Religion over recreation

Appeals court backs climbing ban at sacred siteA ban on recreational climbing at Cave Rock, a sacred Washoe site, does not violate the U.S. Constitution, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday.

In a unanimous decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the U.S. Forest Service acted lawfully when it banned climbing at the site. The three-judge panel cited the historical and cultural importance of Cave Rock not just to the Washoe Tribe, but to the entire country.

"The fact that Cave Rock is a sacred site to the Washoe does not diminish its importance as a national cultural resource," Judge J. Clifford Wallace wrote for the majority.