31 | Route Development, Stewardship, and a Dark Side w/ Colby Wangler

The Climbing Majority

I don't know about you but when I first started climbing..creating a first ascent and developing a route was something my regular climbing partner and I would fantasize about—looking out the car window on long road trips for any rock formation that might have been untouched, a prize yet to be claimed. However, like most of you, I am sure, I was too enthralled in actually climbing to take the time, money, and focus to become a route developer.

With climbing being so accessible, and there being over fifty thousand published routes on Mountain Project between California and Canada alone, it is easy to just enjoy climbs and forget all the work it took to establish them. Today, our topic is route development and we get to sit down with a local climber and route developer here in Reno, his name is Colby Wangler. In our conversation, we talk about how Colby found climbing and what lead him to become a route developer, the ins and out of the route developing process, and how Colby both developed and climbed his first own 5.13. We cover how we, the majority, the people who get enjoy the work of others, can support, maintain, and give back to the areas we love so much. And finally, we talk about a potential dark side to this amazing sport we call climbing.
Please rate, review the show, and share this podcast with your friends. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools to help us out.
Contact us:
IG: @the.climbing.majority
Email: [e-mail]
Resources: Please help support the development and maintenance of your local climbing area. Here are some places that will be a good start and could use our support.
Alpine Club of Canada

American Alpine Club

Squamish Access Society

Sea to Sky Climbing Hardware Fund

British Mountaineering Crag Care Fund

Access Fund USA (Register and Adopt a Crag)

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1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Chit Chat (00:01:54)

3. Colby's Background (00:08:53)

4. Route Developing (00:28:38)

5. Developing and Climbing 5.13 (01:27:41)

6. How Can the Majority Contribute? (01:36:20)

7. A Potential Darkside to Climbing (01:49:45)