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General Climbing Discussion

Poll Option

Votes

Graph

I require a belay to leave flat ground

Dont solo 'routes' but do unroped access scrambles

42%

I solo established routes graded 5 or less

I solo established routes graded 10 or less

I solo to within 10 grades of my roped limit

15%

I solo to within 7 grades of my roped limit

19%

I solo to within 4 grades of my roped limit

I solo at or near my roped limit

Author

Soloing


nmonteith

25-Aug-2005
11:41:05 AM

Although there is much higher percentage of climbers leading rather than soloing.


oweng

25-Aug-2005
11:56:35 AM

To many of those not familiar with the sport, I think there is an opinion that a person soloing a grade 20 is no less mad than a person leading a nice safe grade 12. The perception is that both activities are equally mad.

One benefit of the increased media exposure of climbing through gyms / Getaway etc is an increased number of people who appreciate that climbing is generally a safe activity. This reduces the chances of a public backlash against climbing.

In relation to the perception that the Governments Economic Rationalists may look to ban climbing due to the cost of rescue / injuries etc, it should be remembered that economic rationalism is a two-way street. Rock climbing provides employment (gyms & retail shops), tourist generation (even if most climbing visitors are cheapskates they still spend $$), and more significantly it provides reduced health costs to the community in the form of the benefits of keeping a sector of the community (climbers) physically fit.
The community benefits derived by climbing would I suspect outweigh the costs significantly.


Rich

25-Aug-2005
12:01:03 PM

good call oweng

dalai

25-Aug-2005
12:14:32 PM

On 25/08/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>Although there is much higher percentage of climbers leading rather than
>soloing.

Since all climbing activity will be clumped together, the authorities won't look at what style of climbing the person died doing!

I just wanted to clarify the percentages, before soloists are incorrectly claimed as being the ones which will eventually force regulation.

Nottobetaken

25-Aug-2005
12:48:22 PM

Thanks dalai -

Take!

29-Aug-2005
4:10:40 PM

"The community benefits derived by climbing would I suspect outweigh the costs significantly".

I don't know, I hope you are right. I remember winging about how the pubs were changing and didn't welcome 'climbers' who came in after a day cragging. Then we compared our beer and shared bowl of wedges to the yuppy family's 3 course meals and wine etc. I can't blame the pubs for re-marketing their venues really. We do make important inputs in certain small areas but overall I don't think we appear on the economic radar. I don't like saying that, I'd love to be proved wrong, but ignoring the fact that we are an easy group to marginalise is a quick way to find ourselves regulated or banned.
I'm not saying the reaction from the controlling class would be valid or based on anything other than the need to find another minority to demonise, when they want to divert attention from real issues.

Yes Neil well picked, I had responded to the post about the number of rescues in an area of UK, then spoke only about soloing. Really any climber who intentionally "pushes the boat out" should consider how the consequence could effect the regulation of the 'sport'. Sorry about that, didn't mean to raise hackles and single out soloing.

Sorry to highjack the thread too.


nmonteith

29-Aug-2005
4:17:15 PM

Take Little Bourke Street in the city as an example of econimic benifit from climbers. That is prime retail
real-estate that seems to stay afloat largely with the support of the climbing/bush walking fraternity.


dan

29-Aug-2005
10:01:19 PM

I have done a few 10's and 12's at nowra, just to get to the good photo ops. The rock was so stable and I was climbing 23-5. Probably a daft idea in hind sight, it's always when you get complacent that the fan gets hit by the feacies.

DJ Biggs

29-Aug-2005
10:39:43 PM

Krabi, what would it be without climbers?


tmarsh

30-Aug-2005
10:25:52 AM

On 29/08/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>Take Little Bourke Street in the city as an example of econimic benifit
>from climbers. That is prime retail
>real-estate that seems to stay afloat largely with the support of the
>climbing/bush walking fraternity.

Don't bet on that. I would think that the vast proportion of revenue flowing into Lt Bourke Street these days is for clothing/travel goods. Someone once told me that a certain retail store on that strip made more money from selling socks in a week than it did from climbing gear.

Or in summary, it's cashed up yuppies buying trinkets for their gruelling, porter supported walk - sorry, I should say trek - to some shit-infested, littered base camp in Nepal.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

30-Aug-2005
11:26:42 AM

>retail store on that strip made more money from selling socks in a week than it did from climbing gear.

I have heard similar from various outdoor retailers in Albury/Wodonga. Some have let their climbing stock run down. They will still order it in for you, but have expanded their clothing etc lines at floorspace for climbing goods expense.

... but what's this got to do with soloing?


nmonteith

30-Aug-2005
11:28:54 AM

At least Ararat Safeway would go out of business if climbers stopped going there on friday night! - and
Georges Fish and Chip shop would also bear the brunt of a climbers ban.

jiminy cricket

30-Aug-2005
12:35:25 PM

On 29/08/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>Take Little Bourke Street in the city as an example of econimic benifit
>from climbers. That is prime retail
>real-estate that seems to stay afloat largely with the support of the
>climbing/bush walking fraternity.

As with the posters above, I presume these stores make most of their profits from no-specialist clothing and accessories bought by the public in general. I also presume that's why Kathmandu gave up stocking climbing gear years ago. Bigger margins on cheaply made fleeces.

On 30/08/2005 M8iswhereitsat wrote:
>... but what's this got to do with soloing?

LOL. I looked at the last half dozen posts and wondered what Dan's soloing post had to do with the economic benefits derived from climbers!

There are 73 messages in this topic.