A place to introduce people to outdoor climbing (A fairy tal

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A place to introduce people to outdoor climbing (A fairy tal

Postby The Teth » Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:04 pm

Once upon a time there was a perfect place to introduce family, friends, or acquaintances to climbing outdoors. It was a place that was beautiful so that they would enjoy themselves even if they chickened out on the climbing. The base of the cliff was solid granite, so you could take large groups without fear of erosion. It was free of bugs all year, even when it was sunny and warm. It was easy climbing, around 5.6, so even a grandmother could climb it, and it was just high enough to feel real, but short enough not to be intimidating. Best of all, there were bolted top-rope anchors. This made it easy to setup anchors, without requiring much gear, that a nervous would-be-climber could have confidence in. Because lets face it, if you are nervous about climbing for the first time the last think you want to see is some manky setup with 20' of webbing and slings daisy-chained together.

Many climbers, Teth, Peter, Nate, Todd, Sean T. just to name a few, made use of this perfect beginner destination to work on new skills, or introduced friends or fammily to the sport they loved.

Then some elitist trad climbers who do not believe that anyone should climb in Nova Scotia without first purchasing a thousand dollars worth of aluminum and nylon decided that these little pieces of mettle were an affront to everything they stood for. Compounding their indignation was the fact that some climbing companies were making meagre profits from introducing kids and other beginners to climbing using these bolts. It has been hard to determine whether greater offense was taken at climbers actually daring to try to make a living doing the activity that they all loved so much, or whether it was the fact that they were introducing kids and non-climbers to the sport without making them first fully commit by spending their collage funds on Trad Climber approves accessories. But whatever the reason, the most surly of this crew, the Grinch if you will, decided to hack off these bolts and steal the joy of the children who may have enjoyed this climb in years to come.

Please, someone, give this fairy tale a happy ending! Replace these bolts. I am not asking for 8 bolts, as the Grinch claimed were there, but only the two bolts that everyone else were aware of. Give us back a place to take beginners. Do it for the kids and the grandmothers and friends from down under!
The Teth
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Re: A place to introduce people to outdoor climbing (A fairy tal

Postby tintanium » Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:25 pm

What kind of crazy talk is this? Employing technology in the service of safe, responsible climbing? Never - a travesty - violation of ethic of self-reliance - I forge my own nuts and weave lint together for my rope, too. No way I'm going down that slippery path of corrupted ethics - gotta keep it pure. Especially when it takes me three hours to walk to the crag. In my bare feet. No way do I want bolts diluting that kind of experience.
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Re: A place to introduce people to outdoor climbing (A fairy tal

Postby peter » Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:28 am

Did climb in this mythical place. Did take my daughter there. Did climb with Thom there. Never used the bolts, though. Brought my own gear and slinged (slung?) the boulder, re-directing with gear as seemed appropriate. I think one should learn to climb by first cleaning up glass for a few days at Eagle's Nest, in the style of "Wash on, wash off".
A monk asked Quiglin Shiqian, "What is a person who has realized the Way?"
Quiglin said, "Embracing the ice and snow, head and eyebrows held high."
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Re: A place to introduce people to outdoor climbing (A fairy tal

Postby chossmonkey » Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:08 am

peter wrote:Did climb in this mythical place. Did take my daughter there. Did climb with Thom there. Never used the bolts, though. Brought my own gear and slinged (slung?) the boulder, re-directing with gear as seemed appropriate. I think one should learn to climb by first cleaning up glass for a few days at Eagle's Nest, in the style of "Wash on, wash off".



Heh...

I actually prefer the "wax on, wax off" style, very similar, but subtly different.
If women ruled the world there would be no wars, just be a bunch of jealous countries not talking to each other.
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