Compressor Chopped?

David Sahalie wrote: nice job getting a dig in at sport climbing on an alpine thread.

That line didn't come off that way at all. Sounded more like a rail against the "lowest common denominator" across all forms of climbing.

In fact, the Compressor Route with its gas-drilled manufactured aid placements is the aid climbing equivalent to a sport "route" where the FAist went ground up with a rotor hammer and mechanically chiseled a hold after every move.

David Sahalie wrote:and again the trend continues of criticizing the compressor by today's standards.

This ignores the fact that the criticism of it at the time was just as strong, if not more so ("Cerro Torre: A Mountain Desecrated", "The Murder of the Impossible", etc.), arguably more universal (can't remember hearing much about it being defended at the time like it is now), and that just about every climber of that era who has chimed in on this (Reinhold Messner, Calos Comesana, Leo Dickinson, Doug Tompkins, Jim Donini, and there may well be more) has called the route a disgrace and/or outright supported chopping it.

Lets say the above is true that no more than a hundred climbers a year go after the compressor and of those how many were tormented by the site of this awful bolt job with a big hike? I would guess not many seeing as how they probably researched the route. Two decide for one hundred what is right. Bullshit on this. No different than most westerners pushing their ideals in other social arenas. why couldn't they have just left it and sought their own new line than having to set their moral code on the rest. Everyone should go out and destroy the routes that offend them. Fucking bachar yerian! Shouldn't have any bolts in such a prestine environment.

You cannot trust the old fuckers who were all competitors and have ice axes to grind.

Wow... have not been on here in a while and remember why. I think the thing that is important here is that it seems two climbers out of the whole community took it upon themselves to make a decision for the rest of the world. Was it in bad taste to put that many bolts on a face originally.... Hell yes it was and the lesson of the Compressor Route is probably one of the best examples of what should not be done for future generations. That being said, it was there and while maybe not in the style of these elite climbers, it was none the less a route. It should have stood there as a reminder of ego and what negative impact it can have, not add another chapter to the ego battle of climbing history. Many many many routes that have bolts have been climbed on gear now (admittedly not with that number) and have not been chopped simply because someone ascended in a better style. East Face of Monkey Face in Smith Rock still has its bolts after being led on gear. Should that be chopped and only a trad climb now? Better style should be something of pride and aspiration rather than a dictation after a new completion. Should I have to solo the Nose since someone has already done that and its the new standard. Obviously not. If the bolts bother people so much, simply do not use them and show better personal taste and style.

Poor decision after such a good display of climbing.

David, you have me confused. Are they sponsored by their trust fund?

Keep spreadin' the hate.

Admittedly I have never clibed there but I inteded to soon, but from my count there are only 7 5.14's there and 34 routes which means that the 5.14 make up less than 20% of the climbing. Seeing as how so many of these routes have some degree of manufacture in them, I don't see how it was done for a profit.

I am sure there are easier ways to earn a buck.

You're talking out of your ass. The special K twins didn't do an FA of the compressor route. They climbed a different route! From your own level of standard they don't have the right to modify the route at all.

Trad Ninja wrote: Sounds good. As long as you're climbing by "fair means" on the FA you're good to go. My point is that local consensus can't really be defined so it comes down to the people who are up there doing the routes who get to define the style. They earned it. The rest of us are free to offer our opinions but you gotta walk the walk to justify your personal actions and I think Kennedy and Kurk did just that.

Phil Lauffen wrote:You're talking out of your ass. The special K twins didn't do an FA of the compressor route. They climbed a different route! From your own level of standard they don't have the right to modify the route at all.

They did the proper route using natural features near by instead of bolting up a blank face.

Same route different style no an fa so my argument still applies. chop all the lines that have been free soloed because that truelly is the fairest means. Right?

David Sahalie wrote: they aid climbed it, that isn't the 'proper route' this guy did the 'proper' route...seems to be the one that can actually do the route in the 'proper' style at 8a.

Your opinions, which you cover up by pretending to be a "troll", are laughable.

You slander Kruk and Kennedy for playing into their "sponsors wishes" (who are their sponsors again?)

Then you defend Lama as the "proper climber" after RedBull desecrated the mountain with bolts and leftover gear just for some helicopter photo shoot?!?!

Weak sauce.

David Sahalie wrote: they aid climbed it, that isn't the 'proper route' this guy did the 'proper' route, rockandice.com/news/1793-tn… and oh yeah, he also says: "To me the Compressor Route has always been a historic route and even though maybe the bolts shouldn't be up there in the first place, I believe nobody should be so bold and assume to have the right to chop them." huh. turns out not all alpinists agree with the chopping, seems to be the one that can actually do the route in the 'proper' style at 8a.

Sport climbing mentality at its worst.

Also, Lama had to be talked out of rap-bolting the headwall last year by Colin Haley and Jason Kruk (among others). For him to be talking high-and-mighty about ethics after that (and adding 60 bolts to the route the season before that) is taking the piss.

David Sahalie wrote:you guys are seriously supporting the aid/choppers but not the free, clean ascent just because the former are cocky choppers and the latter is sponsored by red bull and considered adding some bolts a year ago? \ awesome.

It's more like who they identify with, aid climbers, not free climbers.

Alpine climbing doesn't fit into your guys' little "free vs. aid" dichotomy. "Good style" in alpine climbing is about commitment and minimizing impact on the mountain environment, not about whether you used any points of aid or not.

Barry Blanchard: "Alpinism is hard enough without bothering to worry about free climbing ethics."

If you unscramble David Sahalie's name you get:

Devil Said Aha

Just sayin'

Proceed with the flaming.

Juliam I think you need a history leason. "traditionally" alpine climbing showed very little concern for the environment. But go ahead and force your "trad"(new) ethics.

Any chance we can get a 'Hide "Compressor Chopped" Thread' button to the Recent Forum Posts box on the main page?

Try self control numby. Click on the topic you are interested in....

JulianB wrote:Alpine climbing doesn't fit into your guys' little "free vs. aid" dichotomy. "Good style" in alpine climbing is about commitment and minimizing impact on the mountain environment, ."

HA!!! The new Alpine environmental ethic: fly contrail spewing aircraft to the far corners of the earth to rescue the rock from metal.

Long live the new Alpine environmental ethic!!!

JulianB wrote: "Alpinism is hard enough without bothering to worry about free climbing ethics."

Shit, life is hard, so why worry about ethics at all?

David Sahalie wrote: they aid climbed it, that isn't the 'proper route' this guy did the 'proper' route, rockandice.com/news/1793-tn… and oh yeah, he also says: "To me the Compressor Route has always been a historic route and even though maybe the bolts shouldn't be up there in the first place, I believe nobody should be so bold and assume to have the right to chop them." huh. turns out not all alpinists agree with the chopping, seems to be the one that can actually do the route in the 'proper' style at 8a.

Ha! Lama was planning on clipping all the bolts, sporty style! K and K gave him the ability to climb it proper. Much props to Lama, but they beat him to it and earned the right to chop. Had they chopped after Lama it would be different.