FLOCK HILL - access status
14 November 2005 - 10:04am
On the 9th November I wrote to Mark Fraundorfer, the co-leaseholder for Flock Hill, to clarify the current access status.
His reply follows:
We have decided that as from 1 January access to Flock Hill will be by prior permission only, on a visit by visit basis, and we will no longer allow open access. It is unfortunate but a few have spoiled it for the rest. The reasons are as follows
Continued damage to the boundary fence between Cave Stream Reserve and Flock Hill by trespassers climbing over or under.
Disturbance of lambing Ewes recently by trespassers (Merinos abandon young lambs if disturbed)
Dogs with visitors
Gate to track being vandalised, lifted off hinges cut locks etc
Trespassers abusing staff asking what they are doing on the property.
Large numbers of metal bolts permanently drilled into rocks by climbers defacing in particular the summit rock of Flock Hill mountain, the iconic rock that is now known as Aslan's rock and featured in the up and coming The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie. Such bolts are an eyesore and an act of vandalism in our view.
In addition we have contracted an operator to run movie site tours from 1 January with Flock Hill Station receiving revenue. Therefore any one on Flock Hill not with the official tour will need to have our specific permission and carry proof of this on their person. We intend continuing to welcome genuine trampers and climbers such as your members but they will have to contact me in advance with their intentions and date of visit(s). We hope to later have a visitor centre based at the lodge which will make this easier but until further notice it will be by Email to me.
Please contact me if you have any questions
Regards
Mark
Unless some idiot has been bolting at Flock Hill recently (unlikely), the bolts referred to are 15-20 years old and it is very unlikely that climbers have perpetrated any of the acts listed.
NZAC will reply to Mark to see if we can establish a more streamlined permission process.
14 November 2005 - 11:58am
#2
...it is very unlikely that climbers have perpetrated any of the acts listed.
I wish I had that faith in the climbing community. It only takes one to ruin it for many. Still, restricted access is better than no access.
Is there any crossing styes to avoid damage to fences/gates? Maybe donation boxes should be set up to fund development of these (along with signs pointing out rules for use of the area) like those at Wanakas hospital flat.
Some offenses come from pure ignorance.
15 November 2005 - 10:29pm
#3
Is there any crossing styes to avoid damage to fences/gates? Maybe donation boxes should be set up to fund development of these (along with signs pointing out rules for use of the area) like those at Wanakas hospital flat.
If you read the access details on the Flock Hill Blog there is only one road gate to get over and it's easy.Unfortunately I have talked to climbers who have been accessing the area via the Dry Valley which is VERBOTEN and means crossing the fence.
The bolts are probably old. They are less damaging visually than the remnants of the camera platform pads (turf cut outs).
Am I the only one that sees the date of the start of commercial tours and the date of our access restrictions being TOO coincidental?
16 November 2005 - 8:20am
#4
Fully coincidental... This leaseholder only cares about making money. Since when did climbers in NZ take their dogs to the crag? Since when did anyone give a shit about Aslan's rock? I guess climbers are going to have to give way to a bunch of retainer wearing nerds tramping up to Aslan's Rock to look at it?
This whole thing friggin sucks.
16 November 2005 - 9:20am
#5
Being positive, if the leaseholder only cares about money then I am sure one day he will be convinced to sell.
The scary thing would be if the land fell into private hands from the current tenure reviews.
16 November 2005 - 10:15am
#6
The land is owned outright by University of Canterbury. It was, I believe. bequeathed to the Uni so they could lease it for income.
They lease it to Mark Fraundorfer and his colleague/business partner.
16 November 2005 - 10:16am
#7
The land's already in private hands - ultimately, it's owned by the University of Canterbury.
16 November 2005 - 3:52pm
#8
not exactly:
The Public Finance (State Sector Management) Act 2004 defines Crown Entities, including universities, as “organisations in which the Government has a controlling interest”.
