emphasis addedTorrent Falls wrote:To the Climbing Community,
Due to continued and flagrant disrespect of the Torrent Falls Rules, climbing is now closed and will remain closed. This family regrets that so many climbers have shown such disrespect to the land and this family that we are forced to take this action.
The Via Ferrata will remain open.
Guests staying at the Torrent Cabins and Rooms will be the only climber's permitted to climb at Torrent.
To the individuals that have shown their respect, we are sorry. We have made some great friends and we hope you will continue to stop by and say hello.
Mark Meyer, Owner
let's try not to hijack this thread..Torrent Falls wrote:I have to respond to some of our family decisions. People do not live here and therefore do not understand. I have allowed climber's to climb on the property for eight years. The first three to four years, the climbing community was smaller, more friendly. They helped my father-in-law, stopped and talked to the owners, and respected the wishes of the owners. These climbers still exist and I know them. But when The Red became mainstream, there has been an influx of more climbers. The more I see, the more inconsiderate are the people. This crag has become numb to what allowed the climbing in the first place.
I raised hell about disrespect just before Roctoberfest. People were not abiding by the Rules. They still do not, so we closed sport and traditional climbing. What I feel climbers should think about is (1) why should I even have to post these rules, they are simple and just plain respect for your neighbor. If I have to post these rules, where does the problem lie. (2) What if this was your property. I used to get people that would be courteous, property friendly, and last but not least: human.
Just a couple of examples: Weekend before last, there was a dog tied up all day beside the van under the No Dog sign.
This past week: The worst impact was on Wednesday. I was showing friends around the property (Our Bridesmaind in our wedding, here husband and here 14 year old daughter). There is a female climb to the left of Paranoia pissing in my yard, under the rock house, in front of all of us. First of all, I put in my yard a Port-o-let, for the climbing community. This female was too damn lazy to walk down the hill and use it. Secondly, she is pissing under the rock house where the rain will not remove her sweet smelling urine (respect for the property). And lastly, I did not need to walk up on this with my friends. What can you say: "Oh that is just a climber, just ignore it" (Respect for owner and family).
Then there was a different female climber that let her dog out to go do it's business in my yard and put it back in her van before she was going to climb. She was dismissed from the property Then there was another group of climbers who brought their dog and let it out that same day to do it's business in my yard. What part of No Dogs do people not understand.
Like I say, I do not have to get angry or have friends and family embarrassed by the actions of climbers. I know there is a great community out there. Maybe, this community can or maybe they cannot educate young, inconsiderate people. I do not have to wory about it, I tried since this spring.
With that said, it is not an economic desicion. It is a decision based on human decency.
The other issue was a guy that was guiding on my property this weekend. He did not have the courtesy to ask, and they did not donate. I was there. He asked his clients (5 or 6 of them) if they had money to donate. They said no. That tells you something about guides educating their clients to the rules of a private crag. Someone ended up in thowing in spare change they had. So for a couple of quarters this guy made money and was quite arrogant with me, the owner
I am tired of typing, but I can go on. So the individuals that do not see what is going on should open their eyes. Maybe, because they do not own the property, and this the mind-set of being privalaged (sp?) instead of having the privelage to climb creates this thought process.
I do not have to get angry anymore.
My Best, and I still love people. I am a firm believer in Treating Others and You Want To Be Treated. To the girl who pissed in my backyard in front of my family and friends, may this come back to you ten-fold. Mark