Written by Mia Ferrante, University of Florida
Media has proved to be a crucial factor in the development of sports, whether the goal is to gain public interest in a niche sport or to advertise a large sporting event. The increased access to digital technology and the internet has allowed individuals to use this recent mobile super-power to research training resources, as well as information regarding skills and techniques necessary to be successful in their sport of interest. Whether an athlete uses digital media as a form of entertainment or education, the increased ability to connect with others and access online information platforms has expanded our understanding of athletics and pushed previous boundaries of human potential.
Along with the increased coverage of sporting events, many previously niche sports have pushed themselves into the mainstream with the help of digital media. More specifically, adventure sports have seen a recent surge in interest (Posner, 2020). Heike Puchan (2004) describes what differentiates a traditional sport from an extreme sport from an adventure sport: traditional sports are commonly practiced and broadcasted, such as football or swimming; extreme sports contain the same competitive nature and test personal capacity with the added factor of risk (so they expand past the easily understood rules that traditional sports practice and add the element of danger, risk management, as well as unconventional rules and techniques); and adventure sports attribute themselves to a lifestyle, so they can be practiced as a hobby or for exercise but can also fill an athlete’s competitive drive. Skateboarding, surfing, skiing, and rock climbing are all examples of adventure sports (Puchan, 2004).
With the increased attention on adventure sports, rock climbing has catapulted onto screens through the growth of climbing gyms, the inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games, and films such as Free Solo successfully receiving an Academy award in 2019 (Posner, 2020). The sport has grown from testing personal limits outdoors and establishing first ascents to training and competing in a gym setting with the support of thousands of online fans (Posner, 2004). Climbing’s increased media interest has allowed individuals that previously did not have the funds, knowledge, or the right environment to climb finally have access to competitions, lessons, and outdoor climbing area maps, making the sport more accessible than it has ever been before. However, the increase in accessibility has caused the outdoor climbing community to worry about the possible changes in the sport that they may have to navigate.
This paper delves into both the positive and negative effects digital media has on the development of outdoor rock climbing. I will begin my research through a literature review of recent observations and conclusions made regarding the relationship between media and rock climbing. My goal is to achieve a better understanding of three core themes involving climbing’s development through semi-structured interviews of climbers who are currently experiencing modern changes in the sport. The three core themes that will be discussed with each climber are social currency, environmental impact, and risk. After interviewing each participant, I will describe my findings and form a conclusion regarding two questions: How does the increased accessibility of outdoor rock climbing caused by digital media affect social capital, climbing environments, and risk management? What are the positive and negative effects of increased media coverage of outdoor rock climbing?
Literature Review
Although indoor climbing gyms offer a safer alternative, risk management remains a crucial skill for any outdoor rock climbing. Risk management requires an accurate understanding of one’s skill level, as well as an accurate evaluation of perceived risk. Risk psychology has interested scholars, creating many hypotheses as to why exactly climbers make the decisions that they do. Scholars such as Catherine Palmer (2002), Lilly Posner (2020), and Tommy Langseth and Oyvind Salvesen (2018) have all questioned the role of media coverage affecting a climber’s ability to mitigate crucial risks.
In addition to risk psychology, there is minimal research on the media’s effects on indoor rock climbing leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games, notably regarding the role of social identity as a determining factor in climbers’ decision-making (Dumont, 2017; Holland-Smith, 2017; Puchan, 2004). As far as how the increased accessibility to the sport (thanks to digital media) affects climbing environments, little to no research has been done to understand the positives and negatives of the recent shift in cultural norms.
Scholars seem to agree that the rise of digital media leads to an increase in accessibility in rock climbing (Dumont, 2017; Holland-Smith, 2017; Palmer, 2002; Posner, 2020). When referring to “accessibility” in outdoor climbing contexts, it is important to note the online resources that have made finding outdoor climbing areas, also known as crags, and networking with other climbers easier over the past decade. Apps such as Kaya, Mountain Project, and even websites like the Carolina Climbing Coalition all share free maps and directions to routes and boulders that were previously only reachable through expensive guidebooks or knowing local climbers (Holland-Smith, 2017).
