Thanks for showing both sides of the
climbing-impact issue (HCN, 7/7/03: Invasion of the rock jocks). I
am a 41-year-old who has been climbing for over 25 years.
I’ve done both bolt-free traditional and bolted sport-route
first ascents. As much as I would like to deny it, climbers do
impact the environment in many adverse ways.
Years ago,
there was a general progression that many people followed when they
started climbing: In general, people were already enjoying outdoor
pursuits, such as hiking and camping, before they started climbing.
The love and respect of the outdoor environment was already there.
Nowadays, many climbers have had absolutely no outdoor experience
before taking that step from the climbing gym to the great
outdoors. Many of these people have no concept that they are
impacting fragile ecosystems every time they trample a plant, drop
a cigarette butt or leave some used toilet paper along an approach
trail.
We need to do a better job of policing and
educating ourselves and others. Climbing gyms and guide services
need to be proactive with this education.
I would also
like to applaud HCN for bringing up the guidebook and marketing
standpoint. Many fragile areas remain relatively undisturbed for
years — until somebody comes along and decides it’s
time to promote for a profit. In essence, authors of articles and
guides provide the impetus for large-scale impacts for a small
personal profit and perhaps some notoriety.
This needs to
stop. When nonlocal climbers write guidebooks or articles, they
need to step back and ask themselves, “Is there a reason why
the local residents haven’t done this?” and “Are
the profits I am receiving justifying the impacts I am
creating?”
Perhaps guidebook and article authors
should start donating profits to mitigate some of their impacts.
Todd Leeds
Salt Lake City, Utah
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Climbers need to police themselves.
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