SCC Community Forum

I stand corrected if this is not the guy. I sincerely hope that I am wrong...cause that would be pretty bad.

Which would be this link:
seclimbers.org/modules.php?…

And, for consideration, we have this:
peregrineclimbingguides.com…

1990's....swell.
So, Shannon will be up there.
Wonder when he started climbing.

Haven't felt the need to chime in and wasn't able to make the meeting in Atlanta, so I've been trying to follow what's going on here.. It seems like the thread was going in the right direction for the first couple of pages. I think the idea of ethics and style is something that really needs to be instilled in climbers transitioning from gym to outside..

But then the thread turned back to name calling. It doesn't matter who called who, what. The issue here is education. New climbers don't care abt some dude in the early 80s that climbed a gnarly finger crack with nothing but pink tricams. And this is where things are turning for the worst.

The cool thing about the south is the history of the climbing there. Maybe a greater effort needs to be placed in guidebook authorship? Maybe volunteer led combing days where the FAs are there to share some of the history? Who knows.

And maybe nothing will be done and the sport bolting masses will grid bolt every great piece of rock in the SE.. Until then, we can turn the SE into a sport climbing Mecca, or a greater emphasis can be placed on ethics/style and hopefully some budding climbers will realize that the era of clean climbing happened 40 years ago and they're behind the times.

Just some food for thought. My spray may not come out as eloquently as it sounds in my head but I don't fucking care. Hope everyone can come to an agreement; sounds like cool things are happening in Tallulah :)

Paul, that hasn't been updated in years. The current property manager is Jeb.

Ryan....
I heard Jeb resigned.

That is correct, his last day is Saturday.

My post has been edited for accuracy.

I don't want to speak for jeb, but he said he will be there at the trail day. There has been some confusion, is the walk through on Friday or Saturday, we would like to be involved.
Anyone who climbs there regularly will agree that the right side of YB is very chossy. We have put a lot of effort into cleaning it up, but by that I mean accidently breaking holds. I personally have broken countless holds. Stuff still break off there to this day. Just last week I ripped off a toaster size block off a very popular route.

By right side I mean the open side

Property Managers of Yellow Bluff:
Curt Merchant, then Tim Maddox (me) then Jeb Orr. Currently the position is vacant.

I am not the property manager of yellow bluff and I will not be the new property manager of Yellow Bluff, I am not a part of the SCC and I will not be a part of the SCC.

My stance on this matter is this: If I put in a bolt on a route and it turns out that it was a retro bolt then I will gladly remove it this Saturday. If you guys walk the cliff on Friday and want to chop every bolt on the wall, have at it.

Thanks, Tim.
Will you be there Friday night?

Ryan,
Walk-through is Saturday morning.

Timmy M. wrote:If I put in a bolt on a route and it turns out that it was a retro bolt then I will gladly remove it this Saturday.

This has been our position since we started putting up routes nearly 7 years ago. I've stated it in nearly every post I've made. I'm not sure why we are even still going around and around with this.

It's not like the routes went up out there in secret. We didn't just go on a rap bolting spree. Given the nature of the crag (no top access), routes were put in ground up, sometimes free, sometimes aid. Depending on the nature of the protection, rock quality, and climbing quality routes were established as either trad, sport, or mixed. Crappy lines were left alone (for the most part), after their initial inspection.

Oh and yea, it's chossy, I didn't even know this was in question. I don't break off holds but Ryan does because he's a fatty. All of the good climbing is off the SCC property, has no hardware or trail, and no one goes out there to climb on it (unlike Steele).

Does the SCC buy choss? Heck yea, they own the worst parts of Yellow Bluff, Steele, and Jamestown. Does that mean it's a waste of money? No way, those areas are all heavily used and people, myself included, are grateful for those acquisitions.

Also, Ben, thanks for the link. I always love some free advertising. I really need to update that stuff on the website. Why the animosity towards us?

Also, I have a bet on how many pages this thread goes before the meeting. Come on lucky seven!

Disclamer: I don't support retrobolting, chipping holds, hammocks, boomboxes, dogs running around everywhere, or trash at the crag. Let me know if I got everything you've complained about.

Or towers of power. I like knocking those down! And geez guys, how many times do I have to tell you, don't call me fat! It hurts my feelings!

Dude, seriously, I think we need to have a talk about it.

hahaha epic
in all seriousness, screeaming loud kids at the crag, love them, can't get enough of them. They were awesome on the Beckey Choinnard. How can we get some of those on heart ledge?

sam england wrote:Why the animosity towards us?

Grabassery.
In a land that should be devoid of it.

Well guys, what the hell happened in Huntsvegas? The meeting was supposed to broadcast but apparently wasn't. How many retros did we find? How many routes are getting chopped? Has all the grabassery been run out of Yellow Bluff and its natural chosspile status restored or what? Why is this thread suddenly so silent?

I've been wondering the same thing...

I've heard some stuff, but waiting to hear from those who were there on the particulars.

I did hear that the loudest mouth...when walked outside...didn't have the balls to back up his bullshit and pretty much ran like a bitch. But, of course, that's just heresay.

Yeah, I wish this one had been recorded.
The short of it...

Shortly after arriving a few minutes late, being called an "asshole" by a former SCC area rep, I was pleased to see the conversation really crank up.
A powerful defense of their home crag was presented by the local folks.
Even the defense of retros, bolted gear-protectable routes, and community-ethic over common-sense-ethic was tabled.
One point that was made is that Y.B. is the closest climbing to Huntsville and, thusly, they want it to be convenient.
It was a raucous time and I was glad to be able to bring Shannon to see what's happening in Alabama...

So, the next morning, we all met at Y.B.
In summary, there were a few lines pointed out as retros, questionably bolted, etc.
It was noted that virtually all of the sub 5.10 routes had been done on gear, prior.
Ryan was taking notes....maybe he can provide the specifics.

Sadly, no bolts were removed on Saturday.
As I understand it, having left as the climbing commenced, the plan is this...

The SCC decided the best thing is for Huntsville locals, Sam, Ryan, and Tim, to collectively recommend to the SCC board what bolts should go after conferring with the locals.
Then, the board will vote, yea or nay, in favor of the bolts to be chopped.
Supposedly, this should take a month or so.

Although, it was mine and Shannon's intent to help instill some self-starting behavior, it is the SCC's property after all.
I'm just sort of at a loss that this user group requires a Board vote to chop bolts.
There wasn't a vote to bolt 'em.
I'd just like to see 'em gone already.

Yellow Bluff is a nice little crag that offers some very interesting climbs for the scope of the place....it's no choss pile, although chossy in spots.
If the Y.B. crowd adopts a more mixed-protected mindset, given the expanse of Huntsville/Ryan/Sam/Tim's influence, I believe it would go to the greater good for future development in Alabama...my main concern.

Glad everyone could make it.
Thanks to the Huntsville crew for attending.
Thanks to Kirk and Matt and Cody for driving over.
And thanks to Ol' Shannon for making the long trip from ATL.

Whoa....hold up just a damn minute here...Are you tellin me that:

Against the stated anchor policy and without prior consent from the SCC....bolts, retros, and squeeze jobs went in and this has now been confirmed as truth rather than conjecture...

AND...

Despite assurances that were made (to me personally even) by the SCC that local consensus would NOT dictate the outcome...

NOW...

It is going to be left to the locals to decide what they do, and do not, want to remove and that it will be put to a vote of the board?

AND...

That with a crew standing ready to do work, and the FA of some of the routes standing there to indentify them...

That no action was taken???

Is that what you're telling me???

Roughly, yes.

We shall see.