Accessibility has grown a stronger and more connected climbing community. However, outdoor climbers have growing concerns about how accessibility will change the developing sport. Sharing the joys of climbing with new climbers is a fundamental aspect of the climbing culture. The increase in online resources has finally allowed many climbers who lack knowledge of the sport, lack connections with outdoor climbers, or lack the means to find climbing areas, to independently experience real rock (Palmer, 2002). The expansion of climbing brings up three major perceived effects on the sport: Inexperienced climbers or even non-climbers can (1) put themselves in dangerous situations due to lack of experience or knowledge, (2) base understanding and actions on online resources that could teach them wrong or unethical climbing practices, and (3) lead to a disrespect of outdoor crags because of their lack of understanding of the repercussions of their actions. Social currency, environmental impact, and risk all interact to create a new climbing culture, making it crucial to understand all three factors to maintain a sustainable developing sport.
Social Currency in Outdoor Rock Climbing
Social media have become a crucial tool for all athletes to network and create an online presence necessary to gain potential sponsors’ attention (Dumont, 2017). Platforms have also transformed climbing from an individualist lifestyle to a growing community (Posner, 2020). However, the rapid growth of rock climbing combined with society’s increased dependency on digital media has raised questions regarding the transformation of outdoor rock climbing. To understand the sport as a whole, it is crucial to first contextualize how media impact the social structure created within the context of the climbing community.
David Holland-Smith defines social capital as useful information or resources obtained through social connections and interactions (2017). Whether consciously or subconsciously, individuals within a community intrinsically seek out social capital within their communities. Digital media closes the gap between people separated by distance, making communication with other climbers across state and even country lines right at their fingertips. Social capital allows climbers to build reputations and connections, which is heavily associated with power and hierarchy within a social structure; making this form of currency an essential motivation for climbers to utilize online platforms (Holland-Smith, 2017).
Holland-Smith (2017) applied the teachings of Bourdieu to conclude that climbers use conscious or unconscious strategies to acquire social capital, therefore increasing or maintaining their social status. Due to the competitive nature of rock climbing, creating an online presence becomes an essential step to maintaining a person’s social position in the climbing community, despite many traditional roots of outdoor rock climbing stemming from word-of-mouth communication. The traditional climbing community was built in the natural environment, directly contrasting with new forms of communication (Posner, 2020). Holland-Smith (2017) notes that although the traditional grading system and rules of outdoor rock climbing maintain intact, members of the traditional climbing community believe capital gained through digital means lacks authenticity, status, and legitimacy. When considering that most of the information and resources necessary to push personal climbing boundaries are now located online, exclusivity and barriers are created between old- and new-generation climbers (Holland-Smith, 2017).
Although a climber’s motivations stem outside social networking, pushing personal climbing capacity automatically defines individuals within the social hierarchy where social capital increases recognition and prestige, eventually opening doors to resources and information (more capital) that will allow climbers to continue to push themselves (Langseth & Salvesen, 2018). Subcultures develop unique rules and practices that play an important role in obtaining social capital (Langseth & Salvesen, 2018). Grades were created to identify the difficulty of routes and boulder problems. Grading systems differ from region to region, but all follow a numerical scale with the same premise: the lower the number, the easier the climb is, and the higher the number, the harder the climb is. Each climb, whether it is a boulder or sport route, all receive a number that represents its difficulty. Grades also allow individuals to track progress, push personal limits and, in some cases, push human capacity. When achieving a high grade in regards to a climber’s skill level or place in the social hierarchy, catching the climb on video has become instrumental in proving your accomplishment to oneself and others. Considering first ascents or high-status routes/problems, an accomplishment is disregarded and even discredited by the climbing community without the validation gained from video footage. The grading system previously defined through trusting unbacked claims of ascents is redefined with the new value of video recording.
