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Last week I heard a rumor that Torrent would be closing for good after this weekend. Upon hearing this I thought that the statement was a rumor and nothing more. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I feel that the closing of Torrent is a great loss for the climbing community and I will miss climbing there very much.

I haven't been climbing all that long in the gorge, but one of the places that I've frequented is Torrent Falls. I spent many weekends there this summer and while I was there, everyone I encountered was on their best behavior. There were some curse word dropped but guess what, this is the real world and stuff like that happens. It’s a crag, not Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Every time I climbed at Torrent, I paid my $2 and tried really hard to be good and so did a bunch of other people. What about them? What about the people that followed the rules and were still stripped of their privileges? I understand that Torrent is private land and Mark can do whatever he wants with it, but why make demands and expect absolute perfection? There is always going to be one guy who screws things up for everyone else and you have to realize that. Believe it or not, I am thankful that Torrent remained open as long as it did but I will not pretend to be happy about its closure.

Concerning what Chris stated earlier, I agree with him completely and like him, I will take my business to places that really are climber friendly.

Michael

Saxman wrote:

I used to say that climbers were more intelligent than the population as a whole.

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I have never thought that. Nevertheless, denigrating the intelligence of the general population is something that is practiced by the dumbest.

ZSpiddy

michaelzr2 wrote:

I feel that the closing of Torrent is a great loss for the climbing community and I will miss climbing there very much.

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Hey! You can still climb there. Rent a cabin.

ZSpiddy

michaelzr2 wrote:

It’s a crag, not Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.

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Haha! Good way of putting it.

ZSpiddy

Zspider wrote:... denigrating ....

ZSpiddy

who you callin' a nigrat cracka?

Thanks for letting us climb there, Mark and Family. I'll especially miss Windy Corner. That's one of the best crack climbs in the Red.

I'd be tempted now to stay in a cabin just to have the whole crag to myself. That would be sweet!

Being a realist is not dumb. The general public denigrates itself every day, more so on election day with our less than 50% turn outs. BTW, there is a button beside every post on here labelled quote. You might try that the next time so you don't get lopped in with the plebeians.

Saxman wrote:...plebeians....

who you callin a plee bee, patricius crackus?

It has become very apparent that the climbing community has changed considerably in recent years.

Those of us that have been around for a while can attest to this. It used to be a relatively small group of close knitted freaks that policed themselves to some extent. However, do to the large increase in numbers in the Red and (boy am I gonna catch hell for this one) young, immature punks, reaching the entire climbing community is much more of a challenge.

Mark and Kathy's continued problems at Torrent are just a prime example of this. Perhaps our mainstream mags ie. Climbing and Rock and Ice . . . should be doing a better job of addressing access issues such as the one with Torrent.

Additionally climbing gyms should be doing more to educate the people using their faciiities. Bottom line is that it is our fault. Where is Ed Mank when you need him?

Having said that I am deeply disappointed that Mark and Kathy closed Torrent. And while I do respect their decision I also think that it will negatively impact their business. I am sure they have thought of this and closed it because the pros outweighed the cons.

Mark,
In light of the close minded and self serving posts such as your not a climber friendly business and folks vowing to take their business elsewhere, please consider yourself vindicated. Why you suffered these rude, immature, and selfish brats so long is a testament to your support for the local climbing community and your patience of these petulant and entitled children.
I am looking forward to climbing on the Teen Wall without these spoiled whiners ruining it for everyone.