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Chopping Prow Prowess - TR 14-Jan-2013 At 6:15:07 PM PThomson

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G'day,

Just some objective analysis on this one, since -other than Mt Alex, Wingello and Mt Gibraltar,- I'm hardly a "wollongong climber", and can only offer an analytical view as a 3rd party viewing all the evidence presented to the masses.

In response to your justification:

a) its presence will cause climbing at MtK to be banned

This is speculative and will depend on precisely what is outlined in the Management Plan for Mt Keira with respect to climbing an bolting.

b) its position causes a safety issue re climbers & walkers

Not knowing the climb, from the pictures and what people have said, this is probably a fair statement.

c) the bolts are unsightly in this location

Aren't all bolts unsightly, irrespective of where they are? I guess, what I'm trying to say is that though it may or may not make a piece of rock unsightly, and possibly draw unwanted attention to the bolting that IS going on at Mt Kiera, I'm not too sure that this is justification to chop someone elses route.

]d) it is a worthless climb

That's too subjective to be a valid argument. At least half the routes in the Blue Mountains are worthless climbs =P Hehe.

e) x no. of regular MtK climbers 'scientifically' surveyed think it should go or NPWS think it should go...

Not really a valid argument... But I suppose that Rome IS the Mob.

My overriding point is: that as a 3rd party looking it, this whole affair seems to bring with it the air of a lynch mob, rather than a validly sought consensus achieved from a round table discussion with all the parties involved. Worthless or not, a route is still the invested vision (however obscured), time and effort of the bolter/first ascensionist. It feels strangely totalitarian that this vision should be crushed because The Authority says so, at odds with the Individual.

I do appologise if I offend anyone, but that's merely my analysis of the issue, based on what I see as a curious bystander.

Regards,

-Paul