Social capital is a key factor in identifying oneself as a “climber” (Holland-Smith, 2017). Before social platforms closed the gaps created by distance in the climbing community, to be labeled a “climber” was to give up any life outside of climbing and become one of the very few bests in the world (Dumont, 2017; Posner, 2020). Guillaume Dumont (2017) explains the change in the process necessary to maintain a “climber” status, socially and economically. Sponsorships are key to maintaining an outdoor climbing lifestyle. The modern online marketplace has changed what sponsors define as “value” (Dumont, 2017). In contrast to sponsorships being few and far between, even for the top few elite athletes, value has shifted from skill to how skill is applied to gain the public's attention. The economic pressures created from low and insecure earnings in the climbing industry push people to build an online identity that is both compelling and relatable to audiences (Dumont, 2017; Posner, 2020). Due to skill not being the only determining factor for economic success, digital media is continuously closing the gap between amateurs and pros (Dumont, 2017).
Although this makes the climbing lifestyle more accessible to more people, the key factor the sport revolves around, pushing personal physical and mental boundaries on the wall, decreases in value. The redefining of capital, hierarchy, and validation in outdoor rock climbing raises concerns among outdoor climbers on how digital media is impacting the sport they love.
Risks to safety and the climbing environment
From an outside perspective on the motivation of climbers, especially regarding taking risk, athletes are viewed as thrill seekers, causing many scholars to delve into the psychological explanation of why climbers participate in a fundamentally dangerous sport. Catherine Palmer (2002) combined a curiosity concerning risk-taking with how adventure sports are marketed to audiences.
Palmer’s work (2002) with the commercialization of adventure sports explains that as media technology increases, media practitioners take advantage of the dramatic nature of climbing and represent/portrays the dangerous aspects for profit. As niche adventure sports gain interest, the search for “thrills, rush, excitement, and exhilaration” attracts individuals seeking risk instead of people who respect the practices of the sport (p. 325). Companies represent risk as a “high cool factor”, directly relating to Holland-Smith’s social capital, pushing people to experience risky situations and post them online (Holland-Smith, 2017; Palmer, 2002, p. 325). Considering that risk mitigation is an essential skill for outdoor climbing success, media portraying risk as being “central to the aesthetic” minimizes the real dangers to sport development and the safety of climbers (Palmer, 2002, p. 330). Palmer states, “Every great disaster, if marketed correctly, can be sold for profit” (2002, p. 332).
The research of Heike Puchan describes the nature of adventure sports and how risk is a crucial obstacle climbers are consistently having to navigate. Puchan (2004) defines risk as “the notion of an unexpected outcome” (p. 172), adding another challenge to rock climbing that is instrumental in many outdoor climbers’ motivation. Experienced climbers consistently take calculated risks, where athletes evaluate the value of risk or contrast the possible unwanted outcomes with the possible rewards (Posner, 2020; Puchan, 2004). Similarly to Palmer, Puchan (2004) recognizes the increase in companies labeling climbing as the “next big fitness craze”, ignoring the dangers to lives and the environment (p. 173). The financial losses in broadcast sports such as football have pushed marketers to sell climbing as an “interesting and sexy activity to do” (p. 174). The portrayal of climbing as mainstream or casual exercise gives the impression that nothing goes wrong when practicing adventure sports.
Langseth and Salvesen (2018) emphasize the commitment it takes to become a climber; a fundamental aspect of the sport that is left out of media portrayal. Climbers take years to prepare and minimize risks, as well as understand how to navigate situations if they do arise (Langseth & Salvesen, 2018). “Risk libido” occurs when the media portrays risks as casual and cool, making risk-taking logical and rational to unskilled participants, instilling a form of false confidence (Langseth & Salvesen, 2018). Lilly Posner (2020) describes the shift from climbing previously being a “private, individualized sport” to a “public spectacle” (p. 2). Unskilled climbers view outdoor risks as casual, making them more likely to seek out danger and intensify risks to increase their reputation and online identity (Posner, 2020). Posner lists many fatal examples of risk libido, including the live-streamed death of a man referred to as Tedzu, falling from a free solo of Mt. Fuji (2020).
Free solo is the act of climbing a route without a rope or equipment. This dangerous activity became the public image of outdoor rock climbing with the success of “Free Solo”, a film about Alex Honnold’s free solo of El Capitan in Yosemite. The streaming of Honnold’s accomplishment proves to viewers that (1) risk sells, and (2) practicing unsafe ascents is essential to rock climbing (Posner, 2020).
