Future of the red?

[philip171]

I was talking to a friend about it the other day, sounds like the red is getting really over used. I say the old harold librials artical today dident help much eather. Funny how any time some one wants to complane about the climbing down there they go to half moon and look at the drunk sport rappelers go zooming down with there beers.
Any thoughts on what the future might hold? The past few times we were at roadside, it was packed out.

[ynot]

There are 3 or 4 crags that are overused. The rest of them dont see that much traffic.

[Eagleman]

there are soooo many crags in the red, most climbers only know a few of them, (ie...roadside, torrent, military, left flank,...) there are so many more crags in the southern region and in the actual red river gorge (most of the climbing at the red is not actually in the gorge)

[KD]

there's lots of room to climb if you look and don't follow the crowds.

[SCIN]

We climbed at The Darkside today and yesterday. Yesterday there were 3 of us. Today there were 5 of us from Lexington plus another couple from California. I would hardly call that packed out. Just go somewhere else if the crag you're at is too crowded.

[young'n climber]

But think about it SCIN, theres only one moderate climb at Darkside, the rest are 12a and up. So Darkside would probably never be crowded.

[Guest]

I agree with SCIN. Eff the crowds. We climbed at Pebble Beach yesterday and there was only our small group and one other couple there.

[Wicked Tribe]

Funny how any time some one wants to complane about the climbing down there they go to half moon and look at the drunk sport rappelers go zooming down with there beers.

It seemed to me that the article was more favorable to climbers than some other user groups. BUt truth be told, usually we get lumped in with the sport rappellers because the general public doens't really know the difference.

[Steve]

Climbed at Purple Valley yesterday, it was just Jill, me, and several folks down on Big Amos cuttin' down trees with a chainsaw.

I've said it once, I'll say it again...If the parking area or crag itself is too crowded then go somewhere else. If you drive past the Martin's Fork parking lot and it is full don't squeeze your rig into the ditch, go up to Left Flank and complain about the crowds...just drive on to an uncrowded area. Sure this might put a crip in your plans to send To Defy The Laws of Tradition, but hey its a hunk of rock, it ain't going anywhere, it'll be there next week, and the week after.

Lately I've been feeling guilty for going to some of the more popular crags. The base of places like Fortress or Purple Valley are getting so worn out I feel bad for even chucking my pack down. It makes me sad to go to Roadside and see the base below Motha and FFD slumping off down the hill. I guess we all just need to beaware of whats going on (mot of us around here are) and try and limit our impacts.

As for the HL article, that was nothing but good pub for the problems in Gorge. Let's face it, the place is popular and it not going to change. The whole idea of the FS using LAC to manage the area means each and every user has a say in the overall use and management of the RRG (including the Indian Creek area). The newspaper story, and the one that aired last nite on CH 36 (shameless self promotion!) does nothing but educate folks as to whats ups. While you might feel that climbers are lumped into the party camping-drunk sport rappeling groups, the FS knows the score. As for the paper feel free to write a letter to the editor explaining the difference in climbng and rappeling and tell them the photo ledgend for the front page picture was wrong.

[superjen]

Lately I've been feeling guilty for going to some of the more popular crags. The base of places like Fortress or Purple Valley are getting so worn out I feel bad for even chucking my pack down. It makes me sad to go to Roadside and see the base below Motha and FFD slumping off down the hill. I guess we all just need to beaware of whats going on (most of us around here are) and try and limit our impacts.

Great Point I get really sick of seeing empty water bottles left by a crag. The problem is, probably most of us who read this site and these posts know how NOT to leave a trace behind us. But I think anytime we see someone do something like leave trash, tromp around and alter the landscape, etc, something ought to be nicely mentioned to them, that other people use the area.