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What will it be like?
Any visionaries here got some ideas on how we'll ascend routes in the future? Perhaps where we are now with methods like Trad and Sport, they will be old school like the old hemp rope around the waist back in the day.
Maybe there will be a niche for Trad/Sport nostalgia as these will be old school? Ropes, bolts, trad gear will be a thing of the past?
Jason
Post edited at 15:30
In reply to lone:
Global warming, and rising sea levels, will lead to the establishment of Stanage as one of the world's best deep water soloing venues.
Global warming, and rising sea levels, will lead to the establishment of Stanage as one of the world's best deep water soloing venues.
In reply to Clauso:
Did'nt think of this senario either, so I suppose Pembroke and the Gower will be just places we'll talk and read about
Did'nt think of this senario either, so I suppose Pembroke and the Gower will be just places we'll talk and read about
In reply to lone:
We'll all have our own hovering drone that we are attached to by a leash. It'll fly around slightly above you and will catch you if you fall. It'll also live broadcast pics & vids of your daring achievements to the latest social network. All with an instragram filter that makes you look less scared and gives you bigger muscles.
The youngsters will be unable to understand how the bumbly old generation could possibly do something as dangerous as "leading" and will extol the virtues of being able to go climb 200m overhangs in one push with no rope drag or inconvenient belay stops.
The old generation will moan that the youngsters are missing half the challenge.
-ross
We'll all have our own hovering drone that we are attached to by a leash. It'll fly around slightly above you and will catch you if you fall. It'll also live broadcast pics & vids of your daring achievements to the latest social network. All with an instragram filter that makes you look less scared and gives you bigger muscles.
The youngsters will be unable to understand how the bumbly old generation could possibly do something as dangerous as "leading" and will extol the virtues of being able to go climb 200m overhangs in one push with no rope drag or inconvenient belay stops.
The old generation will moan that the youngsters are missing half the challenge.
-ross
In reply to lone:
We will all be buying 'boffer pants', the auto inflating posterior padding system.
We will all be buying 'boffer pants', the auto inflating posterior padding system.
In reply to lone:
We'll be able to scan crags with millimetre accuracy, store the route details and then get our 'smart material climbing wall' to mimic them. Just pick the route you fancy trying at your local wall, wait a minute for the panel to configure itself and hey presto - there it is. You can climb any pitch of any route from around the world at any time. The smart material could move like a conveyor belt, reconfiguring as you moved up so you could ascend the full height of the route on a 10m wall.
We'll be able to scan crags with millimetre accuracy, store the route details and then get our 'smart material climbing wall' to mimic them. Just pick the route you fancy trying at your local wall, wait a minute for the panel to configure itself and hey presto - there it is. You can climb any pitch of any route from around the world at any time. The smart material could move like a conveyor belt, reconfiguring as you moved up so you could ascend the full height of the route on a 10m wall.
In reply to SuperstarDJ:
This is actually already possible, technology is there. And you don't need to scan all routes, just 25 will be enough to make it economically viable to mass produce 3D volumes shaped like the flake of RU or the roof of the Sloth etc. For more info see this: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=87
This is actually already possible, technology is there. And you don't need to scan all routes, just 25 will be enough to make it economically viable to mass produce 3D volumes shaped like the flake of RU or the roof of the Sloth etc. For more info see this: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=87
In reply to lone:
Southern Sandstone will just be a big sandpit suitable for castle buiding competitions
You will need to buy tickets in advance to get access to all major crags and access will be strickly rationed due to high demand
TPS will be regraded (again!) to E11 this time
It will be impossible to distinguish between rock types as all holds will have a 5mm thick coating of congealed chalk on them
MR call outs will be charged to the victim on a sliding scale with a minimum call out fee of £10,000
The Alps will have no glaciers or permanent snow on them, and there will be concern that most Hymalyan glaciers will have melted by the end of the decade
Most DWS venues will be below sea level as will the bottom halves of many sea cliff climbing venues like Cornwall, Swanage and Pembrook
The Crib Goch and Cuillin Ridge handrails will be due for replacement being nearly 50 years old, as will most of the abseil and belay bolts at the top of every recorded climb
There will be multi story hovercraft parks at all major climbing venues including Pen y Pass and the Snowdon railway wll be electric due to the atmospheric polution caused by the old steam trains
Parties setting out into the Highlands in Winter will be fined unless they are carrying a permit with a health certificate, sun hats, parasoles, factor 150 sun block and 3 litres of water each. Summer climbing/walking will obviously be banned competely due to the extreme heat.
