Chalk overuse

Birthday crack and Rogers roof were incredibly over chalked when I climbed there today. I have never seen so much chalk on and inside cracks before. I swear someone used a spray gun to put so much on these routes. Whomever uses this much chalk should realize it is not magic powder.

Should have taken photo of the rediculous chalk overuse on these 2 devils lake, wi climbs. You need not submit a photo of your wacky use of your chalk!!!!

roger fritz from rockford, IL wrote:...Whomever uses this much chalk should realize it is not magic powder.

roger fritz from rockford, IL wrote: Whomever uses this much chalk should realize it is not magic powder.

British Climbers and Chalk

A nice, well-written piece about the Brits and how, over time, they reluctantly accepted its use.

As Gill told Lynn Hill, "beware of the strong pull of the mainstream – go out and try something novel, something that will forcibly broaden the perspective of the climbing community. Be an individual." 

That sounds like something I read 30 years ago in The Dancing Wu Li Masters about discovering something new that others have not yet discovered, and quite possibly will reject out of ignorance, disbelief, habit, or the majority's ethic. It's unforced upon others but it may force others to think about it. That's what happened with chalk. "The Wu Li Master does not teach, but the student learns" .

I dislike chalk on a rock face for "the visual impact, the removal of discovery for the following climbers". These days, the Access Fund says colored chalk that matches the color of the rock is the best ethic but few seem to care.

Chalk has its place but it is certainly overused and unattractive.

The Teton cover of Math Horizons is sweet.

Referenced in Gill's story, the one-time Teton climber and FLOW preacher Mihaly "Mike" Robert Csikszentmihalyi passed away last year.

John Gill wrote:

British Climbers and Chalk

A nice, well-written piece about the Brits and how, over time, they reluctantly accepted its use.

Bump for a great article.

Ironically, I get heckled for not using chalk at my local gym.

What I don't understand is people chalking up on routes like Incredible Handcrack. Seems to be more of a security blanket than a performance assist at that point.

F r i t z wrote:

Bump for a great article.

Ironically, I get heckled for not using chalk at my local gym.

What I don't understand is people chalking up on routes like Incredible Handcrack. Seems to be more of a security blanket than a performance assist at that point.

It's a habit. Occasionally I will go sans chalk bag and catch myself hand dipping into air behind my ass.

Too much chalk is a real issue, makes the holds worse! A thin layer everybody, that's all you need.