Ecoterrorism in the Eastern Sierra?

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klinefelter

Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 9, 2008 - 03:35pm PT
In the past several weeks there's been a wave of vandalism here on the Eastside. From major damage to cars in trailhead parking to the burning of the Shulman Grove Visitor Center, there appears to be a pattern of some kind. The research facility on the summit of White Mountain was nearly destroyed, also. An arrest has been made in the trailhead vandalism with possible ties to the White Mountain arson.

Some have speculated this is related to the highly contentious Wilderness Bill proposed recently by Barbara Boxer and Buck McKeon. Meetings concerning this bill have deteriorated into a mob scene, with those against the bill (mostly OHVers) be highly vocal and often intimidating.

We'll see what happens with the investigation, but be on alert when parking at trailheads on the Eastside.
crusher

climber
Santa Monica, CA
Sep 9, 2008 - 03:43pm PT
Wow...I hadn't heard about this. Totally lame. Thanks for the update and please keep us posted.

No cameras up at the research center?

Edit - maybe we have to call this "anti-eco" terrorism?
aldude

climber
Monument Manor
Sep 9, 2008 - 04:05pm PT
Could this be a backlash over the Berkeley tree sitters?
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
Arid-zona
Sep 9, 2008 - 04:22pm PT
Weak.
dirtbag

climber
Sep 9, 2008 - 04:39pm PT
What kind of chickenshit would burn the visitor center? It's a lovely place and a good visitor center.
dirtbag

climber
Sep 9, 2008 - 05:33pm PT
"look! "Chickenshit" is auto-censured but "Bullshit" is not."

It wasn't for me. Maybe it's because the software running this site was designed in California by Californians, so it automatically filters Idahoans. Not a bad idea, really.
dmalloy

Trad climber
eastside
Sep 9, 2008 - 06:02pm PT
everybody, take it easy now.

Tom, that is a really poor title for this thread. I know you mean well, but you are sort of fanning the flames of hysteria around here. And I would avoid using the term "ecoterrorist/ism" at all times, most conservationists who have engaged in destructive actions are doing so with a much different aim than the way that terrorists use violence. Call it "ecoterrorism" and pretty soon they will be locking conservationists up without any charges or due process - and as much as there are some nutcases out there who would like that (and quite a few on this forum), I would rather see as much of the American system of justice as possible remain intact.

The person arrested in Lone Pine on Sunday appears to have a past as a mountaineer and peak bagger. Any links to the Wild Heritage Act have been total speculation and they appear to be inaccurate. This guy was pretty much totally deranged, but he seems to be closer in his personal history to all of us than he is to the off-road vehicle crowd.

The local paper even tried to jump the gun this weekend and say in an editorial that activists who are supporting Wilderness designation would use these incidents as proof that areas need to be protected as Wilderness. That is a really low way to try to put words in the mouths of the many Wilderness activists who live in Inyo and Mono Counties, we do a pretty good job of speaking up for ourselves.

There will be a lot of need for private funds to help rebuild the Shulman Grove Visitor Center, I will be sure to provide details to this forum once they become available.
graniteclimber

Trad climber
Nowhere
Sep 9, 2008 - 06:08pm PT
"The vandalism extended beyond windows in the Big Pine Creek area. Inyo Sheriff Sergeant Jeff Hollowell says that at least one vehicle owner reported a cut brake line. There were other reports of cut gas lines."

Cutting brake lines at trailheads is attempted murder.
dmalloy

Trad climber
eastside
Sep 9, 2008 - 06:10pm PT
yes, graniteclimber, it is, and you can expect the suspect to be prosecuted as such if the evidence supports the fact that he was indeed the perpetrator.
dirtbag

climber
Sep 9, 2008 - 06:35pm PT
ha-ha-ha, beautiful weschrist. I agree completely.
Flashlight

climber
Sep 9, 2008 - 07:09pm PT
The White Mtn. research station rarely has anybody around. It isn't much more than a stone hut like the one on Whitney.

Weschrist, you are a jackass for painting ALL OHVers with the broad brush. Both sides have a few whackjobs that screw things up for everybody else on their side

The Schulman grove VC is pretty cool. I snowshoed into it last winter from the gate.

dmalloy

Trad climber
eastside
Sep 9, 2008 - 07:16pm PT
Mr Panky (I'll resist the urge to call you Mr Hanky), you also cannot protect wild places without educating people about why they are valuable. The Shulman Grove Visitor Center had some amazing art and educational displays that helped people to understand the unique nature of the bristlecone pines that grew all around there. For the legion of tourists from all around the world who generally drive through the Eastern Sierra without ever getting more than 400 meters from a road, it was a great way to teach them about one of nature's wonders and to keep them in Inyo County spending their money for another half day.

Wes, I have sat in meetings with a lot of jackass OHV drivers who use threats, intimidation and other odious tactics to advocate for their position. But I also know a lot of people around here who are totally responsible users of ATVs, jeeps and motorcycles. Some of them even go out and repair washed-out roads, pick up trash and otherwise act as stewards of their public lands. There are even a lot of climbers and boulderers who also ride dual-sport bikes and use them as a way to access crags and pebbles. Heck, those dual-sport bikes burn less gas getting to those places than all of us Tacoma and Outback drivers do.

So have some respect for the people out there who have every right to enjoy motorized recreation, even if there are some others who are abusive of both public lands and the public processes for managing those lands.
2Grovel

Trad climber
Hangtown
Sep 9, 2008 - 07:30pm PT
"Up with Spring"

I love the route name at Sagehen Summit "Gay 4 Wheeler's Club.
Brings renewed laughter when I see people hauling around rock crawlers and ATV's.
Let's ride in a circle and breathe a bunch of dust!

ATV= all terrain except vertical
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Sep 9, 2008 - 07:31pm PT
I used to do a lot of off-roading, but I am so disgusted with what I've seen other OHV riders do that I quit.

I think the term ecoterrorist is appropriate in that it denotes their damage to nature, but modern PCspeak confuses the term.


These appear to be deliberate acts against those who attempt to use the resources responsibly.
That being the case the convicted criminals should be severely pilloried.
Flashlight

climber
Sep 9, 2008 - 07:57pm PT
Ron, have you been disgusted by what you see other shooters and climbers do?
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Sep 9, 2008 - 08:32pm PT
People around here were pretty quick to jump the anti wilderness types or the earth liberation types. Right now I'm betting on old fashion crazy. He problably has a reason that cooincides with one of these views, but I bet a dollar he's got a screw loose.

The visitor center still has not been ruled arson, but this may end up the case.

Any of you mechanics out there know whether if you were a crazy idiot you could cut a brake line thinking it was a gas line?

It looks like this guy was stealing gas to keep his car running.

Tom
Willoughby

Social climber
Truckee, CA
Sep 9, 2008 - 08:44pm PT
You know, porcupines have been known to nibble through brake lines. I usually take a peak underneath whenever I've been parked at a high trailhead for a few days.
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
Sep 9, 2008 - 08:45pm PT
I read the article twice and drilled down and found the Shulman grove article. One speculative sentence that did not even mention ORV'ers and off this went. (there are as#@&%e climbers also. No user group has a monopoly.)

Seems fairly obvious this is a dirtbag burglar from Frisco. Not much more.
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
Arid-zona
Sep 9, 2008 - 08:58pm PT
Jody-

We climbers have an impact there is no doubt. But its kind of hard to argue that I can even come close to doing the amount of damage in a years worth of climbing that I could do in a couple hours on a 4-wheeler.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Sep 9, 2008 - 09:33pm PT
Flashlight,
long answer; yes.
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