Sport & Trad Closure at Torrent Falls

Torrent Falls · Gumby Joined: 03 Sep 2003 Posts: 33

To the Climbing Community,
Due to continued and flagrant disrespect of the Torrent Falls Rules, climbing is now closed and will remain closed. This family regrets that so many climbers have shown such disrespect to the land and this family that we are forced to take this action.

The Via Ferrata will remain open.

Guests staying at the Torrent Cabins and Rooms will be the only climber's permitted to climb at Torrent.

To the individuals that have shown their respect, we are sorry. We have made some great friends and we hope you will continue to stop by and say hello.

Mark Meyer, Owner

the lurkist · In Crust We Trust Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 1903

Thanks, Mark. We support you in your decision. Hopefully your action will be a wake up call to us all. Sorry you had to be the guy to have to drop the hammer.
Hugh
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KD · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject:

Hey thanks for all you guys have done for us over the years - wish it could stay open but can't blame you.

dipsi · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject:

Friends are friends. There aren't enough words to express my respect and appreciation.
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Spragwa · Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject:

Thank you guys for everything that you have done to work with the community. I hope that your remaining ventures are profitable!
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anticlmber · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:02 am Post subject:

oh schnookems say it isn't so. oh well you know i support you. thanx much for all that you have done for us. i know that you still support climbers on the whole. even though we are a bunch of cross-dressing nuts. i'll be stopping in soon to say hello. be well and thanx again.

jr
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Snake · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 7:00 am Post subject:

I've collected a ton of fond memories of climbing at Torrent. Thanks, Mark & Kathy, for letting me climb there for all of those years.

Mark
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Meadows · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 7:42 am Post subject:

Ditto ... I have a lot of memories of good people climbing with me at Torrent. Thanks, Mark.
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chriss · Parasite Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 319

Thanks for closing down one of the best crags in the red( edit: this was supposed to be sarcastic, I justed wanted to be thankful like evryone else! ). I for one will make sure to eat at RRO or Miguels, and continue to support the climber friendly busineses. It was awfully convenient to wait until after hosting Rocktoberfest to close.

This is a major loss.

512OW · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 9:08 am Post subject:

kneebar · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 9:16 am Post subject:

chriss, Don't know you at all, but from your post YOU ARE A JACKASS! Perhaps you are trying to make some crude joke out of it. Mark and Kathy have done so much over the years for climbing. If you are pissed off perhaps you can take it out on the real issue.........climbers that can't pitch in a couple of bucks, pick up there trash, keep the screaming down, keep there dogs under control, and respecting the landowners wishes.

Mark and Kathy, thanks a bunch, I would have liked to see it stay open along with most climbers. But with all the BS and disrespect (as the owner) you have had to put up with over the years I can feel for you.

Ken

GWG · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

People!

Climbing is still available at Torrent. Stay at one of the cabins as a guest of Torrent Cabins are permitted to climb. I've never climbed there but when I make a return visit from PA, I'll seriously consider staying there. My visits will be for extended stays instead of what they use to be when I lived in Louisville. I'll be coming down for a climbing vacation instead of a one day trip. Mr. Green

I have had the pleasure of eating several BBQ sandwiches there and hope these will still be available. Razz

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absolutsugarsmurf · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject:

I've been climbing in the Red for about four years now, and Torrent Falls was one of the first crags I'd ever visited, and has been an area that I've re-vistited with some frequency. Additionally, I've stayed at the b&b on (3 weekends in four years) occasions. Perhaps it's been that I typically don't climb at Torrent on weekends (although I have climbed there on weekends), but in the four years I've been climbing I haven't really seen behavior that I would classify as egregious, and definately none that I would call malicious. As a general observation, behavior there has seemed on par with that you'd see at any crag. At least by the climbers. Except for the donation box. That isn't an issue climbers face anywhere else in the Red, and in my limited travels, I've only seen two areas with fees, so the donation model is definately not the "expected situation" when one is out climbing. Not that that is an excuse for not donating, but I just never thought it was really clear if donations really were donations or not. How is it really a donation if it's expected? Semantics. This is especially true if you don't read these boards frequently.

So the question is, was typical climbing behavior only unnaceptable at Torrent due to it's duel nature as crag/buisness? Or should there be a major effort to educate climbers in Leave No Trace policy and general friendliness at all crags? Although I have to say when I visit other crags I am never struck by the damage done by climbers nor by a lack of goodwill. Hell, hike out to Eagle Point or Wall of Denial, or Half Moon. Then go to a crag not visited by non-climbing tourists and compare the state of the landscape. I promise you'll see a major major difference, and not a positive one. What I'm asking is, how is it that we take care of crags like Pebble Beach, but we litter, curse, and let our dogs run wild around Torrent? This comment is meant both to be a question and somewhat tounge in cheek.

The majority of the sentiment on this board has been to vilfy ourselves and our community and to thank Mark and his family for putting up with our crap. The one dissedent poster got called a JACK ASS (which was very constructive). I'm not saying that we shouldn't examine the behaviour of the climbing community for areas of improvement. However, it seems clear that there are issues here that never really got worked out with the land owner, and one can't help but feel they were mostly economic in nature. I think it's perfectly reasonable for some resentment towards an individual who would profit (though how much I don't know) from an access oriented event and then immediately close his property to climbing. It seems very disingenuous. I wonder if I am one of the few who feels this way, or if it's the sentiment no one wants to express for fear of further pissing Mark off.

chriss · Parasite Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 319

Saxman · Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:

Woohoo, now we have a private crag. Can't wait to climb alone on those perfect spring days while all of the other crags are swarming with gumbies.
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