UKC

Even though I don't keep a log or fill out my own profile fully, I like looking at other users' profiles and have often found that there are moderators for crags that have only unmoderated climbs on them or large numbers of unmoderated climbs.

What leads people to become crag moderators? Are you a moderator and if so how do you see your role? Do you just want the label on your profile because it looks cool or something or do you take the job more seriously and actually keep an eye on your crag and maybe even go and do the lines that need moderation as the job title suggests you should?

I would be interested in knowing what the stats are for crag moderation on this site with regard to numbers of unmoderated climbs, crags that are completely unmoderated, are there any crags that need a moderator and if so where are they etc etc
I quite like the idea of having a part to play as a moderator but The Roaches and Stanage Popular are probably spoken for...

In reply to EZ: If you'd like to help, there is a list of all the crags without a volunteer moderator, split up by country & region:
- http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/wanted.html

Many thanks

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC:

Thanks Nick. I'll have a look.

In reply to EZ:

I became a moderator because I volunteered to tidy up and re-arrange the crags I climb on most - before I took over they were in a fairly random order and were a bit tricky to use, but I know that it would take some work to fix, so I offered. Hopefully I've improved things. I try to add updates as soon as possible, and to check that they are accurate, but I know that I have one update request waiting at the moment because I haven't had a chance to check it yet.

If a crag you know well is not as up to date or easy to use as you would like, then you can ask to help out. Often the incumbent moderator will only be too happy to let you take over.

In reply to Monk:

At the moment I'm eyeing up Mow Cop as a possibility.

In reply to EZ:

We don't have easy access to the stats you request. From my experience sorting out crags, there are many moderators that do a brilliant and very contentious job and we are very grateful to them. There are others who start doing a job but then grow weary after a while - this is understandable to an extent but it would be good if they released the crags if they don't intend to continue. There are others that volunteer and then do nothing - I removed one this morning who hadn't updated anything since 2007 which means he must have volunteered right after we set the system up and then done nothing. I would prefer people didn't do that since it does block the crag from a more diligent moderator.

Having said that I moderate loads of crags that have a number of updates pending. This is because I am waiting for some under-the-bonnet work to be done on the database which will make my moderation effort superfluous. These are all crags connected with Rockfax areas though in Mallorca, Haute Provence and Lofoten.

Alan

In reply to EZ:

Hi EZ! Many years ago I was looking for information regarding St Sunday Crag in Cumbria,there was very little information out there. The years pass and we visited the crag many times climbing through all its wonderful gullies. Then around 2006 I found UKC and I took the opertunity to add somthing,our knowledge of the crag,lots of photographs,my route descriptions and in the case of Red Screes on the Kirkstone Pass a rather fair video Of Kilnshaw Chimney. I also try to visit my morderator crags at least once a year I live at Farnworth/Bolton so this takes some efert as theres always somthing new out there to find, even for an old crusty bugger like me. Best wishes Big Hell .

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: I sent you an email in regard to crag moderation, but you didn't seem to reply.

In reply to EZ:
Personally I try and update the crags I moderate with all the routes and variation names, length and grades from the latest definitive guides, I don't bother moderating routes that are not in the definitive guide. I'm a bit behind with some of my crags - although I recently took over stone farm and added every single climb from the definitive guide, this took over two hours.

In reply to EZ:

Do you really think anyone would be weird enough to think that?

I seem to currently be moderator for 40 crags almost solely because I entered them into the datebase in the first place. I imagine that's how most people end up doing it. I have passed a few on to people who have done more routes at various crags than I have. It's easily done.

In reply to TobyA:

Honestly, I wouldn't discount it. There is a large amount of self image building when people create and grow into a persona on the internet.

From Alan James:

Obviously I am not tarring all moderators with the same brush by any stretch. In fact my question isn't intended to tar any of them at all. I have learned to try and offer options in my questions to evoke discussion so that I can find out about the subject that I am asking about.

In reply to EZ:
Personally I find having UKC list of all the climbs at a crag including grades and stars really usefull for all sorts of things (logbook, planning trips, dreaming of routes to do in the future) etc, so I don't mind putting something back in to the system either.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

That's in the same vein as the way I see the instruction that I give (and rather a lot of it too). It was actually disappointment at seeing a particular crag moderators efforts that prompted the question, but I find myself now feeling quite interested to see if it's something that I could commit to help with.

As for the UKC crag and route database, the logbook entries that people leave comments on and the voting; I find it all exceptionally useful when planning an outing and after the fact when I'm licking my wounds or bigging up my achievements to myself. I certainly always vote on routes that I've done. Maybe moderation is a new way for me to put back in.

In reply to bighell:

Good post.

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC: And in which counties Clare, Donegal, Kerry & Wicklow are incorrectly listed as being in the UK - they are all in the Republic of Ireland

In reply to EZ: Having read this thread I've been brave and emailed the mod for a crag I visit quite often to see if they want to pass on the mantle or even if they would appreciate a little help with a crag I visit fairly often. It's something I've been thinking about for awhile for the same reasons that have already been mentioned. So thank you for placing the idea back into my tiny little mind.

In reply to SGD:

Good for you mate

In reply to EZ:

Good luck have fun .

In reply to cem:

Well given that there isn't a 'UK' listed anywhere on the page, that's unlikely!

But the database is built by users of the site, so if you see something wrong or missing, please correct it.

Cheers

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

Do route/crag descriptions and grades entered in the database end up in RF guides? If no, what is the database for?

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC:



The Black Cliff (Co. Kerry), Scailp na Seisri (Co. Clare), Barnesmore Gap (Co. Donegal), Dunran - The Bishop (Co. Wicklow) are all included in the category of ‘Top 20 UK crags that need a volunteer’

In reply to cem: Well spotted! I've updated the table at the top of the page to say 'Top 20 UK/Eire crags'.

On a related note, we are missing map locations for some crags, and they are very easy to add if anyone knows where the crags are. No need to moderate - just update the crag by clicking on the map:
- http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/wanted2.html

Many thanks

In reply to 999thAndy:

I assume you are referring to the UKC Logbook route database here and not the Rockfax Route database.

In which case, no, the route/crag descriptions and grades don't automatically appear in a new RF guidebook. It could be that we use the listing on UKC to find new routes if they have been uploaded, and we naturally use it for feedback on grades, stars and comments as do most other guidebook producers, but it isn't necessarily a given that a route entered in the UKC database all appear in an RF guidebook.

In reply to your last question: the UKC Logbook database has loads of uses apart from as a feeder for Rockfax - Logbooks, finding crags, tick lists, etc.

Alan

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC:
Sometimes I have useful additional info on a crag for which data is requested but unless I can pinpoint it on a map (not always easy for foreign crags visited years ago) I cannot provide it. Sometimes the online map does not correspond to either large scale local maps or the actual ground (e.g at Orco where I have just been) so it is hard to pinpoint the crag even with clear recent knowledge.

In reply to EZ: When I first got into the logbooks, I went back tyhrough my old handwritten logbooks and guides to put in the routes I'd climbed. I found that a number of crags in the SW needed a moderator, so I just volunteered. - It's a great system, but I do find it slightly irritating when someone puts another "new" route into the system when in fact all they have done is mis-spelt an existing route! Or Bosigran ridge gets added to Bosigran (yet again) when it is in the database as a separate crag.