Climbers in the South have been enjoying the trad routes in Sunset Park for almost 50 years. But now climbing access in the park, located in Tennessee’s Chickamauga National Battlefield Park, could be closed. According to the Southeast Climbers Coalition (SCC), the region’s most successful access advocate, the National Park Service (NPS) is close to cutting off climbing due to numerous complaints for noise, ropes blocking trails, and ill-behaved dogs.
Local climbers were recently able to keep a ban at bay, but now the SCC is calling for the community to step up and educate others about proper behavior at Sunset. The NPS does not wish to close the area to climbing, but budget cutbacks have made it impossible for them to be full-time police. At this point, it’s up to climbers to save this rock gem.
More information: www.seclimbers.org.