Zoe Bartlome 6th

Rock Climbing VS The Environment

Part of the thrill of rock climbing is the sense of pride that comes from completing a route
that you first thought impossible. Rock climbing symbolizes freedom, adventure, and courage.
There is great risk, pain, and difficulty that comes with this sport. The endorphins released
from physical exertion and the mood boosting effects of achieving goals make it addicting, and
climbers become completely obsessed.
In discussions of rock climbing, one controversial issue has been the effect it has on the
environment. On the one hand, many environmentalists argue that rock climbing leaves a
negative impact on the environment. On the other hand, rock climbers argue that the
environmental impact is minimal as long as they practice good ethics. My own view is that rock
climbing does have an effect on the environment. That is inevitable. However, the environment
is for everyones enjoyment, both those that want to enjoy it through vision only and those that
want a more hands on experience. Throughout this essay I am going to discuss some of the
negative effects rock climbing may have on the environment and how they can be minimized.
First, what is rock climbing? I think we all know, or assume, its the ascent up a rock,
mountain, or wall. But how does one do that? What are the correct techniques and tools used to
climb while leaving the smallest possible effect on the environment? Rock climbing is very
physically and mentally demanding and can be extremely dangerous, and the knowledge of
proper technique is crucial to this sport.
Climbing has always been a very important part of my life. When I was a child, I used to
think I was made for the rock, and nothing could keep me from it. As I have grown older I have
learned how dangerous it can be, and how crucial having knowledge of proper technique and

style really is. Chipping, a rock climbing technique that uses a hammer and chisel to create
artificial hand-holds on natural rock, is a huge ethical problem among the climbing industry.
Not too long ago I went climbing with a group of my friends. We all had tons of fun
racing and helping talk each other through each individual hold. Sometimes we would reach
extremely difficult sections of rock that seemed impossible to ascend, but we looked at it is a
challenge. One that we were going to conquer. There was this one route that looked completely
flat, with hardly any holds that you could see, it required many technical climbing maneuvers, it
was very hard. As our hands would get clammy and tired, we would slip. It took a lot of time
and motivation, but reaching the top rewarded us with the best feeling of pride and
accomplishment. No matter how difficult the route, how few hand holds we could find, or how
impossible it seemed, my friends and I never chipped the rock or tried altering it in anyway.
We have gone back many times to climb that route, and we enjoy being able to practice
the talents and skills we have developed. I would be very upset if someone chipped the rock and
created holds to make it easier for themselves. Like I said before, in my mind the rock is a
challenge. It formed the way it did and I am going to tackle it and beat it the way it was made. I
can't bring it down to my level first and go tell people with pride that I accomplished something.
Now, one may argue that chipping allows people with less experience to gain experience
with less risk. If for some reason the route is impossible for an inexperienced climber, it may not
be for a better climber, and it would not be fair to ruin the challenge. So, as one may ask, is
chipping ethical or not? How does one even determine what is or is not ethical? Is there a
correct answer? Paul Nelson, in The History and Future of Climbing Style and Ethics, answers
this question for us by saying, Style is how we approach each individual climb, and ethics are
how we affect the rock for others. Intentional manufacturing of routes is seen as bad ethics for

moderately skilled climbers simply getting to the top is not enough. How one gets there
matters.
My opinion as a climber is that chipping is not okay. It is a form of cheating, as well as,
detrimental to the environment. An inexperienced climber can find an easier route and save the
harder one for a better climber without changing the natural state of the rock, or use correct
safety gear to help them through the more difficult one. Also, difficult routes help climbers
develop important technical climbing skills. If they just simplify the route it doesnt help them
learn as many skills that they would otherwise have learned, limiting their abilities.
One of the most used arguments against chipping is that as climbers try to push their
limits and reach their full potential through more difficult challenges, chipped routes diminish
the difficulty and ruin a route that could have been interesting to a more experienced climber. A
big emphasis is put on the fact that there is a limited amount of rock in the world and it is
impossible to put a rock back to its natural state after manufacturing it. I think about my route,
the one my friends and I go back to repeatedly, and how upset I would be if someone had altered
it. We would never be able to put it back to the way it was, and I find that a really selfish thing
for a person to do.
This leads me to the next question. Is the use of bolts, a permanent anchor fixed into a
hole drilled in the rock as a form of protection, ethical? Now this is something I have a lot of
experience with. There are always many bolts on every route I have ever climbed. They are
used for a climber to clip themselves into in case of a fall and are simply for protection. They do
not change the rock or the route, but many people find them unsightly and get upset at their
appearance. Many others, as stated in Adventure and Sport Physiology, object to adding fixed
gear and changing the essential nature of climbing.

