Enough with the TICK MARKS already

Post by **mantra51** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:14 am

amen! What if theres doozle all over the place and you want to let the next climbers know where its smeared on the worst? Ill take chalk over doozle any day.

Post by **Meadows** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:54 pm

chriss wrote:
marathonmedic wrote:Chalk is an argueable necessity. Tick marks are not.
If you have such a problem with tick marks, instead of bitching about it don't get on the route, or brush them while lowering. Then your problem will be solved and we won't have to listen to you whine about tickmarks anymore.

I second that.

Post by **Sunshine** » Tue May 31, 2005 1:58 pm

Much easier to whine than to actually do something.

Post by **chriss** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:24 pm

Sunshine wrote:Much easier to whine than to actually do something.

That is very true for most people.

Post by **marathonmedic** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:43 pm

marathonmedic wrote:I've tried brushing them but they just fade a bit.

Seriously, if you feel the urge to mark something, tape it. A piece of tape comes off very easily and you can clean the route on the way down after your send.

Post by **Wes** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:46 pm

marathonmedic wrote:
marathonmedic wrote:I've tried brushing them but they just fade a bit.
Seriously, if you feel the urge to mark something, tape it. A piece of tape comes off very easily and you can clean the route on the way down after your send.

No. I will keep on ticking hold that I feel I need to. And you and the other climbing theriost's that make it down every couple weekends for a couple years then fade away can kiss my ass.

Post by **Meadows** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:49 pm

Wes, calm down ... the boy is accustomed to climbing where the holds are taped. He doesn't know any better.

Post by **chriss** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:06 pm

marathonmedic wrote:
marathonmedic wrote:I've tried brushing them but they just fade a bit.
Seriously, if you feel the urge to mark something, tape it. A piece of tape comes off very easily and you can clean the route on the way down after your send.

I guess if you feel such a need for tape you should stay in the gym, and I would laugh my ass off if I saw you taping a route outside.

Seriously, if you have a problem don't climb it. Maybe if you put as much effort in your brushing as your bitching, the tick marks would have come off.

By the way, I have no problem putting a little tick mark on a hold, and usually do when I am working routes. Sometimes I will brush them off, but most times I never think of it.

Post by **meetVA** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:30 pm

wow RRC going agro.
i interpreted marathonmedics comments as a way to "tick" a route without then polluting it for every other climber following afterwards.

i don't think he was saying he needed to tick it for himself. i think he was just trying to not think solely about himself. obviously he was mistaken if he was trying to be considerate. don't do it again marathon, never ever!

Post by **marathonmedic** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:40 pm

Yeah, taping sounds silly but what's the difference between that and putting a tick mark on a hold? At least the tape comes off.

Seems like I'm being outposted here so I'll make these last points and drop the issue. If you're going to tick, please do it responsibly. Tick marks on the crimps of Tissue Tiger, I can understand that since they just highlight which part of the chalk rail is useful. But when obviously good holds on a route are ticked it takes away from the experience of climbing a route for the first time for everyone who comes after. And when a series of good holds are ticked one after another, it's just like climbing in the gym again.

There was a thread about unsolicited beta (http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4770) where the majority of people said they either didn't want beta or only wanted it when they needed it. Turning around and seeing a line of tick marks in your face comes pretty close to someone shouting beta.

I know what I say isn't going to stop ticking and some people will continue to tick what they feel is necessary. Fine. I can accept that. But if this thread cuts down on the size of the tick marks as well as some of the "unnecessary" ones, I think it will have served it's original purpose. Look at Wes and his brushing campaign. It's been a bit of a struggle, but I've heard of people that now carry brushes and clean routes, myself included.

We always leave traces of our activities behind. Chalk on holds, trails, etc. But please remember that many, many more people will be following you on the rock and try to leave as little trace as possible.