The Future of Bolting

In the not-so-distant future, it’s unlikely that climber’s will enjoy the freedoms we currently have when it comes to establishing routes. For a long time we’ve flown under the radar as a self policing community that, aside from a few high profile spats, has proven it can manage itself in a responsible fashion. As the sport continues to grow, however, and more people are putting up new routes, we are coming under increasing scrutiny from land managers. This will inevitably lead to tighter rules and regulations, especially when it comes to the ever controversial bolt.

In some places, bolting bans have already been implemented by agencies who felt it was the only way to reign things in. Thankfully, due to the hard work of dedicated individuals and organizations like the Access Fund, in many cases these restrictions have been eased as climbing management plans are developed and responsible guidelines are set for the establishment of new climbs.

The ban at Rifle Mountain Park was lifted with the stipulation that for every new hard route, an easier one went in as well, and all new routes had to be approved by a small committee of climbers. In the Flatirons and Eldorado Canyon, you can apply to install a new route, and the public can comment on whether they think its a worthy addition or not. This system has it’s pro’s and cons, with critics saying that it’s too restrictive and the process takes too long. On the flip side, it insures that only quality routes are being added, by qualified people. It largely eliminates squeeze jobs and poorly established climbs. From what I’ve seen I think systems like this will become the norm as land managers seek to limit the establishment of new routes, but not ban bolting entirely.

For now we continue to enjoy the freedom to police ourselves and largely establish routes as we wish, but there are some guidelines we can all follow to prolong this golden age and present a responsible image to land managers:

Find a Mentor – I’ve heard about climbers who want to go put up routes who only have a couple years of climbing under their belts. It takes many years and a lot of mileage to know what makes a good and bad route, so go climbing and come back after a couple seasons. When you think you’re ready, find a mentor, someone who can show you the ropes. (I’m forever indebted to Matt Samet and Luke Laeser for showing me the way of the choss warrior.)

Camo Your Hardware – This should be obvious but I see new routes put up all the time with shiny hangers. When well cammoed, it’s hard to tell the bolts are even there unless you know where to look. It also shows that we care about our impact and are actively taking steps to reduce it.

Check the Status of the Land – Unless it’s under double secret probation, like Thompson Creek, you should be able to find out the status of the land pretty easily and what the rules and regs are. Nothing like bolting in a closed area to stir the nest of hornets and bring the whole show crashing down on all of us.

You Affect Us All – Remember, what happens in one area can easily set precedent for areas across the county. While dealing with Thompson Creek, we knew we had to be very careful because if those routes had come out it would have set a very dangerous precedent that could be applied to other places.

No one can say what the future holds when it comes to establishing routes, but one thing is certain: it’s unlikely to remain the same. Hopefully we can all do our part to ensure it changes for the better and leads to a system we can all agree on.