90% Of Climbers Never Go Outdoors?

This mountaineer writes about the future of climbing and predicts that "..in 10 years, 90 percent of the climbing population might never climb outdoors. Which I think is just a tragedy."

I don't think it's a tragedy that most people may not want to climb outdoors. The outdoors is less accessible, it's messier, it's more dangerous. Let people stay inside. Then this guy - and me - can have the outdoors more to ourselves.

His main complaint seems to be that mountaineering isn't sexy anymore. That the media wants action shots of people wearing very little clothing. Duh!

It's easier to get action shots of beautiful people doing outdoor activities if the road is very close to where they are activating. Mountains are harder to get to than the seashore.

And this quote intriques me: "Because it seems like it’s just a handful of people, predominantly men, doing something that’s increasingly less relevant, year by year. But that doesn’t mean I love it any less."

When was climbing ever relevant? Maybe it was relevant for the first people to climb into the mountains to look for game or to find new pastures for their herd animals. Or, to find a pass to get over the mountains to more productive and/or safer ground on the other side. Or, to pick up some stone tablets with about 10 rules on them.

Why should anyone else be interested in climbing? Why should it be covered in the media? If you like doing it, do it. If you like climbing outdoors with all the hazards, thrills and feelings of accomplishment, do it. If you like climbing indoors, do that.

(H.T. to Lisa)

Essentials For Mountain Travel

Here is what Will Gadd carries at the minimum whenever he goes into the mountains:

"Below is my 'minimalist' mandatory gear; yes, fire starters and many other things are nice, but this is what I think I need to survive and/or start a rescue in almost any mountain range around the world. Also note that the pack itself has to be light; if your pack is over two pounds 'naked' then it needs to go on a diet; all of the below weighs less than three pounds total, so when I grab my pack for the day off the wall it should weigh less than 5 pounds before food, water, etc."

He also reviews a new product from Sterling called the Hollow Block.

Invisible Helmet

Would you bike with a wide collar that turns into a helmet when you fall? I don't think I'd pay the money just to prevent my hairdo from being mashed down.

Reel Rock Film Festival 2012

A trailer from the Reel Rock Film festival coming to Mpls on Sept 13-14th.

A Fairly Lovely Place To Visit

An article about hiking and climbing in the Dolomites of Italy. Looks fairly nice. I liked this quote:

"The region’s mountain refuges are also reachable without hiking for miles as lots of them have cable cars which take you close by."

Plus, she meets James Bond's stunt double.

It’s A Jungle In The Climbing Gym

An accurate - if slightly exaggerated – description of a climbing gym. I liked this quote:

“The climbing gym is the watering hole: a place where all the little creatures of our climbing kingdom come to frolic, play, swagger, sashay, find mates and throw feces. It’s a meat market. A dojo. Occasionally, a dance club. A training ground. A proving ground. A one-upping ground.”

And this one:

“I always feel funny taking the Belay Test…. I hate it when people watch me do anything, especially something that I could do in my sleep …

Meanwhile, a designated gym employee monitors you, absolutely basking in this rare moment of power like he’s the cop, and you are the illegal immigrant with a pocket full of llello.

If you try to do something ‘weird’, like tie in with a double bowline or belay left-handed, it throws the tester into a fit that won’t stop until you do something that looks familiar to him. And you just have to do what he says because it’s easier than arguing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t tip the balance of power by screwing with the tester.”

Living In A.N.W.R.

This movie describes the life of a family who lives in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge north of the Arctic Circle.

Grillin' At VE

Thanks to Jeff N. at VES, we had a grillin' today. Here's a photo of the actual grilling:

Here are Killer and Eric comparing their Vegas climbing souvenirs:

Rappelling Advice

Here's lots of good advice from Will Gadd on how to rappel safely. I liked this quote:

"I suspect that the reason so many climbers view rappelling as dangerous is that so many climbers rappel dangerously. In caving very few people die rappelling down into the cave;"

When To Use Lightweight 'Biners

Black Diamond discusses the differences in 'biners and when to use lightweight 'biners vs regular weight ones. For example,

"It's true the Oz is a super-light biner at one ounce (hence the name), but is it the right choice for your sport climbing draws?  Sure, if you're doing a multipitch sport route in the Canadian Rockies, or going for a hard, 22-draw onsight, go for it.  But for a workhorse sport climbing carabiner, it's probably not the best choice. Why? In order to get the weight out of these lightweight biners, manufacturers are removing material, and though ultimately all carabiners are strong and meet all CE requirements, less material can mean a few things.  The smaller size makes is slightly harder to clip. There can be less material in the spine, which makes it more susceptible to bending if loaded over an edge, and there oftentimes is less material on the rope-bearing surface, which means whippers are harder on your rope."

Fire Rainbows

I have never seen a "fire rainbow" - more properly called iridescent clouds - but they sure are purty. More info here. 

The More You Travel, The Less You See

After 23 years and 500,000 miles of travel, Gunther Holtorf says, "The more you have traveled, the more you realize how little you have seen." More info here.

“Monkey With Hair”

Yesterday I was climbing the arch at VE St. Paul, and a little girl said, “He looks like a monkey with hair.” I probably looked like this to her.

Kloofing A Gorge

A variation of canyoneering, kloofing is jumping into pools of water instead of rappelling.

"Trail description:

This route is more of a swim than a hike. The main attractions include spectacular canyon scenery and lovely waterfalls. The highest jump on this route is 14m. It's for the brave, as daring leaps of seven or eight metres down waterfalls are compulsory. You must be willing to swim in cold water and not be afraid of heights. Remember, once in, the only way you're going to get out of this section of the Riviersonderend mountains is via some gravity-defying jumps and scrambles."

I Am A Fan Of Red Bull

I don't drink the stuff, but I do buy it and then throw it away so they will continue to sponsor activities like this.