It took six years, but the National Park Service and the Access Fund, an organization that represents the interests of an estimated 1.6 million climbers, have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together.

On its face the 6-page document seems fairly straightforward in spelling out the responsibilities of both the NPS and the Access Fund over the life of the 5-year-agreement. In short, the two agree to work together to provide climbing opportunities in the National Park System.

But why did it take six years to hash out? Why so long to agree to protect resources, amass information on climbing in the parks, and agree to work on climbing education? I'm not suggesting that there were any shenanigans along the way or sinister lines of text, but it seems to be quite a bit of time to agree to these things, don't you think?

In announcing the MOU last week, the Park Service said that, "(T)he Access Fund has demonstrated a long history of constructive solution-building between climbers and Park Service officials, illustrated through successful climbing management in areas like Yosemite National Park in California, Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska, New River Gorge National River in West Virginia, and Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, to name a few."

Interestingly, the Park Service release (which practically mirrored the Access Fund's own release) also stressed that NPS officials recognize that climbers are a cooperative and responsible user group. Interesting detail, don't you think?

More from the release:

Much of the value of this MOU will be realized by the Access Fund’s seventy-plus affiliated local climbing organizations, which can make use of the agreement to initiate relationships with managers of the national parks in their areas. The agreement will make it easier for climbers to develop mutually beneficial relationships with NPS officials regarding climbing management and stewardship issues. The MOU also will help these organizations express their interests when management planning is undertaken on NPS lands that contain climbing resources.

Long-time Traveler readers might recall that the Access Fund was critical of Dean Potter's climb of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park back in 2006.

"The Access Fund does not condone the climb of Delicate Arch and the actions of this individual are not representative of the climbing community," the organization said at the time. "We trust the public will understand that the actions of one person should not condemn the larger community of climbers who are equally appalled by this event.

"The Access Fund urges all climbers to recognize and limit the impacts of their climbing practices on the environment and other users of the land and to respect existing closures. If questionable restrictions arise, climbing advocacy efforts opposing such unreasonable restrictions should follow proper administrative procedures."