and conservation efforts (bolting, repairs, waste management)

2. Future of BHCC

• Repetitive from last question

3. BHCC: Volunteer-Run or Staffed?

• Question sourced by community foundation

• They were surprised we were volunteer run, suggested employee based

• Majority: Long-term financial strategies - grants, funding, long-term funding

• Part-time staff favored over volunteer-only

4. Funding Strategies to Grow BHCC

• Majority: Applying for large grants, growing membership base, recurrent donations

Concerns About Funding Strategies

• Few concerns, except:

• Risk of the wrong person controlling and depleting funds

5. Support for Hiring Part-Time Staff for Events/Advocacy

• 44% Maybe

• 39% Yes

• Craigmaster input: is in support of paid time staff for assistance of leadership

• Questioned what would be benefits would be and agreed on the 

• Sam’s input: board is on non-profit as volunteer with the board hiring contracts

• Matt highlighted the benefit of having contract worker and you can change workers as needed

• Brandon’s input: we need to ensure we explicitly define the role and responsibilities of the employee/contractor in order to have clear expectations

Concerns with Hiring Staff

• Funding

• Ability to hire a quality person

• Legal concerns

6. Current Engagement

• Most engage by being a member

7. Increasing Engagement

• Calendar of events

• Weekend cleanups

• More events

• More emails

• More t-shirts

8. Future Improvements

• Maintain access

• Protect climbing

• Increase toilets

• Buy land

9. Concerns

• BHCC losing touch with older members

• Craigmaster felt especially included

• Training and re-bolting days missing

• Bolting committee focus, reach out to the bolting committee if you have interest in being a part of that

• Craigmaster mentioned avenue for reporting bolts and set of rules for bolting replacement

• Report bad bolts on website - perhaps advertise on posters (QR CODE), instagram post, mountain project, etc

10. Interest in Involvement

• 38% would like to be more involved

Meeting with Eric Zimmer next month to discuss logistics and answer questions about fundraising.

Land Manager Meeting Summaries

Northern Hills District - Austin

• Austin took the buyout, soon leaving the district

• All projects on hold due to government situation

• Only projects fully funded and volunteer-run will be approved

• Expect 5-10 years before large changes, including management plan

• No approval needed if no permanent structure is being built

• Darkside Improvements  - bridge and upper staircase (made of moss)

• Contact them when ready

• Possible walk-through in June

• Supplies available for upgraded bridge (like Shadowlands)

• Volunteer labor will likely be approved, especially for erosion control

• Using resources already present are totally fine to use, bringing outside resources is not permitted unless approved by FS

• Climbers not currently on their radar

• New contact: Willhite, Aaron (FS, SD)

• Overall question: how does Northern Hills FS view climbing

• They are not concerned about it, they are impressed with the trails, but want to do a full walk through in JUNE

• Forest service prefers having initiatives brought to them for approval rather than bringing them problems they need to fix

Ian input: we should appoint a northern hills trail committee head to manage the project(s)

Rushmore Meeting - Ryland (rec. Resource Manager), Molly Davis (Botanist?), Law Enforcement (Eric & Chief)

• No concerns noted by law enforcement since the last fixed lines issue

• Superintendent’s Compendium (Based on JTree Language)

• Climbing is permitted in Mount Rushmore National Memorial, with the exception of closed or restricted areas.

•  Climbing with fixed anchors is permitted in the areas where fixed anchors were installed prior to the issuance of this compendium. Dated last this year

• Until the completion of a revised Climbing Management Plan, the installation, removal, and replacement of all bolts is suspended unless authorized by the Superintendent through a Special Use Permit. 

• The use of a motorized drill is prohibited for the installation, removal or replacement of a bolt unless authorized by the Superintendent through a Special Use Permit.

• Glue, epoxy, cement, or any other adhesive may not be used to attach or reinforce hand and/or footholds for climbing or scrambling. 

• Chipping or enhancing hand and/or footholds is not allowed while climbing or scrambling. 

• Vegetation may not be removed for the purpose of climbing and scrambling nor may they be used as anchors. 

• Only neutral or rock-colored stainless-steel fixed anchors and corresponding hangers, rappel rings, quick links and chain are permitted including replacement fixed anchors. 

• The placement of new fixed anchors in the park is prohibited unless authorized by the Superintendent. 

• Power-drilling devices may not be used for placing or replacing bolts except when authorized by the Superintendent.

Justification: These conditions are necessary to reduce the impact to natural resources, prevent safety hazards and promote a satisfactory visitor experience. Authorization for placement of fixed anchors and power-drilling devices may be obtained through the park's special use permit office in Keystone, South Dakota.

• Superintendent retiring in a month

• Request for:

• List of all those on the permit

• Notification of upcoming repairs

• Old hardware for museum display

• Mark suggests updating the compendium before the Superintendent retires to align with community and coalition understanding

• Brandon suggests communicating to the community that hand drilling at Rushmore is not allowed without a permit

Land managers are at a place where they need help from non-profits

• As the coalition, we can write the management plan and have them give it the stamp of approval

• Relates back to part time staff: hire someone to write the management plan

• Or hire the access fund - utilize them to assist us in forming that plan so we do not need to start from ground zero

• In 2012 Rushmore already researched the impact of increasing pullout sizes that can be utilized for our management plan.

Discuss with Jaimie

• Campground boulder - we need to get the path established to maintain access to campground boulder 

• Save campground boulder T shirt

Pumpfest Updates

Sponsors

• Greg Martin does not represent RAB anymore

• RAB still interested in sponsoring

• Camp and Mountain Hardwear also interested

Future of Pumpfest

• Voted last meeting: No ropes

• Reasons: safety concerns, liability issues, and resource management

• We are going to try to collaborate with the guide services

• We will not facilitate what people are climbing, people will be climbing on their own time and we will be facilitate the party and events before and after

• Suggestions:

• Peyton: Guided sessions in the park via climbing guide services

• Focus more on:

• Presentations

• Social hours

• Live music

• Guest speakers

• No time on setting up ropes

• Other model:

• Invite regional guide services to offer clinics

• Coalition charges for clinics, keeps the revenue

• Clinics remain affordable

• Allows intentional structuring for intro, intermediate, and expert levels

• Can be anchor building, climbing photography, self rescue