Practicing aid on popular routes in great weather

Yesterday I saw a group practicing aid climbing on the first pitch of Tagger. It was an amazing day in the canyon and wind tower was a zoo. I kinda laughed at watching someone step into ladders on a route that goes free at a reasonable grade. They were surely just practicing aid for the hell of it, but I thought it was pretty shitty to practice on one of the most popular routes in the canyon on one of the most beautiful days we have had this year.

I went and climbed, and walked off the east slabs. They were still on the route. This was around 3-4 hours later.

I am not sure if they took down their rope and did something else or if they let other people pull their rope and lead the route, but this seems like a pretty shitty thing to do.

If you need to practice aid, shouldn't you pick a more obscure climb? Or maybe a day that isn't 60 and sunny? Maybe I am just being an asshole, but this doesn't seem like something anyone considerate of other climbers would do.

I've done a fair amount of practice aiding on free routes, and even on routes that were easily free-able by me. It was not practice "for the hell of it" and I'm sure it wasn't for them either. I have aspired to doing bigger aid routes and that is one of the best ways to learn. But, I try hard to either do routes that are not popular, or in off times, or bad weather. In short, I try hard to be considerate of the masses. But the reality for any route is first-come-first-served. You have no more right to free the route than someone has to aiding it.

csproul wrote:I've done a fair amount of practice aiding on free routes, and even on routes that were easily free-able by me. It was not practice "for the hell of it" and I'm sure it wasn't for them either. I have aspired to doing bigger aid routes and that is one of the best ways to learn. But, I try hard to either do routes that are not popular, or in off times, or bad weather. In short, I try hard to be considerate of the masses. But the reality for any route is first-come-first-served. You have no more right to free the route than someone has to aiding it.

I agree with the first-come, first-served principle, but don't you think that tying up the first pitch of a multi-pitch climb is wrong? (although Tagger is only two pitches) It seems like the practice should be on a single-pitch climb.

Edit: I suppose there are techniques that would require practice on a multipitch climb, but, barring that, seems like they should not tie up more than a one pitch climb.

csproul wrote: It was not practice "for the hell of it" and I'm sure it wasn't for them either.

Probably a poor choice of words by me. Obviously they are practicing aid for a bigger objective. Hell I have been wanting to go practice aid for a while. But I am not going to go practice on the bastille crack for 4 hours on a sunday.

trice wrote: Probably a poor choice of words by me. Obviously they are practicing aid for a bigger objective. Hell I have been wanting to go practice aid for a while. But I am not going to go practice on the bastille crack for 4 hours on a sunday.

I would consider it inconsiderate, and like I said, I really try to not do it. But if saw someone else on a route I wanted to do, I'd brush it off and move on. I should have gotten there earlier and I have no claims on a route just because I choose to do it in a different style.

I was belaying my partner on Calypso and have to admit that watching/hearing multiple whips when the aider's gear kept popping got my heart pumping a little! It was a very respected guide out with some clients. No big deal; there will be plenty of other nice days to climb Tagger.