A look at both sides of manufactured climbing holds

TEN SLEEP – With the U.S. Forest Service issuing new climbing regulations and questions arising regarding manufactured rock climbing holds in Ten Sleep Canyon, the Northern Wyoming News reached out to both sides of the issue, asking the same questions to each party.

JB Haab, Ten Sleep Canyon climber, spoke for the group opposed to manufactured holds. Alleged manufactured hold maker Louie Anderson of Ten Sleep, spoke on his own behalf.

— What are manufactured holds?

Haab: “Manufactured holds are features that were made by human hands on a rock face usually by chipping away the rock or drilling holes where the first climber who developed the route chooses as opposed to natural features that already exist on a rock face.”

Anderson: “Manufactured holds are rock features that have been modified in some way to be more comfortable or easier to use by climbers when climbing the individual routes up a cliff section. “

— Do manufactured holds create a better climbing experience for both experienced and inexperienced climbers?

Haab: “It feels good physically to climb rock for a climber like it feels good for a runner to run at a strong pace and break a personal record.  Both the physical and mental challenge of scaling a rock face is our primary motivation in climbing.  Our sport has its origins in mountaineering, where a person takes on the natural challenge that a mountain presents.  This level of experience is much more rewarding when the rock is in its original state and the climber is following a line created by nature, as opposed to a man-made line that dictates one’s movement and direction.”

— Isn’t the thrill of the climb conquering the mountain by creating/ finding your own holds. Is this true?

Haab: “No, I think that it is a common misconception that climbers are conquering nature.  I guess some do take that approach but more experienced climbers understand that if you try to battle nature you rarely win.  Instead, we as climbers look within to train and find ways to adapt to the challenges presented to us and overcome them.  Climbing is a weird sport.  It’s really more like a martial art … event, though we usually climb in groups or at least with a partner holding our rope, we are sort of alone up on the wall.  In some ways a climber is actually battling with themselves to push harder and go farther despite the very innate fear of falling or of danger.  In a way we surf that fear and feel accomplished when it helps us to overcome the challenges presented.”

— Are manufactured holds like the holds found in indoor climbing places?

Anderson: “They are not similar to what is found on indoor climbing walls.”

Haab: “It isn’t unheard of that someone would attach plastic holds onto real rock but it is, fortunately extremely rare in America that someone would do so.  Yes, that would be an example of a manufactured hold but fortunately, this level of manufacturing has not taken place in Ten Sleep Canyon.  What appears to have taken place in the canyon is that people have chiseled into the rock to make it easier for climbers to hold on, not just a few places here and there but instead, artificially changing the nature of the rock en masse to allow for climbers to climb it easier.”

— Why are manufactured holds causing such a problem?

Haab: The climbing community generally has a clear ethic against the manufacturing of holds because it artificially makes the challenge easier.  The whole point of our sport is to try to do something that seems impossible.  What today is the hardest possible climb in the world could be average in 20 years.  Climbers have continued to surmount harder and harder climbs over the years.  When someone makes a hold artificially easier today they are robbing future climbers of facing the uncertain challenge presented by natural rock.  Besides, if climbers are artificially making climbing routes wherever they want and are not limited by the natural features on the rock, we will multiply the impact that we have on the very places that we love.  It will bring even more climbers to the canyon and cause more issues in the future.  If only natural features are climbed, there is a natural filter that minimizes the overall impact.”

Anderson: “Not everyone agrees with this practice, and a little over a year ago a group of local climbers (including myself) agreed not to do this anymore, and have not. I believe the current attention being given to this topic is an attempt to ensure that these things do not happen again in the future.”

— What is a five-star route and why would someone want to climb a five-star route that is not natural?

Anderson: “In climbing guidebooks, climbing routes are given an enjoyment and quality rating symbolized by a rating of one to five stars, with five stars being the best.”

Haab: “In climbing we have a way of describing the quality of a route by giving it zero to five stars.  A five-star route is supposed to be the finest quality climb that you can find. I think that people sometimes only focus on the esthetic of movement and maybe a sense of security that an artificial route can offer.  I think that this perspective is too short-sighted and isn’t considerate of the long-term consequences.  Even if the movement is amazing on a route comprised of manufactured holds, personally, I think the quality would be zero stars.  Artificially side-stepping the whole essence of our sport has no point to me.”

