SAVE MUIR VALLEY!!! Red River Gorge Access

The State of Kentucky is considering massive changes to route 715 that MAY SERIOUSLY impact Muir Valley - including the potential loss of up to half of the preserve. Please read, consider and act by sending in your comments. Look for communications by local climbing orgs like Friends of Muir Valley and of course the Access Fund to coordinate efforts in the near future.

Muir Valley is an expansive climbing area of 400 acres with over 300 routes (and rising) opened, maintained and owned by Rick and Liz Weber. It is extremely popular to both beginning and advanced climbers. The main road to access Muir is KY 715, which you take from Hwy 11 (from Miguels) or from the Mountain Parkway.

To email or contact the relevant authorities (quoted from Liz Weber's post on redriverclimbing.com):

What can you do to help Muir Valley if you are interested?

At this point, the easiest and most effective action would be a brief email to David Martin, Project Manager of the Study for rerouting and improving KY HW 715. His email is Charles.Martin@ky.gov. Just something saying that you are one of a large number of people who frequently visit Muir Valley Nature Preserve, bringing tourist dollars into the area, and expressing your hope that, if a project is funded, they will avoid either Alternative E or F of the 8 options under consideration, because either of those would almost surely result in the closure of Muir Valley to the public.

He can also be contacted in writing at
David Martin, P.E.
Project Manager
KYTC Division of Planning
200 Mero Street
Mail Code W5-05-01
Frankfort KY 40622

or called at 502 564-7183.

If you write instead of email, it would probably be a good idea to also copy "Director, KYTC Division of Planning" at the mailing address.

Links:

See here for a State of Kentucky Division of Planning pdf that illustrates options A through F. Note that options E or F have devastating consequences.

See here for a good explanatory post by the Narc.

Here is a post about it from Liz Weber on www.redriverclimbing.com.

This is the general State of Kentucky Division of Planning website.