Route Poaching?

Killis....we can always count on you for a good laugh. You're right though, despite wanting to clock heads with a big hex on a four foot, I wouldn't. BUT, I would speak up, and I hope others would too. You don't have to eat someone's lunch to put them in their place.
Cheers.

You caught me Killis...I would never use a #4 cam to beat someone..I don't think I could get the blood out of the springs and I would have to retire the piece.

But really....this is supposed to be recreation people. In the OP's case the best thing might have been to stop and ask if you could hang their draws for them, and assure them you would be done with the climb before they had their shoes on. Or maybe offer to let them TR the route on your rope. I'm not saying this would necessarily be my response, but it would probably be the best thing in a Karmic kind of way.

I find that there is an inverse relationship between crowded-ness and friendly-ness at most crags. It is usually just a defense mechanism, and most of the time when someone is acting territorial a few minutes of light conversation will loosen them up. Your own attitude is often to blame, I see a lot more a-holes out there when I am being a jerk or feeling moody. You would be amazed though what people will do for you if you greet them with a smile and take a genuine interest in them though...even the jerks. It's hard to be an ass to the nicest person you meet.

Obviously I wouldn't brandish a #4 cam at someone outweighing me by 100 pounds...I would instead get them another candy bar..they are probably just hungry anyways.

I guess you didn't catch the fact that my original post was tongue-in-cheek....I am actually a pretty peaceful guy.

I think I would pass on climbing around shmucks like that altogether and pick another line somewhere else regardless of whether we sorted out who was up next. Listening to someone yammering on their phone at a crag is just as offensive as listening to it in a movie theater.

Killis, that is some gut busting humor. "J" the guy wasn't a beginner, sorry to burst your bubble.

Peter Arndt wrote:I believe I just read for the 1st time "Top-Rope Gang-Banging" And being done at my home crag to boot.

But is it inaccurate?

And hey, I had another thought.
You know, we used to Carry water balloons instead of chalk in chalkbags down in Red River... People spraying beta upwards would get warned a few times. The belayer would say "He doesn't like beta" and perhaps warn a second time "I REALLY wouldn't do that anymore." before pulling up the hood on the parka...

Anyway, if you'd had a handy water balloon, it would have been great rightafter the "goddamn poacher" line! Do you know the sound a water balloon makes when it hits a dude like that??? Anyone... got the punchline???

just for the record, if i ever leave draws up, or a rope up, etc and am not there getting on the route, please feel free to get on the route yourself. feel free to use my draws, or toprope on my rope, or pull my rope and re-lead the route with it, or whatever.

if, for some reason, i seem miffy about the whole deal, please, please, PLEASE cockpunch me as hard as you can in an effort to bring me back to reality.

It seems like communication is key. Rick didn't know what route the people wanted to climb. When I get to the crag, I pick two or three sweet lines to tick and chalk my initials at the base. Then I call my wife to catch up, and sometimes I have to check a few messages. Usually people are chill, but it's a major bummer when they lack the common courtesy and decency to avoid my routes.

Shawn, that's all good as long as you don't hold the routes more than 2-3 hours. When I want to reserve the 4-star routes at the crag, I tell my dog Bart pee at the base.

That sounds good in theory, but even on all fours up close, I can't tell the difference between dog marking and a nervous leader. The deficiency almost got me in a fight once with some dude from Arcata.

Tony B wrote: Do you know the sound a water balloon makes when it hits a dude like that??? Anyone... got the punchline???

dooooooouuuche!

slim wrote:just for the record, if i ever leave draws up, or a rope up, etc and am not there getting on the route, please feel free to get on the route yourself. feel free to use my draws, or toprope on my rope, or pull my rope and re-lead the route with it, or whatever. if, for some reason, i seem miffy about the whole deal, please, please, PLEASE cockpunch me as hard as you can in an effort to bring me back to reality.

Same here. Edit: Except for the "cockpunch" part.

As one of the organizers of the local climbing meetups, I spend most of my weekends in a medium to large group of mostly newbies. I think that we've been pretty considerate of the other climbers at the crag, but I'm going to be more cognizant of how many topropes we have up and take steps to make sure that if we're not climbing it it comes down and out of the way.

Regardless of the direction the discussion has taken, this is a good wakeup-call post for those of us that haven't read the book on climber etiquette. Thanks!

Shawn Mitchell wrote: When I get to the crag, I pick two or three sweet lines to tick and chalk my initials at the base. Then I call my wife to catch up, and sometimes I have to check a few messages. Usually people are chill, but it's a major bummer when they lack the common courtesy and decency to avoid my routes.

For the last 5+ years, I only climb obscure routes and choss, so I'm lucky. No lines.

Kat -- take your dog elsewhere, this is a top-rope-frat-boy-gang-bangers only topic

Buff, your little Cat in the Hat would definitely lose the peeing contest with Bart, and the Frat boys would be facing some tough competition with him...

rob rebel wrote: dooooooouuuche!

Hilarious.

Shawn Mitchell wrote:That sounds good in theory, but even on all fours up close, I can't tell the difference between dog marking and a nervous leader. The deficiency almost got me in a fight once with some dude from Arcata.

AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Classic... Oh yes, can anybody guess who this one is for;

Phoenix wrote:Oh yes, can anybody guess who this one is for;

Where did you get that? I didn't know they still made JLP-wrenches! One of those tools everyone had around but didn't have a use for.

Tony B wrote: For the last 5+ years, I only climb obscure routes and choss, so I'm lucky. No lines.

I think we're on the same plan Tony. :)

rob rebel wrote: dooooooouuuche!

Correct sir, the same noise it makes when it hits anything else...
You get a smiley-face button.