National Park Service Ends Bid to Ban Fixed Anchors in Wilderness Areas

Just over a year ago, in November 2023, the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service introduced a proposal that would define fixed anchors as “installations,” which are prohibited in Wilderness areas. In effect, this would have made climbing all but illegal across wilderness-designated public lands. Along with anchors, bolts, rap rings, slung trees, irrevocably stuck nuts, pitons, and any climbing gear left behind would qualify as an “installation.”

This would have dramatically changed the face of iconic climbing areas...