Not a bad article, actually.

it has attracted talented young athletes who would once have gone into mainstream disciplines like gymnastics or track and field. This in turn has led to unprecedented leaps in performance.

Mr Chamberlain predicts, his firm may need to begin matching cash prizes they win at competitions, a practice common in well-established disciplines such as freestyle skiing, to retain the best.

Not a bad article, actually.

The V scale was developed by Verm, not Fred Nichole.

The first paragraph seemed eerily familiar though.

The problem was developed by Fred Nichole. Poor wording on the part of the journalist.

I personally hope that the big cash prizes and mainstream sponsors which are common in other sports never make it to climbing. One of the things I love about climbing is that the superstars of the sport are so normal. Most live out of vans and barely make enough money to survive. They do it because they love it! It shows how much sacrifice is needed to make it the top. This also reminds me why I don't really mind not being pro. I love a good long road trip but I don't want to live out of my truck.

While on the subject I also don't want climbing to make it into the Olympics. It would be cool to see mainstream coverage, but more media means more people climbing. I love that climbing takes me to beautiful places with great solitude and I don't want that to be ruined. Climbing is growing as a sport but I just don't want it to grow that fast.

Eric

This may have been true just as recently as 15 years ago, but not so true anymore today.


Olympics or not, I have no opinion, but I do think having climbing become a bit more mainstream, in my opinion we're already headed there, is actually a good thing.

Articles like this help put climbers in a positive light and show the the sport is serious. The numbers of climber outdoors will continue to increase for sure, but so will new crags.

More mainstream will also mean that dealing with landowner may become a little easier. Landowners who read article that are positive instead of death, in=jury, and guys cutting off their arms with a pocket knife are more likely to let you and other climb on their land.

Competitive climbers don't flock outside, they tend to focus on the gym. On my trips to America when I tour climbing gyms, I am always surprised at just how few of the climbing gym users never head outdoors to play.

I don't agree. If climbing becomes more mainstream then there will be greater demands on making it safe for the masses. More bolts, more rules more liability.

Unless you think climbing is somehow immune for the lunacy that is the modern English speaking world's approach to safety and liability.

Nostalgia can be a blinding handicap.

I'm not talking about nostalgia. I'm talking about the death of trad climbing.

Climbing breaches most safety laws and regulations in my country. If it becomes ACTUALLY becomes mainstream then trad climbing will no longer exist.

Honestly, I can't see how climbing has necessarily gotten worse.

Some things I have noticed from reading opinions of older climbers isan increase in:
- the number of rap-off-rope incidents
- the "gumby engineerification" of belay anchors reliant on gear(gear the players may have only recently begun using) and general ignorance of techniques as simple as incorporating stance into belay
- that you will actually, on occasion, see evidence of a mindset that "sometimes people drop you" as if it is EVER acceptable.


Also - gym climbers outside do abound at some crags. Obviously the Gunks is an example.
As well, climbers who are familiar only with sport and don't see how relying on a system of trad gear is going to make any difference in their climbing experience.

I've also seen the same at Joshua Tree. I can't tell you how many times I was asked by passersby this winter about bolted routes for people to lead, and when I mention gear needed for top-outs, they look at me as if I'm crazy and make a reference to having extra quick draws.

One of the things I love about climbing is that the superstars of the sport are so normal. Most live out of vans and barely make enough money to survive. They do it because they love it! It shows how much sacrifice is needed to make it the top.

I love that climbing takes me to beautiful places with great solitude and I don't want that to be ruined. Climbing is growing as a sport but I just don't want it to grow that fast.

Articles like this help put climbers in a positive light and show the the sport is serious. The numbers of climber outdoors will continue to increase for sure, but so will new crags.

More mainstream will also mean that dealing with landowner may become a little easier. Landowners who read article that are positive instead of death, injury, and guys cutting off their arms with a pocket knife are more likely to let you and other climb on their land.

I don't agree. If climbing becomes more mainstream then there will be greater demands on making it safe for the masses. More bolts…

I'm sure folks 30 years ago said the same thing when sport climbing became more mainstream. Honestly, I can't see how climbing has necessarily gotten worse.

This idea that the whole world is going to crowd every crag every weekend such that climbing is diluted to the point of it becoming Chutes and Ladders is a bit apocalyptic.

Sorry, but I doubt you'll find many climbers from 40 or 50 years ago complaining that climbing has gotten out of hand since they first roped up.

Sure, you'll see the occasional "we were fine using swami belts and hip belays just fine back in my day" comments, but seriously, how many of them still use swamis and hip belays on a regular basis? My guess is damn near close to none, and I'd bet that the vast majority of those "back in my day" climbers also wouldn't agree with a return to swamis and hip belays either.

Nostalgia can be a blinding handicap.

learn how to change culture and / or roll with the dice? [shrugs]

Not sure where you're from, but I don't see [the death of trad climbing] happening world over in my lifetime.

If folks want to pass on a tradition then they need to pass it on. Sitting back and expecting respect is a sure way to lose it. The same goes for safety standards. Points #2 and #3 above are about not building enough of a culture for people to learn. Everyone, including (and maybe especially) experienced folks, are to blame for that.

If one wants to be hardcore about it, let's follow the British example where you're likely to get a molotov cocktail thrown through your window if you place a single bolt (ok, that's a bit extreme, but they've obviously figured out how to do it).

To simply say, "don't let anyone else become a climber because trad climbing will die!" is just a bit beyond the edge of foolishness. It fact, it's an excuse and nothing more.

The UK notwithstanding, the US is still the international center of trad climbing. It remains to be seen whether we can manage to preserve the diversity that ought to define climbing, or whether the forces for homogeneity will continue to either compress trad climbing into ever smaller pockets of existence, or else dilute it to an anemic shadow of its original nature.

Here's a newsflash: near-septuagenarians like me are not gonna save your sorry asses.