As I mentioned in the original post on this issue, I sent an email to Patagonia to let them know I felt what Dean Potter did was wrong. I've since received 2 follow up letters from them and thought I'd share the 2nd letter since it has a letter from Dean himself:
**************************************************************************
From: PATAGONIACS@patagonia.com
Subject: Dean Potter's climb of Delicate Arch
Date: June 8, 2006 11:20:12 AM PDT
To: PATAGONIACS@patagonia.com
Hello,
Thank you for submitting your comments to us regarding Dean Potter's ascent
of Delicate Arch.
Since May 7th, we at Patagonia have had much discussion and debate about
where the company stands on Dean's controversial climb. Historically, we
have always stood by our Ambassadors and their actions. Our Ambassadors are
a part of Patagonia's close-knit family, and we trust them to act in ways
that they deem responsible. However, over the past few weeks, our internal
conversations have enlightened us to the reality of this unfortunate
situation. We strongly believe that Dean's actions warrant a public apology.
Here at Patagonia, we also want to extend an apology to you. We apologize
for not responding more quickly and decisively. We make no excuses, but in
explanation - Patagonia is always extremely hesitant to publicly denounce a
long-standing friend and Ambassador. Before we responded to our customers
and the media, we needed to hear his side of the story. We needed details.
We needed to speak at length with Dean, in person.
At the end of the day, we do feel Dean's climb of Delicate Arch was
inappropriate. Patagonia had no prior knowledge of his climb, nor did we
"sponsor" his activities. Sadly, his actions compromised access to wild
places and generated an inordinate amount of negativity in the climbing
community and beyond. We asked Dean to write a letter about his solo and the
ensuing maelstrom. His sentiments below best describe where he has landed on
the issue. It's his, and our, final word.
From Dean Potter:
When I climbed Delicate Arch I certainly didn't foresee the controversy that
has ensued. I didn't think the climb would do anything but inspire people
to get out of their cars and experience the wild with all of their senses.
I was wrong. I am sincerely unhappy about climbers' loss of freedom caused
by my ascent. More, I am deeply hurt over the split this has put in our
climbing community. I want to explain my actions, bring the facts to
light, and hope that all of us can come to see the good in one another.
First, I admit it...I am a climber. I feel compelled to climb most
everything I see, and that included Delicate Arch. To me, all rocks are
sacred. When I climbed to the top of the Delicate Arch it was my highest
priority to do no harm to the rock or its surroundings. I climbed the Arch
in the highest and purest way I could, and I left it the same way I found
it.
But I failed to foresee how Delicate Arch, for so many, is also an
untouchable symbol of our delicate relationship to nature. It is also a
symbol for me, but where I saw it as a chance to commune with the arch
through expressing my own art of climbing, others saw it as a violation of
what they also feel is sacred. Again, I had no intention of doing something
that would invoke such feelings, and for those who do feel that way, I
apologize because that certainly was not my intention.
Others have accused me of climbing the arch as a publicity stunt. As a
professional athlete, recognition of what I do is part of the job.
Most disturbing of all are those accusing me of responsibility for the rope
scars that have been documented conclusively on the top of the arch. I can
certainly understand why someone would conclude they were caused by my
ascent, but I believe the true answer lies in the details of my ascent, and
the possibility that there were other ascents previous to mine. I have
recently seen the close-up photos of the grooves at the top of the Arch and
can state with certainty that my actions did not cause them. But I was very
careful to place my rope in a natural groove in the rock. Since my climb I
have learned from first-hand witnesses that in the past at least two other
parties have lobbed ropes over the Arch and jumared up. Perhaps those
parties left the grooves. I know that I didn't.
None of my sponsors, including Patagonia, has ever influenced me to climb
anything. Again, I am sorry that the climb has negatively affected so many
people in our community of climbers, and I certainly am not ignoring the
views expressed in the Internet chat rooms and in the press. Peoples'
opinions are important to me and I value others' views, and I have been
troubled at the negativity this has stirred up. I saw the climb as
communing with nature, somehow, others have seen it as exploiting nature.
The National Park Service has strengthened rules about climbing in Arches
National Park, and people have blamed me for the loss of access. I
sincerely regret any loss of access...anywhere, anytime. Let me add that I
strongly advise anyone thinking of climbing the Delicate Arch not to try.
First, the climb is now unambiguously illegal. Second, the climbing
community and the Park Service should be friends and work together to
protect the environment and climbing access. Third, the Delicate Arch
really is fragile and repeated climbing would inevitably cause damage.
Finally, I apologize to Patagonia for the injury this has caused the company
and the brand. Patagonia is sincerely and deeply committed to their mission
of using business to provide solutions to the environmental crisis, and
regretfully, in the view of many of their customers, this has been
compromised by my ascent.
