Ethics are known as the moral correctness of a specific conduct. Climbing is full of ethical decisions. We as climbers must decided what we think is right or wrong as we pick the way we climb. It can be a decision as simple as pulling on a draw, stepping on a cam, or hang dogging our way up a route to later on spray all over the internet we sent a climb. Not that any of this really matters as long as the climber is having fun. Thirty years ago however, ethics seemed to be a bigger part of the game. Bolts were placed when necessary, on lead, and still seemed to be a bit frowned upon. Leading a tough route was a big deal due to the risks of possibly being runout or the protection tricky. Today it seems anything new that is not a trad line is bolted while hanging on a rope after working the moves to make sure it is the best line.. Right or wrong, it’s not my call; but an interesting article to read on the subject of ethics was published in 1974 in an old Chouinard Equipment catalog. A Word- By Tom Frost and Yvon Chouinard.
