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General Climbing Discussion

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To Chalk or not to Chalk 1-Apr-2005 At 8:55:29 AM WM

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We can rule out climbing traffic because on Eternity much of those yellow areas are out of reach of the crack and/or totally blank and unclimbable so would get zero traffic, ditto on Pathos, why would the blank vertical bits be equally as scuffed/worn as the holds.

The cause also can't be plain water because the discolouration originates only at chalked holds and not at seepage points - in fact below seepage points is where the MOST lichen/moss grows! Eg check out Blanketty Blank's buckets (left of Pathos), and the top down view of the discoloured buckets next to the unaffected crack on Fantasm (nice sandbag by the way BA! :). Both the Fantasm and Pathos faces are evenly exposed to rain and seepage, so seepage can't be used to explain the very clearly defined patches of de-lichened rock. Also check out I'm a Little Dinosaur next time you're there for the neat little patches of raw rock beneath every hold - but nowhere else.

Chalk killing the lichen is the only explanation that fits IMO.

Yes I have chalked up nearly all of those holds personally, but I'm just saying don't kid yourself that chalk doesn't have a long term effect on vertical/slabby routes!