RRC Archives

After we are all fit with non-removable RFID tags keeping track of who is where and delivering punishment will be a no brainer. Who knows when that will happen though.

Variation in Environmental Impact at Rock Climb Areas in Red River Gorge Geological Area and Adjacent Clifty Wilderness, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky - Carr, Christopher - Degree - MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Geography, 2007.

Abstract
Rock climbing surged in popularity in the 80’s and 90’s, leading to ecological impacts. This study developed a procedure manual and measured the impact at 16 climb areas, totaling 241 climbs. Mapping showed the impact at the base of the cliff is composed of lines and nodes. The lines are the access trails; the nodes are areas of impact that form at the base of climbs. Because the process is similar to campsite formation, the cliff base nodes are called climbsites. A model to predict climb impact was developed using multiple regression. Sport climbs had nearly three times as much impact as traditional climbs, as well as a different set of predictive factors. Overall, climbing impacted 0.01% of the area and 0.4% of the cliffline of the study area. Climbing causes little avoidable damage; so impact reduction efforts should focus on site hardening and actions to spatially concentrate climbing activities.

pigsteak wrote:why else would the Lode always be busy?

- high concentration of routes 12a and above, and as long as you and you're partners can get up an 11, there'll be something for everyone to (perhaps wait in line to) climb there
- easy to find and relatively short approach
- stays dry in the rain
- some routes get sun, some routes get shade, so you can pick a seasonal project
- fixed gear on a lot of the routes = low commitment level
- if you don't really want to climb with someone, you can tell them to meet you at the Lode, and then go somewhere else and pretend you were on the opposite side of the cliff the whole day looking for them (I've used this trick on Andrew and it totally works)

pigsteak wrote:why else would the Lode always be busy?

Because 90% of the routes are amazing and clean, unlike all the chossy, licheny piles at our new crags!