Park climbing route records make this crystal clear. In 1954, the park had 90 established climbing routes. Two years ago, guide books listed more than 3,500 routes. And the wear is beginning to show. Some of the popular climbs are beginning to look like pin cushions.
Bolts lace the walls, slings and ropes hang abandoned.
Medlicott Dome and Chapel Wall have sprouted a crop of stainless steel eyelets. So a tremendous amount of new routes have resulted in a tremendous amount of new bolts. But not the new breed. However, hardware and power tools are only part of the problem. At Church Bowl, a popular 100-foot wall in the valley, several years of heavy foot traffic has denuded the base.