Nice sport route...
I've never been to Garden of the Gods, but there is nothing like climbing on sandstone. I get to climb on the glass shards they call granite out in Yosemite, so my hands weep at the sight of the smooth texture of sandstone.
Do you know who that guy is?
Sandstone is a far different climbing experience than granite, but presents its own challenges. It may appear smooth but it is always brittle. Also, chalk is less effective on sandstone than it is on granite. I lived in Manitou Springs for 7 years after college and learned to climb at the Garden of the Gods. It was a great experience, but I always welcomed trips to the Flatirons or 11 Mile to play in the granite.
He is so on belay. Nice of someone to have gone up that way a couple of decades ago and drill those bolt-holes, eh?
Not in a freakin' million years!
Did some "rock creeping" at several woosie CA sites in the 80's, which, thankfully, totally turned me off to anything bigger!
Mike
Two decades ago, those bolts at the Garden were a sore issue. The vast majority of them were put in a decade or two before two decades ago.
The modern climber is talented but a disgrace to outdoor ethics. There was a time, believe it or not, when painting a beautiful sandstone spire with white chalk would have been considered an act of desecration. No more.
My "favorite" climbers are the ones who send in pictures of their latest sandstone conquest, tattooed with chalk smears, with an added comment about how disgusted they were by the sight of cigarette butts and soda cans left by tourists on the ground.
Meanwhile, thousands of visitors get to view the marred sandstone for years.
But anyway, climb safe.
Great photo--you should send him a copy!
Wow, I miss that place. It was my favorite thing about living in the Springs. Wonderful photo!
Look at that guy, hang doggin' the route, using white gym chalk outside (they make dark colored chalk, it's not expensive), what a maroon.
(Kidding, mostly)
A month of nuthin' but Will's musings?
Hell, you want Will's musings, visit the other Will.
Two decades ago, those bolts at the Garden were a sore issue. The vast majority of them were put in a decade or two before two decades ago.
I didn't know the exact chronology of that; sorry. I never climbed anywhere where there was a bolt of opportunity, either, although my brother has. He was up in Eldorado once with a buddy, working a route, and some asshole had removed a couple of consecutive bolts on a marked route. Bad business, that.
Yeah, stone-colored chalk would be a good thing to use. Never had much use for chalk, myself, particularly in CO where moist palms are a bit tougher to generate.
Looks like one of the plastic cliffs on a Carnival Cruise line ship...
Good thing martini boy doesn't have a real job!
