GOLDEN — In Clear Creek Canyon alone, there are nearly 800 rock climbing routes on land managed by Jefferson County Open Space. Installation of these routes by the public was “pretty much a free-for-all” under old guidelines, said Eric Krause, a Jeffco Open Space park ranger.

“Those guidelines did not really meet what our stewardship goals are,” said Krause, who helped draft new guidelines released by Jeffco Open Space in January. “We were just starting to see more and more impact on the land.”

Rock climbing routes are set in crags, or rock faces, using bolts anchored into the rock. Climbers hook rope to the bolts as they go up, securing the climbers in case they fall.

The new climbing management guidelines now require a permit to install, replace or remove bolts at a new or existing climbing route. A volunteer review committee of experienced rock climbers will help Jeffco Open Space make sure new climbing routes are installed in appropriate places by experienced people using high-quality hardware.

The guidelines also apply to slacklines — essentially tightropes anchored between two objects, such as trees. Krause said rangers are seeing an increase in “high lines” — slacklines strung between crags.

Some climbers aren’t happy with the new rules.

William Anderson grew up in Golden and learned to climb 13 years ago at North Table Mountain Park. He said the climbing community has installed and maintained climbing routes well without the regulation.

“My hope had always been that, with the increased usage of the sport, it would force people out further, and further the expansion of route development,” Anderson said. “But if we’re putting this permitting development on it, these already-crowded crags are going to become even worse without the free expansion to make room.”

The local climbing community had a hard time warming to the idea of new guidelines, said Brady Robinson, executive director of Boulder-based Access Fund, which advocates for rock climbing nationwide.

But Jeffco Open Space worked closely with the Access Fund and climbing groups along the Front Range to fine-tune the guidelines, and both sides acknowledge there will be a learning curve.

“We can appreciate they’re working hard trying to do the right thing by the climbing community,” Robinson said.

Climbers who apply for the permits might face a slow process, as the volunteer committee plans to meet just three times this year.

However, volunteers may choose to increase that, and Jeffco Open Space is building a “programmatic process” to get experienced climbers involved in the building of new routes and the maintenance of existing ones, Krause said.

The agency has identified around 70 crags in its parks as eligible for new rock climbing routes. Climbers can apply to install routes in these pre-approved areas.

It is also hosting rebolting clinics on how to replace old or degrading bolts with those that meet the new guidelines. The goal is to get participants pre-approved to replace bolts and report that to the agency, easing the permit process.

Jeffco Open Space is working on a way to route revenue from its permit system to fund the purchase of bolts and bolting kits to rent to those who want to do the work, Krause said, and a dedicated climbing website is in the works to post updates and communicate with the climbing community.

While there have been such partnerships between citizens and land managers in certain concentrated areas in Colorado, this level of management by a county is unprecedented, said Katie Goodwin, a public lands associate for the Access Fund who worked with Jeffco Open Space on the guidelines.

“There’s a sense — that I think we all are aware of — that there’s more and more people coming to Colorado and there are more visitors to Open Space,” Goodwin said. “So I see this as the county wrapping their head around how to manage this growth.”

Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or @JosieKlemaier

For updates

E-mail climbing@jeffco.us