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General Climbing Discussion

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Tiger Wall - Dribble Bolting? 28-Aug-2009 At 10:53:42 PM muki

Message

On 26/08/2009 otmab wrote:

>Over time, you realise that there aren't any clearly defined rules. This
>seems all the more surprising,
>because, apart from the significance of The Arapiles worldwide, it's also
>in a state park.

wasn't always a state park

>Why isn't there a committee that you need to contact if you want to make
>a change to the Arapiles?
>It definitely wouldn't be the VCC. It'd be a small group of volunteers
>in Natimuk. If you wanted to put
>a bolt in (etc.) you'd have to talk to the committee. If you didn't,
>your bolts would be ripped out.

been tried the meeting was a shambles and ended in a slinging match between those that wanted to
replace the rusting junk with reliable modern anchors, and those who wanted the mount to remain the
way it was when they were still able to climb, like a shrine to themselves or something

>Small, local committees for local issues can work extremely well. They're
>functional, and efficient.

very efficient, its called the NBF and after the failed attempt at some form of consensus, they now do
things the way that they should be done, with new for old replacement and when possible the actual
reduction of the original bolt count when re-equiping a climb.

>I wouldn't advocate this for other crags - but the Arapiles is special.
> It's a treasure, in a global sense,

why not its done very well in Europe with the council footing the bill so the local crag/cliff has the best
most modern set ups possible.

>and I want my son, and his children, to experience it in the same way
>I have.

now you are starting to sound like the miscreants from the meeting, just try to remember that the very
first ascents on the mount were done with steel pitons and fixed gear, the mount is primarily a trad
destination, due to it's abundance of easy trad classics, but the equally classic harder lines involve
bolts, be they total sport climbs or more usually mixed climbs.
just because there are more trad climbs than bolted climbs does not mean that this is a trad "only"
destination and that some trad tyrant can gee everyone up to rip out all bolts on the mount.
the removal by said tyrants is usually done under cover of darkness for fear of discovery, and with a
certain amount of fanatical anger, leading to a hack job that permanently scars the rock more than any
bolt ever could, and I've seen some shockers believe me! debate is fine but when people get
fanatical/egocentric about their "opinions" then all debate ceases and a circular argument develops.