With the research of these scholars along with many others, their work proves that risk is a critical factor in the development of outdoor rock climbing. Although digital media increases the accessibility of climbing in the short term, the misunderstanding of risks by unskilled participants could dramatically decrease the accessibility to outdoor crags in the long term. Organizations such as Access Fund are continuously fighting to maintain and expand climbing areas to continue making the sport accessible to all. Climbers have historically struggled to access good outdoor climbing locations due to rock quality, private land ownership, neighborhoods, national park regulations, or concerns regarding complex ecosystems. Making land usable for the sport takes years of campaigning and funding.
With the research of scholars into risk and social capital, the understanding of why climbers depend on digital media is clear. The skewed motivations and understanding of outdoor climbing potentially create problematic boundaries to the accessibility of crags many climbers rely on. The disrespect of the environment, injuries or fatalities, and even broken or degraded rock are all factors that lead to areas being legally closed by landowners, government bodies, and organizations. Although accessibility is helping climbers push past previous boundaries, the effects on social capital, risk management, and environmental access are leading outdoor rock climbers to question the benefits of digital media on the development of the sport.
Interview Analysis
After each interview, I review the transcript and mark any notable information the interviewee mention in regards to the research’s three themes: social capital, risk, and environmental management. I also make note of any crucial points that pertain to the two main research questions: How does the increased accessibility of outdoor rock climbing caused by digital media affect social capital, climbing environments, and risk management? What are the positive and negative effects of increased media coverage of outdoor rock climbing? It is important to understand that each participants’ answers stem from their own personal experiences with outdoor rock climbing and digital media, causing some responses to be based on an opinion or assumption that participant has. However, these answers are crucial to understanding the intricacies of the climbing culture and what outdoor climbers value in the sport.
River Tulloss
River’s passion for climbing was easily perceived within our short conversation. River Tulloss has been working in the climbing industry for about 3 years, where he route sets, coaches, and served in a myriad of positions in local climbing gyms. Although he does not share much of his own content on social media platforms, he regularly consumes climbing media in his free time. River also regards outdoor rock climbing as mainstream, defining a sport as mainstream if any person you ask could identify what outdoor rock climbing is.
When discussing the intricacies of the climbing community infrastructure, many of his problems with social media stemmed from the social comparison theory. The social comparison theory originated from Leon Festinger in 1954, when he observed that people identify their own personal worth by comparing themselves to others. When applied to climbing content online, River has noticed a decrease in motivation in some individuals who only see very strong climbers online. Not only does this affect the individual, but creates a toxic environment where strength is the key factor in the respect you have from the community. In many cases, “grade chasing” results from upward comparison, which is when someone compares themselves to someone stronger than they are. A climbers “strength” factor has a high correlation with attention on social media platforms. River also points out, that the people who are looked up to because of these monetary values gain more respect from the community. With the respect gained, they have access to more resources and information than others, creating an unequal divide and resulting in a climbing community hierarchy. Many people who are truly passionate for the sport and have contributed a lot to maintain sustainable community development are overlooked.
To contrast this, upward comparison affects different climbers in different ways, resulting in positive effects on athlete’s motivation. Human potential for outdoor rock climbing has significantly increased, and as River pointed out, the upward comparison of climbers online benefits the individuals who see strong people as “inspiration” or “healthy competition”, spurring them on to get stronger. Misinformation was an obvious issue that presents itself when River consumes online media, especially when the media is portraying “safety practices”. Similarly to the double-edged sword social comparison can be from his perspective, the nature of social media being a two-way form of communication puts a form of “checks and balances” on the unsafe climbing practices portrayed online. The community acts on these portrayals by interacting with media and labeling what exactly the climber did wrong.
