Proposed Forest Service policy recognizes climbing as appropriate land use

Sacramento-area climbers may face increased regulations under the first national policy for climbing on public lands proposed by the Forest Service on June 18.

The policy would formally recognize climbing as an appropriate use of U.S. Forest Service lands, as mandated by the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act signed into law Jan. 4, 2025.

The proposed policy leaves regulations of maintenance and equipment to the discretion of regional authorities. It states that officials must collaborate with local climbing organizations to create “climbing management plans” that detail permissible use of climbing equipment.

Climbing management plans must address “placement, replacement, and retention of fixed anchors and fixed equipment, consistent with principles of wilderness stewardship,” the policy states.

“I think it’s ... a benefit that the law on a federal level will both acknowledge rock climbing as a recognized and acceptable legacy activity and use of public lands, and that it also recognizes [and] allows the placement of fixed climbing anchors and labels them an appropriate use, including on federally designated wilderness,” said Climbing Resource Advocates for Greater Sacramento (CRAGS) President Steve Schwortz.

However, if climbing practices do not adhere to these principles — that is, if their “occurrence, continuation, or expansion would adversely impact wilderness character or other resource values,” they may be restricted or prohibited, according to the policy.

Alyssa Krag-Arnold, Vice President of the Tahoe Climbing Coalition, said that the coalition is broadly supportive of the proposed policy but hopes to clarify some points of uncertainty in its language.

“There’s some ambiguity about what an adverse impact is,” Krag-Arnold said. “There’s a lot of discretion there. I think we’d like to really see more clarity and definition to what exactly an adverse impact from climbing is — an objective term with specific metrics.”

Krag-Arnold said another point of uncertainty among climbers is whether sport climbing will be allowed in National Forest Service lands. According to Krag-Arnold, sport climbing almost exclusively uses bolts as protection, as opposed to traditional removable climbing gear.

“It’s kind of unclear whether sport climbing is going to be considered an allowable use in wilderness,” she said.

Schwortz expressed a similar sentiment, stating that climbers want “specific technical revisions and clarifications,” including a more specific definition of fixed anchors and clarified policies for developing new routes.

“We’re not trying to preserve things in an untouched manner, but what we’re trying to do is conserve them for as long as possible for long-term use for recreation, science, adventure, exploration, personal growth, spiritual commune with nature, or whatever your particular flavor is,” Schwortz said.

The proposal replaces a 2023 draft that would have enforced stricter “case-specific minimum requirements” on the placement of anchors and other fixed climbing equipment.

“The changes seen in the 2026 proposed directive reflect the Secretary’s reasoned exercise of discretion in interpreting and administering wilderness areas in the National Forest System,” the Forest Service Office of Communication wrote in an email statement. “The Secretary identified a common-sense approach to fixed anchors that remains true to preserving wilderness character.”

Under the proposed policy, existing climbing routes with fixed anchors would remain in place so long as they are compatible with “wilderness values.”

Krag-Arnold says the Tahoe Climbing Coalition plans to work with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the regional authority that maintains and governs the public land surrounding the Lake Tahoe basin, to interpret the proposed policy.

“So far, (the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit) has been really happy to support the coalition with our work on trail maintenance and trash cleanups,” Krag-Arnold said. “We would welcome the chance to improve and put on that plan if they put one together.”

After the 30-day public comment period on the policy closes on July 18, the Forest Service will decide whether they will issue the final policy, modify it, or publish a revised draft for review.

This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 5:40 PM.