James Grubbs - Fall 2009 - Climbing Communication Essay

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Means & Methods of Communication

Within the Rock Climbing Community

By James Grubbs

COMM 445-02

Dr. Morganstern

Fall 2009

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INTRODUCTION

A Short History Lesson, a Look at the Development of

Climbing as a Phenomenon, and a Look into the Future

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The relationship between Man and mountain is a deeply intertwined re-occurrence

of symbols and legend that have shaped our patterns of thought, and by that, our societies

and beliefs. Legends and primeval imagination place mountains squarely at the crux of

epic adventures, religious events, and personal journeys into the unknown regions of the

Earth and ones self. Many tribes around the world embraced the mountains as their

home, including the Anasazi of what is now the American Southwest.1 Others would

rather have their palace or house of worship there; whatever the intention, the idea is still

the same: the mountain is a location between heaven and earth, a vertical nexus point

where communion with something much greater than desire is possible.

In the 1700s, mountain climbing had become a sport of true adventurers, stout of

heart and loud of mouth; even Earnest Hemingway declared climbing to be one of the

three true sports on Earth. Climbers in Italy, Britain, and Germany began making ascents

in the mountains they called home, and claimed their marks on each others territory,

sparking heated debates and alpine rivalries. Each summit was claimed as a harder and

more treacherous one than the last, and reputations hung in the balance.2

A Swiss aristocrat by the name of Horace-Bndict de Saussure was also a

climber of mountains, but one summit he could not attain. He therefore put the word out

that there was a reward for whomever could claim that summit. Twenty-six years later,

on August 8th, 1786, two French climbers, Dr Michel Paccard and Jacques Balmat

claimed Mont Blancs summit and the reward.3 This, curiously enough, marks the

beginning of modern mountaineering.

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The offer of reward and establishing ones name in the annals of climbing history

took what was once a prospect of outsiders, and thrust it into an international spotlight.

From here, a specialized language was built to suit the needs of the climbers. Advances in

technology changed the way they thought and climbed, and this in turn, splintered the

language into even more specialized forms. The equipment involved and the use thereof,

codes of conduct, the use of imagery and symbols, and how climbers analyze their world

is spread and manipulated through the use of the communication channels that have been

constructed within their society.

It could be said that mountain climbing is driven largely by ego. Mainly what has

been the fire behind its development is the need for conquest and personal satisfaction

that each subsequent summit represents. There are those who profess to climb for the

essence, or soul of climbing itself, but even they cannot help but heap fuel on the

debate on ethics and ratings. This will be a recurring theme throughout much of climbing,

especially in the past sixty years.

Coalitions such as the UIAA and the Sierra Club were formed to determine a

consensus system of how to grade the climbs that they encounter, and to be an ethical

reference point while for the younger form of rock-wrestling known as Bouldering, the

grades were made with no high intentions, and happened rather off-handedly. In both

these examples, subjective perception of the difficulty of a climb that one has completed

may lead to another climber reading it as an objective rating. In turn, the climber

establishes a route or problem, then spreads the news and of course, a rating. This kind of

flexibility and self-involvement provided an opportunity for any climber to contribute

and possibly change the culture within a single effort of physical and verbal exertion.

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Because of the informal accessibility of climbing, it has grown into a multi-

million dollar business and a sport that has people of all ages pulling down on rock, or

plastic indoor holds. It is taught in schools across America, many national, state, and

private park lands have opened access to climbers, and indoor climbing gyms are

growing in popularity each year. Despite all this attention and participation, the language,

references, and symbols used by the climbing community remain somewhat of an arcane

issue to most of the public.

Unfortunately, climbing hasnt yet found its niche as a sport as easily marketed as

say, basketball, where the entertainment value is broad and terminology and basic

concepts thereof are known to many who have never played. Moreover, those who are

not directly involved in climbing often have no way to understand or categorize the

jargon or value systems for the sole reason that much of it is purely experiential.

While there is a wide gap in conceptualizing climbing itself, the linguistic

patterns that are used in communication between climbers are not unique to their culture.

These are the same methods and means that we employ so much they are often forgotten

in the environment. External value systems based upon attainment and their attendant

honor systems, norms and mores created by committee as well as community become

interwoven, the (un?)conscious use of physical language to create imagery, as well as the

emergence of viral behavior in language and world-view are but a precious few factors

that shape us; but by these, we can identify and conceptualize some of the ways that

climbers interact with each other and gain a foothold as it were, into a sometimes alien

culture.

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In this paper, I would like to introduce the non-climber to the language and world

of climbing through these shared methods of communication. In the first section, some of

the ways that climbers communicate will be compared; specific verbal patterns of speech

will be analyzed, and applied to descriptive and technical jargon. Various forms of silent

communication will be explored, as well as physical communication that tells a story

where words and pictures would fail. Climbing also has its forms of sign communication

that constantly stirs controversy over who gets to establish a route, and topography gets a

new treatment when the aim of negotiating an area is not to go through, but up.

The second part will deal with how a single unit of culture mutates because it is

simple enough to be immediately used and passed on; and by its very transmission, the

unit gains new meaning. This cycle is the basis for the pervasive issue of ratings in

climbing. We will see the origins of two prominent rating systems in the U.S., and

explore a bit of how Dawkins concept of viral memetics take action and cause the sport

to explode. To shed light on the creation of ratings and the effects they eventually have

on the sport of climbing, John Sherman, the creator of the ubiquitous V-Scale rating

system for Bouldering weighs in and answers some questions raised by the study.

Through this paper, I aim to introduce a culture that is all but alien to most of

civilized society, yet taps into a primal root of self-expression and an intimate connection

to ones natural surroundings. Despite this apparent disconnection, anyone is able to

understand an outsider culture such as climbing through common elements that we all

share.

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PART ONE

Ways that Climbers Communicate through Verbal

Transmission, Signs, as well as Physical and Silent Means

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Verbal Communication

Like all cultures, transmissions such as recent news, directions and instruction are

passed on by word of mouth, and within their words and arrangement of information, lay

a key into how the culture behaves and what they value.

One thing every climber values most, and is most spoken of in any account of

climbing is the expression of motion. Some examples are of the moves and body

positions that were involved, how a particular position or action felt in the process; the

majority of the content of these accounts though, concerns only the very tips of their

fingers and toes.

One essential feature out of all this is that these reports are entirely subjective and

are drawn from first-hand experience. In the issue of climbing any particular Route (A

climbing course that ascends a cliff face), or Problem (One that ascends a smaller

boulder), there are no universal agreements on how any of them are felt or negotiated.

