AAC Pledges Support for Castleton Tower
October 2007Courtesy of Tom Till / Utah Open Lands
The AAC has committed to five years of funding for stewardship of the Castleton Tower trailhead and campsite in Utah. The AAC and Petzl America each will donate $750 a year to support climbers’ facilities at Castleton, the most popular sandstone tower on the Colorado Plateau.
Once threatened by development, 221 acres of land at the base of Castleton Tower were acquired by Utah Open Lands in 2003, with much support from climbers and the outdoor industry. Since then, Utah Open Lands has tested a donation-based campground and waste-removal program on the site. This pilot program has been deemed a major success, with more than $1,600 donated, more than 1,400 Wag Bags distributed for human waste, and only two incidents of improper disposal. Off-road driving in the area has been eliminated with strategic placement of large boulders.
With the new stewardship funds and climber donations, Utah Open Lands plans to continue to maintain the low-profile campsite beneath Castleton Tower. New signage at the campsite will promote the AAC and Petzl’s stewardship role.