River has experienced an influx of climbers outdoors with the increase in digital information. Although he believes that making climbing more accessible is a good thing, he realizes that climbers no longer need “guides”, or experienced climbers to show them where to climb and teach them sustainable and safe outdoor climbing practices. The practices necessary to maintain climbing areas cannot come purely from online resources, meaning these new climbers are missing the education process that occurs from mentorship and experience. River concluded that it is up to experienced climbers to build an accessible sport where that type of learning is fostered. Positive and negative effects on the environment, culture, and safety of climbers can’t be blamed on access, but blamed on the community for not teaching newcomers in a sustainable way. Access is ultimately a good thing!
Myles Kish
Although Myles is the youngest participant at 17 years old, his seven years of climbing experience provides crucial insights into the key changes digital media has on the culture and practices of outdoor rock climbing. Myles dislikes the use of social media, saying that it breeds a toxic comparison that was also identified by River Tulloss in the previous interview. He also notes that contrary to social media being used as a form of networking, many people create fake personas that take away from the genuine connection of meeting someone at the climbing gym or local crag. However, Myles can agree that there are certain aspects of social media use that has benefitted the climbing community. Historically, climbers communicated purely through word of mouth due to the popularity of the sport. Social media provides an easier and more equitable way for climbers to make a name for themselves, allowing climbers who may not have received sponsorship support to find a financially stable way to support their love for the sport. Myles notes that if you are a strong climber, it is a given that you need to have a presence on social media.
Myles speaks to the huge impact digital media has had on the overcrowding of climbing gyms and outdoor crag. The increased media attention has also led to misunderstandings of what climbing actually is. He uses the example of Free Solo, where non-climbers watch the film and create an image of climbing based on the story of Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan without a rope. In reality, that depiction does not accurately represent the majority of climbers.
Although Myles disagrees with River’s opinion on climbing being a mainstream sport, he does communicate his concerns with the increased climbing population on people’s safety and the sustainability of climbing environments. Because information on how to access areas is easily found on online resources, individuals are skipping the educational process of learning how to safely conduct themselves in outdoor areas. Myles has noticed that newer people in the sport do not know how to conduct themselves when climbing outside, leading to a negative environmental impact and injuries to themselves or others. He admits that he utilizes YouTube as an educational resource to learn more about climbing, and shares that the convenience of online resources such as YouTube lend themselves to being a beneficial tool for education. However, Myles stresses that mentorship and experience is crucial when outdoor climbing.
Although he deems the increase in accessibility is a good thing, Myles preaches that keeping some information offline is important to maintaining access to specific crags. If a climber is shown a local climbing area by a trusted mentor, they are more likely to respect that place, rather than finding the coordinates through online sources. Having information online is almost like advertising for some outdoor climbing spots, removing necessary education barriers to keep some climbers safe. Myles concludes that there is a fundamental misunderstanding of how much effort goes into maintaining these spaces, so when climbing education becomes more readily available, many of these areas being hidden from the digital world will be open for visitors.
Bill Kish
Bill Kish, the father of Myles Kish, started climbing with his son about seven years ago. He shares his son’s negative perspective on social media use, saying that it breeds toxic comparison within the climbing community. He has perceived a growth of climbers who use social media as a means to portray themselves in a way they think makes them look “cool”. Despite Bill’s distaste of social media, he admits to using it as an educational tool to learn more about climbing topics such as trad. Bill shares that he utilized YouTube to learn more about gear and gear placement before starting his trad climbing journey. From his experiences, online sources such as YouTube are valuable to teach correct outdoor climbing practices. However, misinformation runs rampant online, making it crucial to not trust only one source of information and to fact check everything you learn online with multiple sources.
Sports science resources have played a crucial role in the increase in athletic potential in the rock climbing community. Online sources provide access to coaches, books, and athletic professionals that allow pros to dive deep into the intricacies of climbing. Many of these sources come at a financial cost, potentially causing additional barriers between the strong and the weak. Bill brings up an important point when speaking to the recent increase of climbers. Climbing, whether indoor or outdoor, may be more accessible, but the financial barriers have significantly grown, limiting the wealth demographic and causing a high correlation between strength and money. Overall, Bill admits that the overcrowding of areas does affect his enjoyment when climbing outside; making him question whether the increased media attention really is a good thing or not.
