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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Impacts-sport vs trad 8-May-2005 At 6:39:57 AM rhinckle

Message

'nature' is now a spectator sport,
and so it needs to be.
we are no longer its inhabitants.
we have become its guests.

every breath we take
every move we make
every shin we scrape
we'll be changing you

every day that passes
all the growing grasses
every storm that passes
will be changing you

etc.

thought 1
cliff faces are a specific ecosystem,
but
surely there is enough mank and choss to support those species that need the vertical?

thought 2
the best climbs are in national parks.
national parks only exist because they can't be farmed.
we, the climbers, are further encroaching on this remnant environment.

trad climbers,
the bearded naturte lovers,
are more likely to bush bash (ouch) to get to a climb
&
they are also more likely to appreciate it's intrinsic qualities.
BUT
they are also more likely to do unspeakable things on mank & choss (see thought 1)

thought 3
the original inhabitants were not expected to be 'ghosts'.
we are.
we ideally 'haunt' natural areas (leaving only footprints, taking only photographs)
looking but not touching
(apart from the footprints)

thought 4
what about scree?
(ie peregrines have to deal with change even in nature)

thought 5
to become entirely ethical, climbers might also have to become an endangered species.

thought 6
we could be the last generation of humans capable of driving to crag..
why not at least enjoy it?