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Abseilers. What are your opinions about them? 2-Aug-2017 At 12:22:20 AM One Day Hero

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On 1/08/2017 ldshield wrote:
>You can't build more cliffs, but you can provide easier access to under-used
>cliffs.

Like better roads and hardened walking tracks and more bolts? Lots of climbers (including me) are really against most of that stuff.

>You're also assuming that climbing mostly occurs on natural cliffs,
>whereas (in terms of numbers of participants) indoor gym climbing is probably
>the predominant form.

Probably true, but there's no way to push numbers up indoors and not have the growth spill out to the cliffs.
>
>My general point is that a small, 'boutique' activity is more vulnerable
>to external impacts (regulation, insurance, community perception of risk)
>than a large and well-supported one.
>
Back to the fishing....they have massively more participants than climbing ever will. They have single issue reps in state government for christs sake! Still regulated way more than climbing. I think that a small target approach is likely to yield better access outcomes in the short term. Like, actually be able to tell land managers how low impact climbing is, without having to lie.

Europe and North America are sitting there as demonstrations of what to expect with greater numbers and greater regulation. There are some very good outcomes, e.g. climbing organisations buying crags from private landowners. Also some very bad outcomes, e.g. whole crags getting polished to the point of worthlessness.

On the whole, I way prefer the low-density Australian climbing situation.