MOAB, Utah, February 24, 2022 — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the identification and conviction of those responsible for greasing the handholds at the Big Bend Bouldering Area. On Feb. 14, the BLM was notified that petroleum-based grease was smeared on the climbing handholds at the popular recreation area north of Moab along the Colorado River in Grand County.
“It is up to each of us to help keep public lands safe and clean for future generations,” said BLM Moab Field Manager Nicollee Gaddis-Wyatt. “Our employees are out on public lands every day, cleaning bathrooms, maintaining trails, and engaging with the visitors. Even so, we don’t see everything. When incidents occur, we appreciate the public’s help in reporting information to the BLM’s law enforcement team.”
Anyone with information about this investigation or other incidents on BLM-managed public lands is asked to call the tip line at 435-259-2131. Callers may remain anonymous.
The Big Bend Bouldering Area is located upstream of the Big Bend Campground along the Colorado River and State Route 128, about 10 miles from Moab. The bouldering area has been popular with climbers for more than 20 years, who benefit from its easy access, density of boulders with problems of varying difficulties, and relatively flat landings. In addition to climbing and bouldering opportunities, visitors to this area can also enjoy camping, hiking, rafting, scenic driving, wildlife viewing, and other recreation opportunities.
##RVT1041b
This site is along Utah Route 128, one of the most scenic roads in America. The road sits down in a 1/2 to 3/4 mile wide canyon carved by the Colorado R. and is bordered by sheer cliffs of red sandstone 1,000 feet high. There are MILLIONS of boulders that have fallen off the cliffs and they’re everywhere. It’s too bad some mope had to gunk some of them up but for most people, it doesn’t affect the grandeur of the place.
Check it out on Google Earth:
38°38’59″N, 109°28’51″W
Stop it. You’re way off the subject and getting yourself into a frenzy over something that you didn’t read correctly. We don’t need nor want any unnecessary drama.
It seems the climbers claim there territory just like the surfers in Ca and Hawaii
BLM so big into rock climbing, incredible coincidence that they were there and reported it!
Makes you wonder what the rock climber did to the person who greased the rock, sometimes life is complicated. People sometimes get revenge rather than calling in the law. could be they were just aholes and just trying to hurt someone. context matters, seems were missing some context.
So what you are saying, is that you greased the rock?
This wouldn’t impact just one climber, but climbers in general. It’s similar to people who spike trails or leave poisoned meat for dogs (of course wildlife also would eat the poisoned meat). Some people feel entitled to dish out punishment to anyone or any group that irritates them. It’s a narcissistic and paranoid personality, like the Unabomber’s. Sometimes locals come to feel they own nearby public lands and commit crimes to keep others out
Lowest common denominator humanoids. We know who drives them, who pushes them. Oy vey!
I think it all comes down to a respect issue, or lack of. ‘do onto others as you would have done to you.’ How many people want to go out somewhere enjoying life and the day when they grab the greased hand hold and down they go? No body wants that, not even the person (or persons) who did this. But today’s society is a lot like Beavis and butthead. “Hey Beavis, this guy is totally gonna fall.. hehehe.. let’s watch! Hehe!”
Isn’t this in the same area where someone went and desicrated some ancient rock pictoglyphs but carving there name over the original design? It’s hot in Utah, right? Maybe there’s some heat stroked people who need a water bottle and a hug to change there evil ways?
Really if no one can respect the public lands why not make it private, fence it all off and put in some condos or townhouses? A quickie Mart and McDonald’s of course. That’d b a way better use of the land and then people could grease the door handles with out any problems. Brilliant!
No. No more buildings in areas where it doesn’t belong. We have enough housing and other buildings. Unfortunately we also have a bunch of greedy scums who have too much power who make it very challenging to allow people to put them to use. All thats going to happen is more destruction of nature and then abandonment of the buildings after a good few years. The person or people who commited this heinous act needs to quit wussing out and fess up. No point of running and hiding in the shadows when your wrong doing catches up to you to hand you your just desserts. If you’re big enough to do something like that then you should be big enough to handle the consequences with it.
It was Vaseline. Someone is actually loving and caring and looking after the rock climbers dry hands 😜
Not a good thing to joke about.
You’re funny.
