Hikers, climbers hear plans of reopening Williamson Rock, Pacific Crest Trail in Angeles National Forest

ARCADIA — An East Coast transplant, rock climber Michelle Wong, 32, often tackled the New River Gorge in West Virginia.

She’d happily make the 6-hour ride from her home in Baltimore for a chance at dangling from a rock – with no net –  looking up at only azure skies.

On Saturday, the new Los Angeles resident came to a meeting here to express support for a U.S. Forest Service proposal to reopen Williamson Rock, a “Yosemite granite” outcropping in the Angeles National Forest legendary for its 300 climbing routes and city-close access.

“This is one place I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about but never climbed,” said Wong, one of about 40 people at the meeting inside the Angeles National Forest headquarters. A majority of the attendees were climbers who favored getting back access.

Wong is one of thousands of LA-based rock climbers banned from Williamson Rock. The solid granite mountain on the eastern edge of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument was closed in 2005 and every year thereafter to protect the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog.

An endangered species, Rana muscosa had dwindled to around 100 in 2017 but more than half survived in the obscure Little Rock Creek, a mountain stream with pools of tepid water perfect for growing tadpoles and laying egg masses – good news for frogs but not the rock climbers.

These recreationists would launch their bodies up from the stream along the sheer face of Southern California’s most popular climbing spot. Studies found climbers, as well as hikers, would crush the tadpoles and eggs, killing chances of reproduction, said USFS biologist Leslie Welch.

The rock climbers have been locked in a battle with the 1-3-inch amphibian protected by the Endangered Species Act.

“These are one of the most imperilled species in North America,” Welch told the audience.

Closure had helped the population return to about 200 or so. Exact numbers are not know. But the separate efforts of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the L.A. Zoo and San Diego Zoo have produced successes through re-breeding and re-introduction that prompted an environmental review that includes a return to climbing on a limited basis.

The Forest Service document favors “Alternative 3,” which also helps re-open a closed portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, which winds 2,650-miles from the California-Mexican border up the West Coast to Canada.and was the subject of the 2014 movie “Wild,” starring Reese Witherspoon.

The “action alternative” includes building a bridge over the creek for hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail. The cost, still not known, is to be covered by the Pacific Crest Trail Association, a nonprofit dedicated to helping upkeep of the famous trail, said Jose Henriquez, landscape architect with the U.S. Forest Service.

It also limits rock climbing on Williamson Rock from Aug. 1 to Nov. 15 — a short window created to avoid disturbing nesting peregrine falcons in the cliff rocks — and only via paid permits that could cost between $10-12 per person, Forest Service officials said.

Jeff Waller, of Los Angeles, told authorities at the meeting he was miffed at the 13-year closure. He’s also nonplussed about a lengthy environmental process that won’t be concluded until next summer, leaving an additional year for construction of the PCT bridge and bathrooms should Alternative 3 be chosen by the Forest Service.

“Now they want two more years? That is a long time,” Waller said after the meeting. “You are talking about a whole generation of children who will never understand what it is to climb Mount Williamson.”

His son, Anthony Waller, climbs Holcomb Valley and the Big Bear area, as well as Joshua Tree National Park, but has never been allowed to experience what his dad says is one of the most accessible and solid granite climbing area in California.

“After (almost) 15 years of being closed, I would just like to see it opened again,” said Anthony, 20.

Terry Lee, owner of Gear Coop in Costa Mesa, drove from Orange County to attend the meeting. His shop is a premiere stop for climbers, he said. He’s encouraging rock climbers to submit positive comments by the Sept. 10 deadline by going to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=43405.

“It would certainly open up a tremendous resource for climbers. Especially in the summer time when it is so hot — it is one of the few places to go climbing, given its proximity to L.A.,” Lee said.

After months of environmental reviews, comments and another 45-day “objection” period, a final Environmental Impact Statement will be issued by next summer, officials said. The action chosen will be the decision of Forest Supervisor Jeff Vail.

“Personally I am interested in finding a way for climbing to be an ongoing use while protecting the habitat of the frogs and I think we can get there,” he told the audience.