My Community

View from a decommissioned punter on the bench:

On balance, and its a close run thing, I don't think John should have climbed it.

Knowing that Dave's motivation was deeply linked to the process of finding, cleaning, sorting the landing to finally getting the FA, I think it was a disrespectful thing to do. Particularly given the differing levels of ability (John's being above most of the rest of us), and Dave's current layoff through injury. Also considering the longer term social currency of Dave's contribution to Wicklow bouldering, including putting a rake of projects in the guide, which many authors wouldn't have done.

I get the point that the immediate physical experience that Dave would have of climbing on that bit of rock would be the same. But the larger experience of climbing that bit of rock, given how much he's invested in it, is undeniably changed.

Basically, the way I look at it is that the problem was pushing Dave to up his game and climb something harder than he'd done before. John's base level is higher, and his view on first ascents is obviously different. It was less of a challenge for John to climb the problem, it was his choice to impose his ethic on the situation. Just because you can, and want to, doesn't mean you always should. I think the passion and motivation of others should be respected. There is a point to be made about "protectionism" and "local only areas", but I don't think they apply here. This was a single problem in an out of the way area that Dave had put a lot of work into.

On the flip side, the "Closed Project" gentlemanly agreement status was wearing thin after 4 years, and Dave had publicized the thing quite a bit, so something like this happening was a definite possibility.

Despite that, climbing is about more than just the rock. Its a community activity, and as such, empathy and respect are important.

Finally, I want to say that first ascents don't mean that much to me, but some of my most memorable experiences are first ascents. Personally, I think theres a perverse glory in the second ascent. Its an objectively pointless sport anyway, why not give up the notion of the big self and revel in the frivolity?

Was playing around on this the other day, and one of the first times I pulled on, a couple of wobbly bits fell off the starting left hand sidepull. The hold is now a bit longer, and a bit better of an undercut when you're higher on it. Should someone have a notion that what was once, shall always be, the pieces are still up there.

I'll be there. Ankle will probably still be too knackered to climb, but the meet is always fun

an app is a lot of work. And I'm not sure what it would do over and above what a PDF of the guide does.

All it would need to be is an animation of Chris's face saying " (insert grade here)? You've got to be joking. 5+ max" It'd give a sense of the full Irish bouldering experience.

In terms of digital guides, I think pdf is the way to go. I have the Yosemite and Squamish bigwall guides on my phone (HTC sensation) and can read them fine as pdfs. You can get Adobe reader for your phone for free. Epub would be better for a kindle or other e reader type thing, but I certainly wouldn't bring a kindle to glendo!

Nice one on selling all the guides.

What, no option for bananas?

I reckon you should hang onto a couple and flog em on ebay for a vastly inflated price in a few years....just before you put out a second edition 

If you're not averse to a bit of a stroll, there's a few nice aretes up by arts lough above glenmalure. Musophobia looks very good.