Crag etiquette

Climbing is becoming ever more popular. Nowadays most climbers start indoors, in a bouldering gym or indoor climbing wall. And then at some point they will venture outside to do ‘the real thing’, climb on real rock. Sometimes we have seen this lead to friction between the behaviours of indoor and outdoor climbers. But how would they know about the unwritten rules of how to behave at a crag if nobody told them? In the old days most climbers were introduced to outdoor climbing by a friend who (knowingly or unknowingly) would have introduced them to the crag etiquette. As this is no longer the case for most climbers, we see it as our task as outdoor climbing instructors to do so.

There are some things that are good to know if you are making your first trip outdoors or if you are just unsure what is acceptable behaviour at the crag.

So let’s write down those ‘unwritten’ rules:

1. If your quickdraws are on a route but you’re resting, let someone else climb the route on your equipment.

2. Likewise, if you would like to climb a route that has someone else’s quickdraws on, ask if/when you could climb it. While climbing it, always check what you are clipping and that it is safe. I.e. are the draws in good condition, have they clipped the right bolts (this is especially important in Thailand when old bolts are next to new titanium glue-in bolts which should be the ones that are clipped).

3. If you are climbing in a large group, then offer another climber, who wants to climb a route your gear is on, a go when there is a gap in your group.

4. BUT, if you are the one to take up that offer, you are expected to be able to climb the route fairly quickly/efficiently. Not to hang all over it. Not to start bolt to bolting and red-pointing the route. It is also not considered ok to offer the route to others as this is not your call. You should ‘give’ the route back to the climbers who allowed you to climb it.

5. Be polite when asking for routes and when moving around each other at the crag. Remember that you are all there to enjoy the outdoors and the climbing. Don’t be afraid to ask others questions but do so nicely and possibly even start a conversation.

6. Don’t shout beta (guidance) without having asked if someone wants it. Most climbers want to figure out the moves themselves and would rather go the wrong way on a route, or use the wrong sequence instead of someone on the ground giving the beta. It is like someone telling you the plot of a movie before or while you’re watching it. Even when a climber has fallen off, and you know which holds they should use, you would still first ask whether they would like that bit of information or whether they want to figure it out for themselves.

7. Keep your stuff off the paths and try to avoid stepping on other people’s ropes, rope bags or mats.

8. Walk far away if you need the toilet and do not leave toilet paper behind, take it with you. Always carry a biodegradable plastic bag that you can put it in, which you can bin when you get back home. Further, leave no rubbish behind.

9. When you want to do something that will affect other climbers experience such as playing music or flying a drone, ask the other climbers if they are ok with that.

10. Last but not least, do not become the ‘crag police’ by telling people that certain holds are ‘out’. As long as people are being safe, having fun and being honest about what they did or didn’t manage to climb, there is no need to tell anyone that a certain hold does not belong to a route and therefore it is not the grade. Climbing outdoors does not have to be about climbing the route one specific way, with specific holds, as long as you are safe and having fun, that’s all that matters!