From: allen%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Allen Sanderson)
Subject: Re: Rock & Ice #52: Letter about Climbing Elitism
Date: 6 Nov 92 20:37:17 MST
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept

czichon@psyche.csc.ti.com (Cary Czichon) writes:
>A letter appearing on page 20 of the November/December issue of Rock & Ice
>caught my attention. It fits well with some of the threads on climbing elitism
>that have run in this news group.  So, I've appended it below.  Enjoy.

Bob Bland writes in Rock & Ice:
>On a different note, someone (unsubstantiated rumor has it also a
>California climber) chopped the toprope/rappel bolts on the popular
>Ferguson Canyon climb "Extreme Unction".  The bolts could not be seen
>from the ground, and, in fact, could only be seen from the alcove
>where they were located or from the adjacent wall.  This climber
>reportedly took exception to the amount of toproping this route
>receives.
>
>Extreme Unction is a very popular route which most people prefer to
>toprope; I have seen many people on the climb, but have never seen
>anyone lead it.

I'll bite on this since I am a local Salt Laker who has done this route
several times (lead, top-roped, and even done it barefoot).  First let
me describe Ferguson Canyon - most of the climbs are short 30-50 feet
and are similar to climbs found in the Gunks.  I should also add that
it is in a Wilderness Area located 15 min from a housing developement.
The climb is a 5.10 with a steep beginning and ends with a serries of
pulls over two roofs.  The total route length is maybe 45 feet.  There
is one piece of fixed pro (a pin) at the first roof.

Now leading the climb is not too bad just committing (may be this is
why author and others like top roping it).  I personally have seen
equal amounts of leading and top-roping done on this route.

Okay some history of the bolts, before the bolts people have set up
anchors and have been able to use removable pro without any problems
what so ever.  However, you did want to use a few long slings.  With
the age of the power drill bolts go in for convience which IMHO this
was another case.  There was another set of bolts put in close to this
route also.  Not so much for convience but for safety as there was
very little pro near by (unlees you like bush belays, which before the
bolts I used and rapped off of) Unfortunately, those bolts were
botched when they were put in.  In both cases I am very sure they were
put in with a power drill which is illegal in Wilderness Areas.

Well IMHO they should have been removed since a) they were not need b)
they were put in illegally and c) in the case of latter set they were
put in poorly.  Now IMHO they should have been left in since a)
descent set of rap anchors was needed at the top.

Unfortunately, in this case the people who put the bolts in did not
realy think about other climbers and the people who removed them did
not think of other climbers.  So what do we have now ?  A couple of
pissed of climbers.  And a few by-standers who couldn't give a #$%@.

Conclusion, just another case of shrinking testicle disease.  (Sorry,
no sexual discrimation intended).

Allen R. Sanderson

Salt Lake City, Oootah


Great spirits have always encounter violent opposition from
mediocre minds.
	- Albert Einstein
From: byrnes@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (John Byrnes)
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 19:44:08 GMT
Subject: Re: IMAX theaters
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA