Like it or not a first ascent is special, and does mean something. A culmination of finding something, not knowing if its possible or how difficult or easy it might be, and then finding a way to do it is a very enjoyable experience. Everybody likes enjoyable experiences and without someone doing new stuff there would be nothing to do. But it means little in the context of bouldering itself and actually dilutes the singular experience of 'just' climbing that bouldering provides. I'm sure some people would call that 'dilution' 'enrichment' instead...but they are usually trad climbers. Even sport climbers have plenty of added faffing which usually makes them appreciate achieving their goals even more. But bouldering, more than any other climbing 'style', is most concerned with moving over rock at the exclusion of as many external factors as possible.
First ascents are great - but i'd rather do a cool move on rock, new or not.
Regarding this situation - Four years is absolutely ridiculous to be honest. I think most people would respect someone trying a project they discovered for a year, no matter how beyond them it was, but four years with no end in sight?
And talk of 'Glory'? we're fucking adults here, not teenagers, glory my arse. If Dave cant find enough 'glory' now in doing the stand start someday then i wonder why he boulders. I hope you're not going to walk away from this problem now Dave, that would speak volumes...
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
Paul - it still should? It's Dave's problem alone if it doesnt. I dont think it's normal to want to get better for the 'glory'... its bloody childish!
Plus I don't think that there is suddenly going to dozens of climbers queueing up to do the problem, the interested party is maybe a half dozen people, their lives aren't somehow rendered incomplete because that haven't been able to climb it, and anyway there are many, many great unclimbed problems out there, plenty to go around (some of which I have found on my travels and shared with others).
Couldn't this argument be used against you? has your life been rendered incomplete that someone climbed this one rock when you have done many first ascents and will do more?
I don't think that this whole thing is equivalent to the Germans rushing out at dawn to put their towels on the best deckchairs, I see it more about respecting the efforts of a fellow climber. Imagine someone spend the whole day arranging dominoes, is it right that they get to be the one to knock the first one over?
Lastly I'm not saying that every new problem should be a closed project, far from it, but in certain situations I think its worth considering the idea of giving someone the time to see out something that they started.
respect already got you 4 years...1 is enough
Show Posts