John Troup
John Troup has both climbing experience indoors and outdoors after only climbing for around 2 years. Although he cannot speak to the perceived change over time on outdoor climbing areas with the increased accessibility caused by social media, he has noticed that social media plays an important role within the outdoor climbing culture. John identifies that rock climbing is mainstream, even though it is not comparable to sports such as football as of yet. As a climber who is constantly seeking to expand his knowledge pool of climbing practices and techniques, digital media has been key to his education.
One aspect of climbing that differentiates it from other sports is the importance of knowledge. With the many factors and techniques necessary to push boundaries outdoors, human potential is greatly impacted by the educational resources offered online. Social media is a pool of knowledge from sources that are both credible and not credible. John also mentions the importance of confidence in outdoor rock climbing. Because you have to manage so many risks, you have to be confident in your abilities, which factors down to your own personal knowledge pool. You also have to be able to know your own capabilities to properly manage risky situations. John’s observations indicate the importance of both knowledge and experience when climbing outside; posing worries about climbers taking advantage of the ease of access to climbing spots without doing their research first.
Overall, the community wants more people outside. However, not only does this create the risk problem with inexperienced climbers, it also affects his own personal enjoyment of the sport. He enjoys having outdoor areas that are easy to access and are constantly advertised online; but he also likes having the areas that are word of mouth only. John makes an important observation that the barriers to access push people to network and meet others in the climbing community, making the climbing community more connected over time.
Elizabeth Jackson
With 20 years of experience, Elizabeth Jackson is extremely active in the climbing community of Western North Carolina, and currently owns a climbing gym called the Riveter. Although she prefers climbing outside, she appreciates the convenience climbing gyms have brought to the sport. Social media plays a big role in her life due to the huge knowledgebase it supplies her with. It has also made the global climbing community feel a lot smaller, and connected her with people she would have otherwise never been exposed to. Similar to the other participants, Elizabeth points out that this new superpower is a double-edged sword. Social media promotes an ego-fed culture, especially in relation to grades, therefore creating a community that favors grade-chasing rather than monumental climbing achievements climbers experience, such as first time climbing outdoors or first 5.11. Elizabeth also points out the negative effects platforms can have on someone’s body image.
When asked if she considers climbing to be a “mainstream” sport, Elizabeth says that although the sport is not currently mainstream, it is on the path to becoming more popular and standardized. A large contributing factor to the sports growth is the rise of climbing gyms and social media influence. While social media highlights a lot of great parts about climbing, much of the more complex or scary aspects are left off online platforms, creating an image of safety and security which is not realistic. Gyms have catapulted the sport significantly; however, they add to the secure climbing image, making the sport of climbing feel like a theme park. This welcoming image attracts individuals that are not ready or properly trained to climb outside, resulting in environmental abuse of outdoor climbing areas and people putting themselves in unnecessary risky situations. Another aspect that Elizabeth observed newer climbers lacking is understanding their own personal capabilities. Knowing what you can and can’t handle comes with experience, and is crucial when managing risks.
Although the rapid growth poses some potential issues, Elizabeth emphasizes that it is up to the community to provide that necessary mentorship through climbing gyms and online resources. A key element in her own risk management learning was through mentorships and hearing both good and bad climbing stories from others. Gyms and social media platforms offer a place to develop these mentorships, as well as share not only the good parts of climbing but also the bad. Another way to prevent environmental disrespect would be to keep certain areas that are at risk of being destroyed by climbers off the internet. She respects that this is crucial when managing fragile environments, but points out a more selfish reason for maintaining secrecy of climbing areas. Like the competitive nature that is fostered online, some individuals guard access to climbing areas because of potential first ascents. By keeping these areas private, those climbers are more likely to achieve a first ascent rather than if the area was communicated online. This secrecy is troubling to Elizabeth, and directly contrasts the authenticity that she values in the climbing community.
