White chalk in Garden of the Gods

As someone who climbs there pretty much every week, the bottom line is this:

Guys FA'd a lot of these routes in the 1940's and 1950's in Alpine Boots WITHOUT chalk. Chalk: "It's been done before, without it."

Garden of the Gods is a park that is provided to the public for free, and relies on visitor traffic to the Visitor's Center and donations to maintain it's free status. Anything that we do as climbers that degrades the park's ability to self-sustain (or at the very least minimize the cost to the taxpayer) makes us poor stewards of a very nice, and FREE resource. People come to look at the beautiful red Lyons Sandstone. Not to see greasy blobs of chalk all over the place.

Respect that it is the tourists that drive from all over the country and fly from all over the world to see this place that make it possible for us to climb there for free.

In the words of my (deceased) dad: "This is why we can't have nice things."

If you are going to quote me, please do it correctly. Don't just misconstrue my OPINIONS because you are angry. One more time: I don't advocate breaking any rules at the Garden. By all means, use an ecoball, no chalk or climb somewhere else.

New clueless climbers, old stubborn locals all using chalk... Hardly generalizing the entire climbing community. I mean this much is obvious if you've been climbing that long.

Shouldn't we come together to discuss this issue? It's a sensitive subject to both the climbers and staff. All I've suggested the whole time was some open dialog to air things out. If so, I'll be at that meeting.

If anything I've offered up a few facts and opinions. Nothing that damning. So take it for what it is and stop acting like some self-righteous teenagers. If you're opinions are different, by all means share them. If I offended you somehow, double check the context of the insulting comment. If it still hurts, put ice on it. Over it.

We are happy to announce, we just released a line of colored chalk. We make it right in Boulder Colorado and hope to be in some local shops in the Springs soon. You can buy online at climbingaddicts.com or at several Denver/Boulder climbing shops. Neptune, Rock and Resole, Wilderness Express

Thanks for informing about the chalk.   I personally don't use chalk at Garden of the Gods or Red Rocks park - scooping up some dirt at the base of climbs gets the hands dried out. The holds are sandy so my hands stay dry on the climb.

Suggest you get your chalk available at Mountain Chalet, Pure Bouldering Gym, and REI here in Colorado Springs.

Axelman,

I have been informed by a board member of the Pikes Peak Climbing Alliance that Chalk (Calcium Carbonate) of any kind, colored or not is prohibited at Garden of the Gods, and the neighboring Red Rock Canyon Open Space.  He mentioned something about Calcium Carbonate chemically reacting with the sandstone.

Indeed if you look at the rules and regulations...

"The use of chalk (calcium carbonate) in conjunction with technical climbing and bouldering is prohibited.  A chalk substitute that does not discolor the rock may be used."

The only chalk substitute I know of which is acceptable at the Garden is the Metollius Eco Ball, which does NOT contain Calcium Carbonate, has no color, and will not react with the sandstone.  

Our chalk is made of Magnesium Carbonate not Calcium Carbonate. Calcium carbonate is soluble in water but magnesium carbonate is not soluble in water, two very different compounds. Maybe you can provide the contact information af the appropriate person to speak to at the PPCA?

axelman wrote:

Our chalk is made of Magnesium Carbonate not Calcium Carbonate. Calcium carbonate is soluble in water but magnesium carbonate is not soluble in water, two very different compounds. Maybe you can provide the contact information af the appropriate person to speak to at the PPCA?

That's a good point.  In fact, aren't most climbing chalk products made of Magnesium Carbonate and not Calcium Carbonate?  

Unfortunately, i'm not sure who would be the best person to talk to regarding the rules and regulations @ GotG.  I'll ask around.  

You may need to get in touch with the park service instead of PPCA.  PPCA is the local climbing stewardship organization (non-profit).  They do not manage the park and do not control the rules and regulations directly.  Instead they work with land managers in CO Springs and surrounding areas to ensure access to climbers, to promote sustainable use, and to maintain those climbing areas.  

To my knowledge most climbing chalk is made from Magnesium Carbonate. Let me know if you find a contact. Thanks for your help.