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Falling climbers' numbers


jerseyscum

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I notice on Mr. Skoog's excellent online annual journal concerning local alpinism a story from Park Service documenting a decline in numbers of climbers in N. Cascades on the order of 25% over past four or five years. Apparently some but not all may be weather-related for most recent year. Has anyone noticed this and/or have any theories why it may be so? Has Rainier, Denali, Tetons etc., shown similar decline?

 

Just look on the bright side, Snafflehound numbers are increasing! snaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gifsnaf.gif

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  • 1 month later...

For comparison, the number of registered climbers for Denali:

 

2001 1,305

2002 1,232

2003 1,179

2004 1,275

2005 1,340

 

 

I would have expected the numbers & trends of registered climbers to track pretty closely between Rainier and Denali. I'm surprised to see the trends be so divergent. I'm sure you've thought about this- what do you suppose is behind the two trends?

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For comparison, the number of registered climbers for Denali:

 

2001 1,305

2002 1,232

2003 1,179

2004 1,275

2005 1,340

 

 

I would have expected the numbers & trends of registered climbers to track pretty closely between Rainier and Denali. I'm surprised to see the trends be so divergent. I'm sure you've thought about this- what do you suppose is behind the two trends?

 

Hey, we just posted at the same time. Jinx...

 

I have wondered this too. I suspect Denali "7 summits" status helps...

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Here's the 2000 Census Data. The population is getting older.

 

Age Percent

Under 5 years 6.7

5 to 9 years 7.2

10 to 14 years 7.4

15 to 19 years 7.3

20 to 24 years 6.6

25 to 34 years 14.3

35 to 44 years 16.5

45 to 54 years 14.4

55 to 59 years 4.8

60 to 64 years 3.6

65 to 74 years 5.7

75 to 84 years 4.1

85 years and over 1.4

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  • 3 weeks later...

Mabey its because people realize that climbing (esp in the MTS) is a whole lot of SUFFERING!!!! If you want to get stuff done in the Cascades you cant always just stroll out to the MTS and send. No, there are bushes, bugs, rain, sweat oh yeah and its fucking SCARY! Who wants to spend all of this time and energy, not to mention money when there is all of that good stuff to watch on TV! pitty.gif

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-I am not too sad to see the masses leave the outdoors. However it will create a $$ crunch for the roads and trails I like to use to get to my climbs.

- As for the drop on rainier and shasta it might be that you have to pay to climb and getting a camp reservation is a PITA, as well as seeing all those people near me. Maybe the general public wants a more wilderness experience when they climb, but the rub for them is that you have to pay your dues on the crowded climbs to get the experience to get to the seldom used routes to get that wilderness experience.

-as for the generational change I will have to agree. I coach high school track and the kids that I see now vs. when I was in high school (even 6 years ago) are less tolerent of suffering. I have had to make my workouts easier for them, not only to retain them in the sport but so I don't brake them. Also there is this attitude of "well if I am not good at it when I first try then I will never be good at it and I might as well give up." You think numbers are declining what a couple more years and you will see a real drop.

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