Southern Sandstone will just be a big sandpit suitable for castle buiding competitions
You will need to buy tickets in advance to get access to all major crags and access will be strickly rationed due to high demand
TPS will be regraded (again!) to E11 this time
It will be impossible to distinguish between rock types as all holds will have a 5mm thick coating of congealed chalk on them
MR call outs will be charged to the victim on a sliding scale with a minimum call out fee of £10,000
The Alps will have no glaciers or permanent snow on them, and there will be concern that most Hymalyan glaciers will have melted by the end of the decade
Most DWS venues will be below sea level as will the bottom halves of many sea cliff climbing venues like Cornwall, Swanage and Pembrook
The Crib Goch and Cuillin Ridge handrails will be due for replacement being nearly 50 years old, as will most of the abseil and belay bolts at the top of every recorded climb
There will be multi story hovercraft parks at all major climbing venues including Pen y Pass and the Snowdon railway wll be electric due to the atmospheric polution caused by the old steam trains
Parties setting out into the Highlands in Winter will be fined unless they are carrying a permit with a health certificate, sun hats, parasoles, factor 150 sun block and 3 litres of water each. Summer climbing/walking will obviously be banned competely due to the extreme heat.
In reply to Kirill:
Yep - I assume a 3d printer that was large enough could produce something the right shape, just maybe not the correct texture.
I was thinking of material that shapes and reshapes itself dynamically - we do have 200 years after all so we can dream big
Yep - I assume a 3d printer that was large enough could produce something the right shape, just maybe not the correct texture.
I was thinking of material that shapes and reshapes itself dynamically - we do have 200 years after all so we can dream big
In reply to Kirill:
You might struggle to find an indoor gym that can fit a 3D printed Tower Ridge. =D
You might struggle to find an indoor gym that can fit a 3D printed Tower Ridge. =D
In reply to SuperstarDJ:
I don't think Kirill was thinking 3D printing, it is prohibitively expensive still. But to manufacture moulds would probably be feasible as long as you could get a certain number of orders initially
I don't think Kirill was thinking 3D printing, it is prohibitively expensive still. But to manufacture moulds would probably be feasible as long as you could get a certain number of orders initially
In reply to lone:
We won't be using cars anymore, so road networks will deteriorate. Most people will stick to the urban centres and indoor climbing will be popular, but a hardy few will continue to venture out to the real rock all over the world. They will be regarded as social pariahs but they won't care.
Just to provide a more optimistic viewpoint. =D Maybe more than 200 years too.
We won't be using cars anymore, so road networks will deteriorate. Most people will stick to the urban centres and indoor climbing will be popular, but a hardy few will continue to venture out to the real rock all over the world. They will be regarded as social pariahs but they won't care.
Just to provide a more optimistic viewpoint. =D Maybe more than 200 years too.
In reply to Clauso:
Err! if it will be deep water there won't be any climbing. Have you even seen Stanage.
> Global warming, and rising sea levels, will lead to the establishment of Stanage as one of the world's best deep water soloing venues.
Err! if it will be deep water there won't be any climbing. Have you even seen Stanage.
In reply to Tim Chappell:
At last a sensible comment.
> Three Pebble Slab will still have no settled grade.
At last a sensible comment.
In reply to quiffhanger:
They won't be 'daring achievements'
For once the 'old generation' will be right!
> We'll all have our own hovering drone that we are attached to by a leash. It'll fly around slightly above you and will catch you if you fall. It'll also live broadcast pics & vids of your daring achievements to the latest social network. All with an instragram filter that makes you look less scared and gives you bigger muscles.
> The youngsters will be unable to understand how the bumbly old generation could possibly do something as dangerous as "leading" and will extol the virtues of being able to go climb 200m overhangs in one push with no rope drag or inconvenient belay stops.
> The old generation will moan that the youngsters are missing half the challenge.
> -ross
They won't be 'daring achievements'
For once the 'old generation' will be right!
some gear thoughts:
-climbing gloves made out of climbing shoe rubber. (like tape gloves but for the whole hands)
-some sort of trad gear that clamps around pinch type holds and auto adjusts when you press a button.
