Wout, a very fluffable cat!
Writing about climbing is a thing I have chosen not to do in the last few years. It’s not that I can’t be arsed, its more the fact that climbing has changed so much from the thing I originally got into, I don’t really feel what I have to say is relevant or makes a difference. I’m sure there are a large majority of climbers that don’t understand where I’m coming from because my view is one of a dinosaur. They probably don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, (I’m not sure if I know myself). They possibly don’t care, and this is OK, things change, and you go along with it, or you butt your head against it, or become bitter and alcoholic and rant on UKC forums, or maybe you choose to do as I now do; carry on quietly doing your thing and take less notice about the all-encompassing activity you once loved because it’s changed from a small fluffy caterpillar into a massive cabbage eating moth, (I actually really like moths, so this is a bad metaphor, but I’m sure you get it, things change). And the times I used to spend writing about climbing I now spend ruffling the cat, it’s a lot more relaxing and less stressful!
In the last few years, most of my writing was becoming quite boring because I couldn’t get over how horrible and destructive Social Media is, and my hate of it entered into most of my writing, so we are all better without that, me especially, although low and behold, here it is… ARG!!!
Anyway, yesterday I went climbing at Craig y Forwyn and led The Groan, it’s a brilliant E2 5c that I’ve climbed many times. Admittedly, I hadn’t climbed it before my friend Tim cleaned it, but once Tim had cleaned it, I began to lead it at the start of almost every visit, it’s a really great route. It appears that many people agree with me; since it was cleaned, it’s had well over one hundred logs on UKC and almost without exception, everyone has commented on the quality. At around the same time as the climb received its spruce-up, (possibly a bit later reading UKC logbook comments) someone had drilled and glued two bolts and added rings, so a leader did not have to top out if they didn’t want to, they could put a couple of draws in, or a locker and lower off as long as they had sixty-metre ropes, and belay their second from the ground. Did the route need this, and what the reason was for it, I’m not sure? In my opinion, it was not needed, but it certainly made the route more accessible and convenient, which I’m sure is a part of the reason It’s become so popular. Again, making a route more popular and convenient is not a good enough reason in my mind to start putting in lower-offs etc, but it was done and along with many other people I went with it and enjoyed the fact I could easily get down and belay from the ground. God I’m getting old!
When I led it a couple of days ago I’d been told by my climbing partner there was a possibility the lower off had been chopped, so we rigged a lower off before walking down to check, and found that yes, it had been chopped.
Since climbing The Groan I’ve been thinking loads about the chopping and its intrigued me enough as to actually stop fluffing the cat, get onto the sofa and write something.
I can’t really come to a conclusion if chopping the lower-off was the correct decision or not? Personally I think the drilling and gluing of these bolts that look like pegs is a really nuanced thing that depends on loads of factors like where it is, the rock type, what difference it makes to the feel of the climb, what it’s replacing, what other, if any, protection is available and loads of other things. I know it’s a fairly emotive subject and its one I have an opinion, but I’m not prepared to get into on the internet as in general internet debates become a load of people, (some more knowledgeable than others, some more serious than others) shouting and not listening, and I really can’t be arsed, so I’ve shied away from entering into the many on-line debates about these things as it’s a minefield that in my mind will never be sorted out by people throwing in their opinion on the internet.
On this occasion though, I wanted to raise the subject as I find it fascinating why someone has suddenly decided to chop these bolts after they have been in place for approximately six years? Seriously, I’d really like to know why you chose to do this, I’m neither for nor against it, I’d just find it interesting to know why and why now? I’m not sure keeping quiet about doing it helps the situation, if you feel so strongly about these bolts, maybe having the courage of your conviction and speak up about why you’ve done what you’ve done would help others understand and agree with your actions? I know not everyone looks at UKC logs and feedback, but if only to let people know there was no longer a lower-off, and they need to either top out or pre-set up a lower-off, would have been helpful, especially for climbers that regularly do the route and were climbing it expecting it to be the same as it has been for several years.
Like I say, I don’t mind they have been chopped, trad climbing isn’t about convenience and topping out on this route is no hardship and no different than topping out on other routes. Being a bit old skool, I also like the touch of anarchy of just doing it, it takes me back to what climbing was, but climbing has changed and maybe with more ways to openly debate stuff, this attitude is just for dinosaurs like me?
Another question I’d be really interested to know the answer to, is why this route, why this lower-off? There are other lower-offs at Forwyn and glue in bolts that are probably more in line for chopping than this one, and in the grand scheme, there are bolts that have been placed in sea cliffs and mountain rock that should never be there, but still are? The two that come to mind immediately are the bolt that has replaced the stacked pegs on Melon Transplant on Hidden Wall, and the bolt that has been put in on Barbarossa, Upper Tier years after the peg had gone, and the climb had had many ascents without it.
Removing the lower-off on The Groan has been done without dialogue and without (to my knowledge) any notice, no one knows the reason or can learn from why it’s been done. So please, if you are the person who removed the lower-off, it would be great if you could comment below and let me know the reason. It would also be good to know if you intend to chop any of the other bolts and lower-offs, so I don’t end up repeating a route and find myself in the middle of no-persons land without a paddle 😉
Right, that’s possibly it now for another three years, so I’m back to fluffing the cat,
Cheers, Nick.
Can’t add anything on the chopped lower off Nick, but there are still plenty of dinosaurs who enjoy your writing and that cat looks pretty well fluffed to me. Just sayin’.
Love this Ged 🙂