Again, we'd like to express our thanks for your input, and for your patience
as we've worked with Dean on an appropriate resolution to this issue.
Discussion
0 replies**************************************************************************
From: PATAGONIACS@patagonia.com
Subject: Dean Potter's climb of Delicate Arch
Date: June 8, 2006 11:20:12 AM PDT
To: PATAGONIACS@patagonia.com
Hello,
Thank you for submitting your comments to us regarding Dean Potter's ascent
of Delicate Arch.
Since May 7th, we at Patagonia have had much discussion and debate about
where the company stands on Dean's controversial climb. Historically, we
have always stood by our Ambassadors and their actions. Our Ambassadors are
a part of Patagonia's close-knit family, and we trust them to act in ways
that they deem responsible. However, over the past few weeks, our internal
conversations have enlightened us to the reality of this unfortunate
situation. We strongly believe that Dean's actions warrant a public apology.
Here at Patagonia, we also want to extend an apology to you. We apologize
for not responding more quickly and decisively. We make no excuses, but in
explanation - Patagonia is always extremely hesitant to publicly denounce a
long-standing friend and Ambassador. Before we responded to our customers
and the media, we needed to hear his side of the story. We needed details.
We needed to speak at length with Dean, in person.
At the end of the day, we do feel Dean's climb of Delicate Arch was
inappropriate. Patagonia had no prior knowledge of his climb, nor did we
"sponsor" his activities. Sadly, his actions compromised access to wild
places and generated an inordinate amount of negativity in the climbing
community and beyond. We asked Dean to write a letter about his solo and the
ensuing maelstrom. His sentiments below best describe where he has landed on
the issue. It's his, and our, final word.
From Dean Potter:
When I climbed Delicate Arch I certainly didn't foresee the controversy that
has ensued. I didn't think the climb would do anything but inspire people
to get out of their cars and experience the wild with all of their senses.
I was wrong. I am sincerely unhappy about climbers' loss of freedom caused
by my ascent. More, I am deeply hurt over the split this has put in our
climbing community. I want to explain my actions, bring the facts to
light, and hope that all of us can come to see the good in one another.
First, I admit it...I am a climber. I feel compelled to climb most
everything I see, and that included Delicate Arch. To me, all rocks are
sacred. When I climbed to the top of the Delicate Arch it was my highest
priority to do no harm to the rock or its surroundings. I climbed the Arch
in the highest and purest way I could, and I left it the same way I found
it.
But I failed to foresee how Delicate Arch, for so many, is also an
untouchable symbol of our delicate relationship to nature. It is also a
symbol for me, but where I saw it as a chance to commune with the arch
through expressing my own art of climbing, others saw it as a violation of
what they also feel is sacred. Again, I had no intention of doing something
that would invoke such feelings, and for those who do feel that way, I
apologize because that certainly was not my intention.
Others have accused me of climbing the arch as a publicity stunt. As a
professional athlete, recognition of what I do is part of the job.
Most disturbing of all are those accusing me of responsibility for the rope
scars that have been documented conclusively on the top of the arch. I can
certainly understand why someone would conclude they were caused by my
ascent, but I believe the true answer lies in the details of my ascent, and
the possibility that there were other ascents previous to mine. I have
recently seen the close-up photos of the grooves at the top of the Arch and
can state with certainty that my actions did not cause them. But I was very
careful to place my rope in a natural groove in the rock. Since my climb I
have learned from first-hand witnesses that in the past at least two other
parties have lobbed ropes over the Arch and jumared up. Perhaps those
parties left the grooves. I know that I didn't.
None of my sponsors, including Patagonia, has ever influenced me to climb
anything. Again, I am sorry that the climb has negatively affected so many
people in our community of climbers, and I certainly am not ignoring the
views expressed in the Internet chat rooms and in the press. Peoples'
opinions are important to me and I value others' views, and I have been
troubled at the negativity this has stirred up. I saw the climb as
communing with nature, somehow, others have seen it as exploiting nature.
The National Park Service has strengthened rules about climbing in Arches
National Park, and people have blamed me for the loss of access. I
sincerely regret any loss of access...anywhere, anytime. Let me add that I
strongly advise anyone thinking of climbing the Delicate Arch not to try.
First, the climb is now unambiguously illegal. Second, the climbing
community and the Park Service should be friends and work together to
protect the environment and climbing access. Third, the Delicate Arch
really is fragile and repeated climbing would inevitably cause damage.
Finally, I apologize to Patagonia for the injury this has caused the company
and the brand. Patagonia is sincerely and deeply committed to their mission
of using business to provide solutions to the environmental crisis, and
regretfully, in the view of many of their customers, this has been
compromised by my ascent.
Again, we'd like to express our thanks for your input, and for your patience
as we've worked with Dean on an appropriate resolution to this issue.
Patagonia