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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Mar 25, 2015 - 07:28pm PT
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John Muir, beginning rock stack or masquerading as Sisyphus?
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Mar 25, 2015 - 07:29pm PT
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Ain't no mooseturd pie here, just LIFE. Founder of the Yosemite National Park. Dissing nature? As American as Apple pie.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:05pm PT
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Kalimon that scene would make me crazy.
I would happily spend my whole day knocking over every one of those god damn rock piles.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:19pm PT
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Good catch Clint! You're an observant fellow.
Wonder what the rat will be doing on the other six days.
I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
...
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:27pm PT
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zBrown - I have a childhood background in this! :-)
At the old family beach cabin, this fake postcard was on the wall for decades:
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:31pm PT
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A conspiracy, eh? Teddy snookered Groucho into the act.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:42pm PT
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Any "cairns" set out in the backcountry of Yosemite should be knocked down; old Mirror Lake Parking - who cares! If that gives people a connection to protecting the Park and other areas, that is good and worth the impact, perhaps.
And, for those that believe the Yosemite Wilderness is trammeled, I do not believe such will be true in my lifetime, if ever; and, I'm not old yet.....Tell where and how you disagree, and I'll tell you where you need to check out to dispel the myth.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:53pm PT
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Urban wilderness...I much prefer being in places untouched by humankind.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 08:54pm PT
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for those that believe the Yosemite Wilderness is trammeled I don't believe the wilderness is gone in Yosemite.
But I don't consider areas next to a developed trail or road to be wilderness.
To me, wilderness is where you don't see any (NPS sanctioned) human constructions.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Mar 25, 2015 - 09:10pm PT
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Clint, why is Half Dome considered wilderness when the cables (which would be tacky in Disneyland) are still firmly attached? Half Dome (like Cerro Torre) is a singular expression of natural granite architecture and deserves much more than having pitiful human architecture affixed to their flanks.
Yosemite, unfortunately, is the paradigm example of noxious human intrusion into a natural cathedral of profound importance.....Japan could do no worse if it existed there.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 09:13pm PT
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I agree - Half Dome cables are not wilderness.
Somebody is using too simple a definition (like "200' above the valley floor").
Any human construction negates the natural definition of wilderness.
The temporary, unsanctioned constructions like cairns and fire rings are actively removed by NPS and other folks.
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KeyStone Balance
climber
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Mar 25, 2015 - 10:04pm PT
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Wow this has really stirred some serious debate. While I feel there is a vast difference between "stone stacking" and "stone balancing", It's not even fair to compare the two. My balance work "Keystone Balance" was mentioned in a previous post by a supertopo member with whom I have no affiliation. I felt obligated to post my thoughts in hopes of educating both climbers and "stackers". I proudly serve as VP on the Southwesten Pennsylvania Climbers Coalition. Our mission is protecting the rights of climbers in our beautiful and mostly unknown climbing areas here in Pennsylvania. I've been climbing about 20 years and continually promote and develop climbing for all to enjoy. Leave no trace is part of the mission I've developed in climbing as well as stone balancing (barring legally placed anchors and trail building at the request of local park services). Any balance I create within State Parks are dismantled if still up when I've finished photographing at the end of the day. I believe all rules should be followed by all when on state and national park land. While all of you may not agree with my artistic practices, I challenge you to find any of my work outlasting any of your chalk use or impact produced by climbing. I'm lucky to see my balances last any longer than a few hours before being fully reclaimed by nature. I accept that chalk and bolts are part of most modern climbing, but I assure you that my balances last far less than any impact that climbers impose on the land just by being present. I support both activities and feel that most "stacking" is nothing more than a semi-permanent disruption of nature and personally dismantle it as well when not on private property. Although many climbers may not want to recognize their impact on land and believe that we truly "leave no trace", this is hardly the case since many climbing areas are popularized quickly hence creating impact at otherwise true natural areas. It's the job of any individual to make as little impact on the environment as possible regardless of activity. Please be responsible, respectful and help preserve the natural resources we share.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 10:09pm PT
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Many humans have an innate desire to create, often to create things that have no utilitarian function. This latter we often call art. The rock stackers are participating in that urge. Part of me really likes that aspect of it. It fulfills something for them and in some way connects them to their environment, but that doesn't mean it does anything for others. So it's that age old conundrum of where does your pleasure intersect my displeasure, like people who smoke in public places.
But it sure would seem a bit much to try to regulate it. I guess if you don't like them enough, you can just knock them down.
I don't particularly enjoy the examples pictured at Mirror Lake, not because they impact on "Nature", but because they are such poor "art". I've seen a fair number of Andy Goldsworthy in person and they always take my breath away. They enhance the natural environment and never feel apart from it. I like Christo too but his stuff is composed of manmade materials and exists in juxtaposition to nature, not of it, and you wouldn't want it to be there forever. Whereas with Goldsworthy, you can just see his stuff staying in place until it falls apart and returns to "natural".
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KeyStone Balance
climber
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Mar 25, 2015 - 10:21pm PT
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Scrubbing bubbles dude... What about your impact just by walking into your local crag? You're actions are no less significant than mine.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 25, 2015 - 10:50pm PT
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Keystone Balance - thanks for sharing.
I didn't realize yours were temporary and removed after getting the photos.
Makes all the difference.
Other stackers/balancers like at Mirror Lake need to learn from your example.
(Although to be honest, I am not expecting wilderness trailside at Mirror Lake).
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Mar 25, 2015 - 11:00pm PT
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Knock that sh#t down.
And knock that sh#t off.
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nita
Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
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Mar 25, 2015 - 11:08pm PT
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*
Hey, Jim C,....Sweet seeing a picture of your son...What a beautiful face..
Cheers..
Nita..
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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Mar 26, 2015 - 06:16am PT
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gleefully erected
I know the feeling. Tax fun and regulate it.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Mar 26, 2015 - 06:38am PT
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It's ok eKat I still luvz ya!
I don't hate the hard core trail work at all, I love the trails of Yosemite.
My point was merely to bag on the whole idea that people are spoiling pristine with some stacked rocks at Mirror Lake. They're not made out of oil, or pavement, or glass, or plastic.
Yosemite is a special place and deserves protection to be sure, but there are much uglier things happening on the valley floor, in my view.
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