Although helpful information on key points of contact is related, everyone essentially

climbs by their own fashion.

To convey motion, no manner of theory or equation is involved, but the minds

imagery is paramount. In doing so, climbing has adopted more of a Satellite-Framed

Language to its purposes. Satellite-framed languages, or S-Language, are in which

location or movement is encoded by an element associated with the verb 1. Here, the

addition of adjectival elements into an account of motion allows for more flourish and

expression, definitely two components that are vital to talking a good game or giving a bit

of warning to those who havent done a particular problem.

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Because of this, a manner of lexicalization also arises to more accurately express

the experiences during a climb. Figures of speech such as crimp, sloper, and jug

arise when the task of describing a particular hand-hold and its recommended hand

position; The terms beached whale, layback, and controlling your swing are used

to describe ways of decoding a climbs sequence, and moving in the most efficient

combination of positions. Drop knee, lock-off and gaston indicate what particular

technique the climber used to send (ascend) the route.

Beta is a term reported to have been likely coined by the late slang (and

Gunks) master Jack Mileski, Beta comes from Betamax, a now-extinct Sony videotape

format from the 1980s. To get the Beta was to soak up a move-by-move replay of a given

route, which Mileski often provided with great color..."2 A vital part of good beta is

including the manner in which an action is performed, one in which tactile sensation as

well as expressions of effort .

Certain terms such as crimp are an

expression of motion and structure with a

recommended manner of interaction to the

referent. A crimp involves contact with only

the very tips of the fingers, hands shaped into

a hook usually with the thumb wrapped over

the fore and middle finger; this lends much

stability but is also very delicate and

strenuous. Despite the loaded language, an issue is how to fit this element into the larger

scheme of beta, and make it all relevant to ones self and climbing projects. To do this,

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were going to jump right into the fire and take apart a sample sentence and get some

visual cues, as well.

For example, a sample sentence of beta would be: Once you start at the sit,

really match on the two-pad ledge on the right, bump right to the half-moon, now the

sweet spot is the kind of slopey full-palmer on the top, mash it and flag the foot. With

that you can crank with your heel to the high left, from there, its jug city! Here, terms

concerning direction, rate and dynamics of force are used, but are naught but vague hints

without knowledge of the lexicon employed.

Direct demonstration would be used to illustrate these terms in conversation, as

some of the terms used require a visual aid to more adequately explain them. A Sit is

short for sit-start, where the climber begins ascending from that position.

To match is to place both hands on the

same hand-hold in order to maximize power

or control an axis of movement, but in the

manner described, it would be implicated that

the hold is either perceived as being small, or

perhaps power should be focused on the point

in question.

To Bump is to make consecutive

moves on the same arm, as in to grab a hold

with the right hand, then move the same hand

to the next hold, the half moon below.

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The half moon is an example of

how the terminology changes with the

conditions, a process already well familiar to

anyone who has seen a face in the clouds.

The kind-of slopey full-palmer

would refer to a rounded surface with little to

no purchase for fingers, save for sheer

friction. Think of slopey that it points

somewhat downward, so that a full-palmer

grasp would be recommended.

Cranking with ones heel means to use their heel as a fulcrum

and leg as a lever to bring their body upright, usually using a foot-hold that is higher than

the waist.

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3

The reverse of the Heelhook is of course, the ToeHook, whereas the ankle is turned

outward, and friction is usually gained on the top of the foot.

The Jugs in question refer to large

holds that the entire hand can grasp and

usually requires little delicacy, as would a

crimp, where only the merest fingertips

grasp the feature. Sometimes jugs are also

referred to as OTG, or Oh Thank God!

holds.

With these definitions, review the sentence of beta and notice if a sequence of

images with your self squarely in them and not so much intellectual abstractions are

employed. Now a sequence that can be visualized and refined as beta is a very accessible

and constantly mutating method of communicating experiences. Through this relay of

information, the sport is propagated through mixing intuitive instruction and a database

of loosely defined common terms.

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Another effect of beta is that it informs or at least indicates to the climber of what

sort of equipment to bring, the weather conditions on which it is best to climb, the style

of climbing, and where there places to rest or even sleep on a suspended hammock, 500

feet off the ground.

Guidebooks are especially helpful in this respect, whereas in the same fashion as

one for tourists in a given city, particular areas and routes/problems are named, rated,

and given slight instruction to each of the climbs, but always leaving room for

interpretation. In all cases, the authors of a given guide have climbed (or at least

attempted) the entire described destination, and as such, each will have its own sort of

legend to interpret the map. We will return to guidebooks later, as a restructuring of

topography is also involved.

As these descriptions are also disseminated in magazines, and days at the crag,

climbers learn of potential projects, and aid each other in unlocking a sequence that had

thus far eluded them. There is an informal type of beta that is gained, more so in

frequented areas or with a group, and that is called Tick Marks. This is where

sequences are delineated either through the direct application of chalk on key holds, or by

the mark of a climbers chalk-covered hands.*

There are, though, exceptions. If one should onsight a particular climb, it means

to do the route or problem without any prior information, on the first attempt. Of course,

news of somebody onsighting a famous climb or competition sequence is also not

without its merit as it tends to garner more magazine coverage, sponsorships, and often

money from competitions.

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Also, as times and people change, as does the beta. New techniques and a wider

variety of climbers are attempting the classic routes and problems and starting where

their predecessors left off. In the videoFriction Addiction, a climber used different beta

to send a problem he established years earlier. When asked about this, he replied: There

aint no right way to climb a rock!

* Climbers earlier on took a cue from gymnasts and weight-trainers to use chalk

in order to absorb and dissipate sweat and moisture from the hands. Above is an example

of tick marks. Notice the high and low routes available to solve the problem, leading to a

common finish. Of course, physical build and skill levels would determine which is

taken, but both are equally valid, especially in this case when the one who establishes the

problem leaves it open. Other problems and routes are more demanding and precise,

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reflected in the mindset of the first-ascentionist and community that may hold to a

particular interpretation.

Physical Language

Another important component of conversation between climbers is that of body

language; more specifically the positions and contortions displayed when somebody

wants to more fully articulate their story or translate beta through direct example.

To do so in conversation, one would maybe put their hand into the air, forming a

crimp position, pinkie finger off, as there was no room for it on the hold being described.

The other arm reaches straight up and clutches an effervescent angle with the whole

palm, and shifts their body to the side in order to execute an air pull-up. All this while

giving the beta in the most expressive terms, especially when the imagination has been

particularly struck by a sequence.

