Dean_Rossi by Freestyle Academy

Siege of Castle Rock

written, designed, and photographed by Dean Rossi

Ë&#x153; is book is dedicated to the Sempervirens Fund for the donations keeping this park open today.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank a few people... Firstly, there are my instructors at Freestyle Academy that have helped me in making this book possible. In addition, my fellow students deserve praise for sticking through this process with me. Especially a Mr. Stephen Song, inspiring me through his pointless Reddit activity. Contrary to popular opinion (Stephen Song), the book is not to be titled “Castlerockyvania II: Dean’s Quest”. 4

(right) A group of climbers prepare to scale the rock.

Table of Contents Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: Parks and Recreation Chapter 2: Top of the Rock Chapter 3: An Economic Valley Chapter 4: Far from the Peak Epiogue (le째 ) Just loving the view.

Foreword To be quite honest, I was not interested in the well being of the parks in the beginning of my production process. I would have much rather written about my interests in Mountain View High School’s music department, but my ÿ lm partner, Julia Day, convinced me that the subject would be more photogenic. A° er trotting around through the parks, I b egan seeing what the Castle Rock really has to o˛ er. My goal was simple: inform my readers that the park should not be closed down. However, I wanted to avoid the obvious and overdone arguments, such as deforestation harming the environment or that the government is insensitive to animals that do li ve there. While I do e laborate on types of recreation only possible with this piece of land, I a lso wanted to divulge what sort of history the park has and how necessary it is to o˝ cially keep the area open. It seemed entirely necessary to avoid anything that would be “above the surface”. Otherwise, it would feel like a picture book for children learning how to read.

Ultimately, when the research was done and the photographs were taken, I felt the need to write this documentary as I was slowly becoming passionate for the park. It was no longer about a ÿnishing a school project on a topic that I was dragged into. It was the hope that I could make a di˛ erence that would hopefully save the park.

Introduction Introduction Picture yourself at the peak of one of Castle Rock’s cli˛ s on a sunny July day. ˙ e burning sun and chilling breeze sweep across your face. In front of you is a vast valley. ˙ ousands of trees reaching further into the distance than one can possibly perceive. Behind you is an expansive assortment of mountain sides, scalable by use of rope, a harness, and pure skill. ˙ ese areas are hard to come by, especially in an industrialized area like the San Francisco Bay Area. Locations like these are not only rare, but are in constant danger of destruction by modernized chaos.

Seventy national parks, including Castle Rock State Park, are in danger of closure for as early as July 2012. On May 11, 2011, Jerry Brown proposed that these areas should be shut down as to save money in the time of an economic deÿ cit. While I understand his motivation behind cutting expenses, I cannot help but protest against this unfortunate scenario. ˙ ese parks are of paramount importance to the entire state and its citizens in the ways of providing recreation or even keeping citizens safe. We would be losing one of the most recognizable features: nature. We are throwing away basic, yet necessary parts of this state. As described by casual photographer and park visitor Chris Day, “It’s part of what living in California is all about.” ˙ e clock is ticking as Castle Rock may soon face its demise. Allow me to elaborate on how we must save California’s parks.

Chapter One: Parks and Recreation

First o˛ , a little explanation for the land seems to be necessary.˙ e area has been relevant since the time of the natives. It was home to several tribes that would collectively be known as the Ohlone. Huge boulders cover the expansive land, which served the people as a way of communicating with the spirits. Later, the surrounding area would serve the incoming immigrants during the Gold Rush in 1849. People began to apply the new technology to California, as the state would soon ÿ nd the South Paciÿ c Coast Railroad going through the Santa Cruz mountains by 1884. ˙ e families settling in this area were very capable, taking advantage of the lumber and abundance of animals to hunt and ÿ sh for. Farms were also started to raise livestock and produce a variety of food, like fruit and walnuts. Even trees planted nearly 100 years ago have fruit ready to be picked (“Castle Rock State Park”, 2).

