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Author	Topic: New anchors in Milton

Member
Posts: 20

New anchors in Milton
on: December 5, 2006, 07:10

Hey folks,
I was just surfing rockclimbing.com and came across this post:
http://tinyurl.com/yxnggw

It seems that someone is putting top anchors on many of the routes at the cliffs near Milton. Reading further i found that the anchors were being placed by a few very experienced and very old, salty climbers that are part of the Ontario Access Coalition. This activity will include closing a crag during the winter to do the work.

So here are my two points:
1. This is a GREAT idea. Top anchors on all routes will significantly reduce climbing impact. Contrary to what a few old has-beens believe, removing the bushwhacking top-outs and tree slinging does not significantly change the wild character and “adventure” of the climbing (most of Ontario’s cliffs are already accessed from ABOVE) but it does reduce impact. Again, this is a very progressive idea and congratulations to everyone involved in implementing this solution.

2. Why has this not been discussed or promoted to the broader climbing community??? This is the kind of community based program that can help legitimize the OAC in the eyes of Ontario climbing community. This program seems to be sanctioned by the local conservation authority and if effective, can be used as a model for all Ontario climbing areas. Why has it not been publicized? By not promoting what the OAC is doing, it’s open to negative characterization - closed, secretive, and working on its own agenda. Perhaps the OAC and a few very experienced and very old, salty climbers can reconsider their communication policy. I suspect it can only help in legitimizing the organization’s future projects and in gaining broader support from the local climbing community.

Good work on the anchors.

pjf

Member
Posts: 6

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 5, 2006, 10:37

addition of anchors to the tops of trad routes as well as general anchor maintenance has been discussed as a goal at multiple OAC sponsored events in the past, including, as i recall, at last the fund raising event held at Rockheads that featured a presentation by Sonny Trotter (with the killer Cobra crack video).

AFAIK, the main reason this did not happen sooner was that negotiations or whatever with the conservation authority were ongoing.

Member
Posts: 20

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 5, 2006, 13:50

Hey Rawk and PJF,

Forgive me for being the only climber in Ontario that missed those events or was unable to find the PDF file on your website.

Have you ever considered promoting these initiatives (specifically the addition of anchors) in other ways?
Maybe even starting with this forum?
I suspect more climbers visit this website than all the folks who attended your meetings or visit your webpage.

rawk

Member
Posts: 13

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 5, 2006, 17:30

It was discussed at the Earth Day cleanup last spring and is written up in the Alpine Club, Toronto Section newletter which is available online at http://www.climbers.org/section/newsletter

alb

Member
Posts: 48

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 5, 2006, 19:44

They’ve gone up in the Gatineaus too. Avoiding tree girdling and erosion of cliff tops goes a long way to minimizing impact at cliff tops, particularly in busy places.

pjf

Member
Posts: 6

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 6, 2006, 01:37

9a, FWIW, I am not a member of the access committee and consequently have no role to play in advertising their functions. I was merely present at a couple of events, including the fund raiser that was mentioned in my previous comment. That event, along with the two earth day cleanups that have been hosted by the access committee over the past several years *have* been well-advertised, at gyms and elsewhere (MEC, for instance). I am positive that the OAC fund raiser that featured a presentation about the OAC and its goals (including addition of bolts to the top of trad routes), as well as a presentation by Sonny Trotter, was promoted on the front page of the Gripped web site. That seems like sufficient advertising to me.

You obviously have passionate feelings about this issue. Perhaps you should consider attending OAC meetings in the future since that is where bolting policies and other matters are actually discussed.

Member
Posts: 20

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 6, 2006, 06:46

Hey pjf

Good points.

All I said was that OAC should also consider promoting initiatives like the bolting of routes.
Promoting earth day cleanups and slideshows is not the same as promoting and communicating the re-bolting of two cliffs in southern Ontario.

Personally, I’m all for it.

It’s just a shame that i had to read about it on an American website.

Member
Posts: 20

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 6, 2006, 11:19

Hey andriy,

Yeah, i think everyone is hoping this program works.

andriy

Member
Posts: 2

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 6, 2006, 15:54

I imagine negotiations with conservation authorities dealt mainly with liability concerns (as I wasn’t there myself) and agreed to a controlled group (actually only two or three people) to install these top anchors, in agreed upon locations.

This sounds reasonable since it will maintain the high quality of workmanship the conservation authority requires.

I do believe everyone hopes that this will be deemed a successful initiative, so that this model can be implemented in other locations with other landowners. It all takes time and effort…

Andriy

sandbagger

Member
Posts: 5

Re: New anchors in Milton
on: December 7, 2006, 01:09

It sounds like the OAC is doing good things for the climbing community in Ontario, which is great. This latest initiative sounds really good and is a step in the right direction. I would however have to agree with 9a and suggest that the OAC is not very communicative with the greater climbing community in ON. I am not trying to be critical, but this is an area that could use improvement. Perhaps this would lead to more involvement from the community at large? Just a thought.

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