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The Irish Solution to The Ben Lomond Problem 26-Sep-2017 At 4:53:48 PM Doug

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On 26-Sep-2017 RhythmSection wrote:
>On 24-Sep-2017 Tastrad wrote:
>
>>The slippery slope is real. The first bolts went in on the Organ Pipes
>>in the early 90's to the dismay of many old timers, and now the place
>is completely festooned with bolts.
>
Ben Lomond and the mountain are also two completely
>different places with separate histories and "essences" (by that I mean
>the feeling one gets when there) and I'd never want the two to be like
>each other.

Hear hear. And as to the "slippery slope is real" argument, the first bolts on the Organ Pipes went in sometime in the 1960's, with the installation of the rap station on Northern Buttress. There were no bolts added for about 30 years. And as far as "old timers" being dismayed, I can't think of anyone who hasn't been happy to use the rap stations on the Pipes - or that thinks, on balance, bolted routes have been beneficial rather than a blight the crag. The Pipes have become to Hobartians what the Gorge is to Launcestonians, but on a scale of X 100. People think nothing of scooting up the mountain to do a route or three - trad or bolted - after work. As you say the two are very different places. Almost everyone I know accepts the argument that the cliffs of Ben Lomond should remain bolt-free. Many also believe that a few rap stations would - on balance, be beneficial.