Although this sometimes slow, then explosive dance does not have a common

term for it, I refer to these improvised demonstrations as a Mime, in reference to

constructing an experience out of nothing at hand. These Mimes work along a three

dimensional axis of sorts. On one plane, there is the manner in which the hands and feet

are positioned. The second would be the position of the body in relation to the position

required in the climb described. The third would consist of the manner of motion,

suggesting information on how a particular move felt, and translated into the next.

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For the audience, this gives the same kind of visual element that pictures provide,

but within a dynamic form that adds another facet of information that words cannot

adequately contain. A sense of spatial relation is encoded in the motion and positions

provided which, in a way, is also a form of beta in itself.

Within these planes are the positions that suggest the size, shape, and suggested

technique regarding a particular hold or move; each in a dynamic and spatial relation to

each other that can be easily translated, once on the rock.

Although the motions used in the conversations are arbitrary, they do display a

refined set of conventional shapes and referents. Through this, the Mime shares a few

elements and principles that are also used in American Sign Language. The first linking

concept is that of Richly Grounded Symbols (RGS); these are symbols whose meanings

have a cognitively natural link to the symbol 4. In the case of illustrating a climb, these

would be the position and motion of the feet and hands, referring to a refined set of

shapes, referring directly to an object. Once again, a common quality that is at the core of

conveying the experience in a more articulate and detailed manner than using only words.

Lets have, for example, a climber who wants to demonstrate a climb, but is

behind a soundproof pane of glass. In order to communicate, the climber would use these

RGSs, in that they are easily relayed, can be modified, and can be retained without a

spoken component.

Before we continue, I would like to introduce a set of hand positions that will be

used as reference points. These are the Crimp, Sloper, and Jug. Each element that

is introduced can be observed in the shape and application of the hands, as well as the

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topography of the holds. Each serve to translate the physical beta into a common set of

symbols that are easily absorbed and set into sequence in the receivers mind.

One element of RGS is Readily Inferable Meaning or RIM (4). In the same

manner that an arrow pointing to your right is more efficient means than the phrase Turn

right, the arrow does not rely on linguistic skills in order to be interpreted. The arrow

itself is also available to be used in a variety of ways to fit a specific motion, but it still

informs through a basic visualization of space.

In this case, lets replace the arrow on a traffic sign with a gesture resembling a

Crimp, a commonly known technique in nearly all disciplines of climbing. The direct

example informs the recipient of the size, shape and relative position around the body; as

well as the angles involved. The Mime delivers these aspects in an almost universally-

understood alphabet that communicates intent through its direct means.

There is also the element of Easily Remembered Meaning or ERM, [whereas]

once [one] was told of the object; they would find it easy to remember 5. Terms such as

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Jugs or Buckets reflect this in that the symbol reflects a common shape that relates to

objects apart from the rock, and can be more easily identified when a demonstrated image

and referent couple during the identification of a hold or position.

These references may slightly change though, as climbs become more difficult.

To this end, it has been noted that Buckets on a 5.5 are much bigger than buckets on a

5.12 5. When one has never been on a 5.12-grade climb, a variation is assumed and

connected with the grade, albeit then a purely conceptual one. Later on, experience will

hopefully give better examples on which to base the concept.

A third aspect, that of Internally Modifiable Meaning or IMM 4, comes into

play here, for instance, concerning the proper way to negotiate a Sloper. Being a nearly

smooth surface, there are countless ways to use one, and minor variations and levels of

severity are often expressed. As from personal experience, it is an often frustrating shape.

Take for example the arrow on a street sign has changed from a gentle curve into

a hairpin turn, which hints at certain precautions and suggestions on how to manage the

road. An example of beta would be when a sloper is said to allow only a full-palm grasp

or if there is a sweet spot that should be focused on. The hands, of course, approximate

the images that are being constructed, and much like ASL, a signifying variant on a

single concept can provide a more acute insight.

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Overall, these gestures are also icons, as in A sign or representation that stands

for its object by virtue of a resemblance or analogy to it.6 They are icons are such

because they resemble what they are intended to signify, another facet that words cannot

fulfill, as they are bound to abstract concepts rather than a visual or tangible example.

The most accessible component of these physical symbols and the Mime

sequencing is that it requires no technology or participation beyond ones self in order to

decode a climbs sequence. This has its best example when a lone climber is affecting a

sequence, waving their arms at the rock before their next attempt.

Sign Communication

Dual-Representation Languages are those that combined RGSs, and ACSs, or

Arbitrarily Conventional Symbols in order to conceptualize a message. ACSs are those

that represent a common concept, and that a certain reaction is warranted. The difference

is that a general agreement is established on what to do and where to go.

One ubiquitous example is that of beta in the form of simplified topography, with

emphasis on key points of interest. The elements of map beta are not unique, as key

features as fallen trees, swamps, and the like are outlined, but so are the locations of say,

boulder climbs in the area.

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Another form of sign communication that is not without a certain measure of

controversy, is that of Redtagging, where as a new climb is being developed, red tags

are tied to the first bolt on the projected route. The tag is removed when the person

developing the climb has completed the sequence.

The argument lies in who should receive credit for a first ascent: the person who

found and bolted the climb, or the one who actually did it first? Tom Goss, guidebook

author and guide says If I develop a crag, I should have as much time as I need for the

[first ascent].7 Perhaps wise words from someone who has bagged over 400 first ascents

in the past 10 years.

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A younger climber by the name of David Graham saw the situation in a more

opportunistic light when he made the first ascent of Gosss project, Breaking the Law7

and gave it a grade of 5.14b, which hovers in a mythical level for about 95% of climbers.

Jorge Visser weighs in with a more community-minded approach: Red-tagging makes

sense on sketchy, loose projects that need cleaning; otherwise its selfish..7 In either

case, since there is no manner of enforcement either way, there will always be those who

follow this minor law, and the rest who think that certain minor laws could stand to be

broken.

Silent Communication

Communication by unspoken means also extends into how equipment is

manipulated, especially when two or more partners are climbing simultaneously.

Instructional books on mountaineering describe ways to communicate with a partner who

is just out of sight or earshot, usually by shifting the rope in a certain way.

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Silent communication through rope management involves familiarity with the

partners climbing style and rhythms of movement, combined with an intuition that

comes with experience. In his column, Tech Tips, Topher Donahue offers this advice:

Notice how the rope moves during the different phases of the climb. It will move

differently when the climber is leading, with irregular speed and periods of no movement

that are unlike the rhythmic tugging of a belay.8

Once these patterns are recognized, messages can be sent like bursts of cohesive

information through a field of noise. An example of which is the use of timing and three

sharp tugs on the rope. In sequence, the three pulls would indicate simple commands like

On Belay (the partner is attached to the rope), or Off Belay(the partner is not

attached to the rope, allowing one to attend to their own matters).

