The Ten Commandments of Bouldering Etiquette

[squamish climber]

Boulderer Matt Lucas is blogging about his Squamish climbing season and goals at yukonerdownunder.

Matt's goal is to climb 180 days this year and he's done 43 so far. Given all the rain, I think that's pretty darn good.

His most recent post drew a smile, it speaks to the peeves of many who climb on the Chief's boulders:
The Ten Commandments of Bouldering Etiquette

• Thou shall not Gang Bang a boulder problem.*
  Thou shall leave a bouldering area better then you found it.
  Thou shall only listen to music with headphones.
  Thou shall brush off your excessive chalk and ticks.
  Thou shall stay on designated trails.
  Thou shall give attentive spots.
  Thou shall not brag or spray excessively.
  Thou shall keep your language and tone to a reasonable level.
  Thou shall think of the area more than yourself.
  Thou shall control your animal's behaviour.

*** Gang bang -- To show up to a boulder problem in a large group and proceed to attack the boulder with no respect for the boulder or anyone else trying it. A classic gang bang move is to steam roll a small group with a larger one finally forcing the small group to leave due to the loud obnoxious behaviour. Usually gang bangers don't brush or clean feet between tries. Gang bangers often have one or two climbers who have climbed the problem before who either sit to the side spraying about past glory or trying to climb said boulder with street shoes.

Anybody else run into some gang bangers at the boulders?

[slopr]

good list- a few additions & specifics it should say:


Thou shalt put all tape, whether their own or someone else' in their pocket & never on the ground
&
Thou shalt brush off ticks- all ticks- excessive or not
&
Thou shalt not climb classic problems in their greasy, stinky, dirtbagged barefeet so that others can subsequently wipe their hands in your tainted foot smegma- wear shoes!



if he's trying to climb 180 & only done 43 so far good luck seems like a low pace in this 7th month of the year

[tf187]

Nice list.

I think 43 was just Squamish days. Because it says he's climbed at 21 Font days and I imagine there are gym days in there too.

[squamish climber]

Ya, he tweeted (Truthboulderer) last night to correct that: "Rumours of me only have climbed 46 days are greatly mistaken. I cracked a 100 this week."

Opps sorry Matt, keep climbing.