Ice climbing in the Olympics

I'm certain 90% of the people who would watch ice climbing in the olympics would NOT be interested in climbing frozen water, outdoors, in the cold. So there won't be a problem with "overcrowding at the crags" You're probably out of touch if you think people are going to swarm to participate in this sport. Ice climbers make up such a small group, obviously way less than the number of rock climbers. Olympics won't change that.

The thread is about ICE climbing….which you can't equate to rock climbing. I don't know why some of the previous posters are talking about rock climbing. Do you really think if ICE climbing is made an olympic sport rock climbing would be affected? You can't make that jump.

RockinOut wrote:I'm certain 90% of the people who would watch ice climbing in the olympics would NOT be interested in climbing frozen water, outdoors, in the cold. So there won't be a problem with "overcrowding at the crags" You're probably out of touch if you think people are going to swarm to participate in this sport. Ice climbers make up such a small group, obviously way less than the number of rock climbers. Olympics won't change that.

First, there's no way you could be "certain" about that. A lot of people drawn to watch a competitive event- especially one that's as obscure as ice climbing probably have at least some interest in trying it, or have done it.

Second, let's say ice climbing becomes wildly popular. You don't think that perhaps sport climbing and bouldering in the summer olympics would become more viable options? I may be overreaching, I'll admit that. But can you imagine the shitshow if I'm not? Have you been anywhere that has droves upon droves of nooblets and lines waiting for that classic overbolted 5.9? Yeah yeah, I know, just climb harder and you won't have lines- but how does popularity ultimately translate to access (assuming that any type of climbing becomes really popular)? I don't think it does- in any scenario.

As it stands now, I can count way more crags that got closed down because someone got hurt (most likely due to inexperience) because someone started bolting where they shouldn't have, someone installed or took down permadraws, or someone just started dropping turds and leaving trash or god knows wtf else- than crags that got closed or never opened because climbing wasn't seen as a viable use of the resource.

When climbing isn't seen as a viable use of a resource it's because assholes ruin it. Statistically, with more people climbing, you'll have more assholes. Popularity isn't the answer. Ever. Education is. Mentorship is. Veterans giving a shit is. I'll say it again. Popularity isn't the answer.

Comp climbing is a different beast than going out and cragging. Even if it may bring a few more people into the climbing gym are you going to blame the uneducated crowds on the comps or on the gyms?

In fact, if people became interested in climbing because of comps it's probably more likely they'll join some sort of climbing team. In theory this will be far far better than the randoms coming into the gym as there is some leadership and a better oppuntunity for education.

Yeah, luge has really taken off since it got in the Olympics. My local sledding spot is overrun by n00bs, and another one has gotten shut down because of uninformed sledders chopping down trees for a track.

I agree that an ice climbing event would be a huge TV success, offered up in a way that ABC did 5 decades ago in Wide World of Sports. Something different, very watchable, but not needed to toss under the label of the winter games Olympic banner. Certainly better than these latest 'survival of the fittest' or other reality TV made up stuff for TV. Cover some comps on network TV on Saturdays , please..!!,,,instead of more boring golf all day long!!!

Unless,
You swap out those funky golf shoes for crampons; they whack an orange ball up a glacier, run as fast as possible in crampons; use sand (snow) wedge to chip it up an ice cliff line'; gear up and ice climb to next ledge; and carry the needed clubs in a pack, then a few strokes to the finish,,,and it's all timed for combined score of fastest ascent and least strokes to the hole. CaddyShack goes Ice! I'm all in for it.

don'tchuffonme wrote: First, there's no way you could be "certain" about that. A lot of people drawn to watch a competitive event- especially one that's as obscure as ice climbing probably have at least some interest in trying it, or have done it. Second, let's say ice climbing becomes wildly popular. You don't think that perhaps sport climbing and bouldering in the summer olympics would become more viable options?

Actually, I am certain. 90% of the people watching the olympics don't want to stand around in the conditions to ice climb. Sure they'll try out an obscure sport that's indoors out of the elements. But do you really think joe schmo is going to leave his house before sunrise and pay a guide to try ice climbing….just because he saw it on the olympics? Not a chance. Sure you'll get a handful of people that will, but not in the numbers you are claiming would affect the access. And those that do go out and attempt it will be in a group with a guide, at a known, pegged out, guided piece of ice.

There won't be droves headed out with their own ice gear jeopardizing access or taking up routes that aren't already known guided favorites. Anyone can climb a bolted 5.9 off the couch, especially when the weather is in nice in the spring and fall. Sure joe schmo will get out and ENJOY the weather and being outside on a beautiful fall day. Ice climbing is a different story. Its a non-issue.