On What Not to Do

As patrons of several national and state parks, as well as private lands, climbers

are usually observant of their surroundings and try to leave only chalk marks. Still, there

are a few practices that are almost universally frowned upon.

What deals specifically with climbing is that of Chipping and Gluing. This used to

be a common practice that whenever a passage seemed impossible, artificial holds would

either be chiseled out or fixed with epoxy onto the rock. This, even in my opinion, is just

bad form. The general argument against these practices is that the climb should stay

pure, and if its not within ones ability, the rock should not be altered for it.

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This similar policy is echoed in state parks and private preserves such as the

Mohonk Preserve in Gardiner, New York. In this climbing mecca that attracts visitors

worldwide, permanent fixtures such as bolts and anchors are forbidden. Meanwhile, the

nearby Peterskill Preserve allows for permanent bolt anchors to be affixed at the top of

the climbs, leaving the climb pure.

Sometimes relationships break down and some climbing areas become closed. On

most occasions, this is due to environmental factors. In bouldering areas such as Hueco

Tanks in Texas, soil erosion and wildlife disturbance are constant concerns, and these

two effects are concentrated when a particular boulder is frequented throughout the

season, each visitor leaving their effect upon the area.

To help remedy situations such as these, lobbying groups such as Access Fund,

who work nationwide, and local groups like the Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition work

to establish better relations and keep open if not expand climbing access in the areas.9

On When to Just Stay Quiet

How do you know? Who told you? I had barely met this woman through a

friend, and I had already managed to tick her off - being a stranger admitting prior

knowledge of a new and secret destination. Climbing spots are sometimes jealously

guarded by those who have discovered or are developing the area; and red tags cant be

placed on a boulder, so a code of silence is often imposed.

I backpedaled, saying that someone had just mentioned the new bouldering spot,

and I was unknowing of any other details. Eventually, I was allowed to join the party to

the new climbing area, but received a valuable reminder: the first rule of bouldering is we

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do not talk about the new spot. The second rule of bouldering is: we DO NOT TALK

about the new spot!

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PART TWO

Ratings Systems and Viral Memetics ~

Subjectivity Becomes Objectivity

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The culture surrounding Climbing has changed a lot in the past fifty years. From

only being a pastime for the rich and adventurous, to becoming an emerging part of pop

culture, park management issues, school gyms, and of course, commerce. Climbing has

become many times more accessible within the past twenty years, during which

climbing-specific gyms had started to spread across the country, bringing the sport and

lifestyle to the attention of millions of suburbanites and city-dwellers.

In building a culture, though, the people need building blocks by which to

construct their roles, ethics, and other psychosocial facets in order to plot themselves in a

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given framework such as climbing. These bricks that build our world are referred to as

Memes; in a way like the aforementioned Mime, which would then be a string of

memes illustrating a sequence.

Richard Dawkins, who coined the phrase Meme, defines it as: a unit of

cultural transmission.1 These units could be any concept that could be brought to mind

and automatically plotted within the framework of ones own culture. The manner in

which the unit is defined is particular to the culture because it is also ingrained within the

culture, and used as a basis to define and categorize other transmissions.

Now a meme can be anything, from a local custom to a corporate logo; in the case

of climbing, the meme that will be focused on is that of Ratings. Various systems and

scales of rating the perceived severity of a climb has evolved worldwide, and are often

adhered to when rating a newly established route or problem; the focus here will be on

two systems widely used in the U.S.: YDS the Yosemite Decimal System for climbs

that (usually) require rope and equipment, and the V-Scale for rating boulder problems.

The true power of a Memetic entity such as a ratings scale comes about when it

goes viral. This happens when a meme is accessible and recognizable enough to be easily

absorbed into ones framework, and if permitting, shaped into ones own fashion. An

example of this would be of a memorable phrase from a movie; it tends to get repeated in

conversation according to the original context, and also fit in other scenarios for a certain

effect. As it is repeated, the phrase then is transmitted to others who may not have ever

seen the movie, but now claim the phrase for their own interpretation.

When the matter of rating a climb is concerned, the phrase is replaced by a

loosely based, highly subjective system of numeric intervals of difficulty. When

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considering the difficulty of a climb, a few common factors arise: The angle and shape of

the rock, the shapes and positions of the holds, and the commitment necessary. Often

times reveal that these are lumped in a mental soup of just how it feltto climb the rock,

and a personal reflection concerning the climb.

Most often when a climber establishes a climbing sequence, they name it

according to the same fuzzy formula, but then the dirty business of giving the climb a

number arises. There were a few early ratings systems, but they had a fatal flaw. One

example is that of the B-Scale developed by John Gill.2

How the B-Scale was constructed is based primarily on perceived danger. B1

referred to a climb that was equal to the highest grade in roped climbing. B2 was

reserved for falls that might result in injury, while B3 describes a climb requiring

maximum commitment and deep concentration to avoid a surely fatal mistake. B3 was

also used for climbs that have not been repeated, and this is one of the variables that blow

apart the whole equation.

Once a B3 climb had been repeated by later climbers, that particular climb would

get downgraded to B2. The same shift occurred when B2 climbs became commonplace,

and thereby took B1 status. Where this obviously leads to is a wide base of novice-level

climbs, with a miniscule parapet of elite B2 with an even smaller tip representing B3.

B-Scale didnt work on two levels: Primarily, number-chasers had to constantly

strive to not have their accomplishments downgraded, and did not have the potential to

expand the scales breadth. For its time, the B-Scale worked, because then only a few

strong boulderers employed it, even then strictly within the confines of their social circle;

But as egos got slaughtered by a scale that flowed backwards, I believe the popularity

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also fell because it also lacked the adaptability, especially among novice and intermediate

levels, to carve ones own niche among others according to similar ability, not the

frequency that a climb had been sent.

Concurrent and later systems reflected these user-friendly qualities in that they

had the ability to be taken and expanded. Right off, this works well for climbing in two

ways: Value-minded people can establish higher and sometimes new grades, and this in

turn pushes the sport as the climbs that would have been shifted backwards enjoy a

usually steady marker on an increasing spectrum, establishing a framework by which to

consider rated climbs and also to quantify an experience, compressing it into a number.

The flipside of all this is that the rating is still a subjective consideration, a

momentary inspiration after doing battle with gravity. As far as that climber is concerned,

the given rating is a tactile and emotional reference point, a memory classified as per

experience; when this arbitrary number is spread to others, assigned to a particular climb,

the rating becomes something else. What this something is, is a building block, a Meme.

