14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

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Are you okay with paying a user fee to access Colorado 14'ers?

Yes, for all 14'ers.
24
8%
Maybe, for certain areas.
43
15%
Maybe, but only if the fees were small.
34
12%
No, fees should generally not be charged to access these areas.
191
65%
 
Total votes: 292
flatlander51
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by flatlander51 »

tlongpine wrote:$120 approach shoes/hiking boots? Sure.
$85 trekking poles. Why Not?
$90 Camelbak? Of Course!
$20 REI membership? I mean, it pays for itself.
$110 polarized sunshades? Definitely.
$35 Patagonia capilene tee. Sure
$200 ultralight tent? Duh.
$700 DSLR camera? Well, yeah. Or...
$300 GoPro? Dude, epic.
$100 Thermarest? A necessity.
$150 down bag? Also a necessity.
$40 hammock? A creature comfort.


$10 access fee? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!1!! OUTRAGEOUS! :cussing:
To tlongpine, this is the best comment I have ever read! So true.
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Jesse M
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by Jesse M »

flatlander51 wrote:
tlongpine wrote:$120 approach shoes/hiking boots? Sure.
$85 trekking poles. Why Not?
$90 Camelbak? Of Course!
$20 REI membership? I mean, it pays for itself.
$110 polarized sunshades? Definitely.
$35 Patagonia capilene tee. Sure
$200 ultralight tent? Duh.
$700 DSLR camera? Well, yeah. Or...
$300 GoPro? Dude, epic.
$100 Thermarest? A necessity.
$150 down bag? Also a necessity.
$40 hammock? A creature comfort.


$10 access fee? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!1!! OUTRAGEOUS! :cussing:
To tlongpine, this is the best comment I have ever read! So true.
What about those of us who don't have all that expensive gear and need to make sacrifices in other aspects of our life just to be able to pay for the gas to enjoy the outdoors. This activity should not be a rich mans sport, lets leave that for golf, skiing, and technical climbing. The federal government doesn't need another penny from me, they are probably the worst organization at budgeting funds. No new tax, give your money to the CFI or better yet give your time to help improve a trail. If a new tax is forced upon us to enjoy our natural places, people won't give to organizations like the CFI anymore. And Bill's CFI fundraiser wouldn't even break the 10K mark. IMO.
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
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DaveSwink
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by DaveSwink »

mountaingoat-G wrote:Sad story. The elephant in the room: exponential human population growth that cannot be sustained by our planet, including what is wilderness today. The wilderness will not be safe from humanity, there are too many of us and counting....
Dude, careful. Don't think you were supposed to mention that. Planning for sustainability in the face of unrestrained human population growth...........not really a subject for polite conversation, now is it?
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Hungry Jack
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by Hungry Jack »

So any word on the USDA-funded study conducted by CSU? I believe that would be public information. I wonder what the findings are.

Though as someone versed in market research, the "findings" should always be viewed with some skepticism.
please rotate your device
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adamjm
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by adamjm »

From the paper:
Results reveal that 62% of respondents are willing to incur an additional fee of $20 or less to recreate at the study site. Regardless of whether or not the respondent is willing to pay an additional fee for recreation, approximately 90% of respondents report a high level of certainty in their stated answers to both the WTP and the fee questions
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by Sean Nunn »

Jesse M. hit it spot on. Much better to donate time & money to CFI or other worthy organizations. Volunteer charity is always about 1000 times better at getting things done than government, especially the federal government.

Sean Nunn
Raytown Mo
"Thy righteousness is like the great mountains."
Psalm 36:6
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tlongpine
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by tlongpine »

Jesse M wrote:
flatlander51 wrote:
tlongpine wrote:$120 approach shoes/hiking boots? Sure.
$85 trekking poles. Why Not?
$90 Camelbak? Of Course!
$20 REI membership? I mean, it pays for itself.
$110 polarized sunshades? Definitely.
$35 Patagonia capilene tee. Sure
$200 ultralight tent? Duh.
$700 DSLR camera? Well, yeah. Or...
$300 GoPro? Dude, epic.
$100 Thermarest? A necessity.
$150 down bag? Also a necessity.
$40 hammock? A creature comfort.


