Localism: Prideful Preservation or Selfish Snobbery?

We all have met (or are) that person who thinks their home crag is the best. I most certainly am one of those guys. My personal opinion on the quality of local stone is as biased as modern politics. As weekend trips or after-work sessions added up, pride and a sense of ownership developed. "It's my crag... I don't want to wait for gumbys or have it trashed..." To a certain extent, this can be a good thing. Fewer crowds mean less impact. "Locals-only crags" won't have waiting lines. But, at what point does elitism stop protecting an area and start stealing away a potential experience from others? 

One of my local areas is really something special... Years of hard work were put in by a "Stonemaster" generation that contributed routes, trails, and anchors. But, with the work they put in evolved that sense of ownership. They now ask my generation to keep it off Mountain Project and other websites. This area is not some little sport crag... Hour long hikes (uphill) are required to gain adventurous multipitch routes. Bolts were put with a hand drill, on lead! The commitment they needed to make this place what it is earned them my respect. If they ask to keep it off the internet, then I will. But, I love sharing things. I started this blog to express my ideas and passion for climbing. Given permission, I would spray about this area all day. It's not much of a secret, just undiscovered. Yet, I understand their reticence. I appreciate what they have done.

Over the pandemic, the outdoors saw a boom in popularity that hasn't been seen in a long time. Anyone who tried to buy outdoor recreation equipment of any kind or went to the local trails and crags can attest to this. According to the Access Fund, some areas saw up to a 300% increase in use. Areas like Indian Creek, which have been suffering for years, are more hammered than ever. In Indian Creek, the delicate desert environment suffers damage from large amounts of people climbing, littering and pooping. Chris Kalous, host of the well-known climbing podcast The Enormocast and prominent advocate for Indian Creek, mentioned that in the Creek you couldn't even turn over a rock without finding a pile of human feces underneath it. In well-known bouldering areas like Bishop, the haphazard throwing-around of crashpads has destroyed underbrush. In other areas, trails have become eroded slip n' slides. But, while more people can mean more enviromental impact, it can also lead to more advocacy...

When the number 2 situation at Indian Creek shifted to a number 1 priority, it's climber's coalition, Friends Of Indian Creek, gained support from the community to build bathrooms. Adopt-a-Crag Days draw like-minded individuals together to create teams working to preserve and protect. Areas like the Red River Gorge are now owned by climbers because they're so popular. Without that, they wouldn't be accessible! I often wish that the local area I spoke of had an infrastructure like this, but we simply don't have a large community of people psyched enough to do it because no one knows about it. Despite the best efforts of local climbers, trails are disappearing and anchors are rusting. 

Before you become crusty about having to wait for your turn, stop to think about how this can be a good thing. Teach newcomers how to develop a passion for our crags that goes beyond just climbing. Help them learn how to appreciate nature using kindness and encouragement, over developing pride and elitism. Together, experienced and beginning climbers can all enjoy these sacred cliffs for years to come!