What do you do at the crag when a class "reserves" TR routes that they're not climbing?

Hey MPers, I was at the crag today with a few friends and there was some kind of REI-type class on rappelling perhaps.  They had a large group, 10-15 people.  They were all grouped up in one area, and they had set up a couple TRs in a different area.  I yelled to them to ask if they were using them and they insisted that they were "about to climb on them".  I argued with them for a bit and then just gave up because they started sending some minions down to start using the routes that they had reserved.

In retrospect, I should have just started setting up my anchor instead of wasting my breath arguing with them.  What do you all do in situations like this?

Here we go.

Climb.

. Mobes wrote: Climb.NAKED

FIFY

Go home and make a pissy post on MP.

Suburban Roadside wrote: FIFY

Rolling up and smoking a big fatty with no pants on while warming up with some Yoga probably would work.

Greg Kommel wrote:  They were all grouped up in one area, and they had set up a couple TRs in a different area.

Climb somewhere else.  If it wasn’t a guide-organized event, you could ask to hop on their ropes (pretty common practice in TRing crags), but they most likely would have to say “no” due to liability issues.  You have no more right to the rock than anyone else and they got there first, so...sorry, you’re SOL.

Climb harder and this is a non issue.

Hey, I was one of the guides for the group. You were extremely rude to a group you know nothing about. Those people were a group of make a wish foundation recipients with their loved ones there for support, and your yelling spoiled the ambiance for people who have so little time left.

Nah. Just kidding.

Yeah, I’d just make a post about it later. Honestly, I’d probably be a little ticked off but try to work around them or find a different area.

Colonel Mustard wrote: Hey, I was one of the guides for the group. You were extremely rude to a group you know nothing about. Those people were a group of make a wish foundation recipients with their loved ones there for support, and your yelling spoiled the ambiance for people who have so little time left.

Nah. Just kidding.

Yeah, I’d just make a post about it later. Honestly, I’d probably be a little ticked off but try to work around them or find a different area.

Dude, you shouldn't have backed out from an excellent troll.

Greg Kommel wrote: Hey MPers, I was at the crag today with a few friends and there was some kind of REI-type class on rappelling perhaps.  They had a large group, 10-15 people.  They were all grouped up in one area, and they had set up a couple TRs in a different area.  I yelled to them to ask if they were using them and they insisted that they were "about to climb on them".  I argued with them for a bit and then just gave up because they started sending some minions down to start using the routes that they had reserved.

In retrospect, I should have just started setting up my anchor instead of wasting my breath arguing with them.  What do you all do in situations like this?

Complain to REI.

Depends, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? 

Dude you are in CALIFORNIA, there is so much rock, pick another place.

In MN there is a legitimate reason to be upset. At the closest trad area, there are maybe 50 climbs, not all have cracks for leading so if you want a TR something, you have to get there early.

When VE or REI has a group, be nice, talk to the guides, and MOST times they will let you climb their ropes.  When I TR solo, I often just ask them if they mind if I take a quick trip up their rope. Never had them say no.

Greg Kommel wrote: Hey MPers, I was at the crag today with a few friends and there was some kind of REI-type class on rappelling perhaps.  They had a large group, 10-15 people.  They were all grouped up in one area, and they had set up a couple TRs in a different area.  I yelled to them to ask if they were using them and they insisted that they were "about to climb on them".  I argued with them for a bit and then just gave up because they started sending some minions down to start using the routes that they had reserved.

In retrospect, I should have just started setting up my anchor instead of wasting my breath arguing with them.  What do you all do in situations like this?

1) "Yelling to them" may have been a mistake. In general, if you walk up and say hello first, talk face-to-face, instead of yelling at them from across the crag, people would be much more willing to accommodate you. Especially if you offer to re-hang their ropes (in case you need to take their ropes down to climb), and promise to be quick (assuming you actually have the ability to be quick). You interpret their actions as "sending minions over to start using the ropes"... but that's exactly what they told you they were going to do. They said they were about to climb, and they did... I think if they told you that they were going to climb, you had stuck around, doing something else, and an hour later they still weren't climbing the TR route, you'd have more reasons for grumbling.

2) "just setting up your TR anchor" over someone else's TR anchor is a dick move. You might be able to get away with it, because it is unlikely that they would tackle you or otherwise bodily prevent you from doing it, but you will not have a good time, pretty much guaranteed. Do you really want to climb the route so badly, and is the route so spectacular, that you would still be enjoying yourself if there are people arguing/yelling at you & your belayer, while you are climbing?

3) I've never been in a situation where other routes/crags weren't readily available, so climbing something else would be my choice, over 1 or DEFINITELY over 2. 

bruno-cx wrote:

Mountain Project is REI.  Look at the top left corner.  

It's so quaint that people think REI actually pays attention to the forum content.

C Archibolt wrote: Depends, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? 

Dude, this needs to be a bumper sticker, if it’s not already.

I ask them if i can climb it.. if they say there using it... then i find something else.
I think It would be polite and good ethic to remember in some cases like this the people may be customers paying good money to be out there and or they could be less fortunate then most of us in the fact they do not have the gear/skills/time to go outside and set up climbs or climb very often. Soo i would just give them there space , everybody is out there to have fun

Cobra Wrestlr wrote: I ask them if i can climb it.. if they say there using it... then i find something else.
I think It would be polite and good ethic to remember in some cases like this the people may be customers paying good money to be out there and or they could be less fortunate then most of us in the fact they do not have the gear/skills to go outside and set up climbs or just climb very often. Soo i would just give them there space , everybody is out there to have fun

Plus, most of them will have a massive pump after the first climb and be unable to continue. But the ropes will continue to hang until the class is over. That is why you  must make nice right off the bat.

Two years ago I went to do some TR soloing, and ended up climbing three routes because the group was all just milling around, I asked to either pull their ropes or use them, they said go ahead and use them. They were a little surprised I didn't have a partner, tied in, clipped the running side through my grigri and climbed up. Self lowered and did the next one, and the next one.  

I think it's neat when people are introduced to a sport that brings me a lot of joy.

Jaren Watson wrote:

I think it’s cool when the surprise at seeing you have no partner progresses to asking you if what you’re doing is safe, then telling you it’s a bad idea, then walking away muttering “I’m not going to watch this. I don’t want to be held responsible.”

Most times, I've had people wait until I was back down then come over and ask: "OK. That was cool. How did you do that????"

I have had this happen at my local crag. REI beginners TR class had setup ropes on literally every route (all 8 of them lol). Only other area was above the trees and baking in the sun.

Here is what you do: Be a real person, introduce yourself. Explain that you were hoping to set up a TR of yourself, Ask what their plan was. At this point, in my experience (Two different occasions at this same spot) the REI Guides will either offer that you can hop on their ropes, or pull a rope from the route you were hoping to do.

As was mentioned earlier, start the encounter as a nice person, and it will likely go well. Be a dick and yer gonna have a bad time.

In this instance you are an ambassador to the climbing world, all of the gumbies in the class will look to you to see how they should act when they are not in a class.

You catch more bees with honey than vinegar.

But if they legitimately refused to move their ropes or let you get on after you have been a nice person, I would probably set up a TR over theirs because they don't own that piece of rock.