Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Bolting in the Warrumbungles 7-Jun-2011 At 10:01:56 AM gsharrock2007

Message

Greetings Chockstones [ from a reluctant poster who has enjoyed visiting the Warrumbungles for 36 years* ]:

While I thank and applaud Mike, Neil (and others) for replacing our anchors, I don't believe we do ourselves any favors by placing unnecessary new bolts in the Warrumbungle National park.

First the Warrumbungle National Park is on the National Heritage list and I don't believe we do much for our image as custodians of the vertical environment by bolting in parks with World or National Heritage status, even if the environmental impact of bolting is perhaps trivial in most cases (and here I don't know the truth of this statement, and perhaps there are no studies on this issue?).

Second the park management plan has very specific requirements with respect to rock climbing (page 32): http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/pomfinalwarrumbungle.pdf

•Rock climbing, abseiling and other recreational activities will continue to be prohibited on the Breadknife, Square Top Mountain and Chalkers Mountain. These activities may be prohibited or restricted in other areas if necessary for safety or environmental reasons.

•The marking of climbs and the bolting of new climbing routes will not be permitted.

•The replacement of existing bolts and abseil anchors will only be permitted on public safety grounds.

•Use of portable generators will not be permitted in the park.

I think the requests in the plan are quite reasonable and surely if we wish to continue accessing the park a good start would be sicking to the plan!

My third argument is entirely personal and relates to climbing style, and is therefore a matter of "taste" as Mike says. To me the Warrumbungles and South West Tasmania are two special places in Australia where you get an "alpine" experience, and a true sense of wilderness. For this reason I would prefer to see no new bolting, especially bolting that is unnecessary on classic routes like Cornerstone (one of my first multi-pitch climbs on which I learnt to lead in 1990! ).

On the matter of the wishes of the first ascensionist, I think the management plan and associated environmental requirements should always override rock climbing history, ethical debates and personal views.

For all of the above reasons I have no problem with the removal of the new bolts or any others that have been placed in recent times, and would ask that no more new climbs are bolted.

*20 Years of climbing visits.