don't paint your hangers on a rock at the crag

Hey don't do this. The modern world is host to tons of other things you could paint your hangers on like trash, your backpack, or your belayers t-shirt. At least don't leave the rock in the parking lot, dog.

Looks like a pretty small and inconsequential rock, my dude. 

Trad Manwrote:

Looks like a pretty small and inconsequential rock, my dude. 

There is no such thing as "small and inconsequential" trash at a crag. Used tape, marking tape, cig butts, part of a Cliff Bar wrapper - it all counts, as does a  painted rock.

Turn it over, Marc. Or take it home if you're really losing sleep.

Trad Manwrote:

Turn it over, Marc. Or take it home if you're really losing sleep.

How about we just don't leave trash at climbing areas?

Oh woah that's the rock that my buddy from Colorado pooped under

Trad Manwrote:

Turn it over, Marc. Or take it home if you're really losing sleep.

Turn it over? This is the attitude of every idiot that tosses their beer cans out the window on back roads. 

Out of sight, out of mind right. Let someone else deal with it.

Put a piece of cardboard down

Not Hobo Greg wrote:

Leave it to mountain project to turn it back around on someone for being a good steward of the land.

Just. One. Tiny. Step. Further.  

Such a small step too compared to the overall effort of route development 

drewpwrote:

Hey don't do this. The modern world is host to tons of other things you could paint your hangers on like trash, your backpack, or your belayers t-shirt. At least don't leave the rock in the parking lot, dog.

If this is a problem, then the bolts themselves are a problem as well.

Climber 4QualityCommunitywrote:

If this is a problem, then the bolts themselves are a problem as well.

I think the point is "don't generate trash at the crag and fail to dispose of it, especially if  you could generate and dispose of it at your house". If you had the foresight to buy the paint to do this, then you have the foresight to paint it in a lower impact manner. Like, why do this when you could just paint it after the bolt is installed? Painting it on the ground is an implicit validation of the underlying concern, but illustrates an imperfect understanding of the concern. It's like gathering a bunch of trash at the crag, then throwing it out the window as you exit the parking area.

Climber 4QualityCommunitywrote:

If this is a problem, then the bolts themselves are a problem as well.

Huh?

Placing bolts is a whole nother  can of worms... Not going there

Painting bolts on rocks is not necessary 

Visible spray paint on rocks, near bigger rocks??? Anyone arguing this is okay is out of their mind. Hopefully just temporary insanity. It's the same thing as that one broken glass bottle. You really want this to be okay? Especially with the public at large? Trash begets more trash, glass begets more glass, paint.....begets elephant snot and much elbow grease. Or closed areas.

Warning: thread drift. The most common items I find at climbing crags are hair bands, and rope end tags. Both are very intent on escaping their owner's!

In general, walking around town? Every parking lot, along every road or sidewalk? In my own front yard?

Face masks. The blue and white ones are the new plastic garbage bags. Ubiquitous, and great little sails to go.... everywhere. Feral little fuvks!

Best, Helen

Petsfed 00wrote:

I think the point is "don't generate trash at the crag and fail to dispose of it, especially if  you could generate and dispose of it at your house". If you had the foresight to buy the paint to do this, then you have the foresight to paint it in a lower impact manner. Like, why do this when you could just paint it after the bolt is installed? Painting it on the ground is an implicit validation of the underlying concern, but illustrates an imperfect understanding of the concern. It's like gathering a bunch of trash at the crag, then throwing it out the window as you exit the parking area.

So this is littering, but painting them on the wall itself is not? That makes no sense.

the point is, if you can avoid leaving a trace just do it. No one is asking for an ethics change 

Willful ignorance abounds. 

alpinist 47wrote:

Huh?

Placing bolts is a whole nother  can of worms... Not going there

Painting bolts on rocks is not necessary 

Let's be clear here. Camouflaging bolts and anchors is indeed necessary at many crags. But, don't do that and leave paint at the crag. Pack your backsplash out.

Climber 4QualityCommunitywrote:

If this is a problem, then the bolts themselves are a problem as well.

Now you’re getting it.  Bolts are a consequence of the degradation of the leave no trace ethic.  Trad climbers have known and argued this for years.

Old lady Hwrote:

Let's be clear here. Camouflaging bolts and anchors is indeed necessary at many crags. But, don't do that and leave paint at the crag. Pack your backsplash out.

Thanks for clarification...that is what I meant...

As I stated, put a piece of cardboard down

Climber 4QualityCommunitywrote:

So this is littering, but painting them on the wall itself is not? That makes no sense.

The point is that if this isn't littering, then neither is painting them while on the wall.

Dave K wrote:

Ok so don't do that. But now that it did happen, what's the correct solution?

Throw a rock in the trash bin?

I mean, I guess? But I think the point is to not do it in the first place. Like, if you find yourself at the trailhead with bare hangers and spray paint, find something in your car that you can sacrifice to the cause?

If I roll up to the trailhead without my tent, I don't have clearance to cut down trees for shelter, even if it's a completely honest mistake.