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General Climbing Discussion

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Ethics / First Ascents 20-Aug-2012 At 12:01:20 PM pecheur

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On 20/08/2012 Miguel75 wrote:
>On 20/08/2012 rodw wrote:
>>Your asking a hypothetical that didn't happen so can't see how adding
>that
>>to this discussion is relevant?
>
>Hypotheticals are particularly relevant from a learning perspective. For
>people like myself who are in their 'ethical' formative phase I reckon
>this is a pretty interesting situation. From what I've read a climb was
>cleaned and offered as an open project. After a lengthy period of time
>one person (we'll call her MF) expends considerable energy cleaning it
>up, working the moves and adds the commonly accepted 'project marker' as
>they intended to complete the climb in their preferred style: with bolts.
>Seemingly by coincidence, another interested party (we'll call them ZV
>& MM) of a different ethical mindset, trad good bolts bad, happen to decided
>they're ready for the challenge, disregard the 'project marker' pin and
>complete the climb in what they consider a better style: sans bolts. They
>then try to justify their perfidy by claiming a trad lead as ethically
>superior, or as MM says on Facebook, "... pure Aussie climbing ethics."
>
>
>I dont know ZV or MM, but their effort comes off as disrespectful to MF
>and worst of all, scallywaggish.
>
>P.S. As a learning opportunity for ethically challenged people such as
>myself it raises interesting points about the pros/cons of bolting climbs
>that can be lead on gear, but fails when the golden rule is applied; treat
>others the way you want to be treated.

Sorry Mike I think you've miss-interpreted the situation. MF and SC didn't intend to do the climb on bolts as you allude, they intended to add a belay station. If MF and SC intended to bolt a crack like that, yes everyone would be on the MM / ZV side. Your comment is as Rod stated, not relevant in this case. To make a belay station on a 60 m climb is reasonable (in the Australian context), bolting a crack is not.