A COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS ON CLIMBING.

While planning the onsite institutes for the October 2001 NRPA Congress in Denver, Colorado, Dick Crysdale, of the National Society for Park Resources, asked his daughter, Cris Ann, to prepare a few paragraphs on rock climbing. She frequently climbed the walls in El Dorado Canyon near Boulder while attending the University of Colorado. The Canyon is the cradle of many world-renowned climbers who have conquered the world's highest, most difficult mountains and big rock monoliths, often in the midst of challenging weather and treacherous wilderness conditions. Cris Ann leads climbs all over the world, and provides a unique insight into what climbers gain from this extreme sport, what their concerns are relating to the use and preservation of natural resources, and how climbers and resource managers can work together to achieve mutual goals. The following are her collected thoughts on climbing.

WHY CLIMB?

Exercise and Fitness: Climbing is a stretching, strengthening exercise that tones almost all muscles in the body. Due to the lack of jarring, it tends to be good for backs and worn out joints. The approach to the climbs may provide for a good cardiovascular work out, too. Most climbers are pleased with the changes that take place in their bodies, which include better muscle tone, weight loss, and a general sense of wellness.

Relieving Stress/Providing Focus: Climbing is almost meditative in that it forces people to forget about everything else going on in their lives and focus completely on the task at hand. It is usually a peaceful, quiet activity, which is uninterrupted by all the distractions of daily life. Cares are temporarily forgotten, and life takes on a new meaning and purpose.

The moves of a climb may be intricate and sequential, forcing the climber to figure out what move to do next, much like solving a puzzle or playing chess. A difficult climb may need to be rehearsed many times before one can climb it without falling; it is much like memorizing the steps of a dance.

Convening with Nature: Climbing takes people to some of the most beautiful places on Earth and allows them to see these places from a completely new perspective and with a new sense of appreciation. Climbers are exposed to an array of wildlife, including birds, bats, frogs, snakes, condors, mountain sheep and goats, ringtail cats, badgers, mice, and marmots (just to name a few creatures I've seen over the years). It is an exhilarating feeling to sit in an old eagle's nest, to see a red tail hawk soaring below, or watch swallows diving straight at the rock only to change direction at the very last minute. Climbing can take people to the mountains, the seashore, the heart of the desert, or into the deep forest. During these times people experience true adventure as well as solitude. The air seems fresher, the sky bluer, and the storms more severe when experienced while dangling by your fingertips on the side of a cliff.

Community/Friendship: Because climbers are responsible for each other's safety and well being, they develop an extremely tight bond with their climbing partners. One witnesses one's partner during extreme moments and raw emotions. Climbers see their partners when they are terrified, frustrated, or exalted by an accomplishment. Climbers often migrate toward others having similar climbing interests, goals, and values, creating a tight-knit community of people who share a similar passion. These ties go far beyond a climber's local cragging area, and one may soon find that one is invited to fellow climbers' homes and cliffs throughout the world.

Sense of Accomplishment: Ascending a difficult route in good style is an extremely satisfying feeling. The beauty of climbing is that each person can set his or her own individual goals at whatever level they choose and feel pride in achieving those goals. Climbing is not based on brute strength alone, but rather on one's ability to combine flexibility, technique, overall fitness, and problem solving skills to ascend the rock. It can be a personalized, non-competitive endeavor, if that is what the individual chooses to make it, or one can engage in organized or friendly competitions, if that is the individual's desire. People may even seek recognition from both the climbing community and/or the general public by successfully ascending unclimbed features, such as big walls or mountains, climbing new routes, or climbing already established routes faster than anyone else has previously done.

There is a sense of both peace and euphoria in looking up at a rock feature and knowing that you've reached the top; knowing that the years of training to accomplish such a feat, perseverance in the face of doubt, inclement weather, and unpredictable conditions have been surmounted to achieve such a goal. Climbing is truly hard work; but with hard work comes a greater sense of satisfaction when the goal is reached.

Fun: Climbing is really fun and typically so are the people involved in it. So, why climb? Why not?

ISSUES

Defacing the Rock: Chalk, bolts, and other forms of permanent anchors may deface the natural environment. Most climbers use calcium carbonate on their hands (much like gymnasts) to dry up sweat so they don't lose their grip on small holds. In some areas its use has been discouraged, such as in the Utah desert, because this area receives very little rain to wash the chalk from the rocks. In other areas, such as El Dorado Canyon, the climbers organize big clean up days to minimize environmental impact, using buckets and scrub brushes to remove the chalk.