When news of a particular rating spreads, several results occur. When the rating is

learned, the climb is set in its proper position according to personal ability. For example,

if a climb has a higher rating than ones ability it might become an inspiration; otherwise

it might make a decent warm-up or a nice place to sit.

Any applicable sponsors of the climber would capitalize upon the achievement

and align themselves with the number grade. Their equipment and clothing is also

associated with the grade, providing a sort of relation between overpriced t-shirts and

elite athletic ability. Of course, this process is nothing new, as it has sold many sneakers

and boxes of cereal in the past.

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The overall point is that once the subjective number gets out, it becomes an

objective phenomenon or at least is treated like one, as the meme becomes subjective

once it is received. The memetic entity known as the ratings number is utilized as a

yardstick by which climbing areas, climbing ability, and often social standing are

determined.

One persistent example is when one climber asks another of their ability. In some

cases, the respondent will reply with something to the effect of: Oh, Id say V7, 5.12.

These two expressions are indicative of skill levels, the first of the V-Scale for

bouldering, then the YDS rating, and this if they choose to use these scales.

In England, a scale that combines technical level with adjectival level is used. For

example, alphanumeric assignments such as 4a to the current limit of 8b to rate the

skill level, while the feel is categorized into a set list of descriptions going from Very

Difficult (VD) to the elite Extremely Severe, or E grade.3 Combined, a YDS grade of

5.9 would roughly equate to an English rating of 5a, HVS (Hard Very Severe).

Keep in mind that ratings also draw from skill with the type of rock, and

atmospheric conditions. Many places have formations and rock types that are rare if not

missing from the domestic U.S. landscape; a climber used to the sandstone terrain of the

southwest United States would not be particularly suited to the moist atmosphere and

grit-stone of Englands Stanage Edge cliffs. Nonetheless, the southwestern climber would

(at first) have to take the local grading system as solid, objective grades for the

topography.

When bouldering abroad, to have a manner of converting grades would make an

easier time of planning the trip, and can always make for better relations with the locals,

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especially when exclusive spots are being visited. This guideline also applies

domestically, as a rating system developed for a particular area is often applied to one

with another kind of rock and local criteria. Sometimes the rating is based on the whole

sequence or the feel of moving through the hardest part of the climb, or the Crux.

Other times, this cross-application results in Downgrading. Downgrading occurs

when Climber B completes Climber As original sequence in a more efficient style, and

believes the rating to be inflated. Climber B could then re-grade and re-name the climb,

and thereby alter the reference point along the scales spectrum; this can also happen in

the case of Sandbagging.

Sandbagging is a term referring to giving a climb a lower grade then what is

generally agreed to; though usually done in jest to ensnare brave souls into an Epic

adventure that either proves ones mettle or the knowledge of ones limits. Downgrading

happens more often in the case of a climb given an overstated grade than what is the later

re-declared difficulty.

There are those that totally eschew grading a climb that they have established.

Professional climber Chris Sharma has stated on many occasions that he does not see the

purpose of personally giving a climb a number. In an interview with Mens Journal he

stated that: Theres a whole process behind rating these climbs. It is kind of a consensus

after other climbers try a route. Its hard to say it definitely is the most difficult climb in

the world. This is the hardest climb Ive ever tried. I know my limitations pretty well, and

Ive never seen something thats been done thats harder than this .4 This was his attitude

after establishing Jumbo Love, a completely overhanging, 250-foot route that was later

agreed on as the hardest climb in the world at the hyper-elite grade of 5.15b.

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Perhaps he has taken to heart the fact that new and younger climbers are springing

up worldwide, accomplishing by the age of ten what had tormented adults in earlier

years. This fact also means that the grades that were once held in high esteem could

become stepping stones in the future to extremes that the founders of climbing had never

conceived when bouldering was an amusement, rather than a sport in its own right.

As time passes, the change in ratings changes the sport as a whole. Dietary and

training regimens are altered; the new climbs lead to further development in the area

provoking more climbers to etch their name in the local and nationally distributed

guidebooks that perhaps attract visitors from across the globe to see how their skill level

matches up to the local terrain and terminology. To get a better idea of how these

frameworks are constructed and used, let us now look at the YDS and V-Scale systems.

YDS, or the Yosemite Decimal System was developed in the 1930s by the Rock

Climbing section of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club, in order to classify ascents in

the Sierra Nevada region of California and Nevada.7 It was devised to guide hikers who

do not already know of a particular terrain or area to properly choose and equip them for

the venture. Again, even though a numerical scheme is used to quantify a hike or climb, it

is still ultimately based on how it felt.5

Before the matter of vertical climbing is begun, there are first four stages of

ascents that increase with the conditions. Again, perceived danger comes into primary

consideration when rating the hikes. First there is Class 1: Walking with a low chance of

injury, a trail for the family. Class 2 is simple scrambling, with the possibility of

occasional use of the hands. More like a difficult hike. Class 3 involves scrambling

with increased exposure. One could use a rope but here is a chance for injury. Class 4 is

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usually simple climbing, with exposure on a sharply inclined slab. A rope is often used;

spots for removable protection can be easily found and falls without it may well be fatal.

In general though, the YDS ratings were meant to be based on the hardest moves

of the ascent. For example, if one is on a trail that is generally considered Class 2, and a

particular point involves negotiating a high and exposed ledge. At this point, the risk for

injury is increased to where it fits the loose criteria for a Class 3 ascent. At this point, the

climber or hiker may report back to the Sierra Club and guidebook writers of their

discovery and opinion.

Of course, the ratings themselves here are not subdivided into large blocks, but

are set in intervals between the classes. In YDS, the first four classes are broad

categories, but once one enters the fifth class, something quite different occurs.

The first fifth-class climb was established at Idyllwild, Californias Tahquitz

Rock in August of 1936 by Jim Smith, Bob Brinton, and Z. Jasaitis. Dubbed The

Trough.6 The route was given a rating of 5.0, as it was the first to require free

climbing (without the use of permanent hardware in the rock) necessarily connected by a

rope, and requiring fall-retention equipment, for any unplanned descent would be fatal

without it.

