Historic Bouldering Area “Spared for About 15 Minutes”

Last week, on January 21, the Bureau of Land Management approved the controversial Northern Corridor Highway project, providing temporary protection for Moe’s Valley, a historic bouldering area with over 430 problems in Southern Utah. The decision came following a public comment period.

But conservationists concerned about the environmental impacts of this 4.25-mile roadway are expected to file a lawsuit any moment to halt the highway, which would once again subject the area where Moe’s sits to a looming housing development.

The ins and outs of this situation in Southern Utah are about as complicated as it gets. To put it as simply as possible, the lands where Moe’s Valley sits are currently owned by the Utah Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). This state agency intends to develop housing across Moe’s, also impacting the greater “Zone 6” area and its miles of hiking and biking trails as well as habitat for Mojave desert tortoises.

But to win approval for its Northern Corridor highway, the Utah Department of Transportation agreed to a land swap with SITLA. If the BLM gives up its Northern Corridor lands for highway construction, SITLA lets its Zone 6 holdings become public lands. But the path of the highway also serves as a home for these tortoises and constitutes a sensitive desert ecosystem—though it contains no climbing or other recreational amenities.

Hence why some climbers view the approval of the highway as a bittersweet victory—but a short-lived one at that.

Why Southern Utah’s saga continues

“Moe’s has been spared for about 15 minutes,” says Supe Lillywhite, who manages local St. George gear shop The Desert Rat. Born and raised in the area, Lillywhite has been climbing at Moe’s Valley for over two decades. “The deal is there,” he told Climbing in the aftermath of the highway approval. But the nonprofit Conserve Southwest Utah is expected to sue to block the highway—a lawsuit likely to get held up in court for a prolonged period of time.

The problem is that if the case gets tied up in court, SITLA might decide they’re not going to wait for resolution before they break ground at Moe’s and Zone 6.

The Trump administration’s approval of this highway comes as no surprise, since both local and federal officials have rallied to support it. Supporters say this new roadway will ease congestion through St. George, providing faster travel times for locals and travelers alike en route to places like Zion National Park or Las Vegas.

While climbers and conservationists alike have worked in vain for over a decade to secure permanent protection for both the Zone 6 area and the Northern Corridor area, both have come up empty.

How climbers are reacting to the highway’s approval

Access Fund, the St. George Climbers’ Coalition (SGCC), and the local climbing community have all been advocating to save Moe’s—without sacrificing other precious desert lands for a highway. But “nobody has been able to come up with a solution” that state and federal officials seem ready to accept, according to Katie Goodwin, Western Regional Director and Policy Analyst with Access Fund. She calls the Northern Corridor Highway approval “an important short-term outcome.” She adds that Access Fund remains committed to “securing permanent protection for this exceptional climbing area.”

Currently, Access Fund is in the early stages of working with local partners to try to get Zone 6 and Moe’s Valley designated as a state park, ensuring “long-term conservation, recreation access, and responsible stewardship.”

Fallon Rowe, vice president of SGCC, called the approval of the highway “not a surprise” and emphasized how disappointing it is for conservationists. “We expect these groups to pursue legal action once again against the Northern Corridor Highway,” she told Climbing on behalf of the SGCC. “While this issue is potentially tied up in court, we can only hope that SITLA chooses not to develop Zone 6.”

Echoing Access Fund, Rowe emphasizes that climbers must work together to permanently protect the area, rather than rely on a tenuous land swap between state agencies. For now, she describes the situation as uncertain.

The bouldering—and roped climbing—at stake

Climbers began flocking to Moe’s Valley in the late 1980s. One of the greatest aspects of the area is its year-round access, with 300 days of sunshine and cool desert mornings even in summer.

While the Zone 6 area is best known for bouldering, other crags would also be impacted by the housing project. Green Valley Gap has over 70 sport, trad, and toproute routes, ranging from 5.6 to 5.12. Zen Wall offers mostly harder and scenic sport climbing. Zone 6 also offers 65 miles of non-motorized trails that would be affected by SITLA’s development. Recreation aside, critical habitat for at-risk desert tortoises, Gila monsters, endangered Dwarf Bear poppy flowers, and other flora and fauna would be negatively affected if the area becomes a suburban outpost of St. George.

Permanently protecting Moe’s Valley

As a possible lawsuit looms and the future of Zone 6 and Moe’s remains uncertain, the SGCC and local climbers are asking the community to sign a petition demanding that local officials work to permanently protect this invaluable area. You can view the petition here.

The post Historic Bouldering Area “Spared for About 15 Minutes” appeared first on Climbing.