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Ben Lomond Bolts Removed 23-Apr-2007 At 9:19:26 AM oweng

Message

On 23/04/2007 tnd wrote:
>On 20/04/2007 spicelab wrote:
>>"you don't have to
>>clip the bolts if you don't want to".
>>
>>The latter is one of the most pathetic, juvenile arguments I have ever
>>heard in my life.
>
>Why? It's perfectly logical.

I hate that arguement as well. It annoys me everytime I hear it.

Its true that you dont have to clip a bolt if you dont want to. The fact remains that the bolt is there. You can clip it at any time if you get in trouble. The presence of a bolt protecting a run out section of a climb destroys the enjoyment that can be obtained from conquering that run out climb, because even if you dont clip it, you know that if you had found a move to hard you could have backed off / down climbed to the bolt etc.

An analogy I would draw would be like attempting to on-site a run out climb at your limit, but having a friend set up on top of the route with a top rope ready to throw to you if you get in trouble. Kind of defeats the purpose.

Dont get me wrong, im not against bolts on climbs, or even retro bolting some climbs. But the arguement of 'you can choose not to clip' when used as justification for adding bolts to existing climbs that are defined by their run-out annoys me.

EDIT (this is off topic, not meant as a commentry on Ben Lomond bolting).