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By Christine
Hanley
San Francisco Chronicle - October 31, 1998
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) -- Tucked away near the foot of Yosemite
Falls, just east of El Capitan, Camp Four is a favorite destination for rock
climbers from around the world, heralded as the birthplace of their sport.
"If John Muir was alive, that's where he'd be staying," climber Yvon Chouinard
said from the Ventura headquarters of Patagonia Inc., his multimillion-dollar
camping gear company. Muir is the 19th-century naturalist who founded the
Sierra Club in 1892.
For $3 a night, weekend backpackers can pitch tents next to the world's top
climbers. The camp has one of the best views in the scenic Yosemite Valley
and is buffered from the bustling tourism of Yosemite Village by a few acres
of ancient trees, a grove known as Swans Slab.
"It's a climber's dream. You say it in hush tones," said Sierra Club member
Joyce Eden, whispering "Camp Four."
Now it's also become the focus of the climbers' fight against further development
in the valley.
As part of a plan to restore lodging destroyed by floods in 1997, the National
Park Service proposed building a village of a dozen quadriplex cottages, the
closest about 500 feet from the climbers' hallowed ground. And just across
the road, the park plans two new three-story motels.
Climbers and the Sierra Club filed lawsuits, claiming the government is caving
in to commercial interests.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a temporary injunction against the
park two weeks ago, after making a 150-mile trip from his San Francisco chambers
to see what all the fuss was about. He said park officials may have failed
to gauge the project's environmental impact and to consider alternate sites.
The housing plan was conceived after the 1997 New Year's Day flood, when the
Merced River surged over its banks, wiping out 40 percent of the 495 rooms
at Yosemite Lodge and washing out roads and sewers.
In all, the plan would use $178 million in federal relief money to provide
housing for hundreds of guests -- so many, the plaintiffs say, that it makes
a mockery of Yosemite's 1980 General Management Plan, a document that calls
for reducing the human "footprint" in the valley.
"That plan took 10 years to develop, and involved input from 50,000 people,"
said Greg Adair, a founder of Friends of Yosemite Valley. "We're supposed
to slowly move back to the natural experience of parks. That's what the GMP
enshrined. It's just unquestionable that the park is violating that trust."
Park spokesman Kendall Thompson said the complaints have been heard.
"We did make changes to design prior to the lawsuits, trying to accommodate
some of the things we were hearing from climbers and other groups," he said.
Thompson also noted that the 440 visitor units the park is required to provide
under its contract with Yosemite Concession Services Corp. is 55 units less
than the pre-flood level.
Opponents counter that those rooms are going to be bigger and more expensive
than existing rooms that already cost $80 to $123 a night.
"It's basically going to exclude campers from being able to go to these places,"
Chouinard said. "They don't want campers in Yosemite because you can't make
money out of campers."
Opponents believe the Park Service is being compromised by the concessionaire
and its parent, Delaware North Co. -- which are not named as defendants because
they don't set rules or implement plans.
"The park has to show some leadership. They're not doing that. They're caving
in to commercial interests," Adair said.
The climbers also have sought national historic site status for Camp Four,
and the federal government recently found that the campground qualifies, countering
a decision by Park Superintendent Stan Albright.
"There's so much history here," said Kevin Conti, 33, of Boulder, Colo., who
worries that the development plans will destroy the spirit of the place. "I
think the major complaint is that this is becoming a park for the rich."
The affordable, laid-back refuge, which fills up even in off seasons, is the
only walk-in campground left in the valley.
"It's the only campground in Yosemite where you can dirtbag it," Chouinard
said. "You don't need an RV or a car. The rangers leave you alone. And you
can share campsites with a whole bunch of people."
Yosemite Concession Services issued a statement saying it is disappointed
by the lawsuits. It called the planning process "very open and public" and
said the park service had worked hard to resolve complaints.
No hearing dates have been set for the lawsuit and Yosemite officials have
not decided whether to revise their plans or face trial.
Meanwhile, Chouinard said his T-shirts declaring "No more development
in Yosemite" are selling like crazy.
Dick Duane, an attorney for climbers, said he's getting letters of support
from around the globe.
And Camp Four's supporters are watching developments closely.
"Why does the park service ignore the history?" said Kurt Dreibholz, a 35-year-old
lawyer from Phoenix. "This place is a nexus for climbers. If they close this
down, where will we go?"
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