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"In wildness is the preservation of the world." - Henry David Thoreau
Madrone Wall Preservation Committee
Fall 1998
Dear Fellow Climber: As you probably have heard, the Madrone Wall climbing area just 2.2 miles east of Carver off Highway 224 in Clackamas County is currently closed to rock climbing and all other recreational uses. The County, which owns the 44 acres on which the Madrone resides, is currently seeking to alter the land’s timber-designated zoning to allow for rock quarrying for general road maintenance purposes. Should the County be successful in opening the Madrone as a quarry, it is likely that we would never again be able to climb at this beautiful local crag. Think about it, this spectacular crag situated among a stunning and rare grove of madrone trees overlooking the lower Clackamas River valley, could be gone forever! Before this could take place, however, the County is required to conduct a public hearing review to record public comment. Currently, the County’s Transportation Division is preparing to file a "conditional use" application seeking to allow a use of the land, i.e. quarrying, that is currently not permitted on land zoned as timber. Submission of this application to the County’s Land Use & Environmental Planning Division is imminent. Subsequent to this submission, the public hearing review process will be initiated. Now is a critical time to communicate your viewpoint regarding your interest in preserving and protecting this land for the future. By taking only fifteen minutes of your time to write a short letter or email addressed to the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners listed below, you can have a direct and substantial impact on the fate of this unique civic treasure. You might consider expressing what climbing and hiking at this extraordinary crag has meant to you and what about it you find unique and compelling. You could talk about how long you have climbed there and the level of use you typically have observed by local climbing and hiking enthusiasts, or examples of how your visits help support the local economy. Encourage the Commissioners to locate gravel quarrying operations at alternative site(s). The Madrone Wall Preservation Committee, which meets weekly, consists of a core group of concerned climbers and hikers. We are working with The Access Fund (headquartered in Boulder, Colorado) to develop strategies to preserve this land for climbing and other recreational activities (e.g., hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, mountain biking, picnicking, etc.). Time being of the essence, please send or email your letter to the Commissioners ASAP to insure they will receive your input before the public hearing review process gets scheduled. Sincerely, Ian L. Caldwell
Clackamas County Board of Commissioners:
To check out current Madrone Wall Information:
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