Final Grand Staircase Escalante Management Plan released

[fossana]

The Record of Decision and final plan are available on the BLM's eplanning site. Excerpts:

Camping permits (free), 14 day limit


Personal waste management


The rules for each recreation management area (e.g. Hole in the Rock, Egypt, Cottonwood Canyon Road, etc.), including climbing and canyoneering fixed bolts/anchors are further summarized in the plan. Example:

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Wow! In times gone by would go down into the Greater Escalante Canyons with hiking and living, and also with just wandering about. Would go down into the canyons for like 2 to 3 weeks in the spring, then go into town for a resupply, then back in for another 2 to 3 weeks. Then back up to Wyoming. Seems like the regulations are coming bigtime. But guess it has became much more popular now then in those days unfortunately.

The above with a 14 day limit in camping then having to relocate at least 30 miles away and not return for 28 days. Just Wow Wow Wow in my opinion!

In the Wyoming Absarokas, still No Permits needed in the National Forests and the restriction on camping is being able to be in one spot for 16 days, then having to move at leist 5 miles aways, and not return to the previous campsite for seven days

 

[Bob]

Be glad like I am to be able to have experienced these wild places without ever seeing much of any other human......those times are gone unfortunately.

 

[Jorey]

Be glad like I am to be able to have experienced these wild places without ever seeing much of any other human......those times are gone unfortunately.

Maybe?

At a glance it doesn't seem like they are planning to do much development or resource control outside of areas that are already pretty heavily used(BMT, Coyote Gulch, Egypt, etc). The wilderness seems like it will remain as the "primitive" area as far as I can tell. Maybe I'm not reading it correctly and they are planning on requiring permits for Backcountry use as well.

 

[fossana]

Maybe I'm not reading it correctly and they are planning on requiring permits for Backcountry use as well.

Self-service permits were already in effect for overnight backcountry trips. Packrafting ones had to be picked up at a ranger station.

 

[Jorey]

Self-service permits were already in effect for overnight backcountry trips. Packrafting ones had to be picked up at a ranger station.

Right. I guess I was more imagining in the vein of the Rec.gov-ification of Cedar Mesa, for example. But hopefully not.

 

[fossana]

Right. I guess I was more imagining in the vein of the Rec.gov-ification of Cedar Mesa, for example. But hopefully not.

So far nothing on recreation.gov.