There has been a lot of controversy over the use of expansion bolts--hangers on the surface of the rock that are approximately one inch in diameter. Opponents say that the bolts are unsightly. However, the bolts can greatly enhance the safety of the sport in areas where no other type of protection is possible. In some areas there are regulations regarding the use of bolts, such as in El Dorado Canyon, where a committee regulates where bolts can be placed and the replacing of old, unsafe bolts.

Another issue pertaining to bolting is whether hand or power drills should be used during installation. Although cleaner and easier to use, power drills make a lot of noise, which can disturb the environment.

There has also been debate regarding the use of permanent anchors to get down from climbs. Permanent anchors could include bolts with chains or slings on them or slings wrapped around trees or rock flakes. The biggest opposition is that these anchors can be unsightly. However, a climber may not be able to get down from a rock climb without some sort of very reliable anchor stations, (i.e., using bolts). Most fixed anchors are hardly noticeable at all with binoculars, let alone the naked eye, if rock colored slings are utilized or if special bolt hangers are used that don't require slings.

Guide Services: A big issue in the climbing community is whether guides should be certified or guide services should be accredited by a regulating agency. It would be beneficial for the public to know that a guide is competent to a given level of expertise. However, there is controversy regarding the whole certification/accreditation process. Certifying guides is a costly, time-consuming process, which most working guides simply cannot afford. The only certifying agency currently in the United States is the AMGA (American Mountain Guide Association), which is comprised of several guides who may be less experienced than the guides they are certifying are. There is a grandfathering procedure in place for older guides, but often even very experienced guides do not meet the AMGA's stringent guidelines. The AMGA does offer high quality training programs to those guides who have the time and money to participate in certification programs; however, these courses are not a substitute for years of guiding experience. Accrediting guide services, themselves, is a much simpler, less expensive undertaking, and many guide services are taking part in this process.

Rescues: Relative to the number of climbers becoming involved in the sport, very few climbing accidents actually occur. Often the newspapers will put the label of "climbing accident" on a situation where an inexperienced person is scrambling on rocks without ropes or any technical equipment and falls and gets injured.

In the event of all actual climbing accident, a rescue may be performed by any one of a variety of rescue groups, depending on the location. Many National Parks have climbing rangers or formal rescue groups that participate in regular training on technical terrain. There are local search-and-rescue groups for other areas that operate primarily on a volunteer basis and have varying experience levels. Sometimes rescues are free to climbers, and agencies like the National Park Service cover the rescue costs. In other situations, especially where climbers have been found to be negligent in their practices or preparation, climbers have been forced to pay for their rescues. In Colorado, climbers may purchase inexpensive rescue insurance by obtaining a Colorado hiking certificate. There is a group of climbers in North America called the American Alpine Club, which offers accident insurance to members at an affordable rate.

Access: Climbing has become increasingly popular, and numerous issues have arisen regarding access to various cliffs. Just as the access to crags may be through private property, sometimes the crags, themselves, are on private property. Many property owners have been concerned that if an accident takes place on their land, they will be sued. Sometimes property owners simply don't want the public walking across their land. Access to El Dorado Canyon and surrounding areas was once threatened by a gravel company that wanted to strip mine the area.

Access to some areas has been preserved by declaring them state parks, or by the area being bought by climber-friendly groups, such as the Nature Conservancy or the Access Fund. Climbers started the Access Fund for the sole purpose of dealing with access issues and giving the climbing community a unified voice with legal backing. Great efforts have also been made to create trails into areas to preserve the landscape and to stop erosion. Many climbers and groups, such as Outward Bound, have gotten involved in trail building.

Education has also been an important part of maintaining access to different areas by teaching climbers to preserve the environment and embrace a "leave no trace" ethic.

The disposal of human waste is also been a concern in many areas. In Yosemite National Park, climbers doing multi-day climbs are required to carry excrement with them up the climb in a special PVC tube container. In other areas, outhouses have been installed for park-goers convenience and to preserve sanitary conditions.

WHY DO I CLIMB?

