Smitz

Email User

Climbing bum, beer fan, pirate enthusiast

Location
Dublin

Best Climbing Experience
Almost being benighted on a two pitch F5 climb Ahahahaha good times

Favourite Climbing-Related Discussion Topic
RULES AND REGULATIONS DISGUISED AS ETHICS
Having read through the huge amount of hot air generated over the alleged unethical development of a small, hitherto unknown, crag in Sligo, I feel obliged to add my own blast of internet flatulence.
I have always had a problem with people trying to interfere with my freedom to enjoy myself. Regulation may have a place in business, but it has to be entirely alien in the great outdoors (that is what I go out climbing/walking to get away from)! Had I wanted a pastime with such restrictions, I’d have taken up golf! But why do some people feel the need to tell others how they should do things? As an aging “Baby Boomer” it gets right up my nose.
Amateur climbing is a sport/pastime, and as such, the only important thing about it is the pleasure it gives the participant. If someone feels he gets most pleasure out of soloing, good for him, but he shouldn’t expect everyone else to do it, or declare that everyone who doesn’t solo is unethical. I know that you will say that there are generally accepted ethics in the UK, but not everyone necessarily has to agree with them, or play by the same rules.
The “Ethics” of importance, are honesty, and consideration for others. If someone wants to climb Cenotaph Corner using an extendable aluminium ladder, good luck to them (I can just imagine the bunch of old women who would be standing at the bottom tut-tuting!) as long as they don’t pretend otherwise, or interfere with any other climbers enjoyment of the crag. Otherwise Ethics should stay where they belong (A county bethide Thuthics).
As for naming or grading a route (or Project) prior to its proper first ascent, this was for identification purposes only. I felt if we logged these “Projects” it might encourage others to visit, and there was never any claim made that these were first ascents. Would it make a difference if they were given a number instead? Fundamentalists may say, ”If you cant lead it properly, stay off it.” Why? We enjoyed the experience, and a line has been identified for someone with more balls to lead, rename, and regrade (if they so wish). If Chris, or any one else, climbs either of these lines on Happi Valli Wall, the CCC website will be delighted to fully recognise the fact, hopefully not posthumously!
To give the pot a final stir- Why in Ireland and Britian do we condemn bolting within our own country, but have no problem with making use of bolted routes abroad? At the Irish Alpine meet in Ailefroide, the bolted routes were covered in delighted Irish climbers (including myself). “ Great isn’t it,” I said to a fellow countryman, “Yeah brilliant”. “We need a pile of these in the auld sod don’t we”? He went pale, and looked around to check that no one could hear, then choked or said something inaudible. Why do we need ethics when we’ve got hypocrisy?

Recent Postings

• No posts in last 30 days

List all my recent posts.

Personal Webpage
http://smitz.perlmonk.org

Interests Outside Climbing
The American immigration department and its laws.
Pirates

Photo Gallery

Click to view Smitz's gallery. (27 photos)
Chosen as the Featured Gallery on 06-Apr-05.
Click to search for photos of climbers called Smitz.

Click to list photo comments written by me. (12 comments)
I've voted for 157 photos, average vote 4.5.
(70% superb - 19% good - 3% average - 1% poor - 5% rubbish)

Anything Else We Should Know
I am the queen of france

---

Read more about user profiles and how to set up your own.