Chris,

Go up there, hike them out and take them to the Boulder sports recyclers to cash in. With all the collage kids in town those things will sell. Even if they have some teeth marks. What you do with the money is up to you, but it sounds like a real cash cow. turn a negative into ROAD TRIP MONEY

Hey Greg Schrodt -- I know you, and I know you're a better person than your post would lead us to believe. No need to call people pussies here. Doesn't help move the discussion forward. The climbing community is too small and too tight to throw that stuff out. --J

Sounds like Greg is just tellin it like it is.

The marmot-eaten pad at Evans is disgusting. Foam bits will be blowing around up there for years. Also, I don't know how anybody could be so clueless as to think that stashing pads in a national park will be tolerated by the park service. Access to Chaos is tenuous as it is.

I have packed out litter in the form of abandoned crash pads myself, and I will continue to do so. So should anyone else who cares about keeping these areas open.

Chris,
I agree with previous posts. Take those pads and do what you like with them, give them away, sell them, announce that you have removed the pads and that owners may collect the pads on your schedule! Don't cater to these dirty scoundrals.

There is a difference between stashing gear in the bivy area under the Diamond and leaving crashpads near Emerald Lake, etc. Agreed with the above statements, remove the crashpads as they are trash. Seriously, they don't weigh that much and are not too difficult to carry. I'm not hitting boulderer's in the teeth as I enjoy bouldering myself, but seriously, stashing a crashpad because it's too heavy to carry??

Shane,

What is different about stashing (trad) gear compared leaving a pad behind?

The foam bits sound bad, but it does'nt make it right to stash gear. I see a double standard.

Also, there is no need for vigilante justice. Its better build consensus: Talk to climber organizations, the park service, everyone, see if you can get the offenders to withdraw their own pads first.

Will, I think the difference is the gear is stowed for a quick return hike for more supplies, or get food, or take care of sanitation needs for the night and then is put to use on the wall.

Whereas the pads are just left for weeks on end.

Really, for what purpose? The bouldering community really needs to take a look at this and address it.

Yes, there is a another standard; with gear for alpine climbs, you're looking at wall commitments of Grade III+ with terrain & potential weather exposure.

Chill bros. As long as the people stashing pads are mindful of the situation and they aren't leaving the pads for more than a reasonable amount of time (subjective I know) and as long as it doesn't become an issue with NPS then why complain. Who made it right for anyone to take the law into their own hands and remove the pads. Sounds like we have some NPS Vigilantes here.

I have this twin sized mattress that I use as a "crash pad." I'm going up to Chaos Canyon with a friend and we are going to leave it up there all summer. Everyone is cool with that right. Now I don't want any one walking off with my Beauty Rest "crash pad."

This issue is absolutely ridiculous as stated earlier.

Once again, I'm embarrassed to be part of the human race.

Ok, I live in Estes and constantly boulder and climb in the park. This is the first year I've been bouldering up here and understand the landings are horrible. The thing is Chaos see's soo many climbers a day, that if everone brought up 1 pad, there would be plenty to make even the worst landings ok. So why stash em'. It's getting out of hand, this is a fucking national park. Man up and remove any pad that you've left up there.

On another note I've also seen a tremendous increse of trash left behind on the diamond lately, especially on the casual route. Don't be lazy and ruin the access for everyone, and if you see trash, pack it out please. This park is too beautiful for this crap.

Mark,

Yes, the guidelines you stated are a different standard. Agreed. The regs have an exception to that effect: +-24 hr. time limit, enough time to shuttle another load for the big commitment lines. I think it is reasonable and responsible.

People have been stashing gear in the alpine for longer than just a shuttle for a long time. I personally know of two seasonal (all season long) gear stashes used by different guys in wilderness areas no less. Does anyone raise a fuss? No. Why? Possibly because cams and such are smaller and easily hidden and there are no foam bits for the marmots, so there are differences, but as far as the leave no trace ethic, there is a double standard. Why the fuss now?

Now that there is a glut of free crashpads out there, how about some free cams! Email me and I'll tell you where (just kidding).

I have been hearing a lot about this from the locals in RMNP. Mostly i have been shocked at the reports of all the foam bits scattered around everywhere by the critters eating the crash pads.
I've known for a long time that we as climbers are the least conscious and most offensive user group out there. Still the fact that this issue is what is going to undermine our access to one of the most incredible places to climb in the world is just over the top. It is over the top because it comes down to some "hard" climbers just being straight up LAZY. If you can't hike a pad or two a handful of miles every day you climb then you truly are weak and your accents don't mean anything. If it really is that hard of a hike then hit the gym a couple of times a week and get into the aerobic shape you need to be in to boulder in the alpine. If it takes having more pads than you can carry then make some friends, or see a counselor about your ego issues so you can be personable and make friends. Stop being weak and making everyone suffer for your weakness.

A relevant thread from last year

The other issue at Chaos Canyon right now is access. We can debate if stashing pads at Chaos and stashing gear at the diamond are similar practices or different. However, the rangers do know that pads are stashed at Chaos and do not approve, thus endangering access. This fact alone should stop the practice of stashing of pads at Chaos. I believe that Chaos Canyon will be closed to bouldering if the current trend continues.

Monty - Thanks for posting about trash on the Diamond, and this may warrant another thread. There is an unacceptable amount of trash. Everyone, PLEASE be careful with your trash and take it with you. This not only goes for the Diamond, but everywhere in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A couple years ago I was hiking in the Mt. Evans area and came across a bunch of foam blowing in a little nook at the base of the apron. It never occured to me it came from a fellow climber. Disgusting.

Professional climbers? Strong climbers? Cmon, if you can't carry your equipment, you shouldn't be using it.

How do you find and contact the owner of these stashed pads?

If any pads cannot find their rightful owners, I am interested in paying very little for a used piece of trash for the occasional boulder sesh.

yea okay, so we all got trolled over. But I still can't figure out how you came up with "fixed pads"??

1st I personally think that Bouldering 10 feet of rock in an area where 1000 foot walls abound is lame in a ghey way. Akin to descending into the Black Canyon to go bouldering. OOOh how cool is that. But stashing non bio-degradable crash pads in pristine areas with tenuous access is pathetically stupid! If I find them the are gone! Sack up and pack out.
It does not matter "how hard" you climb this practice is utter B.S.

From my perspective very few boulderers have a clue about how much environmental damage their pass time is causing. Erosion, devegetation,
compaction, litter and now stash pads. Selfish lazy punters.

If pads are being left for weeks at a time in Chaos Canyon then I agree with the others saying that they should be removed by climbers. Post a note online and at the local gear shops if you want to get the gear back to its owner.


Rushing off to apologize to a ranger for what another climber did is foolish!
The more we bother them with this kind of stupid shit, the closer we get to more regulations. This issue should be handled by climbers until the NPS decides that they want to jump into the frey. When that happens, then it is time to show the NPS what we, as climbers, are doing to keep the park pristine.

Other concerned humans,

Let me say again, this isn't a new problem! This has been going on for a LOOOOONG time. The pad stashing in Chaos is like nothing I have ever heard of going on, anywhere!

We are talking about dozens of pads in the peaks.

What everyone doesn't understand is that with progress comes sacrifice, just think how much harder everyone will climb knowing that access will get shut down soon.

Take Chaos Canyon Forward!

And speaking of leaving trash, what's up with the huge 200 ft of fixed rope strung up across the creek from Boulder Falls parking lot? I'm sure another "classic" route is being drilled but it looks trashy, especially given how many people see it daily.

Jay