Hounds Ears

Post by **absolutsugarsmurf** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:08 am

I know a lot of you on here boulder in and around Boone, NC so maybe someone can clear this up for me:

I visited Hounds Ears for the Triple Crown this past weekend. It was made very clear that Hounds Ears is only open to climbing one day a year. However, on more than one occasion I heard people (usually those hosting the comp or judging) comment on how the problems would be so much better to climb in just a week. Additionally, the problems were way to clean to have only been climbed on once a year. People are obviously bouldering here on a routine basis, not just once a year as the CCC and Triple Crown organizers claim.

So what's the deal? I know people are climbing there routinely. But that is not the story that is told publicly. It really feels like we are being played as fools. A privileged few enjoy unlimited access and un-crowded boulders, and are happy preserving the status quo while the rest of us are left to shell out $50 just to climb with 500 others for 7 hours once a year.

Post by **pigsteak** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:10 am

welcome to the liberal farce.....save mine, and screw all y'all.

Post by **Wes** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:18 am

The climbers have a few clean up days during the year, where they spend a few hours cleaning, then a few hours bouldering. Also, there is a couple ways to get to climb there legally outside the comp, but mostly you have to know someone who lives there. And, yes there is probably plenty of poaching as well. Climbers suck when it comes to respecting the landowners.

Post by **Toy** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:35 am

welcome to the conservative farce.....save mine, and screw all y'all

Exactly

Post by **TankAzz** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:41 pm

the boulders are cleaned and the problems are taped/labeled prior to the comp as well... that's probably part of why they looked so clean

Post by **Josephine** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:10 pm

if you want to climb there any time you want, all you need to do is purchase one of the homes there. then you get free access.

Post by **drifter** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:12 pm

Many people (myself included) spent Friday marking problems, cleaning holds, moving downed trees off of trails etc. Part of the marking of problems was to chalk holds so people had some idea of where problems go.

If you live there or own a house in Hound Ears or stay there as part of a vacation, you can climb there legitimately.

What's sort of scary is to walk the boulderfield before the comp and afterward and see the incredible amount of impact just a single day has on the place.

Post by **absolutsugarsmurf** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:22 am

Drifter, I was thinking about the huge impact the comp created in just one day and was debating with myself which would cause more damage: a few boulderers every day/weekend or the massive crowd of the Triple Crown Event. Personally, I had to make a conscience effort to balance my frenzied desire to want to boulder as much as possible as fast as possible with the responsibility of sticking to marked trails, taking time to pick up trash, etc. The nature of a comp exacerbates this, leading me to believe that a managed plan similar to that of Torrent Falls would be accepted over comp format climbing if land preservation was of paramount concern to the land owners while still allowing some climbing.

Observing that effect, and considering that Hounds Ears is a golf club, which traditionally are horrible land stewards ( lawn fertilizers, destruction of natural habitat), and considering the ecological footprint of those McMansions in the neighborhood, I feel that keeping out climbers is more about class warfare than about land stewardship. Knowing now that climbing is open to those who live and vacation in the area further reinforces this conclusion. Another nail in the coffin is hearing that may of the judges and organizers of the comp have â€œinsâ€

Post by **Wes** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:32 am

Or maybe the people that pay the big bucks for those houses would rather not have to deal with open access to climbers? Just look at rocktown as an example of what they can expect: Speeding, dogs running around off leash, drug and alcohol use, etc. They would just about have to hire an additional guard just to start to manage it. It is private land, so maybe respecting the wishes of the landowners would be the right thing to do? They own it, and if they want to climb, or to invite people to climb, that is their right. Sack up and buy a house, or climb at one of the other amazing boulder fields that are open to the public. Personally, I like g'mom way, way more then HE.

Post by **Andrew** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:41 am

Smurf, you are wrong, wes is right. End of story.

This is what it sounds like to me.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... its not fair that people who have been climbing 15+ years and who have been spending 15+ years building relationships and aquiring access get to climb at hound ears. I deserve to climb there when ever I want despite the fact I haven't done anything. Its not fair... whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...