Depending on who you talk to, the beautiful rock formation on the east shore of Lake Tahoe known as Cave Rock might be described as a place people drive through on their way to work, a sacred location, a great hiking spot, or one of the best places for rock climbing. In recent years, however, it has become a symbol of the conflicting interests of the Washoe Indians and climbers who frequent the area.
The Washoe tribe currently has only about 1,500 members left. They consider Cave Rock a sacred place, and believe it was where many of their ancestors communicated with spirits. It is considered an important symbol of their culture and heritage, so important that some have likened it to the Statue of Liberty, the archetypal symbol of American culture and pride.
Cave Rock has also been a favorite location for Tahoe Rock Climbing for many years. The bolts and cords that have been left behind by climbers have been described as a type of desecration to this holy place. Climbing has been viewed as an unsuitable use of the rock for many years by the Washoe tribe, but they have just recently succeeded in getting regulations passed that would completely ban climbers from this favorite spot. The final decision was handed down by Maribeth Gustafson. The U.S. Forest Service supervisor said that the main reason for barring climbers was because of the damage the activity caused to this important site.
Climbers, however, are outraged at the decision, and feel that they are being unfairly targeted. Considering that hundreds of motorists drive right through this ‘sacred’ location on a daily basis, their concerns seem well-founded. When the U.S. 50 Highway was being expanded, Cave Rock was in its path. Instead of modifying the path of the road to avoid Cave Rock, however, officials decided to blast and build a road that passed directly through it. Today, there are actually two roads that pass through the cave. The first was built in the early 1930s, while the other was constructed in 1957.
Climbers are also upset about the fact that many other uses of the rock will be allowed to continue. Activities that are deemed non-invasive, including hiking and fishing, are still considered acceptable.
Finally, climbers cite the fact that Cave Rock was a popular party spot for teenagers even before they began visiting the location in the late 80s. According to long-time climbers, they found the area full of litter and empty alcohol containers, hardly a suitable use of sacred grounds.
Overall, it would appear to most outside observers that climbers are being made the scapegoats in this situation. After all, if Cave Rock truly is a sacred place, and Lake Tahoe officials genuinely intend to show the utmost respect for that, it would seem reasonable to ban all recreational uses of the site. Even that seems insufficient, however, when one considers the fact that there are two highway tunnels that pass directly through this religious and cultural icon. Whether additional restrictions will be implemented in the future remains to be seen, but for climbers the verdict is loud and clear: no more rock climbing at Cave Rock.
