In reply to Jonny2vests:
> I'm not sure I agree with your advice or indeed why you feel you need to advise us. This has happened to me more than once, confrontation, if you think the odds are in your favour, isn't an option I would rule out so easily.
Apologies if my post comes across as advisory, that wasn’t my intention, I merely wanted to reflect upon, and express my experiences of an unfamiliar situation, so other folks reading this post who may have the misfortune of a similar encounter can draw upon what has been discussed, I assume rightly or wrongly that is the purpose of a forum.
Obviously in your neck of the woods this has happened to you on more than one occasion, whereas this is the first time I have had such an encounter, as I prefer climbing out in the wilds, as opposed to near cities. Unlike the majority of us, you have experience in dealing with such matters, my advice and the advice of others, is therefore of little use to you. Perhaps you can advise us as to how you would have dealt with the situation or how you previously dealt with similar situations….i.e baby oil and chest beating, police/ no police, taser, hex 11, 120cm sling and chockstone, ice axe, group hug, increase house prices or reinstate gun ownership?
As to the alternatives offered thus far, Stroppygob’s is the most poignant, though I think glittery candlelit aromatherapy would be less harmful than dirty smoke in the lodge of cuddly climber consolation.