In todays era of climbing I have seen something akin to this philosophy applied to climbing. Examples could include relying more on common areas than exploring, often referencing the books and the numbers, ascending only trade routes, following the fixed lines, or climbing only what has tick marks or draws on it already. Certainly none are evil outright and they all have their place, but I think it can take a certain aspect of fun out of the process of climbing. So what am I getting at? Just that while we all love the classics, I think we need to enjoy the obscure things that don't get traveled just because they don't have 5 stars next to their name in the guide book, or did not even make it in at all. Something of a goal of mine for this winter-to visit as many obscure routes as possible- and I have managed to visit quite a few.
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| Not far from the road at all, but with the great highway of ice next door, who could find time for this? Photo: Nathan Nelson |
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| Tick tack, hooking carefully so as not to knock the ice off. Photo Nathan Nelson |
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| The crux pitch of the line, it is some of my favorite climbing on the whole route. Photo: Nathan Nelson |
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