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Eric Beck
Sport climber
Bishop, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 29, 2008 - 02:32pm PT
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Yesterday I counted 79 cars at the Happy Boulders and another 12 at the Sads. The previous high that I remember was about 60 on Washington's birthday a few years ago.
In spite of the numbers, I didn't experience any crowding. All Humans and puppies were getting along well and having a good time.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Where are YOU from?
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Nov 29, 2008 - 02:57pm PT
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Sweetness & light......And much groovin'.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Nov 29, 2008 - 07:39pm PT
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We didn't see any other climbers today at Josh.
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Nov 29, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
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Climbers suck. The Happies are overrun and overrated. Go up Black Canyon (just South East of town) to the trail that meets white mountain road and find some 700 million year old wind etched slopey granite erratics. I set a new route on a boulder up there that turned out to be a fifteen foot diameter geode. you can feel the crystal energy up there! Let the gumbies have the happys. That area is overused and we are in jeopardy of loosing it as it is likely on private property. When the Man put up a sign indicating the Sads, I cringed. When climbing becomes mainstream, we all become obsolete. Time to start spelunking or something else original.
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Anastasia
climber
Not here
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Nov 29, 2008 - 08:32pm PT
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For such a fun sport, why the negativity? I don't get it... More people means more money which equals more power given to keep it alive.
More people means we just need to develop more places for climbing. With the added income that climbers bring, that should motivate communities to support such developments. Now that folks is a very good thing.
Only people who have the illusion that their climbing area should somehow be exclusively theirs would whine so loudly. So darling, get over the fact that all of us have equal rights to your favorite place. It is not yours and it never was. Now stop whining and climb. Now if you can climb hard enough, you might be able to get on things none of us can follow. Now that is a more respectful way of being original.
Jumping into another sport because you can't handle competition; that is not originality, it is chicken shiest.
AF
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
climber
Last >>
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Nov 29, 2008 - 09:14pm PT
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chainsaw makes a good point . I always think I see good rock up in the Whites (from town), but unlikely I'll ever get a chance to explore them . There is also some nice unwanted boulders north of Rovana , and farther north still in Swall Meadows . I sometimes wonder why the Sharmas etc coming to an area don't go find thier own stuff instead of being lead around by supposed locals . The sort of pre-packaged expirience of the Happies doesn't attract me anyway .
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Dapper Dan
climber
corona
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Nov 29, 2008 - 10:27pm PT
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so don't go . im sure you wont be missed
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Nov 29, 2008 - 10:33pm PT
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Chainsaw-"in jeopardy of losing it"."private property".Lived here for eleven years and never heard of these things of which you speak.Tell me what you know that I don't.Please do expound.
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The Wedge
Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 30, 2008 - 01:21am PT
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The 29th of Nov....cant even tell you how many cars were at the Buttermilks. In my 7 years in Bihop I have never seen that many cars!
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salad
climber
Escondido
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Nov 30, 2008 - 11:27am PT
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pinnacles high peaks was crowded too. actually had a party of three come up the trial while we were bolting
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 30, 2008 - 01:38pm PT
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Perhaps a redesignation as the Grumpy Boulders is in order....
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Dr. Rock
Ice climber
http://tinyurl.com/4oa5br
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Nov 30, 2008 - 01:52pm PT
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Hey, get laid off, go climb a rock.
If you fall, you don't have to do a job search when you get back.
That bumps you up from say, a 5.11c to a 5.12d?
What am I sayin, this is boulder land, no pro, so
That bumps you up from a V3 to a V4, see, I am readin up on this gravity games sh#t.
Full props goin out to Bruce Morris for a fine book indeed.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Nov 30, 2008 - 02:10pm PT
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I say it's good that the place is crowded. I can only imagine that all those climbers are having a positive impact on the local economy there in Bishop. A place I hold dear.
Back in '98-'99 there were the same crowds.
Think of it this way, the economy has made it so that more folks just want to keep it simple, live minimalist, and do plenty of climbing... There is no better place to get this done than in Bishop and the surrounding areas.
All you nay sayers, all you who wish to point the crowds to another area... You can try, but I don't think you're reaching your target audience.
Lunch is served.
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TYeary
Mountain climber
Calif.
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Nov 30, 2008 - 03:27pm PT
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Quit bitching and go climbing. It's about many things besides not sharing your boulder with others who are thinking just like you!
Ironic, no? One day you will not be able to garner the heights. So, climb now, when, where,and while you can.
Tony
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Nov 30, 2008 - 03:39pm PT
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responding to capt. I do not know if the happies are included, but a big 600 acre parcel along chalk bluff is for sale and it appears that the happies are part of it. Several parcels in the tablelands are going to change hands soon. With potential new property owners, there could be trouble. The property may not include the happies. I do not know. Nevertheless, we should conduct ourselves wisely. I just helped form an Access Fund afiliate group in Sacramento called CRAGS. If it seems necessary we will research the issue. What really needs to happen is we need an omni-afiliate group of access fund folks to begin stewardship of the greater Bishop area. Perhaps there is a group like that already and I dont know about it. If there is, please contact me with that info. I can be reached at Robtrelford@yourcrags.org or just leave a message on our forum for the board of directors which meets this Dec 5. Also at issue is the fact that anglers use the parking lot and will likely complain if climbers get too prolific or continue overflowing the porta-potty and leaving trash around.
