Why develop an area and not tell anyone?

Harumpfster Boondogglewrote:

Guidebook authors are parasites on the resource promoting its exploitation for their own profit, no more, no less.

"Select" guidebook authors doubly so.

this is a pretty ignorant statement

M Mwrote:

C'mon now, they aren't all parasites!

Ok, for example Ed Hartouni and Eric Gabel working on the comprehensive Yose guide are not, and are true documentarians of a place and time.

So, yes, I was being a bit unfair.

BUT, most are looking to make a buck (albeit min wage on a per hour basis) not just break even on the project at best for Ed and Eric.

However it can be argued that the select Yosemite guide has been the death of routes to grease and polish by focusing the hordes on them...McNamara may have meant well but its been an ecological disaster.

You are wondering about this mindset now, but rest assured, you won't be in a few years. You will then stumble upon a secret, undocumented area and you will climb the routes. You will assign them ratings and ask around if anyone has a secret topo. If not, you will continue to enjoy this booty and make your own mini guide for yourself.

You will ascend.

Harumpfster Boondogglewrote:

Ok, for example Ed Hartouni and Eric Gabel working on the comprehensive Yose guide are not, and are true documentarians of a place and time.

So, yes, I was being a bit unfair.

BUT, most are looking to make a buck (albeit min wage on a per hour basis) not just break even on the project at best for Ed and Eric.

However it can be argued that the select Yosemite guide has been the death of routes to grease and polish by focusing the hordes on them...McNamara may have meant well but its been an ecological disaster.

Your gate keeping is strong yet again in this thread.

So many of your comments have an undertone of, "it was better before all you climbers, who started climbing after me, started climbing."

Like damn man, we get it, your glory days will have been better than ours because its polished crap now. And to call it ecological disaster might be a bit of a stretch. But what do I know... I use guidebooks sometimes like a plebeian.

Mr Rogerswrote:

Your gate keeping is strong yet again in this thread.

So many of your comments have an undertone of, "it was better before all you climbers, who started climbing after me, started climbing."

Like damn man, we get it, your glory days will have been better than ours because its polished crap now. And to call it ecological disaster might be a bit of a stretch. But what do I know... I use guidebooks sometimes like a plebeian.

If you had the experience to see a fresh crag turned into a ghetto dumpster fire you might feel differently.

Tajo?