Climbing over trails

[mungeclimber]

I think we had this discussion before, and there are several climbs I just never do because of this.


what's you approach?

what's the rule?

what's the guidebook say?

what has changed from older books?

what has not changed?


how do you bribe a sentry? 

[waldo]

I tend to stay away from climbs over trails.  They're not worth the extra concern to me.  Still, it may still be possible to do some such climbs when nobody else is around:  early summer mornings, weekdays when the weather isn't perfect. 

[mynameismud]

My understanding was no new routes over hiking trails.

[mungeclimber]

'established hiking trails' was my understanding, climber approach trails being understood to go underneath climbs at times.

but I'm with Bob. I rarely climb on climbs over the trail. Mostly because I can't go midweek to often.

[Atomizer]

My understanding was no new routes over hiking trails.

How about freeing old aid routes over hiking trails?

[mynameismud]

My understanding is climbing on routes that exist that are over trails is ok midweek.

[mungeclimber]

My understanding is climbing on routes that exist that are over trails is ok midweek.

midweek, but non-holidays.  same understanding here.

[Brad Young]

I had a long talk on this subject with Wendy in 2005 or 2006 (she's now moved on to another part of the National Park Service). She said that Pinnacles staff were OK with climbing EXISTING ROUTES over trails if it was done ON WEEKDAYS and WITH DISCRETION.  Sorry to "shout," but I wanted to capitalize the terms that were critical to her. Basically it was all about not creating any danger for innocent, non-climbers. And, yes, as we discussed it, this applies to Park Service maintained hiking trails, not to climber approach trails.

I put this informaiton in the two entries at the top of page 21, although they are there without a lot of explanation (is a lot of explanation of the two entries even needed?).

I'd love to hear from Gavin on this subject. I've got to get back to work. One of us should email him a link to this thread. He could give us their current views (which I doubt have changed).

[mungeclimber]

I'm not sure Gavin should be shoe-horned into being the official voice of the park, unless he wants to, as much as speaking to his sphere/expertise, if we even want an official voice from the NPS. I think on this one issue, climbers have done a pretty good job of not creating an incident (self regulating). And absolutely agreed, with discretion being to my mind 'common sense' and absolutely required, and enforced thru climbers telling other climbers (and thru guidebooks )