— I have heard that a large number of routes have had the manufactured holds removed or received red locks on them. Do you know if this is true and how do you feel about it?

Haab: “The locks appear to have been placed on manufactured routes, to alert climbers that what they potentially plan to climb is artificial.  Because of the nature of Big Horn Dolomite (the predominant type of rock found in the canyon), it is not always easy for a climber to tell if holds are natural or human-made.  The fear is that if climbers are uninformed what type of route they are climbing then these tactics could eventually become accepted as normal.  With the popularity of climbing increasing each year, the climbing community is very conscientious of the impact that we have on the places that we love to climb.  We endeavor to keep these areas as pristine as we possibly can.”

Anderson: “This is true, however not everything that was removed was manufactured. The majority consensus of the local climbing community is saddened by these actions and would rather it had not happened. I share that feeling.”

— Are you worried that there will be repercussions from the Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)?

Anderson: “From my understanding, the Bighorn Climbers Coalition has spoken with the USFS and BLM and those conversations are continuing. As no manufacturing has occurred for well over a year, I believe that everything being done now is in compliance with climber and land manager wishes.”

Haab: “Certainly, but it is my view that these agencies are charged with caring for these lands for the benefit of everyone.  I know this is controversial in Wyoming and perhaps hard to hear from someone who doesn’t live fulltime in the basin, but I feel that public lands are one of America’s great ideas.  I feel that the USFS and BLM should have authority to make sure that we as citizens are treating our land in a manner that is best for all.  From my personal experience the people in the Powder River Ranger District are often left without resources or the ability to uphold these expectations.  However inappropriate, I hope that recent events draw enough attention to the issue so that folks that have been manufacturing holds to create routes are unable to do so in the future.”

— Are you worried that the problems created by the dissension will cause the canyon to be shut down to climbers?

Haab: “Yes, I am concerned about this possibility.  I truly hope that the people of Wyoming and the agencies in charge of administering these lands understand that the actions that have taken place in the canyon during the last few years are largely not common and from my perspective appear to have stopped.  Climbing remains a viable and allowable use of public lands when done in a sustainable and respectful manner.  Many organizations and individuals have worked with these agencies to show good faith and a dedication to taking care of the mountain.  I trust that this unfortunate hiccup will be a dark but small stain in the history of climbing in Big Horn Mountains.  We as a whole community will work to gain the trust of land managers as well as the general public again.”

Anderson: “No.”

— Do you feel that manufacturing holds breaks the climber’s motto: leave no trace?

Anderson: “I do, which is why it is no longer being done.”

Haab: “Outright creation of climbing holds on real rock is certainly in conflict with the leave no trace principles.”

In addition to the above questions Anderson was asked few questions specifically about the accusations against him.

— You have been accused by climbers in “Gripped” climbing magazine of manufacturing holds in five other places, is this true?

Anderson: “This is not true. I have done some of this previously at the Riverside Quarry in California (a cliff created by dynamite and commercial quarrying activities), but have not done this at any of the other areas.”

— Did you create the manufactured holds and if so, why?

Anderson: “I have in the past created a small amount of manufactured holds – nowhere near the quantity I am being accused of though. This activity is not happening anymore and has not since early 2018.”

— Was the letter written by Charlie Kardaleff, Aaron Huey and JB Haab accurate?

Anderson: “No. Quite a bit of what was included in the letter was exaggerated, misleading, or simply untrue. It was designed to elicit a certain response from people and to that end it was very successful. It should also be noted that a large group of local climbers met early last year to discuss this topic and to agree on standards of what was acceptable when climbing new routes in the canyon. I adopted those standards at that time and have lived by them ever since. By the time the letter was released, those tactics had not been used by me for quite some time.”

— Please let the NWN know what was inaccurate with the quote from Ace Ashurst in the Gripped article.

Anderson: “The quotes and opinions attributed to me are entirely untrue and were spoken and presented by a different climber. Those opinions do not reflect my feelings at all, then or now. I responded similarly to the social media post where you found that quote at the time it was made.”

The Forest Service implemented some climbing regulations last week, see related story on page one.