-ropes that are impossible to break but are super light and thin. only diamond knives can be used to cut it.
-the bolt gun off cliff hanger
- self belay lead devices in climbing walls
- inflating boulder mats that can shrink down to the size of a book
Post edited at 00:41
In reply to lone:
Seriously though, how can it be sustainable?
Trad gear slots are absoluteley hammered on popular routes up to e3 already, and i'm not advocating bolts. Never mind 200 years, what about 50?
Seriously though, how can it be sustainable?
Trad gear slots are absoluteley hammered on popular routes up to e3 already, and i'm not advocating bolts. Never mind 200 years, what about 50?
In reply to lone:
The next ethical debate will be around pro that moulds and sets instantly onto rock so
That all climbs are instantly protectable - this will mean that there is no need for bolts. It can also be removed after a climb. Some tradotionalists will continue to use old school pro neccessitating a dual grading system. England still wont have reached a major final in football.
The next ethical debate will be around pro that moulds and sets instantly onto rock so
That all climbs are instantly protectable - this will mean that there is no need for bolts. It can also be removed after a climb. Some tradotionalists will continue to use old school pro neccessitating a dual grading system. England still wont have reached a major final in football.
In reply to lone:
Current western nations will no longer dominate the climbing elite due to 99.9% of the population being obese.
Current western nations will no longer dominate the climbing elite due to 99.9% of the population being obese.
In reply to lone:
Ground erosion will double the length of most outcrop routes. Scugdale will be twice its current height.
Under the sheer weight of bolts, and with increased erosion Portland will tip sideways east or west, it will revolve and unable to find equilibrium will spin constantly. The Fallen slab boulders will, under centrifugal force fly off and provide much needed bouldering on Weymouth beach.
An App on your portable device will scan your body and your intended route, and provide a set of beta on how likely you are to succeed. Taking into account BMI, ape index, hydration level, boldness quotient, available blood sugar, proportion of fast twitch muscle and friction coefficient for today's ambient conditions, palm sweat and type of boot rubber. People ignoring negative application advice invalidate their rescue and rehabilitation insurance.
Ground erosion will double the length of most outcrop routes. Scugdale will be twice its current height.
Under the sheer weight of bolts, and with increased erosion Portland will tip sideways east or west, it will revolve and unable to find equilibrium will spin constantly. The Fallen slab boulders will, under centrifugal force fly off and provide much needed bouldering on Weymouth beach.
An App on your portable device will scan your body and your intended route, and provide a set of beta on how likely you are to succeed. Taking into account BMI, ape index, hydration level, boldness quotient, available blood sugar, proportion of fast twitch muscle and friction coefficient for today's ambient conditions, palm sweat and type of boot rubber. People ignoring negative application advice invalidate their rescue and rehabilitation insurance.
In reply to lone:
People informing you that you can walk up round the back, and asking what that bed is on your back, will have been put down under BMC directive 543754(2156).
Dogs will be permitted at all crags but children will be banned.
The Scottish highlands will be one large grouse moor with public access only by paid for safari to see some deer and a mangy reintroduced wolf along bulldozed roads while the wind turbines whistle unobtrusively in the background.
After an extensive eradication programme the midge thrives, but scientists were sucessfully eradicated.
For some reason replying to this thread I am humming Moon over Marin by the Dead Kennedys
The crowded future stings my eyes
I still find time to exercise
In a uniform with two wide stripes
Unlock my section of the sand
Its fenced off to the waters edge
I clamp a gas mask on my face
..I squish dead fish between my toes
Try not to step on any bones
People informing you that you can walk up round the back, and asking what that bed is on your back, will have been put down under BMC directive 543754(2156).
Dogs will be permitted at all crags but children will be banned.
The Scottish highlands will be one large grouse moor with public access only by paid for safari to see some deer and a mangy reintroduced wolf along bulldozed roads while the wind turbines whistle unobtrusively in the background.
After an extensive eradication programme the midge thrives, but scientists were sucessfully eradicated.