I climb for a variety of reasons, but mainly because I love the physical act of the sport. I love the challenge of having to move my body in a very precise way that makes it not only possible to just cling to the rock, but also move up, pacing myself so I don't get too tired to hold on. I believe a healthy body is a great gift that should be used as much as possible and should be constantly maintained.

I also enjoy the mental release that climbing offers. I know that while I am climbing, I can temporarily forget about the stress in my life and focus completely on my goal. I like the mental challenge of figuring out sequences and choosing the exact piece of protection I will need for each section of the climb in order to remain safe. I like meeting the unexpected challenges a new route has to offer and feel great satisfaction in getting past them without falling. When I am done climbing, I feel peaceful, relaxed, and ready to face the challenges of daily living once again. I sleep better at night and have a general improved sense physical and mental health.

I also love climbing because of the rich experiences it has given me and the people with whom I have shared these experiences. I believe climbing has given me an extraordinary, diverse group of friends who are adventuresome, light-hearted, and share a great appreciation for the Earth and all it has to offer. I find most climbers to be very intellectual and have stimulating conversations around post-climb campfires.

I've depended on these people for safety and support and have done my best to provide them with the same. I've traveled to all corners of the globe and have been welcomed repeatedly into the homes and hearts of fellow climbers. During my travels, I have seen the best that nature has to offer and I am grateful again and again for the opportunities to experience the peace and solitude that climbing provides.

Climbing has influenced my life more than any other single thing. It was my vocation (during my years as a guide) as well as being my favorite source of recreation. It has kept me fit and mentally balanced and has introduced me to friends, as well as my spouse.

I have used it as a barometer to monitor my overall sense of well being. When I feel good emotionally, I usually climb well. If I am floundering with climbing, it usually indicates I have other issues in my life (often subconscious) that I need to address.

I am forever grateful that climbing is a part of my life and hope that climbing can do for other people what it has done for me.

A Climbing Glossary

PROTECTION

carabiner: A snaplink typically used to attach the rope for protection.

quickdraw: Two carabiners on either end of a piece of nylon sling, typically used to hook the rope to a bolt or other protection.

piton: A metal spike that is hammered into a crack for protection. May be removed immediately or left as a more permanent piece of protection.

stopper: A metal wedge attached to a wire and placed in cracks where the rock constricts.

camming device: A spring loaded device that is placed in parallel sided cracks and expands more as it is pulled on.

bolts: Typically, expansion bolts are glue-in bolts using special epoxy and are used as a type of permanent protection. The bolt hanger is about one inch in diameter and is the only visible part of the bolt.

dynamic ropes: Nylon ropes that stretch slightly when a climber falls so that his/her back and internal organs are protected.

BELAYING 

belayer: The person who manages the rope for the climber and stops the climber from falling.

belay device: A special friction device that the rope runs through so that the belayer can stop a fall easily, typically, with just one hand.

pitch: The distance from one anchor station to another, the maximum distance being a full rope length (approximately 50 meters or 165 feet).

CLIMBING

scrambling: Climbing on rocks or mildly technical terrain using hands and feet, but without ropes.

free climbing: Ascending the rock through one's own power, with ropes and equipment used only to stop a fall if one should occur.

free soloing: Climbing the rock without the use of ropes or equipment.

aid climbing: Utilizing the rope and protection to assist one's upward progress. The climber pulls on protection, and the reliability of the protection placement determines the difficulty of an aid climb.

lead climbing: Being the first person of the climbing party to ascend, placing protection along the way and having the potential to fall a longer distance because there is no form of protection from above.

top roping: The climbers have a rope running above them to an anchor so that they are well protected at all times.

bouldering: Practicing difficult climbing moves without using ropes or protection, within jumping distance of the ground.

COMING DOWN

walk off: Descending without the use of equipment on non-technical terrain. (This is not always an option.)

rappelling: Placing the ropes through a permanent anchor, descending down the ropes with a belay device, and pulling the ropes down when one reaches another permanent anchor or the ground.

down climbing: Descending the technical terrain by climbing (typically without using the rope). This can be especially dangerous in bad weather conditions or if the climbers are tired from the ascent.

While attending the University of Colorado, Cris Ann Crysdale could often be found hanging around the face of an El Dorado Canyon cliff by her fingertips and some dynamic rope. Crysdale leads climbing expeditions around the world and provides a unique insight into what climbers gain from this extreme sport in her article "A Collection of Thoughts on Climbing" (p. 88).