Painting grades on rock with a marker...

If you want little signs at every route just stay in the gym where you belong. Part of the adventure is route finding. If you got sandbagged on a route you probly deserved it.

Tim Lutz wrote: at a sport crag?!?! I've been doing it wrong! I'll have to downgrade all my ticks a letter grade because I knew where the route was.

Golf has each hole number and par marked for your convenience. Enjoy.

Goodness. It is the practice in Europe, & it isn't the practice in the US of A. End of story. By the way, go to the Verdon and tell me that it is just like the gym because they paint route names & grades on the rock.

Tim Lutz wrote: at a sport crag?!?! I've been doing it wrong! I'll have to downgrade all my ticks a letter grade because I knew where the route was.

Is this thread sport climb specific? No it is not. A lot of trad climbs now have little plaquards marking the climb. (i.e. Indian creek) If it's a sport climb, all the more reason not to mark up the rock or put little signs. Isn't a line of bolts going up the rock enough of a route marker?

I saw this for the first time at Lime Kiln Canyon in northern AZ a couple of months ago. Not on too many routes but on several on the main wall. Some were written in chalk, but a few in what appeared to be black sharpie. Since I don't do a lot of sport climbing and very little out west I was not sure if it was common practice. Made it convenient to get a bearing, but found it a little off putting aesthetically and gym-esk.

I would think that adding a small plaque on the first bolt of sports routes would be reasonable. Yes you would have to climb up to it to read it, but then you get that adventure thing back. But you still have a reference point. But I don't think I would like it if this was done on trad climbs or boulders. And definitely not a fan of sharpies or paint.

ViperScale wrote: Red river gorge is the only place I have ever see that done in the US.

In Utah there are small metal route plaques at:
Salt Lake Slips (BCC)
The Red Rock (Draper)
Crawdad Canyon (Veyo Pools outside St. George)

cragmantoo wrote: And color code the holds to make it easier for the gym climbers....

Some routes are color coded, except the only color is white.

I've seen labeled routes at several crags, both in the US and internationally. The common denominator, IMO, of routes with some sort of name tag is that they are virtually unidentifiable from the route to the left or right, OR it would be nearly impossible for any guide book to reasonably describe the "starting" location of the route. I'm thinking especially places like Indian Creek where everything is a splitter crack, or Kalymnos where every limestone, tufa-laden route looks almost the same from the ground. Sure, topos help to attempt to trace cracks or bolt lines, but it saves a lot of time and guess work to have a placard or name tagged at the bottom.

It's not what I'd want for my home crag, but the rock here is generally featured enough so a "start" location can be accurately described.

It's a shame that this hasn't caught on in the Gunks (*gasp!* -- commence MP hate spewing) since 90% of the routes look (and climb?) exactly the same.

ClimbLikeAGirl wrote:I've seen labeled routes at several crags, both in the US and internationally. The common denominator, IMO, of routes with some sort of name tag is that they are virtually unidentifiable from the route to the left or right, OR it would be nearly impossible for any guide book to reasonably describe the "starting" location of the route. I'm thinking especially places like Indian Creek where everything is a splitter crack, or Kalymnos where every limestone, tufa-laden route looks almost the same from the ground. Sure, topos help to attempt to trace cracks or bolt lines, but it saves a lot of time and guess work to have a placard or name tagged at the bottom. It's not what I'd want for my home crag, but the rock here is generally featured enough so a "start" location can be accurately described. It's a shame that this hasn't caught on in the Gunks (*gasp!* -- commence MP hate spewing) since 90% of the routes look (and climb?) exactly the same.

^This^ -Certain rock types and crags make written descriptions difficult. PhotoTopos can help but the "name at the bottom" practice was appreciated - particularly in an area oft frequented by travelers ala Kalymnos. When there, it was immensely helpful to walk up to a huge wall of semi nondescript limestone and immediately locate where we were. The other helpful thing is you don't spend half your day with your nose buried in a book trying to look for the next route with 3* etc. We would just wander a cliff, find a grade and try it. It probably helped spread the traffic a bit more as people weren't "star hunting".

The practice wouldn't be welcome in other areas of course but the "Style" of area could dictate it.

My own personal observation is that a big difference between the US and Europe is in the information provided in the guidebooks themselves. Most guidebooks in Europe only have a topo line drawn on a cliff photo (or sketch) and a name/grade, with very little in the way of description. Without names at the base, it can be pretty hard to identify lines. The US guidebooks often have better, lengthier descriptions to identify the route.

ClimbLikeAGirl--You need to do more routes at the Gunks. Yes, many do climb the same, but that is often true for any area. The Gunks has many routes with very unique climbing.

- Alex

I saw a marked route at Kid Goat in Alberta. They mark all the rock at Quincy Quarry in Massachusetts.

Brian wrote:I saw a marked route at Kid Goat in Alberta. They mark all the rock at Quincy Quarry in Massachusetts.

That's what we want all the crags to look like...

Magpie79 wrote: Some routes are color coded, except the only color is white.

That's true....

They should go further and mark arrows pointing to all of the holds. And also number them in order. Also which ones are for left and right too.
You know, to keep it adventurous!

With the pending availability if various apps, virtual personal assistants and augmented reality the need for any physical markings will soon be obsolete.

Bob Dobalina wrote:They should go further and mark arrows pointing to all of the holds. And also number them in order. Also which ones are for left and right too. You know, to keep it adventurous!

Like this?

When you stop concerning yourself with how other people climb...you will enjoy climbing more. You cant fix stupid!

Alex CV wrote:ClimbLikeAGirl--You need to do more routes at the Gunks. Yes, many do climb the same, but that is often true for any area. The Gunks has many routes with very unique climbing. - Alex

I've been climbing in the Gunks for almost 9 years. It's where I first started climbing. I know my way around well enough and I assure you, I'm aware of what it has to offer. It doesn't change the fact that most new climbers to the area have next to zero idea where any routes are.

Air Alexy wrote: Golf has each hole number and par marked for your convenience. Enjoy.

There is more unclimbed rock than there is climbed rock. Check it out. Enjoy.