For some reason replying to this thread I am humming Moon over Marin by the Dead Kennedys
The crowded future stings my eyes
I still find time to exercise
In a uniform with two wide stripes
Unlock my section of the sand
Its fenced off to the waters edge
I clamp a gas mask on my face
..I squish dead fish between my toes
Try not to step on any bones
Post edited at 10:55
There will be a new media reference point for non climbers to replace "that French woman who climbs without ropes" and "that bloke who beat a car to the top of a cliff on Top Gear"
In reply to lone:
If the next 200 years leave us with as much leisure time as the last 50 have and population grows as projected with no huge shocks to our social system then I think crags and national parks will be getting pretty tired. Access and land management will be much more proactive and new codes of conduct will develop among each niche user group (climbers being the one) we're discussing to keep the activity sustainable. Access may be rationed and if we don't solve our personal transport problem it's likely to get much harder and costlier whatever restrictions are or aren't in place. In short much like today but a bit 'more'. I don't foresee equipment evolving dramatically, maybe more use of polymers and carbon in place of metals but the basic principals are about right now and the limiting factor in many cases isn't the gear strength it's the placement strength. Gear weight will keep creeping down. Communications will improve dramatically from crag to world and between partners. Protective clothing and helmets will likely evolve more dramatically, probably becoming reactive as car protection systems have in recent years.
jk
If the next 200 years leave us with as much leisure time as the last 50 have and population grows as projected with no huge shocks to our social system then I think crags and national parks will be getting pretty tired. Access and land management will be much more proactive and new codes of conduct will develop among each niche user group (climbers being the one) we're discussing to keep the activity sustainable. Access may be rationed and if we don't solve our personal transport problem it's likely to get much harder and costlier whatever restrictions are or aren't in place. In short much like today but a bit 'more'. I don't foresee equipment evolving dramatically, maybe more use of polymers and carbon in place of metals but the basic principals are about right now and the limiting factor in many cases isn't the gear strength it's the placement strength. Gear weight will keep creeping down. Communications will improve dramatically from crag to world and between partners. Protective clothing and helmets will likely evolve more dramatically, probably becoming reactive as car protection systems have in recent years.
jk
In reply to lone:
Chudleigh will have become Devon's popular 'Slip n Slide' activity resort, attracting tens of people each year.
Chudleigh will have become Devon's popular 'Slip n Slide' activity resort, attracting tens of people each year.
In reply to lone:
Every resident of the UK will be compelled by law to climb at least 6 times a year in order to broaden participation.
All climbers will have to wear a weighted vest which brings their grade down to mod, in order to make climbing more equal.
Every resident of the UK will be compelled by law to climb at least 6 times a year in order to broaden participation.
All climbers will have to wear a weighted vest which brings their grade down to mod, in order to make climbing more equal.
In reply to ericinbristol:
Some great replies, interesting to see what people think as some of it is probably true to how things maybe, the Stanage ones are good too.
Some great replies, interesting to see what people think as some of it is probably true to how things maybe, the Stanage ones are good too.
In reply to Bob_the_Builder:
Self driving cars moving at hundreds of miles per hour will enable us to reach far flung mountain crags in a daytrip.
Advances in computing power and forecasting algorithms will enable highly accurate and localized weather forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
There will still be no effective midge repellent.
> We won't be using cars anymore, so road networks will deteriorate.
Self driving cars moving at hundreds of miles per hour will enable us to reach far flung mountain crags in a daytrip.
Advances in computing power and forecasting algorithms will enable highly accurate and localized weather forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
There will still be no effective midge repellent.
In reply to planetmarshall:
A variation to this;
In 10 years Tesla will be charging their electric cars for free and we'll be able to get to any far flung mountain for free save for depreciation of the car.
> Self driving cars moving at hundreds of miles per hour will enable us to reach far flung mountain crags in a daytrip.
A variation to this;
In 10 years Tesla will be charging their electric cars for free and we'll be able to get to any far flung mountain for free save for depreciation of the car.
In reply to lone:
High resolution Lidar (or similar) scans of crags at cm resolution become freely available. Advances in Computing power allow highly accurate prediction of winter conditions to be inspected from home. Despite this, someone on UKC still starts a thread on whether Kinder Downfall is 'in' yet.
High resolution Lidar (or similar) scans of crags at cm resolution become freely available. Advances in Computing power allow highly accurate prediction of winter conditions to be inspected from home. Despite this, someone on UKC still starts a thread on whether Kinder Downfall is 'in' yet.
I'm afraid you're all wrong as climbing will have long since been banned under EU health and safety legislation.
In reply to lone:
The world population will have exceeded 20 billion, wars will be fought over access to the most basic resources and almost everyone will be living hand to mouth under brutal authoritarian regimes. The phrase 'yeah but what have they done on grit' will have vanished from living memory.
