Climbing Etiquette and Ethics
As climbing gains popularity it becomes more important that we are aware of our impact on the environment and others. The following list contains some self explanatory guidelines on what to do and what not to do. Hopefully you are following these already.
- Don't leave trash, and yes - banana skins and cigarette butts are trash.
- Leave the boom box at home. Only you want to listen to your "sick" tunes. The rest of us are happy with bird song and nature.
- Remember - we share our climbing areas with other users, some of whom might not be friendly to climbers. Let's not give them the excuse to complain about our behaviour. Keep a low profile. Keep a low impact.
- Protect lower-offs by using your own gear if you're part of a team.
- Coordinate group meetings at popular crags at weekends. Have the courtesy to let other users know if you're having a team meet/course at a crag through the Facebook group.
- Keep your dog secured, especially when climbing. Not everyone likes dogs and some people may be afraid of them.
- Clear up your shit - literally. Bag it or bury it. Don't just pile rocks on it. And don't leave toilet paper.
- Protect the rock. It will get "polished" over time - let's delay how long that takes by cleaning our shoes before climbing, and by not encouraging beginners to try routes beyond their ability. Please no climbing in trainers.
- Clean off tick marks after a session. Non-climbing visitors might not appreciate the visual impact. Other climbers may want to work out the moves for themselves.
- Be careful with children - rocks can and do get pulled off, and go suprisingly long distances from the base of the rock. If they are playing around the base they are vulnerable.
- Remember we share the environment with other creatures. Be aware of nesting birds, especially between April and June. Don't kill snakes, including vipers. Try not to disturb wildlife.
- Don't start fires. For Obvious Reasons. If climbers are ever suspected of causing a wildfire, then guess what will happen…