EYESIGHT
Of ice and men
By Leah Bluntschli
bluntsch@mscd.edu
The season for rock-climbing is over, but ice-climbing is well under way. However, sometimes ice-climbers resort to illegal activities to create the walls of ice necessary for their sport. For example, sometimes holes appear in the pipes that line Boulder Canyon, punched out by a welding torch after dark, as illustrated in the above photo.
These holes allow for the slow trickle of water, which will freeze to form cliffs of climbable ice in the winter. This is, of course, frowned upon by many climbers and county officials, as each hole has to be repaired during the warmer months.
Many climbers talk about the ethical issues surrounding artificial aid in their sport. There is much controversy over things like glued holds, chipping and overall damage to the environment. The Access Fund, an organization established in 1990 with the aim of keeping climbing areas open and well-maintained, makes climbers aware of the dangers they are creating. Still, it's up to the climbers to do their part in making sure to not leave a trace. This effort will ensure that many favorite climbing areas will not be shut down in the near future.