You weren’t getting any print.Īs blogs and MySpace appeared, the balance began to shift. If you weren’t a Big Name Sponsored Climber at a Big Name Area being photographed by a Big Name Photographer who had contacts at the magazines, it almost didn’t matter how compelling your story was. Magazines were the gatekeepers for news, which homogenized the storytelling. I worked in climbing media for years, pre-internet and even during web 1.0. Instagram has allowed all climbers to be storytellers. As I watched them pack up their pads, all I could think was, “What the hell happened to our sport?” The Upsides of Instagram for Climbingīefore we get into the predictable “crusty old-guy” rant, let’s look at some of the positives of Instagram. To try your hardest and, on a good day, get up something.īut these folks weren’t there to climb. Maybe I’m just old and out of touch, but I always thought that if you went out climbing, you went out climbing. “Let’s go to Whole Foods and get some burritos,” one suggested. “There’s no need.” He and his crew bumbled up into “the move,” shooting photos of each other, and then jumping off. “Naw, we’re good, man,” said one of the climbers. Later, after the big pack left, another smaller group showed up, and I tried to offer beta, gleaned after an hour of trying the problem. Then they started chimping through the images on their phones to see which were the best. They’d climb up into “the move,” have their friends take photos, and then immediately jump off. It was doubtful my post would draw more attention to Eastern Priest.Ī post shared by Paul Robinson of the boulderers seemed to have no intention of actually sending. Anyone know what it’s called?”Īt the time, I didn’t have a large following I got 56 likes and six comments - pretty meager numbers. I doubt any pix of it have ever been on social media. I’d later post an image on IG with the facetious caption, “Found this really chalky and fun Bo Prob in Eldo today. Nobody else was there, so Ryan and I did laps and snapped a few photos. I’d also be lying if I said that it wasn’t IG that had piqued my curiosity. Its tan and purple-banded rock that showcases the white-chalked holds, creekside setting, and ease of scrambling up the opposite riverbank to snap photos make it the classic IG-ready bloc. I’d been curious about the problem for years, plus Eastern Priest had also been showing up in my Instagram feed - a lot. We warmed up on Eastern Priest, a V4 highball. In the canyon, the creek was low, its crystalline waters oozing around water-slicked cobbles, yellow and brown leaves collecting in the eddies. On a cold October day with the long-range forecast looking bleak on the Front Range of Colorado and way too many gym sessions looming, my friend Ryan and I snuck out to Eldorado Canyon for a few hours of bouldering. I first noticed this shift 3 or 4 years ago, in 2018. Instagram has the potential to put outcome over process, leading us all to drown in “spray.” And there are other adverse effects. The app, with its emphasis on vivid imagery, instant gratification, and likes, has the potential to blow up climbing areas when they go viral.Īnd everyone wants to snap that perfect IG-ready shot of that one climb. But I’ve seen the damage Instagram can cause. ![]() Many of us old-school climbers are used to emptier, quieter cliffs. There are positives to Instagram for climbing it can help democratize the sport and provide endless inspiration. Still, I like following the pro climbers to see what they’re up to at the cutting edge. I mostly post MoonBoarding videos, cat selfies, and random esoterica from my life. I scroll through my feed about once a day to see what’s up in the climbing world.īut at age 50, I’m far from an influencer or a super-user. ![]() There is no denying that social media has significantly impacted how climbers share information about noteworthy ascents and the sport.īut one app in particular - the flashy, highly visual Instagram (IG) - has radically reshaped the landscape , not always in a good way. Like most climbers these days, I have an Instagram account. From boasting about “sends” to blasting the whereabouts of your favorite crag, social media has eroded the foundations of climbing. ![]() The exponential growth of social media has altered the fundamentals of outdoor endeavors.
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