Local Ethics
(aka, How to Not Piss Off The Locals)
Every climbing area in America is connected to a place, a local community, and a history. The norms, ethics, and issues of climbing are shaped at the local level, and no two climbing cultures are exactly alike. That is part of the adventure of visiting new areas—just don’t go blindly without learning the local ethics and issues.
Local climbing cultures are shaped by many factors, including: land manager relations, environmental issues, access issues, and bolting norms, among others.
Where to Learn Local Ethics
- You can learn a lot by visiting area pages on mountainproject.com and reading through the overview and user comments.
- Pick up a copy of the local guidebook.
- Get in touch with the local climbing organization who represents the area's climbers.
- Drop by the local gear shop and ask questions.
- Check out our Climb Like a Local series for the inside scoop on popular destination climbing areas.
- Get in touch with the land manager for the area you're visiting.
Explore Local Ethics
Get your fill of local flavor by exploring climbing areas on Mountain Project. Find a climbing area, read the area page, and explore the forums to learn what the locals value.
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Let’s dive into that big messy pot of opinions (many of which are conflicting) of local climbers who are invested in the culture, history, and issues facing their climbing areas. Yup, we’re talking about local ethics.
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