Define "local"

What makes someone a local to an area? Is it only proximity or does climbing make a difference?

I ask because last week some woman gave me some serious hometown attitude over in Indian Creek.

I bit my tongue and let it go.

So she lives 2 hours from the place and goes who knows how often. I'd have no problem considering her a local.

I live almost 7 away and spend an average of 45-60 days climbing IC plus several more in the Moab area every year. I've climbed there for 10 years, I mountain biked there even before I climbed. I've been a regular to that area since I was 14.

Back specifically to the creek, I climb there a lot, I clean the place up, I replace anchors if needed, I put up new routes, and I bemoan the influx of people (even though I'm one of them).

So how do you define local? Someone who climbs a place a lot or someone who lives near it? More on topic, what's the big wet dream about calling yourself a local somewhere. Not sure why it matters, I guess the old lady who didn't know how to smile just got to me a little.

People just get territorial and like to give sass mouth. I was born and raised in Boulder and still get dirty looks from punk ass kids who've lived here for two years when I walk up on their "secret" bouldering spots that I used to smoke pot under when I was a kid (a whopping 10 years ago). Someone should be judged on how respectful of an area they are. Cleaning up trash and replacing anchors anywhere gives you more clout than 99% of the other climbers there, regardless of where you actually reside. The whole local thing is BS, people live in beautiful locations for a reason, can they really blame others for wanting to come there? If you don't want to be bothered by outsiders, move to North Dakota, I promise you'll have solitude. Otherwise shut the F up embrace any and all people with positive attitudes.

Oh it doesn't bother me, I try to rise above petty childish interactions. I'm just saying it happens, most people around here are great and super friendly, the positivity I have encountered far outweighs all the bull shit. I love Boulder, I move away for a number of years and was more than happy to come back, this place rocks.

That lady can POUND SAND!!!

I say none of us are local anywhere except our own property. Beyond that, we're all just visitors. Some are better visitors than others...thanks for the routes, anchors, etc

Anyone that feels obligated to spread that "hometown attitude" is not a good visitor.

Good visitors welcome other good visitors. Bad visitors should stay where they are local (home).

I would tend to agree with Lee. In particular, I really don't care for the possessive attitude some folks tend to display towards areas they consider "home." Anything less than a positive, welcoming vibe should be discouraged, no matter where you are or how long you have been climbing there.

Stu

johnL wrote: We always made the greenie jokes and certainly laughed at the "Eldo 5.11" climbers getting wrecked on the first pitch of Friday the 13th. It was only the occasional transplant from Riverton or Thermopolis that actually thought there was any real tension there.

Some good banter and smack talk are one thing (and at least for me, a term of endearment), but the attitude that you speak of is CRAP. I've seen it, not only in climbing, but in other communities that I've been a part of. No matter where it's at, it smells the same...

This makes me think of the arrogance of those "Native" stickers we have here in CO and the bumperstickers in the South that featured a big rebel flag and said "welcome to the south now go home". Obviously these people have never traveled far enough to visit amazing areas where they are the non local.

Hey Josh, Tracy might have a few more of those "INVADER" stickers with the Colorado license plate background. I prefer the term carpetbagger, myself, as it harkens back to the old North VS South rivalry.

So what if I move away for a number of years, say ten, and then return to my "home" crag, whatever that is. Can I still claim to be a local?

John, ask that girl if it's OK to leave poop on the ground in the Creek if you cover it up with a rock and see what she says.

That's pretty nasty, John, and a good piece of advice about the hammer.

Larry, that is how a local should administer his/her domain. Keep the snootiness under your control. Can't have your underlings going around offending other ambassadors.

Locals should welcome outsiders with generosity and open arms. How else are you going to sandbag visitors?

I know people who have lived in Santa Cruz for thirty years and still don't consider themselves "local." General consensus is that you have to have been born here to a "local."

9 times out of 10 the local "attitude" (especially in SC, and I'm talking surfing here) only shows up when the there is a "crew" out. I've never had any random angry come and cop an attitude with me.

Most of the time, angry locals (be they surfers or climbers) are total pu$$ies when they are by themselves. Get a group of them together and now you have trouble.

Ian G. wrote:9 times out of 10 the local "attitude" (especially in SC, and I'm talking surfing here) only shows up when the there is a "crew" out.

I saw that movie...wasn't it Point Break?

"that would be a waste of time...we're just going to f*#k you up!"

There's got to be some sort of informal process to be a naturalized local. You learn the local lore, taste its treasures, and parrot the local Party line. Otherwise, the born locals are going to loose their stature. It'll die out, I tell ya!

Lee Wilson wrote: "that would be a waste of time...we're just going to f*#k you up!"

Wasn't that Anthony Keidis who said that?

Rob Kepley wrote: Wasn't that Anthony Keidis who said that?

Sure Was!!!

The Larry wrote: Exactly. Some people just don't know there place.

That's it!!! I'm puttin everybody visiting down in Texas and Mexico on notice. I'm gonna bring the hammer down from here on out! You mess with locals, yer gonna get a mouthful of bloody chiklets!

Lee Wilson wrote: I saw that movie...wasn't it Point Break? "that would be a waste of time...we're just going to f*#k you up!"

"Back off warchild, seriously..."

I always wanted one of the stickers with the mountain background that said "Naive."

I wise man once put it this way....

If you can check out a book at the local library you're a local.

If you drive three hours to the crag, but go every weekend, you're a regular.

if you haven't lived there for at LEAST 10 years, you aren't a local. don't try to kid youself. i always think its pretty funny when somebody says they are a local at the creek.

A "local" is an elitist d!ckhead that acts like s/he owns the place, and thinks that having a trade route ruthlessly wired is something to be proud of.

Why would you want to be "local"? Be proud that you have enough creativity to be interested in more than one crag.

My favorites are the ski town "locals". People who spend 3 months up in the mountains and have cool nicknames for people like "JONG". Most of them can afford to piss off the tourists who pay their wages because mom and dad will make up the short fall.

My family comes from a Colorado ski town, ~1880s. Most of the real "locals" have moved out. So I always have a big laugh when I hear people throw that around. I have also noticed that some of these places develop a local "dress code" as well.

I think we all started out in Africa or Asia at some point. It's all pretty funny.

The Creek is now closed