It’s easy to think that rock climbing has no impact on the environment. Enthusiasts climb up a rock face, rappel back down, and then go home without leaving a trace of their existence. Right?
Wrong.
According to a recent AP article, the rise in popularity of rock climbing has resulted in an increase of trash and environmental damage at many of the more commonly used routes in Yosemite National Park.
The biggest irritant to me has always been the chalk marks left behind. I usually make it out to Joshua Tree National Park about once a year and it’s always sad to see a beautiful rock face tagged with chalk buildup (on the other hand, it’s also amazing when the chalk marks are like a connect-the-dots climbing route that seems impossible to scale).
Chalk isn’t the only problem, however. The AP article mentions a volunteer clean-up crew that hauled out 900 pounds of “abandoned rope, snack wrappers and toilet paper” from Yosemite’s rock climbing areas last September. In addition, the trails to these spots are getting overused and nearby foliage routinely trampled.
Man, I had always thought rock climbers were one with nature! I guess I was wrong.