Help Smith Rock!

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Hey y'all -

 

Perhaps you're familiar with the Spring Thing at Smith Rock. If you climb at Smith often and enjoy flat belays, erosion-control terracing, stairs, and other conveniences but are unfamiliar with the Spring Thing, perhaps this is the year to familiarize yourself. Us (we?) climbers have a big impact on the park, and this is an opportunity to help mitigate that impact. Before participating in the ST a few years ago, DFA had assumed that the park service installed and maintained all the trails and erosion-control stuff, but a hefty percentage of it is done by climbers at the Spring Thing. This is an excellent opportunity to give some back, and the pride of ownership one gets from working on the park greatly adds to the appreciation of the place, as well as encouraging a more proactive stewardship type of attitude year 'round. It's also pretty fun, as you get to wield sharp and/or heavy tools, haul rocks around, and play in the dirt like the adolescent hooligan you know you are.

 

There is usually some free booty when you show up in the morning such as Clif Bars, chalk, coffee, sporty drinks, and assorted knick-knacks. Then, after slaving all day and getting choice blisters, you are treated to a fat buffet-style chow-down, free beer (bring your own to supplement, as it goes fast), a benefit raffle for the Access Fund and further work at Smith with a ton of prizes, and some slide show action. An excellent way to cap off a good day of doing good things, a fine way to meet people, and a great experience overall.

 

Further information is available here: http://www.smithrock.com/flash/events/spring_thing_help.html

 

[chucK]

Do they really give away chalk at an event meant to help mitigate the impact of climbers on the park?

 

Oh yeah, and for those of us too lazy to click the link, what day is it?

 

Edited February 27, 2003 by chucK

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Nice one, Mr. Cynical. Perhaps they shouldn't give away food, either, since it makes you poop at the park?

 

Anyway, it's on May 10th, and registration starts that morning at the ungodly and character-building hour of 8 a.m.

 

Be there or be a four-sided geometric figure with equal-length sides connected at 90-degree angles.

[erik]

will this be a good time to comfortize pockets and holds?

[chucK]

Hey Dr. Flash!!! I'll bet all those Cliff Bars and chalk they are giving away (as well as the beer) is stolen

 

Get it? tug tug tug, yank yank yank

[jkrueger]

Maybe the chalk will be given away at the end of the day after it has been recycled off of routes -- BBQ the Pope, for one, has chalk to spare!

[iain]

Dr_Flash_Amazing said:

...shouldn't give away food, either, since it makes you poop at the park?

Not really a concern as there's just about a 1:1 ratio of expensive compost toilets to climbers there now. Earnest is the climber who can work up a good smash that short of a distance from the parking lot.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

chucK said:

Hey Dr. Flash!!! I'll bet all those Cliff Bars and chalk they are giving away (as well as the beer) is stolen

 

Probably so. Who can afford to simply bestow hand-drying agents and light comestibles on the climbing community at large? Clearly a case for the ever-useful stolen items!

[freeclimb9]

Dr_Flash_Amazing said:

There is usually some free booty when you show up in the morning such as Clif Bars, chalk, coffee, sporty drinks, and assorted knick-knacks.

I'd call "Clif Bars, chalk, coffee, sporty drinks, and assorted knick-knacks" "schwag".

Here's some pirate treasure.