Sport climbing, the correct term for the form of rock climbing that relies on permanent
anchors fixed to the rock for protection, has had a huge impact on rock climbing. It has helped
many of the top climbing athletes develop their skills and physical attributes. Once these bolts
are in, they remain there to be used by countless other climbers. They began to be permanently
placed in the 1980s throughout difficult sections of rock so one could climb those sections in
relative safety. This practice led to many new cliff faces being climbed and explored, changing
the sport of climbing and the participants involved tremendously.
There have been many times that I have been climbing and not been able to find
somewhere to hold onto, or my hands become extremely tired and sweaty, causing me to slip.
Anchors have saved my life, and not only my life, but many other peoples lives as well. One day
I was climbing a very difficult route and my foot got stuck in one of the cracks in the rock that I
was using as support. I couldn't get it out of the crack and became very scared. I started moving
my foot in circles and wiggling it as much as possible. Finally, I managed to slip my foot out of
my shoe, but as I kept climbing I came to an even more difficult stretch of rock. There weren't
any holes in reach, so I had to jump and try to grab the only one I could see. I was slightly too
short and barely missed it. I slipped and my whole body abruptly fell. I swung about 10 feet and
slammed into the side of the mountain. If I hadnt been hooked onto an anchor I would have
fallen all the way down, and sustained many more injuries. I shook off the pain of hitting the
rock and continued climbing until I reached the top. I now have the pride to say that I
accomplished that climb. I didnt bring it down to my level, but I had anchors there to keep me
safe, and I was able to test my body's limits and see the kind of potential I have.
So then, are anchors one of the factors playing into the negative effect climbing has on
the environment? Richard Knight, a professor of wildlife biology at Colorado State University,

insists that Anchors in no way, shape, or form are affecting biodiversity. He goes on to say
that there is no way a climber can climb without affecting plant or vertebrate communities.
One of the problems is that the peak climbing season temporally, seasonally, and spatially
overlaps with the fruit and flowering season for plants and the breeding season for birds. He
concludes that Education and appropriate stewardship are what its all about. Managing
thousands of climbers would be nearly impossible. Therefore, it is really important that they are
aware, and understand, that what they are doing may be harmful to wildlife. They need to be
willing to follow the Leave No Trace guidelines.
The Wikimedia Foundation insists that, As more climbers join the sport, the
environmental impact of climbing increases. Without clean climbing practices, techniques such
as chipping have been shown to possibly compromise areas where climbing takes place.
Common environmental damages from climbing include: soil erosion, chalk accumulation,
litter, abandoned bolts and ropes, human excrement, introduction of foreign plants through seeds
on shoes and clothing, and damage to native plant species, especially those growing in cracks
and on ledges as these are often intentionally removed during new route development through a
process commonly referred to as cleaning.
Research done in a popular California climbing area, Joshua tree National Park, found
that both the number of plant species and the number of individual plants growing on cliffs has
decreased with climbing use. As stated in the Oxford Journal on the Controversy Over Use of
Rock-climbing Anchors May be Missing, most climbers understand the importance of wildlife
plant and animal preservation, as their love for nature and the outdoors is what gets them out
there climbing in the first place. Most climbers make the necessary provisions in order to
minimize the impact they have on the climbing area.

Climbing guidelines were formed by many environmental organizations in order to

safeguard the environment. Climbers are expected to support these guidelines which include the
following: respect the vehicle parking rules, follow established trails, follow the leave no trace
principle, avoid aggressive cleaning of the area, and respect all stay out areas. It is important
that we all realize and are able to accept that every type of outdoor recreational activity will
leave some sort of impact on the environment and on the experiences of others.
Paul Nelson states that, Although we have not, and probably will never resolve many of
the stylistic and ethical subtleties of climbing, just the fact that we think about them is important.
All of us need to remember that there is a balance to pushing this sport forward while leaving the
rock and its environment in better shape than it was before. In conclusion, as I suggested
earlier, there doesnt seem to be an easy answer. Environmentalists and climbers must work together to
make the beauty of nature available for all to enjoy whether climbing or just gazing. Environmental

groups want to preserve the beauty of the sheer rock faces and the ecosystem around them,
which leads to many controversial issues towards rock climbing. However, as climbers become
educated and use proper equipment and techniques, they should be allowed to also enjoy their
sport while protecting and preserving the beauty around them.
Ultimately, climbing can be whatever the climber wishes it to be; intense or relaxed,
dangerous or safe, competitive or casual. It becomes a reflection of our mood, our personality; it
can help to shape our entire attitude towards life. It has the potential to change us into better
people physically, mentally, and socially. For this reason, rock climbing merits the work it takes
to promote this sport while protecting the environment.