The Associated Press

ZOE, Ky. - A coalition of rock climbers wants to buy two tracts of land near the Red River Gorge to ensure they will stay open for participants of the sport.

The Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition is willing to pay $350,000 for the approximately 700 acres, which include miles of overhanging cliffs. The area includes more than 150 climbing routes, with colorful names like "Scooby Doo," "Supa Fly," "Chocolate Waterfall" and "Breakfast Burrito."

The fund-raising effort comes as climbers face increasing restrictions on public and private land in the gorge area.

Rock climbing is not allowed on Kentucky-owned land. Also, the U.S. Forest Service recently put more than a dozen climbing routes in the gorge off-limits while it studies how to protect archaeological sites and endangered species.

Climbers say they've also seen a trend toward building rental cabins on private land around the gorge. Families on vacation don't want to look out their windows at "half-naked" people, coalition member Morgain Sprague said.

The group wants to buy two tracts - Coal Bank Hollow and Bald Rock Fork - collectively known as the Murray property. The land is in northern Lee County, and adjoins Daniel Boone National Forest land owned by the forest service.

For a down payment on the property, the group needs to raise 10 percent to 20 percent of the total price by mid-October.

The area is world-renowned for climbing and attracts thousands of climbers each year.

Several fund-raising efforts are under way.

A "Climb for Access" event is planned for Saturday at Lexington Rocks, a climbing gymnasium near the University of Kentucky, and at gyms in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.

There's also an Internet auction in which people bid to "own" one of 20 routes on the Murray property. The more you bid, the more you get.

Bidding starts at $200, but on the first day of bidding this month, a Cincinnati man bid $1,000 for "Breakfast Burrito," one of the most popular routes. More than $6,000 had been bid for the 20 routes last week.

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• On the Web: www.rrgcc.org