In 1908, Joseph Welch purchased 60 acres of land that would be opened to the public so that they could enjoy the spectacular views. Soon a° erwards, the area became a famous San Francisco Bay Area location for visitors to hike and relax is the cozy atmosphere. However, it would soon serve another important service to the world. World-renowned doctor Russell Varian, who o° en traversed the park as a kid, would begin the ÿ rst studies of Earth’s magnetic ÿ eld at this location. By 1959, he decided to buy Welch’s 60 acres so that they could be donated to California State Parks, but he, unfortunately, passed away before he could ÿ nish the transaction. A few years later, the Sempervirens Fund, an organization dedicated to saving redwood trees, and the Sierra Club, a group attempting to curb pollution, donated the land for him. ˙ e park was decreed a state park in July 1968 (“Castle Rock State Park”, 2-3).

Now, July is approaching again, nearly 44 years later.

The clock is ticking. According to the state, closure will happen for several other parks as well. Does it seem a bit absurd that a once thriving and signi cant portion of the Bay Area will not be assisted by the state that bene ted tremendously from it? Well, it is not just Castle Rock that will be suffering from lack of support. Seventy parks in total, every one with a different background and source of importance, will feel the effects of the budget de cit.

Chapter 2:

Top of the Rock

It won’t just be the park itself that will change: it will also be the regular visitors and foreign tourists that will lose. Castle Rock sees more business than the parking lot can handle. It’s because of the people who try to go as o° en as possible to enjoy whatever the park has to o˛ er. In fact, the variety makes the park a unique location in itself. I talked to Chris Day: casual nature photographer and Bay Area resident. He typically spends his free time visiting various parks in the state of California, such as Yosemite, capturing the great outdoors in his camera. ˙ e park o˛ ers stunning vistas of the valley below and impressive views of the mountains above. ˙ e almost immediate weather changes make for a huge range of shot potential, from the relaxing sky and clouds in the distance to a somber shot of the land engulfed by the incoming fog. ˙ en again, camera work might not be your forte, but there is so much potential to this park, that it can suit any person’s hobbies. A° er all, he suggests that “State parks are part of what living in California is all about” (Day, Personal interview).

˙ ere is always the “Rock” portion of “Castle Rock” to discuss. ˙ e park has a reputation in the Bay Area as the primary destination for outdoor climbing. ˙ ere are two major types of rock scaling that the people qualify in. First is rock climbing. People, by way of rope and harness or just their bare hands, ÿ nd their way up rocks and cli˛ s peaking at nearly 100 feet. In addition, there is bouldering, which is climbing laps around a massive boulder. ˙ e climbers typically ÿ nd any way possible to progress as they typically climb horizontally. Even for skilled “boulderers”, one lap is impressive. Luckily, I found Daniel, who specializes in both rock climbing and boulder crossing. Just like Chris, he is not a stranger to any parks, again, like Yosemite. Although he acknowledges the fact that the state is in a terrible deÿ cit, he feels as though an increase in revenue and continuing donations should be enough to at least save this park from closure. It is quite a tight spot the park has gotten in, and the visitors agree that visitors need to take action.

A pamphlet by outdoor-enthusiast Gretchen Roth, a local taking residence about two miles from the park, states, “˙ ere are 279 state parks in California. Seventy are on the closure list. Why Castle Rock? Every weekend the parking lot is full. ˙ ere are so many people enjoying this wonderful park plus many Rock Climbing schools teach there. ˙ is park needs more paid parking and more Ranger hours to keep up the trails and keep out the cartel pot growers. Castle Rock State Park is an extremely popular park for the Silicon Valley!”

“Exquisite sandstone formations and windswept caves are among the treasured features within the park’s vast wilderness.” -Castle Rock State Park

Chapter 3: An

Economic Valley

She seemed to be a credible source of information, so I decided to contact Gretchen Roth and ask about what the park meant to her. We discovered some very interesting facts that raise arguments against the park closure even further. Economically, Castle Rock receives ÿ nancial support from a federal level. Eight grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund have actually supported this area previously. However, the cash beneÿ ts from the nation’s capital do not seem to be enough to keep the park aˆ oat (Roth, Personal interview).

˙ e main form of economic assistance for the park appears to be through the daily fees. Like many other parks, Castle Rock charges a reasonable fee for parking, but receives far less than what would be expected for such a wellknown destination. ˙ e problem comes from vehicle drivers who can park right near the entrance, but not have to pay a single cent. While the park has plenty of spots to leave your vehicle, the majority of them are free spaces. ˙ e actual parking lot charges eight dollars for a single day use, but only has about 25 available spots, including the handicap spaces. In fact, on a prior visit, the woman at the booth charging for passes could not say with any certainty whether or not the lot was full. Cars kept circling, seeing if they could land their SUV’s closer to the trail, but with no luck.