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Nov 30, 2008 - 03:57pm PT
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To you who think I am a grouch, you are right. I know that I am a devils advocate. Frankly, I have forsaken climbing in bishop for the last six times I went last year. Flyfishing is my new passion down there. That's right, I like killing fish! Not really. Catch and release is another form of leave no trace and anglers support the restoration and economy of the entire area more than all climbers and other sports combined. We have actually forced LAWP to release enough water to get the lower Owens river flowing again for the first time in 60 years. And I am not asking people to stay off my "Private" rock. I really don't like the crowds and I voluntarily avoid crowds at the happies and Buttermilks. The seclusion of the Druid stones is more my style. When the scene becomes like the gym I generally move on to another place where I don't have to eat other peoples dust. Don't get me wrong, I love the happies on a Tuesday. Just because everyone is doing it, doesn't mean that you should follow them. There are followers and leaders in our sport. Which one are you? The only climb I recall getting on in Bishop last season was buildering the rockwall in front of the Looney Bean!
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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Nov 30, 2008 - 08:43pm PT
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That's nuts. I thought the Happys had peaked out a few years back but I guess they are catching back on.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Nov 30, 2008 - 09:12pm PT
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"When climbing becomes mainstream"
welcome to, like, twenty years ago, son.
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Mick Ryan
Trad climber
Kendal, English Lake District
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Climbers have been working closely with the BLM as regards the Happy Boulders since 1996/7 when the BLM were approached prior to any publicity in the magazines, and well before any guidebooks.
Trials were established and maintained, the parking area constructed, the Pit camping was established by the BLM and local climbers, there have been numerous access and conservation days, educational materials were produced and distributed, climbers have helped with Raptor studies, the Access Fund has been involved. I've probably missed something out there as so much happened. Eastern SIerra climbers were and (still are) totally on the ball - superb examples of local custodians of the area partnered with local land managers.
Also significantly, there was essentially a news/information black out on any other bouldering areas on the Volcanic Tableland (yes topos had been photographed).
As regards visitor numbers the BLM established a trail counter at the Happy Boulders in 1998 - not sure if it still there, but here are the results up to 2002.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/bouldering/visitation_b.html
All the best,
Mick
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Mick Ryan
Trad climber
Kendal, English Lake District
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This page gives more information.
Climbing Access to the Tableland: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/bouldering/access_b.html
And as many will tell you, the amount of undocumented bouldering on the Eastern Sierra exceeds that which is documented (advertised); from the White mountains to the Sierra, and all over the valley from south of Lone Pine to north of Mammoth Lakes you can find high quality bouldering.
Solitude and adventure are easy to find (especially with Google Earth!).
However many humans do like to congregate in one spot, especially as many have named and graded problems in their sights to take away as trophies.
Mick
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Mick Ryan
Trad climber
Kendal, English Lake District
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In 1999, the Access Fund generously contributed financial resources to support the campground and its facilities.
In 2001, the Access Fund again stepped up to the plate to support the Bureau and the climbing community by matching the Bureau's costs of campground maintenance and toilet maintenance.
They are also financially supporting cultural resource surveys of the Chalk Bluff area. Kath Pyke of the Access Fund has been a major supporter of BLM's bouldering initiatives and is such a joy to work with. These folks are pretty cool. So please give Access Fund your support!!!
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/bouldering/camping_b.html
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Dear Mick, thanks for the info. I will update our CRAGS board of directors about the Access Fund involvement in the Bishop area and get our members on board. If I seem like an asswhole, it is just my way of drawing attention to the issue. Stirring a little controversy gets the dialogue going; and from there, hopefully wisdom can prevail. Ultimately I seek to join in the consensus that appears to be forming around access issues. Perhaps what we lack is central leadership. As an Access fund affiliate, we ironically get little or no information from our comrades in Colorado. Although the grass roots is where our support and strength (and money) comes from, we need central leadership in order to be aware of each others' activities, fostering awareness, cooperation and efficiency. Recently my climbing team hosted and Adopt-A-Crag event that saw 46 participants. We are passionate about community service and seek additional opportunities to contribute our labors. Let us at CRAGS know what we can do to help. And thanks for your continued inspiration and leadership.
P.S. I have been a fan of yours since one of my climbing partners starred in "West Coast Pimp." Where can I find a DVD copy of this classic?
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Chainsaw is right about there being land up there for sale. I haven't yet been up there to check out exactly where, but it is very close to the happies.
At three and a half million, a likely deep well, and off the grid utilities, the property will go to someone with a lot of money.
Too bad, it would make a pretty sweet Bishop climbers ranch (if you could get a zoning change to allow for something like that.)This would likely piss of the one neighbor up there though, and he's a freind of mine.
Tom
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euro-brief-guy
climber
Auburn, ca
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Glad I got the bishop bouldering thing out of my system many years ago. Now I visit to climb in the Gorge during the day and play poker at night.....good fun.
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72hw
Trad climber
Hollyweird, CA
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Decided to avoid the Happies on Saturday and opted to head up to the Druid Stones instead. The approach really cut down the crowds of course, but there were still a ton of other people who decided to make the trek. Counted 5 cars parked halfway up the dirt road, another 6 at the parking area and a handful along the main road further out.
No real crowds to speak of at the Happies yesterday, and only saw one other human at the Sads - guess everyone had to get back home last night...
All in all it was a wonderful weekend at Bishop - glad the people who got bouldering at the Happies out of their systems years ago stayed away, as did the rest of the people who think the area is played out. There were enough of us who have only just begun to discover the magic of the area around to make it a fun weekend!
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| Messages 1 - 26 of total 26 in this topic |
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