UKC

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

The last frames of the YouTube trailer are shot at Majlis Al Jinn in Oman, the world's second largest cave chamber. Access - 180m abseil and jumar out - has been closed since Red Bull staged a base jumping stunt there about a year ago (and allegedly didn't bother to clear up their mess after). I guess what this video shows is that it is still open if you have a big enough chequebook ... Imagine the outcry if an equivalent natural wonder like that in Britain was treated the same way.

In reply to tobyfk:

How allegedly is allegedly? Because if that's true, its outrageous. That's some real news for UKC to look into.

In reply to TobyA:

The Khaleej Times are ahead of UKC in this!
http://tinyurl.com/5lu74b

In reply to rc:

The Khaleej Times have more information about this.!!!!!!!

http://tinyurl.com/5lu74b

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
A bit ironic for a spokesman for a company called "Mountain Extreme" to be reported as describing base jumping as "dangerous and irresponsible"...

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

My guess is it will be a pile of commercial unwatchable drama-queen OTT w*nk.

Will be happy to be proved wrong!

In reply to Toreador:


That seems really besides the point, whatever the name of this company it sounds like they cleaned up a mess left by Red Bull, and then Red Bull has denied that it ever did anything wrong. Some one is lying and you can see who has more vested interest in doing so.

In reply to TobyA: wonder if they chopped the "savagely bolted" area around the cave?

In reply to TobyA:

Bigger issues here as well Toby.

The outdoors is used by individuals and companies alike for profit and pleasure, has for a long time.

Some are responsible in this use and minimise their impact, others take it less seriously.

When I say companies examples would include film companies, companies like Red Bull pushing a product and closer to home guidebooks, climbing magazines, photography magazines, the BMC, mountain guides and outfits, climbing and outdoor companies, UKClimbing.com...anyone who encourages the use of the outdoors etc...

And then all of us as individual users of the outdoors.

I would have thought that any commercial use of the outdoors would require a permit and an agreement to clean up any mess. I wonder what happened here?

That old adage, "point a finger at someone and three are pointing back at yourself is useful here.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Of course there are bigger issues around popularising wild areas etc. but Oman has a clear and stated policy of promoting high-end, sustainable eco-tourism and good luck to them in trying to find out if that can be success for them. But this case seems much much simpler: either Red Bull did stage an illegal publicity stunt and much worse than that, leave mess and litter behind them, or they didn't.

A reputable sounding newspaper reports who makes the allegations - John Falchetto - and quotes him directly on the amount of rubbish he removed. Then they give the right to reply to Red Bull who never deny the accusation of it being illegal - hence jeopardizing access to cave for others - all they do is call Mr Falchetto a liar over the litter. It would seem a rather bizarre thing to make up, but it is of course possible that it was other people who left empty Red Bull cans in the cave, but a just as likely explanation is that Red Bulls spokesman had been told something that isn't true.

In reply to TobyA:

It is all a bit weird and I am not wholly sure who to believe. I am not a fan of Red Bull 'extreme' sport sponsorship but have also had rather weird/ hostile encounters online over other topics with those people making the accusations. The bottom line is that one of the world's most remarkable places is off-limits to most people, which is exceedingly irritating. I have a 200m static rope I bought specifically to do the Majlis. Should also say I don't begrudge Leo Houlding getting access (nor making a buck with the reality TV BS) ... it just highlights to me how assumptions we make about our rights to enjoy the outdoors don't necessarily apply in developing countries.

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

wow what a cave ... a little googling found this

http://home.hetnet.nl/~lilian_jan_schreurs/oman/Majlis.htm

such a shame some selfish people have spoilt access .... same old story ...