Mess in the Attic

[cory]

To the schmuck that left the marks right of Quiet in/on the Attic:

What is wrong with you? What made you think that placing athletic tape tick-marks or lanes on the cliff was a good idea? Cochrane lane is not a gym. I think it goes without saying that this is not acceptable by local ethic, but apparently you have completely misssed that point. So here it is in black and white:

THE ADHESIVE TAPING OF ROUTES IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Leave no trace, right? Back out what you pack in, right? Glueing and chipping is not acceptable, right? So get your half-brain in gear, and march up there NOW before the rain peels them off and we've got a whole other mess to deal with.

Cory

[Adam]

holy crap R U SERIOUS??! that's ridiculous.

[cory]

I wish I wasn't...
The standard reply among those of us who've seen it has become "could I make this up?"

Cory

[*Chris*]

That just made my whole day. Thanks.

[Fred]

Dude you gota see it in person. It's like painted lines on the highway. No joke! At first I thought they were tick marks for a seequence then I took a few steps back and could see an obvious corridor showing taped boundaries like a police chalk outline delimiting the contrived line.

I'm assuming this is Andrew's new line on the Attic. He mentioned to me this weekend he was cleaning something around there. There was a description in the sign-in book for a new line with 4 bolts and a rap station.

[martha]

I'm assuming this is Andrew's new line on the Attic. He mentioned to me this weekend he was cleaning something around there. There was a description in the sign-in book for a new line with 4 bolts and a rap station.

First of all... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

4 bolts? next to Quiet? uhhh..... isn't that a bit of overkill? That whole wall right of Quiet no more than 20ft high. Quiet has 2 bolts and anything right should have no more I wouldn't think.

Okay... so wtf... taped walls? Fred told me about this last night. Seems to me if you have to tape a line for people to follow then perhaps you aren't following the path of least resistance or the most obvious line?

[STeveA]

Taped holds on rock would be a first for me. Anyone got any pictures? At least it is an easy fix to remove unlike chopping bolts in the old days.

[martha]

Well, this explains it.


I take it that the 'route boundary' outlined by green in the drawing is where the tape is?

[martha]

As a side note.... I do have to say kudos to Andrew for taking the time to clean a route etc. It is hard work and praise should be given for his motivation.

However, there are some local ethics/standards to be followed.

[cory]

I don't think this is the same route, Fred.

There was a description in the sign-in book for a new line with 4 bolts and a rap station

There's a solid tree at the top, it's maybe 20 feet, with a protectable (ie 1 pad) landing, and the soil at the top is solid and far enough from the lip to top out. This is a boulder problem which I remember doing in sneakers with Zig and others as he warmed up for the attmepted FA of Queit (Which, in my opinion, really should have been kept as a boulder problem or a TR at the most -but that's another discussion altogether!) . -no hardware required, let alone in those quantities.

Andrews route must be elsewhere.

[motanb]

LOL!!! maybe its biodegradable tape???

[Andrew]

Hey guys, ease up.

The tape was put on there temporarily so when I wire-brushed the route, I would keep within the area I wanted to clean. The small pieces of tape are where bolts may go. I was supposed to take it down Monday but it rained and I won't be out there until the weekend.

It's removable and does NO harm to the rock.

My ideas for bolting are ideas. I haven't bolted before. I will be talking to J.Bowles to gain his assitance and input. It may only need 2-3 bolts and a rap station is not necessary as there is a tree.

I do appologize for freaking people out. Didn't realize a temporary tape outline of where I was going to clean the route would be a problem for a week.

Cheer up ppl and climb on

Andrew

[Fred]

The tape was put on there temporarily so when I wire-brushed the route, I would keep within the area I wanted to clean.

????

The wall was scrubbed clean well beyond the limits of the tape.

[Matt Peck]

Sooooo..... That tape crap is still up in the Attic......weeks have passed. Tape on granite. Seriously.

[Adam]

yah but we leave routes up in the gym for months sometimes! haha

[martha]

Yeah, we took pictures. anyone wanna see??

Andrew, now that I have seen it.... the route doesn't really make any sense. you can start directly below your finish very easily. or you can finish directly above your start easily. the 4 ft traverse is really contrived. no offense to your efforts, but you should pick one way or the other as I doubt that anyone will actually follow your intended line.

[Matt Peck]

I really don't care about the route, dude. Wonderful thing about outside is that ya can put up routes wherever you like, but that tape's gotta go buddy. Don't put it up if it can't be removed in a timely fashion. It's just trashy, ya know?
Cheers dude, and good luck with the send.
Matthew.

[Andrew]

My appologies everyone.

I will refrain from sarcastic remarks.

I haven't been out for weeks. I tried to get out a few days ago when I finally had time off my new job but I was stopped by two bear cubs and a mother. I was alone and decided it best to leave.

Martha,

You can't do a whole lot with a 20 foot climb, but I think it's a valid route.
YES the route could go straight up finishing just left of the anchor tree. If you can do it, go for it and call it your route.
YES you could start where my route starts and go straight up instead of over left, but then the route would be crummy and finish into a messy and dangerous area. There is a modest sized loose block up there.

This thread is over. I will remove the tape the next time I'm able to be in Welsford. I'm honestly a little scared now that I've seen the bears and heard about them a few times now. Hiking up alone is fading from my idea of safe now. I'm not a zoologist or master of animals or a Ranger. If I see dangerous animals, I turn around.

Plenty of routes which are much taller traverse a little or alot. There are plenty of other routes in Welsford which are 'in the book' and are terrible. Dirty, convoluted, not followable. I followed a path of "where there were holds". I had a great time climbing the route and made me feel great.

Cudos to all those who have established new routes which go straight up.

Andrew

[STeveA]

If we are lucky the bears and the Falcons wll kill each other and we can have our cliffs back to ourselves. Maybe they can get rid of the Turkey Vultures at the same time. Viva la roche!

[martha]

Andrew, I never suggested that the route wasn't valid. What I was saying is that there is a obvious and climbable line going straight up to the tree. (yes I can climb it, no I don't want your route) without your taped lines there I'm not sure that people will climb your route as you have intended with the traverse. You are right, there are a lot of routes with a traverse in them.... due to lack of holds or an obvious way to continue straight up.

As for the bears... they are more interested in the blueberries than you. So going out climbing alone is perfectly safe.. in terms of wildlife. If you want to camp alone however, I'd be concerned about getting molested by the horses... right Matt?

[Fred]

You can't do a whole lot with a 20 foot climb

I think that is the message they are trying to get accross to you Andrew. Perhaps it's best to just leave the route descritption as "climb the clean face below the tree". I doubt people will follow the suggested path as it is not the natural line.

[vbpad]

but I was stopped by two bear cubs and a mother. I was alone and decided it best to leave.

you should get chuck norris out there to give them a round house kick then they'll leave us alone

[Matt Peck]

Respect, Cara.
I'd rather have horses than bears.
Cheers Andrew, Glad you're handling things. Sorry for restarting the chain of abuse, but I wanted to be sure that the tape was on your "to do" list.
See everybody this weekend.
Mattthew.

[Andrew]

We're all friends here, it's all good. I think I'm gonna be out Sunday but if anyone is out near that route in the attic and wants to take the tape down in case I can't get out... GOFURIT

I'm going to try and climb the route straight up from the center at some point here.

I doubt the bears would harm us, but no one ever intends to fall when they are free-soloing, either

Happy great climbing season.

[cory]

The tape is removed. Finally. Thank you.