66
OPINIONJohn Gill, the American bouldering
pioneer was also a gymnast. In
1954 this young fella would chalk
up before mounting the bars. As
he built strength he discovered
climbing and started cutting
loose on Stone Mountain, Georgia,
coupled with clandestine buildering
expeditions around his college.
John brought the chalk from the
gym to the crag and as they say in
the classics, the rest is history.Climbing has adapted the use
of chalk since that time. Even
the cleanest climbers of each
subsequent generation, Barber,
Bachar, Croft, Florine, the Crazy Guy- Honner, they all climbed or climb
as clean as a hospital ward but
they all have used chalk. Hot Henry
Barber did his bit for the chalk
cause bringing it on his Hot Henry
Tour of Australia in 1975. Even Chris
Baxter could see no wrong and
washed his hands in it.
The problem is chalk is not clean.
Magnesium Carbonate is a
compound of minerals. It comes
from underground. Follow the chalk
trail and 70% of the time you will
end up in China. I tell you what, you
think we have problems with chalk
on rock, in China whole regions
where they mine the stuff have
turned white. Centennial Glenn in
the Bluey’s or Millennium Wall in the
Grampians could go on vacation
in North Eastern China and be
incognito.Magnesium carbonate is as tough
as any metal and often used in
industry to keep things lined and
to keep liquid out. Climbing is small
fry in industrial commerce but an
array of climbing companies are
selling you the same thing just with
different wrapping.What John Gill realised was an
aid to his bouldering is now usedby climbers everywhere and has
now become an eyesore to the
public. When there was once a
small community of climbers, there
are now climbing movies that win
Academy Awards. Climbing is out
there and people are watching.The visual aspect of a climb in
the landscape is now frequently
accompanied by lots of bolts and
lots of chalk. There is no need
to draw a line, just join the dots.
Other people (those that don’t
climb) like watching a climber
doing Vogue poses, but aren’t sold
on the bolting business and see
chalk as environmental vandalism.
Actions have been taken at crags
around the world to lessen the
impact from Fontainebleau in
France, the Shawgunks in The
United States and Arapiles to a
degree in Australia. Ethical and
environmental standards have been
applied to the climbing community
in these locations. There are some
do’s and don’t’s but not a lot of
muscle to ensure they comply.To counter the negative trends in
climbing maybe we can rethink
how we climb? As our sport, come
way of life, continues to evolve and
expand maybe we can too?Back in the 70’s the tip of theEmil Mandyczewsky on Hard Reset (27) at Blue Mountains. Image Credit: Kamil SustiakTHE SEND
By Dave Barnes
My daughter, Charlotte is a gymnast. She trains like
a soldier and her body is a machine. Before she uses
any apparatus in the gym she chalks her hands as
gymnasts have always done.