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c_plante
Sep 27, 2001, 10:41 AM
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I was at the glen recently and I loved it, except for the seemingly excessive quantities of chalk everywhere. I was under the impression that it was bad manners to not clean up after yourself. As it is, I'm having a hard time understanding why anyone would throw that much chalk at a hold, is it to mark it? Is it to make the hold easier? I only ask because by the time I got to it the rain and general Niagra Falls moisture turned that chalk into some slick mess. I had to abandon otherwise sound holds simply because I couldn't grip it. If anyone has any comments/suggestions please lemme know. I'm seriously tempted to spend a weekend and scrub down the rocks before the winter hits. Does that make me a purist or something? Hmm...
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bart
Sep 27, 2001, 12:48 PM
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I always use a chalkball and the holds surely don't turn white because of me, but I sometimes get disturbed if the holds are already white, since I might not climb it the same way and at the same time think I should all the white holds to be able to climb it.
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fiend
Sep 27, 2001, 5:26 PM
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It'll all be gone after winter. As it is it's starting to get colder here and people should be using less chalk anyways. I try to scrub at least the tick marks off, in between burns on problems, when I'm down there. There is way too much chalking going on and if you go and clean it , it'll just be right back there the next weekend. Better to wait for some rain or snow to wipe it all away.
At least it's environmentally friendly and just unsightly, unlike the glass that litters the Glen.
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ratstar
Sep 27, 2001, 5:54 PM
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I always carry a toothbrush to clean while I climb. It helps me out and All of my fiends do to maybe its just a utah thing i dunno.
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c_plante
Sep 27, 2001, 10:34 PM
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I agree with you bart, it does change the route a little.
My next question would be then, who does do this? Are they pigeonholed into a specific group? IE: amateurs, pros, asses...
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decked
Sep 28, 2001, 1:52 AM
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i vote for the latter of the groups
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rck_climber
Sep 28, 2001, 2:00 AM
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Also have to keep in mind that sometimes it just plain accumulates from the heavy traffic of climbers. It's sort of a viscious circle as the more traffic a route sees, the greasier the holds will get, and the more chalk each climber will use to counteract it.
Nonetheless, there's still no excuse for it. I was out this past weekend at the Garden of the Gods in Colo Spgs helping the "Access Fund" out cleaning the chalk off the rocks so we will continue to have a place to climb.
Mick
**If you don't already, please look into contributing to the "Access Fund", they're the ones fighting to keep places open for climbers to climb, as well as open new areas to climbers. You don't have to give money, just donate your time, heck that's about all most of us can afford anyway since climbing gets all our money .
OK, I'm off my soapbox.
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vaness
Sep 28, 2001, 2:02 AM
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i was reading this and thinking if all the holds ahe marked with chalk from other climbers is it still an onsight? because you can see where the holds are clearly.
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arete2
Sep 28, 2001, 2:15 AM
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I always have a toothbrush also, I like being able to leave it clean for the next person.
Enoch
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marcsv
Sep 28, 2001, 2:32 AM
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i always make sure that i have a nylon brush before i go bouldering. after i finish a project i rest by using the nylon brush to clean the holds. although there are those types of rocks that are strong enough to latch on and yet easily eroded away by brushing (tufa or volcanic tuf). in those cases i try not to use chalk or rub in as little as possible (just to get the moisture out, but not enough to turn my palm completely white)
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downshift
Sep 28, 2001, 4:46 AM
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I think i learned something in the cub scouts years ago. Do your part, leave it neater than you found it. I've always that advice when climbing as do most of the people in this fourm it seems. We can only do our part to attempt to educate and set a good example and hope other will pick up on it.
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c_plante
Sep 28, 2001, 5:30 AM
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Are there any alternatives to chalk? Maybe something that dries out your sweaty hands while at the same time it doesn't leave any sort of residue anywhere... Nothing comes to mind, ideas?
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fiend
Sep 28, 2001, 5:32 AM
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Rubbing alcohol. Smells bad though and can't be reaplied while climbing.
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marcsv
Sep 28, 2001, 8:12 AM
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but won't rubbung alcohol promote sweating. when you use it it rapidly cools off your skin (by rapid evaporation) thereby closing the pores in your palms, in turn trapping more heat in.
just wondering
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fiend
Sep 28, 2001, 2:53 PM
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I'm not sure, never thought of that.
I know thit it's used to prep before chalking so the chalk may negate that.
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c_plante
Sep 28, 2001, 5:45 PM
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interesting, so is rubbing alcohol fairly common among climbers?
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dean585
Sep 28, 2001, 6:24 PM
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I always bring a toothbrush or wire brush with me to scrape the chalk off. I dont think there is really anything other than that that can be done about it. Certain routes with heavy traffic will always have a lot of chalk on them. I used to hate the chalk as much as everyone else until i went bouldering last week and found that someone had marked the holds with spray paint to identify them. After seeing something as horrible and thoughtless as that, the chalk is the lesser of two evils, at least it comes off.
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fiend
Sep 28, 2001, 6:56 PM
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It's not really that common, kind of a nifty trick not too many people know about or bother with.
I myself use liquid chalk as a base and then chalk when I really need it.
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k2exp2010
Sep 28, 2001, 7:08 PM
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i can't stand the chalk marks on the holds. makes me feel like my route's already set like in the gyms. part of the climbing experience is discovering the holds on my own.
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jds100
Sep 28, 2001, 7:51 PM
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To this, and an earlier question, I think it actually does remove the opportunity for and the right to claim an onsight, when there's so much chalk pointing the way(s).
I know of a few (very few) climbers that climb without chalk, so it kinda makes me wonder sometimes...
I do think a chalk ball is a great way to minimize the excesses we see, outside and inside, like spilled chalk, huge clouds of chalk dust drifting down on us, or up at us, too.
Marking holds with spray-paint is incrdible! Where do these people get the audacity and such a level of selfishness!?!
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c_plante
Oct 1, 2001, 6:38 PM
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You know I didn't even think about the paint, but now that it's mentioned I do see little orange and red triangles everywhere. Is this for some sunday school kids, or the kids who ride the short bus?
What's liquid chalk like?
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jds100
Oct 1, 2001, 9:28 PM
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Mixed reviews, in the magazines and among the climbers I know who've plunked the $8 or $9 down for it. One partner mixed his own ground up chalk and rubbing alcohol and got a similar effect, though less smooth texture of 'lotion'(lot cheaper, though). The alcohol apparently dries the skin and carries the finely ground chalk to the tiny crevices that might not get the chalk otherwise. It can last a little longer than plain chalk, but obviously, it means carrying a bottle of liquid with you when you're out craggin'. Inside, it might be less of a hassle. It's your call whether or not it keeps your hands much drier, longer.
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scradje
Oct 1, 2001, 9:33 PM
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Dude, If u climb an outdoor wall, always clean up after urself. Its just good manners.
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thebear
Oct 1, 2001, 10:48 PM
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Just recently I was climbing a route and got hung up at the roof...all of the holds were slimed over with chalk.
Maybe it's just me, but I was always taught that chalking in a location where mother nature can't reach is something to be done sparingly.
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passthepitonspete
Oct 15, 2001, 6:09 AM
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WHAT?! ME boulder?!
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