If you want the TPWD viewpoint on Hueco, you can go to the TPWD web pages for Hueco. Here at Huecotanks.com, we have a slightly different view <ahem>.
If your browser has the Adobe Acrobat plug-in, you can view the full version of the PURP-2000.
Here is a translated version of the draft of the TPWD PURP-2000 proposal. The draft was released in early 2000 to the public for "comment", so that the TPWD could claim it "solicited input". Comment was overwhelmingly against the plan, but that apparently did not phase the TPWD. I thought it would be a public service to provide and in-line alternative viewpoint.
TPWD Definition of Climbing
In Site publications and other instances, the TPWD often refers to an activity named climbing (aka bouldering), but they do not, have not, and cannot easily define "climbing". At one time, they were tempted to define it as an activity requiring ropes, but free soloing and bouldering made that definition invalid. They might be tempted to say climbing requires rock shoes and chalk, but if they did, volunteer guards could give up chalk and "climb" in tennies with their group. I am sure they have considered some kind of a definition involving the angle of the rock, but at what scale? A meter? 10 meters? A millimeter? To this day, climbing remains undefined.
In 1991 I took my sister to Cave Kiva, via the approach from Laguna Prieta. She flipped out and panicked on the easy 30 degree slabs, refusing to move. At her shouted insistence, we finally had to get a rope and "save" her. She was pressed flat against the rock, screaming at her husband and me to "pull her up" - which we were tempted to do - even though it would have meant dragging her along the rock! We eventually coaxed her to the top, by having him walk beside her while she literally crawled along.Was that climbing?