When you have a government that does builds something and then walks away this is what you get take Oregon state parks they pretty much have the same items as they installed when they were built and have vollenterrs take care of them but have raised prices
I agree we need to be more respectful, obedient but you go live in the UAE and have no rights. I think you would change your tune. Christ wouldn’t take a hand off for a digression. He replaced the soldiers ear, so your compassion needs to come up some. Yes, consequences for the sin. Glad you aren’t the judge or anyone else for that matter. Your comments could put you in jail in some countries. You should appreciate what you have. There’s good and bad everywhere.
You must turn your cheek daily can’t believe some of these people you have so much companion for have not ran over you
Have people just become mean? We need to repent as a country and as individuals. This godless society has all but become reprobate! It’s not funny to set a trap for a person by grease and have them maybe plunge to their death. Wake up you jackals and look in the mirror!
Why is it bad, maybe they like to climb with greased hands. Some use chalk and others use grease to work on grip strength.
Why is it bad to grease the handholds? Have you heard of a little thing called gravity?
A family is climbing and a kid or a parent grabs it and put their trust into it and falls back and dies, do you have a brain or are you a bot?
Jimmy….think! you wont find anyone with vasoline greased hands to climb. Its one of the looneyiest things to do if you’re trying climbing. You’d be down in no time trying to grip on a slippery grip. Even if they really were using grease to work on grip strength (which I refuse to believe) they didn’t think about other climbers who could easily get hurt. We aren’t invincible.
Jimmy….Think! No one is going to use grease to climb. That’s one of the easiest ways to reach the ground in a condition, you didn’t come with. Even if someone did use grease for that purpose (which I refuse to believe) they didn’t think of the safety of others. Its not their land so they’d have no business greasing it up for their personal desires in the first place
What does BLM stand for in this story? I don’t know wether to be pissed or happy it really matters what those three letters stand for.
BLM stand for Bureau of Land Management, like it says in the first line. Have a great day. 🙂 –Diane
Right on Diane!
Oh Dear Diane
How can you stand to read and process the comments that these idiots post? Ey know you suggested to me years ago that folks should not be called idiots, but this should be an exception. Sincerely, Loneoutdoorsman
Hey, Loneoutdoorsman. Yep, fun job, but somebody has to do it. Take care, and have a couple of those famous bearclaws for me, OK? 😀 –Diane
It is disturbing that people have such morbid tendencies. What kind of upbringing produce es such crazy people that would put a person at risk of injury was it spite or a prank by a sadistic sociopathic individual
👍👍👍
This article was about someone intentionally sabotaging a climbing area with the intent of causing death, serious injury or at minimum the fear of going at all. Look how well it worked, we’re talking about this all over the world.
You can’t decide whether to be happy or pissed?
So you just announced to the world your degree of moral relativism and it’s direct consequences. Apparently you are fine, even “happy” with the idea of murder, sabotage and otherwise bullying people as long as you support the cause?
I’m not certain who suffers a worse fate, the person that perpetrated this act or those who are complicit with it! Both are a far worse state than actually being a victim of this crime.
I think the person meant can’t decide because he doesn’t know if it was black lives matter or bureau of land management. Attempt at humor
💥right on Mark! You nail÷d it!
And what if these morons had done it on a sheer face 1000 feet up. I hope they catch them and grease them.
You know, I tend to agree world wildlife foundation did that to wwe, formerly (wwf) so why not, though I also tend to think that the racial BLM is just a terrorist organization and should be outlawed altogether)
No matter what context it’s in, blm is a bad word. Whether it be rioters or “land managers”, the amount of corruption and destruction they bring is terrible.
Seriously? The article is about public lands Being vandalized. What else would BLM stand for in that context. Sometimes it is unimaginable the ignorance that I see posted in comments on the internet. “I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul”
It’s the opening statement, common sense ain’t common.
It’s literally in the opening paragraph, ****.
Maybe it should stand for Babysitting Lame Morons. Sounds like that’s what you want them to do.
Goes to show just how deeply sick & deranged some ppl are. I just keep picturing someone grabbing the rail to keep from stumbling!
Wow how intersting
Them’s Gods boulders… ..don’t want no hippies climbing on ’em.
When I was growing up a rock greaser was a guy with Brill Cream in his hair snapping his fingers to rock music. How times have changed…..
I thought I was old
Spam has officially arrived at RVTravel. Dangit!
Spams great for camping!
I was referring to a post that was obviously SPAM, and it appears that RVTravel took it down. Spam, the food, IS good stuff! It took over 50 years for me to realize it, but wifey converted me – ha.
This is why there are fewer camp site in National parks