16 November 2005 - 6:34pm
#9
...as from 1 January access to Flock Hill will be by prior permission only...
Surely this means that NO PERMISSION is needed to climb at Flock Hill up until this date?
All the reasons listed sound like petty excuses to tell climbers to f**k off so the land leasers can make some coin. :?
Nice one.
23 November 2005 - 5:41pm
#10
stopped at Flock Hill Lodge the other weekend and we got told the following re access:
currently banned following the placement of bolts in Aslans Rock (if they were old bolts I'm sure someone would have spotted them during filming????) and the abusive response provided by some climbers (f'ing and blinding) recently when questioned about why they were on the land.
seems very much a case of the few ruining things for the many - shame as it looked a top spot to climb (although I'm sure the revenue to be made by the land owner having guided tours around the place also plays a big part in the decision)
25 November 2005 - 10:22am
#11
Hi all,
I have been following this thread, and hafta say its a real shame that we may loose access to Flock Hill... :(
I heard a rumor the other day though that a specific person (who I wont name here) might have been responsible for new bolts at Flock!?? Has anyone else heard this, and does anyone know if this person has been aproched about it (I dont know them personaly)??
25 November 2005 - 11:13am
#12
I heard a rumor the other day though that a specific person (who I wont name here)...
Oh go on, the lynch mob is just itching for it.
28 November 2005 - 9:26am
#13
never mind. ignore my previous post!
I ran into the 'specific person' on the weekend, and asked about the rumor. aparently they have never bolted anything in their life, let alone anything at Flock Hill...
12 December 2005 - 1:02pm
#14
12 December 2005 - 1:23pm
#15
Well, that most certainly explains why they wouldn't want boulderers up there any more. At $280 a head, they probably wouldn't want some rockrat grunting, sweating and swearing close by while they enjoy their 'Lunch ... amongst the otherworldly rock formations'. :roll:
12 December 2005 - 1:33pm
#16
"And if your budget allows it, helicopter trips up into the top most rocks are available most days on site."
We were wondering how the fat lazy Americans were going to get up there without walking :twisted:
12 December 2005 - 4:47pm
#17
Yes, it's a commercial operation and there are associated spin-offs from such ventures. But to be honest it's an ordinary movie based on a crap book...It's an accident of geography that the area was used as the setting for the film. The area has no significance to the literary work...I doubt that CS ever knew of the existance of Flock Hill...
$280-$1100...The words "mercenary" & "profiteering" spring to mind...
14 December 2005 - 12:48am
#18
i gota say that i saw the movie and its quit good but holly hell tht sux!!! if it was sum1 that did bolt it i wouldv thot they wld have had the respect to ask the owners or sumthing.... but i got faith in the nz climbers so i rekon the guy is just in it for the money! what a pathetic human being!
thats just my opinion.
14 December 2005 - 4:38pm
#19
wouldv thot they wld have had the respect to ask the owners or sumthing...
Would you mind showing at least some respect for the use of correct english in the future?
Surely said commercial operation is not sustainable long-term. Then perhaps access will return to normal after that?
14 December 2005 - 5:17pm
#20
I would have thought that even the geeks would have balked at the cost...!
14 December 2005 - 6:01pm
#21
Has anyone heard of the Kinder Trespass in Britain.....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_trespass_of_Kinder_Scout
perhaps???
or maybe we should inundate them with requests for access on most days and see what happens.Kinda interesting if they give you permission (in advance say) and then they get people wanting to go up and visit/tour but we are already there and of course can't be gotten hold of. Running around in a chopper rounding us up perhaps?
14 December 2005 - 7:13pm
#22
I've heard of it but the underlying conditions are significantly different...
Have a look at sections 3-6, 8 & 9 of the Trespass act 1980...covers just about anything you may think of...
It’s good to see that the oxygen thieves have done it again!! Yet again the few ruin it for the many...will things never change?
Pebble Werstlers Union rep !!!