There's been a lot of chatter in the climbing community lately about gym climbers, mentorship, climbers who are just downright assholes, etc. This entry is my $.02 on the issue and hopefully contains some real solutions we can implement. As the Chairman of the Mountaineering Section of the PATC I feel that we can make a real difference in our area and have a very positive influence in the climbing community as we try to figure out how to best mentor new climbers and help them learn to deeply respect and love these places.
My own personal experience from a few years back is one that I'm sure many can relate their own story to. I was at the New River Gorge climbing with a couple friends at the Ritz Cracker area on Fern Buttress. As we started racking up I heard music coming from just down the crag. I looked that way in horror as I see some climbers preparing to do a route with an iPod or something hooked up to portable speakers. I stood there dumbfounded, with half a mind to walk down there and smash the damn thing when my friend Josh just looks at me and says, "meh...that's craggin' at the New." "No, that's being an inconsiderate asshole is what that is", I responded.
The exchange between Josh and I stunned me for a second. Here was a guy of the younger crowd (probably 10 years younger than me...I'm 36 as of this writing) who could've cared less that this douchebag down the crag was breaking the tranquil silence of the area. I think I was almost as upset with him and his lack of outrage as I was at the offending party. However, age really has nothing to do with it. Attitude does. And so does training, education and mentoring.
Let's step back for a sec. Back in the day (which was a Wednesday in case you're wondering...always a Wednesday) people who got into climbing were already pretty outdoorsy people. Most came to it through other outdoor interactions, be that through local recreation clubs, family, friends, Scouting, NOLS, Outward Bound, etc. These people already had a solid foundation of being mentored by others who cared about the outdoors. These early climbers wanted to be outside in the quiet peace of their natural surroundings and test themselves against the massive stone walls. They learned outdoors and they pushed their limits outdoors. They put in countless hours developing crags and building trails. Through these activities they learned to love the beauty of the natural cliff setting.
Fast forward to the present day and look at all the ways that people can be introduced to climbing. People that have no outdoors experience whatsoever can and do get into climbing. Not just at a gym either. My climbing club does a weekly event for people to come out and climb with us and find out about the club (Carderock Wednesdays...bring your own personal climbing gear). Anyone can show up at our event and we'll work with them (as long as you sign a waiver!). At gyms, routes are laid out in color-coded holds or with tape, tunes are blaring all day long, people yell and shout, etc. People line up and pay to go to these places. So the bottom line is that you really can't blame gyms. But you can blame the ignorant and/or disrespectful individual who doesn't stop and think about why people climb outside and has no sense of history or respect for the crags.
Everyone seems to accept that this issue is a problem. I think it's a problem worth addressing and doing our best to combat. I think that the best way forward for the climbing community is to engage the issue from multiple sides. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. I want to emphasize that I think it really is on the individual climber to make choices about their behavior and to seek out good qualified instruction. At the same time, it's the responsibility of the businesses (gyms, outdoor programs through climbing shops like REI, guide services, etc) that teach outdoor climbing and transition programs such as gym to crag to instruct their clients in what is and is not acceptable behavior at the crag. With that said, here are my thoughts:
To the new climber learning at the gym and hopefully outdoors: Seek out good mentors. Get some good basic instruction or maybe even sign up for some of the courses that gyms offer. But overall, partner up with a couple of good mentors...they will usually (but not always) be older than you. Get outside and climb early and often as you learn. Talk to the old timers and learn about the climbing history in your area.
To the experienced climber that is aware of the issue: Be humble and patient. Find someone or a couple of "someones" to mentor. It is always good to work with less experienced climbers on the fundamentals as this helps to reinforce the concepts in your mind and increases your speed. If you don't want to mentor others that much, remember that you can direct inexperienced climbers to professional guide services. At the very least, set a good example of good crag behavior and practices.
To the gym owners and instructors: Develop good courses for your clients that incorporate Leave No Trace principles. Your clients are incredibly impressionable...lead by example. Utilize materials like this flyer (also posted below) from Access Fund to help with your gym-to-crag transition courses. Understand that there are other guide services out there and that your reputation depends on how your clients are perceived after they leave your classes and are out there climbing. Finally, frankly assess your business' abilities and resources; it is much better for you and the community if you focus on what you do well and refer clients to other services where you are not as experienced...this can lead to a great partnership with other services that live and breathe outdoor climbing.
To the climber (experienced or not) who is coming from the gym and may not understand what all the fuss is about: Take a deep breath and look around a little bit. Check in with yourself and your ego. Think about why you're outside climbing...and why others might be outside climbing. It's not just to test themselves against the rock out there...it's to be outside in the peace and tranquility of nature. When I climb hard I am focused and I generally want to hear nothing. The occasional encouragement from my partner is welcome...most of the time. But really, I just want the quiet. Your music and loud party atmosphere is the ultimate annoyance and disturbance of that tranquility. If you insist on carrying on with it, don't be surprised if I confront you about it.
Why is all of this important to the climbing community? Well, on the one hand it's an issue of respect for your fellow climbers and the crag in general. On the other hand, it's an access issue. The Access Fund has been working hard to get the word out to people about what is and isn't acceptable behavior at the crag. This is at what I'd call the "macro-level". It's a large-scale, nationwide effort. The AF knows damn well that land managers and land owners keep an eye on their property and what goes on there. They know that many of these land managers/owners aren't climbers and don't necessarily understand climbing....but these managers/owners do know what a party atmosphere is...know what a trashed crag looks like...and they know how to put a POSTED sign on their property too. Access can be revoked and crags can be closed if things start getting ugly.
Anyone can be a climber. In my mind, a lot of this issue will change when one stops thinking of themselves as just a climber, a user, a taker...and starts seeing themselves as a giver, a caretaker, a responsible climber or a steward of the crag. To that end, I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to find some time to give back to your crags. Put in some sweat equity and find out just what it means to help maintain that access and keep the place clean. Look at any developed crag out there. Someone else came along before you and put in the trails, cut the brush, hacked out poison ivy, dealt with bees and chiggers, scraped off lichen, pried off loose blocks, cleaned out dirty cracks and on and on. Consider all that. Respect that. Put in some time to prove to yourself that you're not just a climber. I think in this way more of us will have a better understanding of this game of climbing we play and will have learn to love our crags much more intimately...because we'll feel that in our own way we own it. And when we do that, just being there and being present in the quiet moment is enough.
