Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

THE AUSTRALIAN RE, RETRO-BOLTING OPEN FORUM 13-Apr-2004 At 9:17:31 AM Tel

Message

IMO I don't think anybody goes out of their way to establish a death route. If a route becomes regarded as a "death route" then all that says is, that others are not up to the ability level of the FA. From my limited knowledge there have been routes that have lay lain dormant for many years before others have repeated the ascent.
As for ego inflating and selfish...hardly...just think back to when you were little and mommy read the 'little train that could', some of these routes are the same 'I think I can, becomes, I know I can'. If someone has worked and grunted there way up a route where a mistake means death, I don't think at the finish they start thinking of whether or not anyone else can do the route. As their objective was whether they could do it.
I think it is more egostistical and selfish to add bolts to a route just so that you can do it, because all you are after is bragging rights.

As it has been pointed out to me on another thread, the style, the attitude we take, and our methods, say not only who we are as climbers but where we are morally as people. If you take the time to look, it is not that hard to correlate, morals and ethics in climbing to morals and ethics in daily lives.
So what are we saying by adding a bolt to an existing route, are we looking for the soft option?, do we do that in other aspects of our lives? If it is too hard do we complain that it is not fair, or do we work at it harder? Do other people have all the luck, or do they strive to achieve. How can we expect respect from our peers, friends, family by always looking for the easy way out? How does the the first timers excitement and joy at toproping a 16 differ from someone who leads a 6 for the first time?
The steps to achieving our goals begin by placing one foot in front of the other, and whether you choose to believe or no, your actions on a crag say a lot about who you are as a person.
tel