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Topic Date User

Abseilers. What are your opinions about them? 28-Jul-2017 At 3:55:30 PM One Day Hero

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On 28/07/2017 ldshield wrote:
>Disclaimer: my wife is a semi-recreational abseiler.

Does she have any other symptoms of brain damage?

>Obviously
>there is etiquette about that, but if there's wear-and-tear on a rock from
>someone else using it, that's just how life works.

No it isn't. Abseilers can get their thing done on cliffs which are of no interest to climbers. If overuse by abseilers was shufflebuffing a classic climb, I would consider that pretty rude. (note that I've never seen evidence of this occuring)

>Environmentalists probably
>experience similar annoyance about the paths and foot pads that climbers
>create while accessing crags in national parks.

Which is something climbers ought to be concerned about, and we should all seek to minimise our impact.
>
>We should also view abseiling as an opportunity to introduce rock activities
>to more people; it's a gateway activity.

Why? Explain why more people in climbing is better.

>Finally, abseiling is a relatively common outdoor activity for schools
>and youth groups because it builds character.

Does it though? I know the outdoor ed robots repeat this line endlessly, but what does it even mean? How do you measure 'character'?

>Unlike, say, trail-bike riding,
>if there's any damage to the environment, at least it's to a good cause.

I like to rip on bogans as much as anyone, but is trailbiking really that bad? In most of the national parks I visit, the bush is too dense for easy walking, let alone riding a bike. How much damage can a trailbike do to the environment, if they're being ridden on bulldozed and regularly graded fire roads?
Can you really sit there and say that trailbikers have more negative effect on parks than all the stupid climbers who don't bury their shit?