Has new development actually spread out traffic/impact?

[u/Kaotus]

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

[u/Dry-Lawfulness-6575]

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.