Remembering Big

In the mountains there are only two grades: You can either do it, or you can't. Rusty Baille.

For climbers, the term "classic route" is frequently taken to mean a poorly protected underrated route with death fall potential. Sandbagging, the act of underrating the difficulty of a route, used to be a common phenomena among climbers who didn't want to appear frail, fearful or feeble on a climbing route or mountain.

These days, and I know I'm dating myself - in the chronological not the romantic sense - overestimating the difficulty and danger of a climb seems more common than ever before - at least for some folks. Never before have I seen so many "if you fall you die routes" that are actually little more than easy snow climbs or scrambles.

The corollary to overestimating difficulty is the protection and gear racket. This schema involves extorting people to wear crampons, use two tools, protect the route, and/or belay each pitch. Failing to employ any one of these techniques will result in certain death or, at a minimum, dismemberment. Maybe I'm a lazy climber, opposed to carrying extra gear, as I find there are actually all sorts of routes you can climb without ropes, protection, crampons, or fixed belays, if you simply haven't carried that stuff along with you. You learn to kick steps, use poles for ice axes, and solo safely if you really don't have any other choice.

The irony is, in the past, we underrated difficulty to veil ourselves in a miasma of experience, expertise and exceptional bravery. Now, our climbs are characterized by hyperbole and hubris, and, instead of appearing courageous, competent and capable, we emerge as insipid, incompetent bumblers.

Descending Escalade Peak in the Selkirks