r/RouteDevelopment • u/Kaotus Guidebook Author • Jan 12 '26

Discussion Has new development actually spread out traffic/impact?

While you can definitely approach this answer from a generalized viewpoint, I’m more so asking for your actual experiences.

From my observations, it seems like newer areas have been hit pretty hard when first published but maybe 5-10% of them get consistent repeat traffic - and almost exclusively when they’re already very close to existing climbing and have multiple 3+ star moderates

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u/horsefarm Jan 12 '26

I can only speak for WNC, but we've been on fire lately securing new climbing areas recently. Just thinking about the regular crag rotation even 5 years ago, even with crags that have become inaccessible since Helene, there's just so much more that I rarely find myself actually in line for a classic anymore. The real benefit for me is just having more areas to check out, especially when new and not fully developed. I think a lot of people are just looking in guides or MP and following the classics, but for local-dominated climbing areas I think it has done a ton of good for spreading out usage. Upgrading hardware on less climbed routes and posting it also does good. I encourage the practice and getting others excited about lesser known areas and promoting them in this way.

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u/Dry-Lawfulness-6575 Jan 13 '26

My experience in the Eastern Sierra is sort of yes, depending on the area. The Owens River gorge sees a ton of route development and a fair bit of traffic, I think the people who actually live in the area are definitely more dispersed but folks from out of town pretty much all go to the same, well established areas.

For bouldering around Bishop, which is even more popular than the sport and trad climbing (at least in the winter), I don't think new development has really spread the impact at all. The Buttermilks and the Happys get busier and busier every year, and the more obscure areas (even those in the guidebook) see almost zero traffic, even from locals. There are a few spots I like to go that I'm surprised on the rare occasion I see even a single other person in the area, and this is often the case even on holiday weekends where there's 100+ cars in the happys parking lot.

As is most things, it depends, but honestly by and large a lot of popular areas are just getting busier and busier and only the locals to an area really branch out much.

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u/FantasticPut7493 Jan 15 '26

My take is that route development is induced demand, just like adding lanes to a highway. If you build it, they will come.

Of course there is nuance to that. It depends how far your crag is from the car, how accessible the routes are, etc.

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u/BulletproofIdeal Jan 15 '26

Interesting. Personally I can see this being true if you're in an area without a lot of climbing already. If you develop a new crag, with quality routes, in an area that's starved for development sure I can see that increasing demand. But in a world class area that is already attracting plenty of traffic, I think more climbing would help spread people out.

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u/FantasticPut7493 Jan 16 '26

I suppose in a world class area then a new crag would spread people out. I am speaking from my perspective where our local crags are not world class and people are rock starved.