RockinOut wrote: Actually, I am certain. 90% of the people watching the olympics don't want to stand around in the conditions to ice climb. Sure they'll try out an obscure sport that's indoors out of the elements. But do you really think joe schmo is going to leave his house before sunrise and pay a guide to try ice climbing….just because he saw it on the olympics? Not a chance. Sure you'll get a handful of people that will, but not in the numbers you are claiming would affect the access. And those that do go out and attempt it will be in a group with a guide, at a known, pegged out, guided piece of ice. There won't be droves headed out with their own ice gear jeopardizing access or taking up routes that aren't already known guided favorites. Anyone can climb a bolted 5.9 off the couch, especially when the weather is in nice in the spring and fall. Sure joe schmo will get out and ENJOY the weather and being outside on a beautiful fall day. Ice climbing is a different story. Its a non-issue.

Probably right about not worrying about a flood of newb's coming out of the woodwork to buy gear, travel hundreds of miles, and take up the sport. But we here in Illinois have had a dozen or so climbers decide to try the ice climb part of the sport by coming by our ice silo , renting gear at a cheap price for the day, and toproping some home made ice to see what it's all about. I think any joe schmo' type would have to at least be an outdoor winter sports person to deal with the cold and yet enjoy it to any degree. Not gonna grab them off the couch on Sunday from watching golf tournaments, that's for sure.

s.price wrote: Like curling?

curling's a lot freaking harder than you think it is. miss by 1/2" and you're suddenly down 7 instead of up 2.

Brad M wrote: Go climb anywhere in Europe and realize just how silly this sounds.

This, regardless of how land rights may be different. At some point the community got it together enough to figure out how to make it work for everyone. It's the dumb ones who got left in the lurch.

And Hemingway said that mountaineering is a sport, which more or less is the birther of ice climbing as we know it today.

OK,,,IF they add 'speed ice climbing' to the games, you're gonna need a specially made speed suit to cut down the air resistance for a good time,,so I've come up with a proposed ice speed suit made just for the Olympics,,whenever. In my nations colors too, of course.

there are skills required, talent needed, past time events and leisure 'sports' that are NOT athletic, aerobic exercise or requiring lots of agility or strength. These nameless events should not be considered 'sports'. They are a bit tougher than playing a long game of Monopoly or checkers, but are not Olympic quality events. (like 'shuffleboard on ice' eh?,)

A lot of arguing over what is likely a moot question. Ice climbing could not even make it in the x-games, why would it succeed at the Olympics.

s.price wrote:Might as well include marbles, beer pong and quarters. Horseshoes anyone?

Aren't some of those post Xgames events?

Brian Adzima wrote:A lot of arguing over what is likely a moot question. Ice climbing could not even make it in the x-games, why would it succeed at the Olympics.

I just thought ice climbing wasn't X-TREEEEMMMMEEEEE enough for them.

I think Shaun White was dragging an ice ax behind him or something, on the half pipe,,cuz he didn't quite rock it' the way he usually does. Missed the podium, no medal for YOU, big redhead.
Isn't it a bitch when you get OLD in your late 20's adn let some 19 year old beat your ass in the Olympics???....or ice climbing, bouldering, anything where you used to rule the rocks and forest and you come up weaker and a loser?

when I grow up, I wanna do the Skeleton!

Buff Johnson wrote:when I grow up, I wanna do the Skeleton!

Such a decision to make: go headfirst down the track and crack open your skull like a kid on an icy hill on the old Flyer sleds,,,or get on a luge and go legs first and take a chance of racking up your nuts around some object as you fly out of control down that same icy slope. I think I'll choose to be the 2 or 3 guy ducked down inside the 4 man bobsled, just there for the ride and balast. No, wait, wasn't there an opening in the 'extreme sport of curling yet?

Without the possibility of a free hand beer foul, curling will always be second fiddle to the dog show...America is still pissed the bloodhound didn't win

s.price wrote: Never said it wasn't hard just can't believe it is considered a sport. An Olympic sport at that. Talk about mind numbing. But hey, to each his own.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:there are skills required, talent needed, past time events and leisure 'sports' that are NOT athletic, aerobic exercise or requiring lots of agility or strength. These nameless events should not be considered 'sports'. They are a bit tougher than playing a long game of Monopoly or checkers, but are not Olympic quality events. (like 'shuffleboard on ice' eh?,)

Uhm, the Olympic Movement message is completely lost on you two, isn't it? Open-mindedness is a big part of it, IMHO. For many people in this World baseball and American football don't make sense either, especially when they see some heavyset major league players who don't appear very athletic. Curling is not as boring as it first appears and certainly requires some mad skills.

doligo wrote: especially when they see some heavyset major league players who don't appear very athletic.

Reminds me of John Kruk's quote: "I ain't an athlete, lady. I'm a baseball player."