The end of an Era!

You can't keep secrets forever I suppose. Its been roughly five years now since I started spending nearly all of my free time up Lolo Pass. With the help of a few friends we've managed to establish at least 300 problems, picking plumbs and leaving the meager rocks for later. I've really tried to keep things on the "down low", talking about it as the collective lolo pass and limiting its exposer on the internet, not including directions and in general remaining reticent. I actually limit my exposer to the rest of the climbing community so that I don't have to talk to people. 

    I love lolo! This has been the experience of a lifetime. Very few people get to be the spearhead and father a climbing area. I'm not saying it was all me by any stretch. The other people who deserve credit know who they are and I appreciate all that they have done. The sense of adventure is incredible, combing the woods for the hardest, tallest most beautiful unclimbed lines.  One never knows how long  they are going to be one of the few running around the vacant woods, never seeing another individual or worrying about who is out amongst the stones.  A feeling of ownership and territory has grown inside of me. It certainly isn't the prettiest thing when it rears its protective head, but i recognize when it gets ugly. When you spend thousands of hours, thousands of dollars, through multiple relationships crashed and burned and friends ashes in the wind it is understandable that one might develop these sorts of feelings for an area. If I come off like kind of an overprotective asshole about things it's because I am. Im not ready to share my secrets and have my "private Idaho" trampled on. It has been really nice to have the peace of mind to know that no one knows where my stash is. I've gotten to climb almost everything that I've ever found and cleaned up lolo without having to worry about others' sniffing around, however, I'm afraid this time is coming to a close. People have gotten wind of new sectors and areas and the word is spreading like wildfire, apparently. Some climbers just want to be  friends with everyone and share all the climbing, this attitude is just fine but not my cup of tea.  If you have some time check out the Abyss movie on deadpoint, this pretty decent and might help you get the picture a little better!!!!!!!

  

The elusive "guide". "We" do have a text version of the guide. So much new stuff has been going up it seems stupid to put out a guide that's immediately super outdated. This will always be the case and we will do it soonish. In all my selfishness and keeping secrets we/ I have groomed lolo for the greater good. Trails and well cleaned rock with beautifully crafted landings can be found amongst the trees. Many many bolts and anchors have been replaced on the domes amidst lolo for the greater good and safety of the community, mostly on our dime, with some contributions by the ASCA and ARI.

     

Its been a real good run out there. Times are changing and at some point there will be a wonderful guide for your climbing pleasure. I'm not psyched about people tramping around my hood but what what can you do. Paradise doesn't last forever. Please be respectful of the nature out there. If you do choose to bolt some routes, please, please take the time to climb some old-school lolo ass kickers and keep things in the "style" to some degree. Make sure the line actually goes before you start slamming in bolts. 

One last thing. If you do end up doing some of your own development up there in lolo, please document it with some pictures and descriptions etc. Despite the fact that I don't like others in the :"HOod" I do want to publish the most comprehensive guide possible when that point comes and would like that information. Credit will be given where credit is due!

This has been kind of a ramble but hopefully it has conveyed to some degree how I feel about things. Peace