March 3, 2005

Hi Folks,

In the January 20th report I mentioned that there had been a serious accident at the Tablets area of Lake Willoughby. Because there was no rescue cache available in the area, the victim was hand-carried down the hill to a car and transported to the regional hospital in St. Johnsbury. After some discussion with one of the participants in the rescue, a thread started up on NEClimbs about the possibility of purchasing one or more litters and placing them up on the hills near the cliff.

Richard Doucette, of the Boston AMC Mountaineering Committee, has taken the lead in this effort. In spite of the very real difficulties and frustrations in working through the State bureaucracy, including a local EMS group that feels threatened and didn't want it to happen, Richard has managed to get approval for this from the area Rangers. Everyone I have spoken to thinks that this is a good idea. Richard has done the legwork, now comes the hard part folks. Yes, it's time to

PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTHS ARE

We need to get money together to make this happen. the State of Vermont is NOT going to pay for it. If we want it to happen, we will need to raise money to pay for it ourselves. While there was a lot of talk about contributing, very few have actually done so. NEClimbs has contributed $50 to the cause. I hope that you will do whatever you can as well. This is a case of the climbing community helping itself. Send your check or money order to:

Willoughby Cache Fund
c/o R.Doucette
49 Crescent Ave.
Melrose MA 02176

Please make the check out to Richard Doucette and note that it is for the Willoughby Cache Fund.

I urge you to make this happen. Even if you don't visit the Lake, or only go rarely, it is needed. Thank you for your support...

Heads Up From The Access Fund:
The following are 2 excerpts from the Access Fund. If true I am very concerned bout these two very important areas.For more info please click here.

Luxury Housing Development Proposed at New River Gorge!
***From the National Parks Conservation Association***
The New River Gorge National River, a world-class white water rafting and rock climbing destination and jewel of our National Park System, is at risk of being developed for luxury houses. Land Resource Companies (LRC), an Atlanta-based developer, is proposing a 2,200-house development on 4,300 acres along ten miles of the canyon rim; 613 acres of this land lies within the congressionally designated boundary for the park and the rest is directly adjacent. In order to move forward with the current development proposal LRC must get Fayette County, West Virginia to change the zoning of the land from its current designation of "land conservation" to "planned development."

Red Rocks, NV to Lose Federal Money
The Bush Administration's proposed budget seeks to take away money raised from the sale of southern Nevada federal lands intended to benefit Red Rocks to instead pay off the national deficit. As much of 70% of the money raised from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNLMA) was intended to fund a special account available to the Secretary of the Interior for acquiring environmentally sensitive land in Nevada, capital improvements at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, and funding for the development of parks, trails, and other conservation initiatives. Instead, the Bush Administration's proposed budget would take most of these land sale revenues-about $700 million a year-to reduce the national deficit.

Remember - climb hard, ride the steep stuff, stay safe and above all BE NICE,