The more time you spend on the Volcanic Tableland, especially at the bouldering areas, the more you realize and appreciate what a beautiful area this is. A flatland of sage littered with venus blazing star, sun cups, and lupines, sweeps in all directions to majestic snowy mountain ranges. A red-tailed hawk swoops on a breeze, its binocular vision zooming in on a long-tail pocket mouse. A zebra-tailed lizard escapes the sun and creeps down a dark crevice. I’m amazed sometimes at the solitude experienced at the Happy Boulders. There can be twenty cars in the parking area, but in the canyon, because of its topography, you may only bump into two or three other climbing parties. It hasn’t changed much since we started climbing there, and we must keep it that way.
Even though there has been a significant jump in user-visits over the last few years, impact has stabilized through good climber behaviour, caused not least because of the message generated by the Access Fund, the BLM and climbers. This message has been recieved and understood by most of us.
I’ll recapitulate briefly here, then get on with the equally important job of updating the printed ROCKFAX guide, Feelin’ Happy.
- The trail’s first created by climbers have been further maintained by the BLM and climbers. Stick to these and all the vegetation between them will thrive: especially in the Spring when the wild flowers are a sight to behold.
- Please accept that there will always be a zone of de-vegetation around popular boulders. Don’t make this worse by thoughtlessly throwing your pad down anywhere.
- Dogs….No one likes being told what to do, especially if it involves their dog. But it is a good idea to leave Fido at home, even if he is the best behaved dog in the world...take him to the Buttermilk instead where there is more space for him.
- Do use the porta-potties at the parking area. Do not go to the toilet in the canyon.
Broken Holds and Thin Patina
The volcanic tuff rock is brittle. Unless it is completely fused, like it is in the best bits of the Happy Boulders, it is prone to breaking. Be careful. Similarly, the patina that covers the tuff is of variable thickness, at best it’s thick and iron-like, at worst it is thin and powdery. Big chunks of it do break off. Check out the top of the Gleaner for a good example. Avoid brushing the soft stuff, never use a wire brush, and you’ll just have to accept that the thin stuff will suffer “wear and tear”. After rain (rare) avoid climbing at the Happy Boulders. It’s not as bad as sandstone but the rock is porous and some holds may break if pulled on. The rock at the Happy Boulders isn’t the highest quality in the world, but the quantity of climable formations and surface topography more than make up for this. There’s lots to do and have fun on for any climber.
all the best,
Mick
