How bad was it?

[twan]

I went out Saturday and didn't see one person at the crag I was at aside from who I was climbing with. Empty all day. Sunday, well I was still feeling Satarday night and got nothing done.

[Josephine]

I heard there were only 28 people in the climbing comp. To me, it seems that it is perhaps unreasonable to close down Sore Heel for that small of a group increasing the resulting crowding at many other crags.

The RRGCC did not close sore heal for the climbing comp. We will never close climbing for any reason. We did close the parking lot to non-competitors. You were welcome to hike in from the lode or drive by lots and climb and not compete. You can do that next year too if you want to hike.

[dustonian]

I think what Ian is getting at is that for many visitors to the Red, this point was not abundantly clear, leading to overflowing crags at other areas such as Muir that receive no direct benefit from Rocktoberfest. In my experiences driving the shuttle and talking to visitors at the registration desk over the last few years, the majority of RF attendees visit Muir at least one day over the weekend. It seems that an informational desk for Friends of Muir Valley (much like the Access Fund's) explaining the difference between Muir, the PMRP (to say nothing of the DBNF!) would be a great gesture towards addressing this issue.

[captain static]

When I drove down to help manage the comp parking about 9:15am there was not one car parked at the Lode. It was a slow morning. Later a number of people blew by headed to Drive By/Bob Marley. Several people going to the comp parked at the bottom of the hill anyways. Plenty of people park at the Lode or at the top of the hill and walk these days. I helped a lost group get to the Chocolate Factory. After 11:30am we stopped managing traffic to Sore Heel.

[stix]

for what it's worth (very little i'm sure)....it takes almost the exact same amount of time to drive to sore heel as it does to walk the flat, beautiful trail in from the lode lot.

[clif]

I think what Ian is getting at is that for many visitors to the Red, this point was not abundantly clear, leading to overflowing crags at other areas such as Muir that receive no direct benefit from Rocktoberfest. In my experiences driving the shuttle and talking to visitors at the registration desk over the last few years, the majority of RF attendees visit Muir at least one day over the weekend. It seems that an informational desk for Friends of Muir Valley (much like the Access Fund's) explaining the difference between Muir, the PMRP (to say nothing of the DBNF!) would be a great gesture towards addressing this issue.

i agree, this issue is mostly about Muir and the need to communicate clearly.

from the rrgcc.org site

If you haven’t burned yourself out on Friday or stayed up too late driving from the far reaches of the east or west, throw all the juice you have left at the Black Diamond sponsored Clip-n-Go Climbing Comp in the PMRP. Yes, you are special so the PMRP is yours while you pull down and try to win some of the best gear BD has to offer. Be sure to pre-register for the comp.. if you forget, though, show up Saturday morning at the venue and leave time to drive to the PMRP by the comp start, 9am. At 4pm, it’s pencils down and we’ll head back to the venue for grub and gear. We will be offering a shuttle back to the venue after the comp but it will be first come, first serve.

[pigsteak]

ten deep for a climb? what is wrong with people?

[dustonian]

For some reason, Phantasia remains the most overused (& under-loved) crag in the Red... I went there on Rebolt the Red day to replace a bad bolt on Pogue Ethics & basically had to fight off the gumby hordes with a stick clip...

[stix]

For some reason

short approach+easy routes+twinkie=crowds

[doogievlg]

I blew my load on all the start holds on Military and Left flank Tuesday night before all the gumbies got there. I think I left my evolv cock ring there if anyone finds it let me know.