Once a basis had been founded, the successive grades of 5.1 through 5.9 were

based upon ten noted climbs; with 5.9 as the limit of human ability. 7 This limit was

known as Open Book, established by Royal Robbins in 1952. Once this ten-grade scale

had been established, it was passed on simply by word of mouth and the subsequent

adaptation in guidebooks. By the 1960s, YDS had enjoyed a healthy run of viral

duplication and had become the standard in the U.S. 6

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As with biological viruses, the meme-structure known as YDS was bound for

mutation once conditions forced it to adapt. The evolutionary impetus came from the

current trendsetter, Royal Robbins, and strongman Dave Rearick. In 1974 the team

established the East Chimney of Rixons Pinnacle, the first 5.10.8

Later, in 1965, Pat Ament pushed the system even further with El Dorado

Canyons Supremacy Crack, the worlds 5.11.8 Chris Sharma has been a longtime

spearhead of the game, recently with Realization, the first 5.15a climb; then continued

the informal tradition of splintering the decimal grades into grades A-D, establishing

Jumbo Love at 5.15b.

9

There are as well, YDS addendum scales; one adopted the MPAA ratings system

for motion pictures to describe the availability of gear use on a climb, from G, which is

plentiful, to X that is for the hard and/or crazy. This scale is used in nearly every

guidebook, as it gives clues to the equipment and the kind of experience that may be

needed for a climb, according to the guidebook authors information.

There is also one that from grades I-VII that considers length of time needed for

an ascent ranging from two hours to two weeks. Again because it is (a) closed, and (b)

limited only to mountaineering, this scale isnt as widely used due to lack of relevance.

Also mountaineering isnt as sexy as it used to be, I imagine.

Throughout this abridged history of climbing we have seen the power of an idea,

a meme such as a single grade used as a basis then constructing a skeleton on which grew

Traditional climbing that uses removable gear, and Sport climbing, which uses fixed

anchors along a route.

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Much like a body, the grade system constitutes more than the sum of its parts.

These subjectively assigned numbers become objective intervals once observed by

particularly driven climbers, and may be an inspiration for their progress; an insubstantial

marker that defines their position and role in the climbing community. These grades

define an area and the climbers who go there, sometimes leading to manufacturing holds

in order to bolster a climbs rating.

Now that we have seen how a single meme, created by committee and spread

through colloquial channels, can mutate and blossom into something of a cultural basis;

there is the matter of a system that was created rather informally, and passed on through

magazine articles and a seminal guidebook. This is the V-Scale, conceptualized by

John Sherman and his climbing partners in Hueco Tanks, Texas.

The V-Scale shares a common facet with YDS in that the scale was based on a

single boulder climb, Centre El Murray, and set the groundwork for another open-

ended system of climbing. This is one that eschewed protection gear for a pad to fall on,

and graced nearly every inch of available rock on Earth; Bouldering.

It could be said that Bouldering is climbings black sheep in that it is not

concerned much with the height of a climb, and the vital piece of protection is left on the

ground; two principles that would be quite uncommon elsewhere. It could also be said

that Bouldering is, in a sense, the distilled essence of climbing, whereas the focus is on

the difficulty of the moves and the overall feel, perhaps flow, of a sequence. Some

boulderers do look out for higher ascents. This kind of boulder problem is called a

Highball, usually reserved for climbs with a potential fall of over fifteen feet.

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Climbers had been bouldering decades before the sport had come into its own; in

the 1890s, Oscar Eckenstein had advocated the sport using the British-coined words

Bouldering and Problem for what was then considered as a warm-up or fun with

training for their otherwise epic ascents.10 Soon, the sport of Bouldering took form in \

Fontainebleaus boulder fields in France, and spread via the exploits of Pierre Allain and

John Gill.11

Already we see memes at work, creating accessible and specific referents such as

Problem when only speaking of a climb on a boulder, instead of vague expressions

such as scrambling, or training outside. Thus, Bouldering had been born in a

collective mind that orbits around it. Now it would have a lesson in experiential

mathematics in the crags of Hueco Tanks, where V-Scale would be made to mark how

big it has grown.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hueco Tanks was a potent, but relatively

isolated bouldering field and community. The state park then had an open policy towards

climbing, so the few and psyched had free reign over every inch of the abundant

formations including the often-closed Mushroom boulder, and Centre El Murray.

At the time, John Gills B-Scale was

used on some of the climbs, but by large there

wasnt much of a divide between the lines at

Hueco. It wasnt until 1991, when John

Sherman (at left), first released the guidebook

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Hueco Tanks, that a new meme was spread into the minds and tick-lists of boulderers

throughout the states.

12

What V-Scale offered was a method of quantifying and categorizing boulder

climbs in much the same manner as YDS, but with far fewer addendums and divisions;

reducing ratings to its essence.

The V-Scale has as its basis, the climb known as El Centre Murray, in Hueco

Tanks, Texas. This climb had been originally established V1, and from there, the rest

of the state parks known bouldering had this criteria appended onto each of the

descriptions in the Hueco Tanks guidebook. The scale now ranges from V0, which could

loosely translate to 5.8 / 5.10 (YDS), to (currently) V16; this climb, Wheel of Life had

been established by Koyamada Dai in Australia13, and is the current limit. Of course, this

remains to be seen as Chris Webb Parsons has already made the second ascent14. No

longer are climbers in an age where much of anything goes unrepeated.

Apparently there arent any sacred cows, either, as El Centre Murrays rating was

boosted to V6, then to V7. Perhaps this is according to the mathematics of a new school

of climbers that Sherman has referred to in disdain concerning their apparent dependence

on safety measures and less on limit-pushing.

For a more personal insight into V-Scale, John Sherman, the author of Hueco

Tanks, allowed for an interview to expand on the origins of the ratings system and his

views on what it has become and subsequently created once the memes took root. Along

the way, examples of how status memes and value frameworks, once passed on through

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mass media, generate and appear to support a widespread value system such as ratings

system serves to help construct a culture.

John Sherman: the Interview

James Grubbs: What was the situation, as in, what kind of methods was used

then that graded bouldering?

John Sherman: First we were using John Gills B-scale of rating, where there

was B1, where it was a repeatable climb. B2 was for when the climb was much harder,

and that the odds of repetition were far less. B3 came up when the climb was considered

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unrepeatable. The thing was that as more climbs were established and repeated, the

previous climbs would be slid back into B2 and B1 categories.

It was totally your own game back then. It kinda couldnt last long seeing as how

it would lead to [John Gills] climbs being repeated, it didnt take into account ones ego.

(laughs) As far as longevity for what he did, his open-ended system seemed doomed.

JG: So it was really more subjective as in you couldnt really tell somebody

across the nation that So & So climb was this difficult or great because it would

always be wholly subjective to everybody.

JS: In terms of people using the system, there werent that many people climbing

or bouldering that hard, and because there were only three grades, and basically B3 was a

mythical grade, applied to So & So problems, then you have Hard and Real Damn Hard.

We would use that, just throw that out there if we were dealing with a hard boulder

problem, like harder than what wed ever do when we were tied into a rope, let alone B1.

