Royal Flush

This post was originally a comment in Royal Flush

Sara and Rowdy,

For starters, I did not put a single bolt on the whole route, never drilled a hole. I did, however, climb a handful of the pitches before the bolts were added on gear and had a blast, but I am not bent over the fact that someone had the vision to put up the route and do it in the style they wanted. They didn't ruin my training arena for the mountain ranges of the world as Rowdy put it. There is plenty of unclimbed rock in the world and in this state for that matter to put a route up in your own style as you see fit. So, get off your ass and do it. So, when it's finished, I too can climb it and tell you how you should of done it. It would be much more fun to slander your work then to say thank you for adding a climb to our community which has a lack of climbing. Creating a route that enables people to enjoy a long outing without getting in over there head. I'm not saying that every route needs to be easily accessible and overly safe. But this was a nice gift to the county to allow other not so hard core elitists to enjoy a route and sample our sport.

There is not a very big climbing community in this county, but maybe the fact that there are active developers looking outside the zuma box is a good thing. It's nice to see some expansion to our climbing surplus up here, and it can help the Summit climbing community grow.

I am happy that it has sparked interest in this community to get people to climb that never would of climbed what happens to be a cool peak with good rock in their own backyard. Many folks are enjoying the line and are grateful and thankful there was a route like this that was accessible for them. Why does everything have to be a hard core testpiece? Do you have any idea how much work it takes to put up a route like that? I am sure it was more work cleaning than bolting. I'm psyched I can chuck a 2 hour lap up Royal for sunsets now.

Sara and Rowdy, when is the last time you climbed Royal before this route was added, and which line did you take?

If you want to climb some of my routes, I will gladly hand you a topo, but they are deep in the remote regions of the world on some big pieces of stone and plenty of firsties in RMNP if you want local. You can go climb one of my routes in RMNP before you judge my style, but I am sure you might whimper a bit.

Food for thought folks, Why is the Crystal Ball OK??? There is gear all over that thing, it follows a seam the whole way. Is that any different, I don't see a stink over it. Is it because it's 5.12 so that's ok??? Anyone that climbs 5.12 should know how to protect it right?

More food for thought, El Capitan has bolts all over the place, many bolted belays next to cracks. Why is that OK? I have done 14 routes on El Cap, and when I was done climbing them I didn't make threatening phone calls and internet posts about the ethical debate of the bolts. I didn't take time out of my day to take photos and try and prove a point. I just went and climbed some more :-)

In regards to Euro trash, that is another bash, Europe kicks ass. I live there half the year and just got residency in France for 3 years. So, I enjoy skiing there in the winter and climbing here in the summer. But the elitist holier than though attitude is not an issue there. So, maybe I will spend more time climbing there next summer. Just got back from Chamonix and La Grave a couple weeks ago, trip was definitely too short. We could add all the bolts and chairs to Ten Mile that we want, but we would never have a mini version of the Alps, Rowdy, because the Alps are 3-4 x's bigger, LOL. Might be a good start, though.

I thought the complete opposite, Rowdy, I thought why can't folks around here have the vision that Europe has for embracing there mountains. Yeah, they are a bit heavy on the bolts, but that's only if you are climbing the trade routes and popular areas, I can personally give you a hit list that might change your thinking. And in more cases then not, bolts are less impact then tat. Sara, why do we have trail systems? Well, bolts in many situations provide the same effect. I wish I had a dollar for every pound of tat I have pulled out of RMNP. I sure wouldn't be guiding anymore. LOL

And if you skied with me in Europe, then you might actually come back and say why aren't there more trams and chairlifts up these beautiful mountains. I guess Silverton was ruined when that chairlift went in? And now that Revelstoke added the longest vertical rise in North America it must really suck, too.

The alps kick ass, and make our zone feel like hills. The cool thing is you go to a crag and there is grandma and grandpa out for a climbing picnic with the kids and everyone is sending. Right next to grandma enjoying her bolted 5b, Hans and Frans are sending a desperate 8b and everyone is just hanging out, smiling and climbing, not bashing and playing climbing, Nazi bolt cop. Very active and educated mountaineers, not just climbers. Don't get me wrong, I love Summit, I have a house in Silverthorne, I owe my ski career to Summit and am grateful to this county. But we live in a box here folks.

Last but not least, I agree this route would not fly in Boulder or RMNP for that matter, but if you are more bent on flame wars and bolting wars, then go there, they have a very active community for people that like to bitch and not climb. But get over it. Make a statement, don't clip the bolts, go 20 feet over to the lower angle terrain and make your belay in the big crack, and climb the broken ledges, then flex your chest and take pictures so you can tell us what a hardman you are.

Better yet, put up a line, there is plenty of pickings up there and the rock is good. I am psyched to see people taking action up here and developing, I too am having fun with it but I would rather stick pins in my eyes then share it with my community if this the representations elitist attitude towards it. The new development is great for many of us who are sick of standing in line and looking for parking at Haus rock.

Because of this line, I have met over 20 new climbers in Summit this summer. I have seen climbers take up climbing again that stopped. Although it has pissed you guys off, it has inspired others. Lived here for 15 years and I could count the climbers I knew on 2 hands before that.

Have fun, be safe, out there,

P.S. Rowdy, how did I make the guiding community look bad, LOL I didn't put the route up, Not one hole!

Sara and Rowdy, I don't know either one of you, but that's because I choose to climb out of the county when I can because of the lack of climbing here and partners.

But could you please do your homework, I didn't bolt it, I still enjoy it, and I am not bent about it. I lived in Estes for 10 years and the flame wars there were disgusting between Boulder and Estes. Why can't people just shut up and climb, and put routes up in there own style?

P.P.S. Josh Orin, Warren Harding was a visionary, and a bad ass to boot. I lived in Yosemite for 3 years and am still in awe of his visions. And more importantly what he accomplished with the equipment he had, I don't know you, but I would bet my left nut that Warren is way harder then you.

Sara and Rowdy, I'm not posting to make enemies or start wars, but if you ever want to share a rope, or just a beer, then maybe you can know more about me before you make assumptions.

I just got sucked into this because I got lame phone calls, a bunch of earfuls, and I really don't care, the route authors are my friends. Tim is a bad ass, and he put the route up so other people can enjoy it, too. It was a selfless commitment of his time and money to share climbing with others. Tim has put up his share of test pieces in different style. Go climb one of his desert routes if you're after pucker factor.