Even though the majority of people in the lot do not stay from 6:00 AM to sunset, which would mean that Castle Rock would earn more than $200 from parking revenue, there is so much lost potential just along the street. As far as one can see from the entrance, the number of cars just past easily double that of the actual lot, resulting in a devastating blow to Castle Rock’s wallet. Although there are other organizations that assist the park, such as the Sempervirens Fund, Portola and Castle Rock Foundation, and the Save the Redwoods League, there is a vital source of income that the park will not have: regular visitors. It seems ironic how the people that would go more o° en than anybody else would not wish to give back to their recreation or photography spots. Once again, people need to see that the regular visitors are very responsible for Castle Rock’s economic placing. 31

Chapter 4:

Far from the Peak

˙ is is not just a problem for casual park goers. ˙ is also a˛ ects the government shutting the park down. On the surface, the government of California has a plan to save $22,000,000 annually, but there are repercussions to this that I fear have not been explored. For one, I can safely say that I have never been to a park in perfect condition before. ˙ ere is some trash and plenty of gra˝ ti around. Most people have come to expect trees with torn up bark revealing a pair of initials separated by a heart, but this is worse than that. ˙ e park is being defaced with trash and gra˝ ti before anybody, whether it be a casual park-goer or paid professional, can do anything against it. If the park closes in July, we will see a signiÿ cant spike in shaming of the natural landscape. Although this is devastating to the park’s integrity and aesthetic appeal, it is not the worst issue facing visitors or even all of the Bay Area’s residents.

I consider myself neutral to marijuana, but the plant has become a legitimate problem that the park sees. It might not be obvious, but pot is being grown at Castle Rock. Gretchen mentioned “cartel pot growers” in one of her pamphlets, which, at ÿ rst, may seem like an exaggeration to some extent, but remember: this is Calfornia. ˙ is state is infamous (or famous, depending on your view) for the drug, from legal issues surrounding it for medicinal use and how many people in the state are regular users. In fact, there were over 74,000 arrests made in California for possession of “grass” (“DEA Position on Marijuana”, 31). As of now, crews enter the park regularly to ensure that the plants are removed so that the cartel cannot salvage any substance.

Why? Because of 2008. ˙ at year, the park was becoming engulfed by ˆ ames. One interesting fact we learned from our interview with Gretchen about the ÿ re is that it burned over 11,000 marijuana plants. Upon discussing these events with fellow friends, we agreed that it should be called “Bongÿ re” or “One Hell of a Campÿ re”. Again, it seems strange that the government would ignore a problem like this. ˙ is was with regular visits to remove pot, by the way. Without better protection, we will see more of the park going up in smoke, so to speak.

In conclusion, I cannot say that saving the park will only beneÿ t a speciÿ c group of people. It o˛ ers a wide variety of recreation and activities that any person can ÿ nd enjoyment from its history, ranging from the natives ÿ rst living in the area to the immigrants who brought new ideas and modernization with them. Castle Rock State Park began attracting all sorts of people, from the hardcore climbers to the relaxed photographers. It was looking good from afar, but now, the situation is far from looking good. Especially when it comes to the situation of drug production. We cannot begin pointing ÿ ngers as for who is to blame for why we may need Castle Rock or any other state parks. We all need the parks as much for fun as we do public safety. ˙ e parks contribute more to the state than just simply being a location on a map. Once we realize this, we can all enjoy the beautiful July day once again. 37

Epilogue

On March 13, 2012, Castle Rock State Park, as well as nine others were removed from the state park closure list. A tremendously generous donation of $250,000 by the Sempervirens fund is now providing a little leeway for these destinations. However, this will only be able to support the park for approximately one year, due to the costs of land preservation and any sta˛ managing the grounds. We have gained a year for some parks, but the majority of these sites are still on the chopping block for the ÿ rst of July. At this moment, Castle Rock has won the battle, but e˛ orts to save the park will not keep the area from going into jeopardy. It still remains in the power of California’s government and every citizen underneath it to protect one of its last pieces of nature.

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