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General Climbing Discussion

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Araps Rebolting 31-Dec-2005 At 4:40:44 PM Jonesy

Message

On 31/12/2005 tmarsh wrote:
>Maybe I'm missing something here, but aren't we debating the replacement
>of shitty fixed gear on a route that comtains only fixed gear? Mind Arthritis
>is to all intents and purposes a sport route. 3 bolts and 2 pins. Or am
>I mistaken on this?

Yep you are missing something - big time. Araplies is not a sport crag. Its proud history and heritage should be preserved for future generations to appreciate.

>I would be very suprised if Chris Shepherd placed pins in this route to
>add danger or to preserve boldness. I would imagine the decision to place
>them had far more to do with expediency and speed of equipping the route.
>Expediency - and its allies of cheapness, lack of foresight, and ignorance
>- are not good reasons, in my view, for granting heritage states to fixed
>protection on a climb.

Do you know Chris Shepard? Have you talked to him about the route? Have you seen the wicked grin and glint in his eye when he asked you about the peg? That piece of gear was placed intentionally and with design. It was NOT intended to be a bolt and should not have been replaced with one. It is a disgrace. These routes are something so much more than just another numbered tick. Please tread carefully on them and look a little deeper at your own motivations for climbing and indeed rebolting. I made my thoughts on this very clear in an earlier post.

More to the point - Chris Shepard is readily contactable - did anyone ask him if he'd mind having his route changed? Every time I've rebolted a route I've exercised the courtesy of writing to or calling the first ascensionist and asking their permission. I just think its polite.... is that anywhere in the VCC or Safe Cliffs bolting guidelines? I sincerely hope that someone will do the same if they ever want to re-equip one of my routes.

> Blobs of rusty shit stuck to cliffs fulfill none of the purposes that fixed gear should fulfill. >To venerate it on the basis that it was placed umpteen years ago back
>when men were 'ard is nonsense: what is our manky crap now was their state
>of the art then.

Bullshit. There's heaps of scope for safe bolted sport routes, just as much as for bold routes and for both the role of fixed gear is not just to provide protection. What about Claw's seatbelt? Visionary. You can't grab it because it just extends, but if you fall... the ratchet locks and you'd be caught. The list is endless... climbing the runout hook bolted slabs in the valley and doing up rusted quarter inchers with your fingers. Placing pegs in grit and banging them in with the palm of your hand. These are defining moments.

Am I the only one who thinks these experiences are fantastic?

Time for some bluntness. Great routes should not be soiled by a line of glinting rings cleaved into them by people lacking the vision and courage to approach them with nostrils flaring and hearts in mouths.