$10 access fee? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!1!! OUTRAGEOUS! :cussing:
To tlongpine, this is the best comment I have ever read! So true.
What about those of us who don't have all that expensive gear and need to make sacrifices in other aspects of our life just to be able to pay for the gas to enjoy the outdoors. This activity should not be a rich mans sport, lets leave that for golf, skiing, and technical climbing. The federal government doesn't need another penny from me, they are probably the worst organization at budgeting funds. No new tax, give your money to the CFI or better yet give your time to help improve a trail. If a new tax is forced upon us to enjoy our natural places, people won't give to organizations like the CFI anymore. And Bill's CFI fundraiser wouldn't even break the 10K mark. IMO.
A $10 access fee is nominal. It's less than the price of a movie - and no reasonable person is going argue that the multiplex has become a reserve for the well-heeled.

The reality is that our Federal Taxes are down(1) and this has led to painful cuts to the Forest Services budget. Since less tax revenue flows to the Forest Service they have to recover the lost revenue somehow. Which brings us to the real choice:

To recover the lost revenue, should the Forest Service sell logging/mining rights to timber/mineral companies or charge a usage fee to recreational users?

I prefer the latter because it can be undone if/when we collectively decide we love forests and wild places more than we hate Uncle Sam. We can't un-clear cut a forest or un-remove a mountaintop.


(1) http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I am unable to walk away from the mountain without climbing it. An unclimbed mountain tugs at my consciousness with the eternal weight of time itself. Until I've pressed my face into it's alpine winds, hugged it's ancient granite walls, and put it's weathered summit beneath my heal I'm unable to resist it's attraction.Knowing nature gives the mountain more time than she gives us adds urgency to the obsession. As has been said before; the mountain doesn't care.

It can wait forever. I cannot.
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Jesse M
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by Jesse M »

Good point tlongpine and interesting article. I would not like to see more mining and logging to help fund the Forest Service either, but a new tax can't be the only other option. What the other options would be I don't know though, so maybe you are correct. I still stand by my statement that giving to the CFI your money and/or time is a much more efficient way to help out with this issue.

Also, I haven't seen a movie in the theaters in a long time for exactly the reason of costing more than I am willing to pay. Since the $10 fee is so nominal for you, I guess you wouldn't mind paying for me then. ;)
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
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tlongpine
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by tlongpine »

Jesse M wrote:What about those of us who don't have all that expensive gear and need to make sacrifices in other aspects of our life just to be able to pay for the gas to enjoy the outdoors.
Jesse M wrote:Good point tlongpine and interesting article. I would not like to see more mining and logging to help fund the Forest Service either, but a new tax can't be the only other option. What the other options would be I don't know though, so maybe you are correct. I still stand by my statement that giving to the CFI your money and/or time is a much more efficient way to help out with this issue.

Also, I haven't seen a movie in the theaters in a long time for exactly the reason of costing more than I am willing to pay. Since the $10 fee is so nominal for you, I guess you wouldn't mind paying for me then. ;)
I understand times are tough and money is tight, so I'll take your iPad in trade: http://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 35#p545635" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ;)
I am unable to walk away from the mountain without climbing it. An unclimbed mountain tugs at my consciousness with the eternal weight of time itself. Until I've pressed my face into it's alpine winds, hugged it's ancient granite walls, and put it's weathered summit beneath my heal I'm unable to resist it's attraction.Knowing nature gives the mountain more time than she gives us adds urgency to the obsession. As has been said before; the mountain doesn't care.

It can wait forever. I cannot.
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Jesse M
Posts: 550
Joined: 7/18/2011
13ers: 15
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Re: 14'er Climbing Fees Might Be Considered

Post by Jesse M »

tlongpine wrote:
Jesse M wrote:What about those of us who don't have all that expensive gear and need to make sacrifices in other aspects of our life just to be able to pay for the gas to enjoy the outdoors.
Jesse M wrote:Good point tlongpine and interesting article. I would not like to see more mining and logging to help fund the Forest Service either, but a new tax can't be the only other option. What the other options would be I don't know though, so maybe you are correct. I still stand by my statement that giving to the CFI your money and/or time is a much more efficient way to help out with this issue.

Also, I haven't seen a movie in the theaters in a long time for exactly the reason of costing more than I am willing to pay. Since the $10 fee is so nominal for you, I guess you wouldn't mind paying for me then. ;)
I understand times are tough and money is tight, so I'll take your iPad in trade: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=44802&p=545635#p545635 ;)
:) lol, you almost got me, but that iPad is school district property and technically isn't mine. In fact I don't own a computer and am still using an iPhone 3G. :)
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
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