Bouldering behavior.As grassroots coordinator and manager of the Access Fund's BoulderProject, I was excited to see the recent article by Jason Burg, "School of Rock" (July 2005), discussing bouldering bould·er·ing n. Sports Basic or intermediate climbing carried out on relatively small rocks that can be traversed without great risk of bodily harm in case of a fall. in our nation's parks. As Burg reported, bouldering is an appropriate, sustainable, low-impact form of muscle-powered recreation. However, he incorrectly mentioned that "there are several 'unwritten laws' that govern a boulderer's behavior when on public land." It is true that most climbers This list of climbers includes both mountaineers and rock climbers, since many (though not all) climbers engage in both types of activities. The list also includes boulderers and ice climbers. abide by a "code of ethics Code of Ethics can refer to:
n. 1. One that climbs, especially a person who climbs mountains. 2. Sports A device, such as a crampon, used in mountain climbing. 3. A plant that climbs. 4. to climber through a mentoring process. Today, many climbers are introduced to the sport through indoor climbing Indoor Climbing is an increasingly popular form of rock climbing performed on artificial structures that attempt to mimic the experience of real rock climbing but in a more controlled environment. gyms. The transition to outdoors, often times, does not include the mentoring component by a more experienced climber who is also aware of the potential impacts of climbing. The boulderProject, an initiative by the Access Fund (www.accessfund.org), fills this gap and works with land managers around the country to supply specific actions climbers can take at crags to conserve the climbing environment and experience. We are making tangible the previously "unwritten laws such laws as have been handed down by tradition or in song. Such were the laws of the early nations of Europe. See also: Unwritten ." As the popularity of bouldering increases, it is the goal of the Access Fund to work cooperatively with park management to stay ahead of the curve and provide specific conservation and stewardship how-tos to the climbing community. Deanne Buck Access Fund, BoulderProject Manager |
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