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roughster
May 10, 2002, 7:10 AM
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For some strange reason (I am sick I guess ) I seem to like climbing at smaller out of the way areas.
You know, the ones that tend to have shorter routes, or less than perfect rock, only a handfull of routes, etc....
Not that I don't climb other more popular places, but I always eventually adopt one of these small crags as my "home".
Why I ask is this: I have developed many of these places and have received TONS of s--- for it. People questioning why I would waste my time, yammering at me that the routes will never get done, etc...
What is your take on these kinds of areas? Do they have merit? Should people just stick to developing high profile places and not bother with the "little guys"? Do you enjoy climbing at these spot even if the routes may never be area classics?
I personally think that smaller areas add alot of value to the climbing community as they further diversify the climbing, allow more people to spread out thus helping control crowding at the popular areas, give people a chance to climb in solitude, etc...
What are your thoughts?
[ This Message was edited by: roughster on 2002-05-10 00:31 ]
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maculated
May 10, 2002, 8:02 AM
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Popular places are popular for a reason. I spent the better part of the past month seeking out every location in my local guidebook and while some of the spots were small, out of the way, and beautiful, they made for bad climbing.
Unless the place is tried and true, I like going to the good spots as long as I'm not forced to wait in line.
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kaptk
May 10, 2002, 9:22 AM
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I think that some places are less popular not because the climbing is bad, but because it may take more effort to get to and it might not be as large. Less popular also means less crowded. I don't like being at an area where there are a bunch of people as much as being at an area where there isn't a crowd. For this reason, I like smaller out of the way areas.
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roughster
May 10, 2002, 10:49 AM
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Maculated: Thats kind of surprising to me in truth. It seems like if you took the time to visit each area, there must have been something about getting out to the other small areas that you were looking for or hoping to find. What was it, if you don't mind me asking?
Kap: Exactly. Some of my best days of climbing invloved my partner, myself, a hard project, and not a soul in sight. Hiking back out and springing a deer because we were the only people around for miles.
I guess this post is a sly way of suggesting to others to give smaller crags in their local areas a shot. It may just turn you on to something good that you will never get at the local "hot spot".
I used to have a website featuring many of the smaller crags in SoCal. I always thought it was a shame that so many routes never saw traffic when many times people would be waiting in line for climbs at the more popuar spots.
*shrug*
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old_school
May 10, 2002, 2:48 PM
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The small local bouldering area here in St. Cloud is actually one of my favorite places to climb. No one bugs me and there are many unclimbed problems for me to put up. Also we have a few really great problems, some haven't even been completed or named, but I got my eye on them...
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atg200
May 10, 2002, 3:06 PM
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Not all small areas are idyllic however. Sometimes a small crag is a roadcut next to a highway or some other similarly aesthetic place.
The South Platte in Colorado is my favorite place for these sorts of things. If you are willing to walk an hour uphill, there are tons of domes with just a route or two, sometimes with room for new FAs, sometimes not. Its just nice to hike and explore in the woods and top it off with some climbing sometimes.
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toobigtoclimb
May 10, 2002, 3:15 PM
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The out-of-the-way places are the best! I'll gladly give up a little climbing quality for a little solitude.
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clam
May 10, 2002, 7:50 PM
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Out of the way places are okay. It depends on what you like. I climb at a small 40' crag in Berkeley called Cragmont. It's where I learned a lot about climbing. But it doesn't compare - for my liking - to getting on a multi pitch lead climb in places like Yosemite. Some places are great, others are awesome.
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rickoldskool
May 11, 2002, 1:10 AM
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roughster, DO YOU THINK YOUR WASTING TIME?Why be concerned with what other people think? We all climb for our own reasons. If yours is to develope out of the way crags,MORE POWER TO YA. I live in the Sierra, and there is this chossy, broken, lava flow 10 minutes from my house. It has one good, steep side with maybe 6 routes. But you know what? I can go there any time I want, climb as much as I like and never see anybody. I DIG IT! So tell your critics to shut the *&%$# up. They don't like it, they don't need to climb it! As for you, do what turns you on man, probably someone out there is gonna dig what your doing. ROCK ON
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graniteboy
May 11, 2002, 1:43 AM
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Yes, they're small and out of the way.
Like ALL other crags, some are good and some are not, a few are real gems. I like the small out in the woods areas exactly because they're unknown. I never publicize the many, many, many small crags out in the boonies that I've climbed. It keeps em quiet.
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clymber
May 11, 2002, 3:12 AM
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Not that its small but at one time El Cap was a out of the way place. And for me one of the pluses of those small out of the way places is the people you meet there and the lack of crowd.You have no reason to worry about what other people say or think about those area. As long as you are happy and like climbing there keep going. And those longer approaches keeps the area less popular
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bigevilgrape
May 11, 2002, 3:48 AM
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i like climbing at less popular crags. i don't like having to wait for a climb, or dealing with all the people. luckily we have a lot of nice smaller crags near my house.
i also feel more like i'm out in nature when i'm climbing in an area with only me and my partners.
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kerouac
May 11, 2002, 4:23 AM
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Roughster
If you enjoy developing and climbing the little crags then continue to do so. We have some little crags near my place that a few of us local climbers are developing and it is great. The rock might not be the best but it is so nice to be able to drive to a crag after work and climb for a hour or two without a crowd. So if you like developing these little crags and climbing there, more power to you.
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