Tick marks in Squamish and at chek.

[smallman]

Just wondering if it is just me but does it seem that people ticking holds are going overboard?. Was at Neat and Cool tonight and every hold on the traverse and through the overlap was massively ticked. Is this necessary especially on moderate routes? The crags outdoors are not the gym and / or boulders. Noticed similar trend on all sub 11 routes at Chek too. I even saw tick marks on borderline the other day. Ticking the holds and not scrubbing them off after really diminishes the on-sight experience for many people. It is proper etiquette to remove your tick marks after your redpoint. Please preserve the on-sight experience for those climbers who enjoy the problem solving aspect of climbing.

[dakine]

I agree, removing ticks after projecting a route should be the same as cleaning your gear... by a 99. cent nail brush and clean your ticks off!

[dakine]

well if we practice what we preach at least there will be a few less ...

[smallman]

Yeah, I don't tick mark stuff anyway. Don't really need to as all the holds are ticked anyway. @#$$@ Gym climbers and pebble pushers. this practice needs to be deterred at the introductory level.

[ras]

Just wondering if it is just me but does it seem that people ticking holds are going overboard?. Was at Neat and Cool tonight and every hold on the traverse and through the overlap was massively ticked. Is this necessary especially on moderate routes?

It's not just you! I don't think routes should be ticked at any grade, one person's "moderate" is another person's summer project.

It makes onsight climbing impossible, and doesn't really help redpoint climbing, either, so what's the point? Surely, someone projecting a climb can remember the location of a half-dozen crux holds without putting chalk on them?

Time to attach a brush to our harnesses, I guess, just like picking up a bit of trash on the walk back to the car.

[dakine]

I tick certain projects when dealing with hidden holds (mostly feet) when trying for the redpoint and will continue to do so. Normally this is on newly developed areas or routes with little or no traffic.

As i stated earlier i hate it when people tick the hell out of a route and don't clean up after as it does spoil the look and feel for other climbers.

That being said any of the areas on main walls in Chek are so heavily marked from the 1000's of climbers hands (with chalk) that a few ticks are hardly going to wreck the "onsite" attempt....

[dakine]

case in point ( the circus wall in October)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rumble1973/2939319461/

[Trick]

I've noticed a lot lately as well. The lack of rain to wash them all away is probably making it seem worse then most years.

[Charlie]

There were even more tick marks on the Forgotten Wall last year. I remember Rug Munchers being ticked to the point that arrows were being used to point out holds.

As more people populate the crags, there will be more and more of this and other annoying things going on. It is just a fact of life - climbing is getting too popular!

C'est la vie...

[glomeruli]

you can tell who the gym climbers are by the amount they tick (hey wait, i climb in the gym).

seriously though, i find it frustrating not being able to work out the route on my own. that being said, the most popular climbs will always be covered in chalk

[glomeruli]

hey dakine,
a certain climber with a gimped wrist told me that you used to b%$ch about tick marks... now you're one of the culprits????

[smallman]

Routes being covered in chalk like the Circus at Chek is usually not an issue because sucker holds are also covered in chalk. Tick marks though give the game away.

[dakine]

glomeruli
gimpy is telling tales is she? I've always ticked; what i bit$hed about were the 2 ft long ticks an inch wide..(i'm not kidding).

Clean off your ticks after and i'm all smiles and sunshine....