Then there would be B2, which we would reserve for the elite problems. The

problem was, as more and more people did B2s, theoretically, they should be

downgraded to B1s; and nobody wants to downgrade the problems, seeing how grade

inflation goes these days, nobody wants to go around saying theyre harder than they are.

That wasnt a system that wasnt going to work well for a sport thats so ego-driven as

climbing is.

JG: So, out of this, how did the V-Scale come about?

JS: Well I wasnt too keen on bouldering ratings, and I was down in Hueco

Tanks, and we were fooling around, saying: Oh, thats a B2 and others would be a

harder B2, so does that mean that the other B2s are downgraded or whatever; so myself

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and Chris Hill and some others were goofing around with some other numbers, but I

didnt want to put it into a guidebook. The first Hueco guidebook that I wrote didnt have

any grades in it and it almost made it to the printer that way, then the publisher got cold

feet saying Oh, well never sell this without any grades in it, then we had to go back and

redo it and grade everything; because I did all the problems, every one except for one I

did, and I like to joke that the definition of a V-Grade is what I say it is (laughs) nobody

can tell me Im wrong!

That really is the definition, and some people think the cracks are underrated or

the crimps are overrated, well I was a better crack climber than I was a face climber,

and I got big fingers that dont crimp.

So people with smaller fingers are going to think that the crimps are easy for the grade,

but the original ones are still based on how I climbed. Im the one who had to create the

problems in the book, you know?

After that its kinda settled down to where its kind of a consensus thing among

the bouldering community as to what they think a certain problem is (graded), I dont

necessarily agree with that, so it doesnt agree with my definition of what a V-Grade

should be.

JG: So a V-Grade is not so much as set criteria, but more like: I did this,

and this is how it feels to me, this is the V-essence of it.

JS: Yeah, it was more like how hard it was for me to do it. Lets say Ill do

something and get it done the first try on the second day I was working on it, so thats a

V8 or something like that, then Ill take other climbs that took me that amount of effort

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and Ill throw them in the same category. Maybe Ill do something on the first or second

try, or maybe it felt really hard, then Id give it a V5 or V6.

Nowadays it doesnt sound like very big numbers, but back then they were now

you hear people talking about oh, thats an Old School V8 because it feels a bit easier,

theres a substantial amount of grade inflation out there.

JG: What kind of social impact have you seen resulting from these estimated

V-Grades, has climbing turned into a sort of ego-driven affair, or has bouldering

advanced in a way now that it has a sort of framework?

JS: I would say that it invited in the number-chasers into bouldering, today sport

climbing is very number-driven. Also a lot of sport climbers werent interested in

bouldering when there was just B1 and B2, to say to their buddies look how hard I

climb. Then they had this ego yardstick, as any grading system is, all of a sudden that

helped propel the popularity of bouldering within people who are numbers-oriented. Then

the other thing that pushed the spot was the advent of bouldering pads

JG: Which you formally invented as well

JS: Sometimes I think that if we didnt have bouldering pads, the numbers would

only go so far to popularizing the sport, because youd be hitting the ground every time!

But it was the combination of the two that really pushed it forward and honestly, at first I

never saw V-grades going outside of Hueco, abut theyre gone all over the world now.

JG: I see a kind of positive end result to where it has expanded to people who

now want to push the open end of the grades instead of having to slide everything

back, or saying something is B3, being that particular persons project, and hasnt

seen anybody else do it.

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JS: Well, the B-system was only applied to a few dozen boulderers at any given

time, if it was used as it was originally conceived, it would be a very elitist, whereas V

grades Ive been accused of V1 being too hard. The time was that bouldering was

supposed to be difficult, supposed to be doing hard moves, so I started at V1 as ok, that

was strenuous back in the day. Some are slicing the grades thinner, to get more grades

in there, but from V1 to V9, each grade represented about ten years of bouldering

advancement.

I can also see the speed [of grade creation] increasing a bit since the popular

weight of bouldering because you got more people doing it. You have pads now making

it easier to take falls when youre trying something hard, before that you only fell so

many times before you were shot for the day. But I see the distance between elite grades

like V12 and V13 much less than between V4 and V5.

All this has contributed as a function to use ratings as a means to promote

yourself and make some money off the sport, its always tempting to say youre doing the

harder number out there, or say youve introduced a new grade, better yet. One of the

things that V grades made possible is for climbers to pursue the sub-sport of bouldering

as a way and means to make money at climbing.

JG: Do you think that the V-grades attributed to the legitimacy of

bouldering, more so than a warm-up for alpinists, and become something in its own

right because of that grading backbone?

JS: I dont buy that well, maybe in some peoples minds it does, but I would

like to think more that is was that I wrote a lot about bouldering in the 80s, and climbing

magazines never really covered bouldering, they maybe had one boulderer on the cover

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in ten years. I was then promoting bouldering strongly because thats what I like doing,

and I was writings for the magazines for a living; and a lot of them didnt even have V-

grades at first, because we didnt have that system yet. When the magazines are featuring

bouldering on the pages, though, every once in a while on the cover, and now all the time

on the cover, thats whats driving peoples ideas of legitimacy if the magazine will put

it on the cover, then it must be legitimate.

JG: An opinion formed by constant exposure?

JS: I also think [John Shermans book] Stone Crusade helped, because bouldering

then hada book. It was just about bouldering and the history of bouldering, and

somebody felt that it was important enough for a publisher to go ahead and release this

book, and that helped as well.

Also people would talk to you saying that because [Chris] Sharma dropped out of

the competition scene and was pursuing bouldering heavily, and because he was such a

marketable climber, I doubt that since he turned 16 there has been an issue of a climbing

magazine without his name in it somewhere, you probably cant find an issue that

doesnt. Of course he was seen bouldering all the time, like nobody shot a climbing video

without him in all those ten years.

JG: So when you first started out, it was first just to say: Heres an area,

heres what Im developing, but also heres what I think about it, and people took

it and ran, making it their own?

JS: Originally V grades were meant to direct people to climbs of a certain

difficulty that they would find enjoyable, challenging, whatever they were looking for.

Actually, the real story is that when we were playing with them, before we had to put the

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grades in the guidebook, the original V1 was (a climb called) the Center El Murray,

which then became the standard for V6. Later it got changed to V7, and Im thinking

how can you take the standard for V6 and make it harder? I mean, by definition, this is

the problem which the others are compared to! Its taken on a life of its own; sometimes I

feel like Dr. Frankenstein, where the intentions were fine, but he creates this troubled

monster that he has no control over. Now what happens with this monster is not so much

my doing now, but of the community that has raised it.

