County pitches expansion of Ashley Gorge via ferrata, cites visitor growth and safety plan

Travis Campbell, a county presenter, told the recreation grants committee that Ashley Gorge’s public via ferrata is expanding and that the project already draws out‑of‑area visitors.

Campbell said the phase‑two package includes three new climbing routes — described in the presentation as the “thin wall,” the “terrace escape,” and a long “wrap the ridge” pitch — connected by new hiking trails and bailout points. The longest new exit could approach 800–900 feet in single‑pitch length, he said, nearly doubling the site’s current vertical exits. The county plans trail connections, parking improvements and at least one new vault toilet and a restroom positioned where water infrastructure permits. Campbell said the via ferrata sits on county land with a Bureau of Land Management agreement for adjacent access points.

The presenter emphasized safety and operations: the county requires users to watch a safety video and sign a waiver; commercial guiding must hold county permits; the county has contracted annual professional inspections and is working with search‑and‑rescue and dispatch to map GPS points for sections of the route. "Ashley Gorge is the second public route in the US behind Uray, Colorado," Campbell said in his presentation, noting the attraction’s unique public access model.

Campbell shared visitation tracking from a soft opening and subsequent season: more than 600 visitors were recorded in a partial season during the soft opening, and the county said it has tracked more than 1,000 visitors this year from over 200 ZIP codes and 20 states, as well as repeat visitors. The county is watching waiver compliance and supplementary trail counters to estimate true use, which officials said is likely higher than waiver records alone.

On funding and management, the county recommended the project be considered a regional asset that could be matched with larger state or federal programs. Committee members praised the tourism potential but raised questions about permitting, long‑term maintenance and emergency response. Staff and members asked for clarifications on fees, maintenance budgeting and how commercial guide services would be regulated.

What’s next
The committee advanced a recommended package of regional projects for final approval; staff will return with legal and administrative language where necessary. Campbell said the county will continue to refine operational agreements and inspect the route annually.

Provenance: Major presentation and Q&A recorded in meeting transcript (SEG 1220–SEG 1651).