The National Park Service is backing down on a proposed ban on commercial rock guiding in the Black Canyon of Colorado’s Gunnison National Park after protests from three U.S. senators. In , Senators Mark Udall and Mark Bennett of Colorado and Max Baucus of Montana cited both the high level of difficulty associated with climbing in the park and tourism’s economic impact on the area. “While guided climbing in the Black Canyon comprises a very small portion of this economic activity, banning guided climbing in the Black Canyon would have an adverse impact on guiding companies and the jobs they create,” they wrote. In response, NPS intermountain Regional Director John Wessels said the park would not move forward again on new restrictions without “much more internal deliberation.”
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