Ryan Brazell
Ryan Brazell’s 24 years of experience has allowed him to not only work in a climbing gym, but also serve as a local developer for Western North Carolina. Development is the process of seeking out and establishing routes and climbing areas. Much of Ryan’s time is spent either working or training in the gym, despite his love for development and being outside. He limits his time on social media, but finds it practical to communicate with people he otherwise could not or find information on access or climbing related news. The growing pool of knowledge provides many uses for the climbing community, however, from his experience, that knowledge comes with a cost. The fear of missing out, otherwise referred to as FOMO, is ever present on social media. FOMO harnesses a jealous and competitive environment that negatively impacts the community created on social media. The increase in posts about hard ascents have also diluted the sheer impressiveness of such accomplishments. When all a climber sees online are videos of V14 climbs, the amount of work and strength it takes to send V11 is minimized.
Climbing is growing closer and closer to being deemed mainstream, but has yet to reach the title. The growth in popularity has been very impactful to how overcrowded some crags have become, resulting in a decrease of enjoyment when Ryan climbs at busy climbing areas. Gyms and online sources depict climbing as a sport with a “veneer of safety”, which is far from the truth when practicing the sport outdoors. Knowledge is crucial when managing risks outdoors, and in Ryan’s case, most of his knowledge was gained from mentorship and his experience (both successes and failures). Experience and mentorship have become an increasingly rare form of learning with newer climbers, especially considering the amount of information offered online. With misinformation being ever-present in digital sources, Ryan preaches that it is crucial for climbers to use multiple sources, both on and offline, to develop proper risk management skills necessary for outdoor rock climbing.
Access is a key factor when developing outdoor climbing areas. Ryan has experienced many barriers to access, such as sensitive environments and land ownership, that has made development difficult. As a developer, he has observed the most common reason to maintaining secrecy of an outdoor climbing area is because of how tricky it is to navigate these barriers. He personally faces the moral dilemma of if access isn’t guaranteed, should anyone (including himself) be climbing there? He has come to the conclusion that the answer is probably no, but if no one put time and effort into establishing and managing these factors, then we would not have the climbing areas that we know and love. He has also observed other developers maintain secrecy of climbing areas for more selfish reasons, such as the opportunity for first ascents. Although he understands the mentality, he believes that this form of gatekeeping has a toxic underbelly that could pose unethical boundaries for individuals.
Rodrigo Bustillo
Rodrigo Bustillo dove head-first into the climbing community, and has become an active member after only two years of climbing. Social media is a very important aspect of his everyday life, similar to most individuals in their early twenties. Social media platforms have also been an important tool for gaining public interest in the sport, as well as serving as a way to educate and provide a voice to different minority groups. He respects individuals who are able to utilize social media to promote important topics within the community in an easily digestible way. However, Rodrigo has seen a shift from admiring the passion of individuals to respect being gained through how strong you are or what grade you climb. Climbers who post or advertise hard ascents become more popular in the climbing community, shown through their followers or likes online. Social media also capitalizes on the ego-driven side of climbing, pushing individuals to flaunt their strength online and promote a grade-chasing mentality which greatly impacts Rodrigo’s enjoyment of the sport.
Climbing development and the increase in climber’s strength potential is sped up through the information that is now accessible online. However, newer climbers find most of their information online, causing Rodrigo to be concerned with the risks that individuals subject themselves to. In his opinion, the best way to learn how to manage risks outdoors and protect the environment while climbing is through mentorship and connections within the community. Online sources are easily accessible, but cannot supplement the level of learning that can be gained through the community. However, as climbers, Rodrigo believes that we are in the position to be the ones to step in and teach the next generation of climbers.
Although he has identified selfish reasons to maintaining secrecy of a crag such as protecting possible first ascents, the majority of outdoor areas that are not advertised online stems from their ability to accommodate to the crowds that would be gained through digital attention. Maintaining secrecy in some cases is simply more sustainable for the environment that hosts the climbing area. Overall, Rodrigo loves seeing the increased interest in the sport as climbing is slowly approaching the title of mainstream. In Rodrigo’s opinion, “we all love climbing, why wouldn’t you want to share that with other people?”