JG: Is there a lasting point that you would like to make about your creation

and whats happening now?

JS: I just hope that people climb for the love of bouldering and realize numbers

are just numbers; theyre not the soul or the essence of the sport. If they are climbing for

the numbers, thats fine for them, but theres a lot more to it and when they discover that,

then the numbers will just go back to being a guide to what they might want to climb that

day.

Analysis & Conclusions

As memes and transmitters go, the V-Scale enjoyed a fabulous ride into the ethos

of modern bouldering; Through the Hueco Tanks guidebook, V-Scale had many factors

explaining it. Factors such as: a starting referent (El Centre Murray V1), to give an idea

of whatshouldfeelas the base of the scale. Also, expanded examples of the system had

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been provided by subsequent climbs in the guidebook, giving a quick reference to those

who climb at a higher skill level.

These two provided niches for a wider assortment of climbers and was thus

universally adaptable; the scales open-ended design made it possible for talented

climbers to create their own niche.

The introduction of new technology also made a considerable effect upon

bouldering. The invention and commercial adaptation of crash pads allowed for: a) more

climbs to be established in sketchier terrain, this spreading the V-meme across multiple

areas worldwide. It also b) allowed for difficult climbs to be repeated, thereby

re-enforcing the feel and experience to construct the V-meme in the minds of anyone

who considers the scale. The advent of the crash pad also had a third effect: it allowed for

more climbers who may be wary of their ankles on a 10-foot climb to pursue bouldering;

and facilitates Highballing, as enough pads could be stacked to catch a fall.

This one bit of technology that came about out of necessity and a rating system

that saw its origins change pushed the sport of bouldering from a pass-time to an

international phenomenon. Shermans contributions to the collective consciousness was

not limited to a numerical gradient; as when an article of his had been printed in climbing

magazines, John himself became a particle of cultural transmission that carried the

connotation of the V-meme.

Constant re-introduction through a variety of media provides more opportunities

for an observer to identify themselves within the framework. Books such as Stone

Crusade and Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills provide a reference point to some

and an inspiration to others when considering rock climbing.

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Climbing videos shot by independent producers such as Josh Lowell and Peter

Mortimer continue to receive worldwide acclaim, and identify the climbing culture to

broader audiences. The meme multiplies exponentially every time a video clip is posted

on a website and spread with every download; and climbers work with television

producers to feature climbing on mainstream channels.

The example of the ever-younger climbers now making headlines from all over

the world are in itself a testament to how well ingrained Climbing has become, and that

practically anyone has access to it. All that Rock Climbing needed was something to

build upon, a concept and a framework by which climbers created in their own image.

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References & Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

(1)

cliff dwelling. (2009). InEncyclopdia Britannica.

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mountaineering. (2009). InEncyclopdia Britannica.

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(3)Horace Bndict de Saussure. (2009). InEncyclopdia Britannica.

Retrieved October 5, 2009, from Encyclopdia Britannica Online:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/525586/Horace-Benedict-de-Saussure

PART ONE

(1)

Slobin, Dan I.

What makes manner of motion salient? Explorations in linguistic typology, discourse,

and cognitionSpace in Languages: Linguistic Systems and Cognitive Categories, (pp. 59-81)

2006, John Benjamins, Amsterdam/Philadelphia

(2)

Roth, Justin and Samet. Matt

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Climber Slang

Climbing Magazine, Number 258 ,p. 46

2007, Skram Media, New York, NY

(3)

Bertles, Joe

Heelhook

Retrieved 10/25/09, from Spadout.com

http://www.spadout.com/wiki/index.php/Heel_Hook

(4)

Macken, E., Perry, J. and Haas

Sign Language Studies :Richly Grounding Symbols in ASL

1993, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

(5)

Unknown Editor

Camp 4 : Rock Climbing Lingo

Retrieved 09/14/09, from Camp4.com

http://www.camp4.com/rock/index.php?newsid=202

(6)

Icon. (2009). InDictionary.com.

50
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Retrieved November 11, 2009, from Dictionary.com:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/icon

(7)

Schmidt, Dave

Saint Who?Retrieved 09/14/09, from Climbing .com

http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/features/saintgeorge/index2.html

(8)

Donahue, Topher

Silent Communication Rope Commands when youre Out of Earshot

Retrieved 09/14/09 from Climbing.comhttp://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/tttrad218/

(9)

Suchma, MartinImprovements at Hueco Tanks

Retrieved 11/25/09 from Climbing.comhttp://www.climbing.com/community/access/improvhueco/

PART TWO

(1)

Dawkins, Richard

The Selfish Gene 2nd Edition

1989, Oxford University Press, Oxford

(2)

Grade (Bouldering)

Retrieved 11/22/09 from Wikipedia.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_(bouldering)

(3)

Grade (Climbing)

Retrieved 11/03/09 from Wikipedia.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_(climbing)

(4)

Thompson, Dacus

Chris Sharma, the Real Spiderman

Retrieved 10//02/09 from Mensjournal.com

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(5)

Roper, Steve

Climbers Guide to the High Sierra

1976, Sierra Club Books, CA

(6)

Vogel, Randy & Gaines, Robert

Tahquitz and Suicide

2001, Chockstone Press, Evergreen, CO

(7)The Mountaineers, Cox, Steven & Fulsass , Kris

Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills

2003, Mountaineers Books, Seattle, WA

(8)

Ament, Pat

Wizards of Rock: A History of Free Climbing in America

2002, Wilderness Press, Berkeley, CA

(9)Cahall, Fitz

The King of Kings

Retrieved 11/25/09 from Climbing.comhttp://www.climbing.com/exclusive/features/threedegrees/

(10)

Gill, John

Oscar Eckenstein...The First Documented Advocate of Bouldering

Retrieved 11/29/09 from Johngill.nethttp://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/Bouldering_History1.01.html

(11)

Gill, John

The Art of Bouldering

1969, The Journal of the American Alpine Club

(12)

Photographer Unknown

John Sherman Ascending Lord of the Rings(5.13)

Retrieved 11/29/09 from Chesslerbooks.com

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http://www.chesslerbooks.com/eCart/catalog/s/Sherman_Drinking_Climber.jpg

(13)

MacDonald, Dougald

Koyamada Completes V16

Retrieved 11/20/09 from Climbing.comhttp://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/koyainaust/

(14)

Parsons, Chris Webb

Retrieved 11/07/09 from Chriswebbparsons.com

http://www.chriswebbparsons.com/bio.php

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Documents

James Grubbs - Fall 2009 - Climbing Communication Essay