The world population will have exceeded 20 billion, wars will be fought over access to the most basic resources and almost everyone will be living hand to mouth under brutal authoritarian regimes. The phrase 'yeah but what have they done on grit' will have vanished from living memory.
In reply to lone:
everyone will have start sharpenning their ice axes as an ice age will be upon us !! haha
everyone will have start sharpenning their ice axes as an ice age will be upon us !! haha
In reply to lone:
I think we'll still be at it and it will still be reliant on strength and skill and still placing gear and climbing above it, just because it can be climbed safer doesn't mean anyone will want to (hence we don't all toprope off bolted belays now).
I reckon gear will be in the form of a stick / wire that you place in and then from the tip a putty of sorts will expand out perfectly forming to the shape of the weakness in the rock (crack, pocket etc) and harden to incredible strength and then when you flick a switch goes back to soft putty and retracts. Instant bomber placement (as long as the rock holds!)
or why bother having to look for weaknesses it could be a short term glue that sticks to the face of the rock maybe activated and deactivated by a current going through it.
Climbing "rubber" could do much the same being extremely flexible until any load is put through it when it becomes stiff moulding perfectly to the shape of the imperfections in the rock giving maximum friction.
Spray on ultrafriction "polymer" coating for hands would be widely acceptable ("what?! you used to cover your hand in chalk?!" the youths will cry?!
After a days climbing we'll still go down the pub for a real ale or an "old beer" of which Stella Artois, Carlsberg and Carling will be types!
Shoes and feet will become so downturned that you will be able to pinch holds between your toes and heel!
I think we'll still be at it and it will still be reliant on strength and skill and still placing gear and climbing above it, just because it can be climbed safer doesn't mean anyone will want to (hence we don't all toprope off bolted belays now).
I reckon gear will be in the form of a stick / wire that you place in and then from the tip a putty of sorts will expand out perfectly forming to the shape of the weakness in the rock (crack, pocket etc) and harden to incredible strength and then when you flick a switch goes back to soft putty and retracts. Instant bomber placement (as long as the rock holds!)
or why bother having to look for weaknesses it could be a short term glue that sticks to the face of the rock maybe activated and deactivated by a current going through it.
Climbing "rubber" could do much the same being extremely flexible until any load is put through it when it becomes stiff moulding perfectly to the shape of the imperfections in the rock giving maximum friction.
Spray on ultrafriction "polymer" coating for hands would be widely acceptable ("what?! you used to cover your hand in chalk?!" the youths will cry?!
After a days climbing we'll still go down the pub for a real ale or an "old beer" of which Stella Artois, Carlsberg and Carling will be types!
Shoes and feet will become so downturned that you will be able to pinch holds between your toes and heel!
Post edited at 16:06
In reply to Ian Bentley:
Actually I think top-roping everything off bolted belays would be a massive pain and this a significant fraction of the reason more people don't do it outside. If its a bolted belay how do you get the rope up? Plus it just doesn't work if the route isn't basically a straight-up slab. Leading is just more practical.
> I think we'll still be at it and it will still be reliant on strength and skill and still placing gear and climbing above it, just because it can be climbed safer doesn't mean anyone will want to (hence we don't all toprope off bolted belays now).
Actually I think top-roping everything off bolted belays would be a massive pain and this a significant fraction of the reason more people don't do it outside. If its a bolted belay how do you get the rope up? Plus it just doesn't work if the route isn't basically a straight-up slab. Leading is just more practical.
Post edited at 17:20
In reply to andrewmcleod:
Well at crags where you can access the top you just clip in, on other routes you have a long piece of string going through the bolt looping to the base so you can pull a rope through. But I'm sure you get the point I was making, just because we can make it safer doesn't mean we want to (especially when it sacrifices other things such as aesthetics, sense of adventure etc.)
Well at crags where you can access the top you just clip in, on other routes you have a long piece of string going through the bolt looping to the base so you can pull a rope through. But I'm sure you get the point I was making, just because we can make it safer doesn't mean we want to (especially when it sacrifices other things such as aesthetics, sense of adventure etc.)
The latest E5028c climb will be 'Beagle 2 direct' on Olympus Mons, while climbing on several popular moon crags will have been put on hold due to pairs of Clangers nesting in the nearby craters.
Post edited at 08:06
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