[groovedog]

found this on the other channel, haven't seen it myself but doesn't sound good.... fontainebleau madman?

"I imagine very few people have been in the Cratcliffe area recently, which presumably masked the activities of some maniac... Walking round today, I saw the following: Left Arete at Cratcliffe Top Boulders hacked all the way up its top two thirds, holds under Razor Roof bashed off, Scopp knocked about and at Robin Hood's, assorted chippings on problems which I can't immediately identify from the BMC guide. All in all a lot of irreparable damage, which is tragic."



http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=536650

[gruffalo]

Fucking Pointless.

[remus]

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=536650

Anyone know anything more?

edit: apologies, missed the thread here: http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,21522.msg393358.html#new

[Wil]

I'll try to pop by with camera tomorrow.

[Bonjoy]

  Not again! Why always here?

Scopp knocked about

Don't understand.

[Snoops]

found this on the other channel, haven't seen it myself but doesn't sound good.... fontainebleau madman?

"I imagine very few people have been in the Cratcliffe area recently, which presumably masked the activities of some maniac... Walking round today, I saw the following: Left Arete at Cratcliffe Top Boulders hacked all the way up its top two thirds, holds under Razor Roof bashed off, Scopp knocked about and at Robin Hood's, assorted chippings on problems which I can't immediately identify from the BMC guide. All in all a lot of irreparable damage, which is tragic."


http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=536650

Sounds shit. Also sounds like one of us has done this

[slackline]

"us"?

Not sure anyone on this forum would do such a thing.

[dave]

Probably most likely random chav knobheads or a landowner with a grudge against climbers?

[Snoops]

"us"?

Not sure anyone on this forum would do such a thing.

us -  'the climbing fraternity' ......... 

Chipping the holds off something like Razor Roof doesn't sound like chavs

[slackline]

Chipping holds off of known problems doesn't sound like the action of anyone from the "climbing fraternity".

However, I could envisage random knobheads/bored wankers wandering around and seeing rocks with chalk/clean patches and thinking they'd make for good target practice.

[a dense loner]

What do u mean? Someone standing upright and easily knocking off holds above their heads in a cave sounds like a climber?

[Snoops]

What do u mean? Someone standing upright and easily knocking off holds above their heads in a cave sounds like a climber?

Fair comment, your probably right, although there is precedent in font with a disillusioned bonker climber.
From the description that multiple problems, from ribs to roof's had been done it sounded like someone who knew about routes had done it, especially as we've just had the weather perfect for some bored ignorant people with axes.
Upon reflection I agree with you, it would be extremely unlikely

[Bonjoy]

A climber with a grudge would surely smashed in a more methodically malicious way

[willackers]

It's absolutely mindless behaviour, it must be some climbers who have done it though, it's not exactly a spot where you would find chavs hanging about. Very sad

[Bonjoy]

Seem to have the same discussion every time this happens. Was/wasn’t it a climber. Like I say, I think not. The damage suggests it might be someone who doesn’t like climbers, but can’t tell one prob/hold from the next i.e a none-climber. Ultimately though, what difference does it make?
Time has shown that for all the weeping and gnashing of teeth we can’t stop this and we never find the culprits. This will keep happening on a random basis every now and then, and not for lack of ‘education’ on the matter. Is it perhaps time we starting talking about how best to mend damage? It worked on Hairless Heart.  They may not be perfect restorations but at least it wont be another set of open scars. Also maybe climbers are the best people to make a habit of routinely filling stupid graffiti on the crag more generally?

[north_country_boy]

A climber with a grudge would surely smash crucial holds off classics (like the font loon did) e.g. they target T-Crack, Jerry's Trav or Jerry's arete.

Shhhhhh! Don't give them any ideas! 

It's absolutely mindless behaviour, it must be some climbers who have done it though, it's not exactly a spot where you would find chavs hanging about. Very sad

I'm sure you've been there before?!?     

(seem to remember you spent an hour filling a carrier bag with mind altering fungi....)

[SA Chris]

Is it possible as mentioned above that bits of rock covered with chalk on them were targeted? No reason it can't be some non-climbing chavvy vandals; they have cars (usually shit ones, but still) and legs just like anyone else and seem to like fucking up remote places just as much as urban ones.

[Wood FT]

In the same vein as the recent traps being set for mountain bikers could this not be the work of disgruntled walker/s, tired of guffawing apes ruining their piece of peace?

Ultimately though, what difference does it make?
Time has shown that for all the weeping and gnashing of teeth we can’t stop this and we never find the culprits.

true dat

[dr_botnik]

I haven't seen the damage but from comments on here and the other channel it does sound deliberate. Such a shame that people with a grudge take out their frustrations on, not just an inanimate object, but also on the kids of the future who miss out on a right good diversion from the shit life throws at you.

On a personal level im totally gutted as razor roof was still on the to do list, got distracted by five finger exercise last time i was there; so all i can say is 

[weakdave]

Is Razor roof now totally unclimbable or just mega hard???? Either way...... BASTARDS!!!!!!!! Great route ruined!!!

[Bonjoy]

Haven't seen it but the OP say holds under the roof damaged. In which case it will probably have minor effect on the grade as this is the easy bit and there are various holds to choose from.

[Wil]

I took some photos earlier, posted on my blog here.

Razor Roof looked like it would climb at the same grade. The damage has left a real mess at both venues and the newly exposed rock is incredibly crumbly.

I don't know how you'd go about repairing the aretes that have been damaged, but if there's a good way to stabilise the surface of the rock that would go some way to mitigating the damage.

[Wil]

Is it possible as mentioned above that bits of rock covered with chalk on them were targeted?

There's some truth in that, although obviously caked things i.e. T Crack and Jerry's Traverse were unaffected and lots of  relatively unchalked stuff was.

I wonder what effect the existing chips have on Joe public's perception of climbers?

[willackers]

That's far worse than I was imagining it was going to be!, absolutely fucking disgusting.

They need shooting! 

[Snoops]

I took some photos earlier, posted on my blog here.

Razor Roof looked like it would climb at the same grade. The damage has left a real mess at both venues and the newly exposed rock is incredibly crumbly.

I don't know how you'd go about repairing the aretes that have been damaged, but if there's a good way to stabilise the surface of the rock that would go some way to mitigating the damage.

Thanks for posting.
As someone said earlier it doesn;t change who did it, but actually looking at the areas and holds they've done, I still don't see it being chav, or aggrieved walker. its more likely to be some kind of idiot who has some kind of climbing awareness.