Conclusion: Falling away from tradition in the climbing community
After interviewing seven outdoor rock climbers all with different perspectives and experiences within the climbing community, one fact regarding the relationship between digital media and outdoor rock climbing remains clear: The growth in accessibility due to digital media is not black and white, posing more questions about how the sport will be affected long-term. Each in-depth interview was semi-structured, starting with a script of questions that therefore created a dialog to reach a conclusion on two major research questions. How does the increase in accessibility of outdoor rock climbing caused by digital media affect social capital, climbing environments, and risk management? What are the positive and negative effects of increased media coverage of outdoor rock climbing? Each question asked to the participants revolved around three main themes: Digital media’s effects on social capital, risk, and environmental management of outdoor rock climbing.
When defining social capital within the outdoor climbing community, each participant shared the same observations of social media pushing the community to respect climbers based on their strength level. An individual’s strength is validated through online engagement, resulting in the majority of climbing content consumed online involving a hard ascent. The participants have noticed that this took away from other noteworthy climbing accomplishments and diluted the hard work and commitment it takes to reach that level in a person’s climbing career. Social media also normalizes grade chasing, or the mindset of seeking out climbs purely because they are hard. This negatively impacts the community due to the inflation of an ego-driven mindset and competitive drive of climbers. However, the pool of knowledge digital resources offers the sport is crucial to continuing to push human boundaries outside, as well as teaching new climbers the ethics of climbing outdoors.
The discussion of risk brought up two key factors that are impacted by digital media: education and experience. Previously, risk management skills and practices were taught through mentorship and by networking within the community. By learning through trusted individuals and in a hands-on environment, skills were easily applied to situations and the knowledge gained was more trustworthy than online sources. Mentors taught from their experiences, giving individuals a glimpse of what to do and more importantly what not to do, so they did not have to put themselves in the same risky situations. The convenience of digital resources, especially through YouTube, has changed the way new climbers learn and perceive risks in outdoor climbing. Like hard outdoor ascents, the “riskiness” of outdoor climbing is diluted online, causing a misperception of how dangerous climbing can be if you do not have the correct gear and knowledge. Misinformation is also a very important factor that has to be navigated when learning skills necessary to protect yourself, especially when the only source you are learning through is online. Overall, all climbers agreed that it is up to the current climbers to foster a community that forms relationships in order to educate newcomers the ethical and safe practices of managing risks while outdoor rock climbing.
Environmental management is a hot topic in the climbing community, fostering different opinions among each participants. The climbers have observed a rise in environmental abuse with the overcrowding of climbing areas. Much of the environmental disrespect stems from a lack of education on how to climb in sensitive areas without leaving a large impact on the environment. With online resources sharing guidebooks and directions to climbing locations, new climbers skip past this necessary education about the environment, allowing them to unknowingly cause destruction to local climbing areas. Although information regarding some crags is easily found online, some areas are kept off digital platforms entirely. The motivation behind maintaining this secrecy and creating boundaries of access is controversial, posing more ethical questions for the community to answer. Many of the areas kept secret are sensitive to large groups of people, whether that area has a unique ecological system, or the land ownership does not support climbing. However, Ryan Brazell, a local developer from Western North Carolina, poses the question to individuals such as himself that keep these areas a secret; if access isn’t guaranteed for everyone, should anyone be climbing there? Another reason areas are kept a secret according to the participants is for selfish reasons, such as the potential for first ascents. If an area has a lot of unclimbed rock, some individuals want to keep the public away so there is a higher chance they can secure the first ascents located at that crag. This motivation also adds more relevance to Ryan’s question.
Ultimately, it is hard to say that digital media’s impact on outdoor rock climbing is positive or negative. According to some more traditional climbers or climbers who are more inclined to gatekeep climbing areas from the growing sport, digital media may be ruining the sport that they love. However, for many new climbers, digital media has made climbing outside possible. The truth about outdoor rock climbing is that it is an extremely young sport, and it is up to the community to develop the sport in the direction that they want to see it go. Online sources should be utilized if it allows an easy way of educating newcomers, or if it makes the sport easily accessibility to a wider range of audiences, especially minority groups. Outdoor rock climbing has a lot of room to grow, it is just up to the people to cultivate a community that values education, safety, and sustainability.
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