Impacts of Indoor Climbing: Mark Richey Interview

As the number of indoor rock climbing gyms increase exponentially across the nation, the potential for over-commercialization of rock climbing grows close.

Or does it? I contemplate whether or not all publicity for climber's is good publicity or perhaps the inherent purity in climbing is sliding dangerously close to deterioration as more teenage-mutant training farms explode across the country. But then again, an increased public awareness serves as the base for athletic recognition, which in turn could lead to the development of an intramural sport. Paid athletes? And not just Sharma and Tommy. Perhaps, whole teams on a High School level.

The circulation of money with increased sponsor reliance and media engagement could allow climber's to make their dreams realities without having to drop out of school or college, eat rice for breakfast and dinner to save money, and live out of their cars to "make it happen". Giving talented and equally motivated climber's an oppurtunity to sustain a comfortable living would only help to push the limits of our sport because the drive to blur the lines of possibility would be vastly intensified.

Then again, the predictable naysayer would most likely fall under the position of: "covet thy sport for eternity and buzz off newbs, these are my green trees." Yes, more climbers would certainly enter the sport, but lets be honest, they would most likely remain inside. Why climb on rock and deal with bugs in the "sun" when you can climb on plastic and listen to "kick-ass" tunes. So don't worry about your new "radically dope" secret bouldering spot being flooded with the likes of ignorant plastic pullers like myself because we'll still be inside tearing down the new "Red" problem.

Of course, I'm only joshing. Who knows what will happen. Only Pat and Eric hold the answers to these mythical questions related to the inevitable recourse of public climbing growth. And pigs can fly.

I say the more the merrier. Bigger comps, bigger access fund events, more money, more food, and more smiles.

Either way, there are issues out there far more important that this anyhow: Paris Hilton's Jail Sentence, our 13 year old President, Britney Spears' Shaved Head, Daniel Woods' next V18.5, and what I'm going to have for dinner tomorow. Ya. What.

My rambling ends here and starts with another dude who has far more experience than myself (understatement). Who is better to comment on the past, present, and future of our capricious climbing culture than a world-class rock climber and mountaineer of unparalled proportions; not to mention the past president of the American Alpine Club and current representative for the UIAA? That would be Mark Richey.

Richey Interview:

The MetroRock facilities seem to be taking the East Coast by storm. What inspired its development for you?

I did not begin the chain at all but I did have an interest in bringing a rock gym into our building as I thought it would be a good addition to the local and rock climbing communities (and for selfish reasons of course). So after visiting the existing the Everett gym and climbing there a few times, I was impressed and I decided to contact Pat Enright one of the owners and propose we build a similar gym in our Newburyport building. Eric Curtis, Pats current partner, contacted me independently about the same time. They both liked the idea, formed a partnership and we worked out a financial arrangement that made sense pretty quickly. Then we just all got to work and it happened quite smoothly. I think the fact that we all liked each other and trusted each other made things easy.


These gyms have literally destroyed existing competition in gyms that had been flourishing for years prior to the MetroRock monster. What can you attribute to this relatively recent success?

I'm not an expert on this, but I'd say three factors have contributed to Metro Rocks success.

1), State of the art gym construction in a facility that's modern, attractive and really exciting to climb in.

2), Awesome route setting,(thanks Bill) a suberb and friendly staff and top management. Very family conducive too.

3), A Sound business approach (climbers sometimes don't make the best business men but not in this case)



With the advent of indoor rock climbing gyms increasing at an exponential rate across the nation, do you feel the culture of rock climbing with suffer or actually feel the inverse and flourish?

The culture of rock climbing is always changing somewhat. Most people are learning to climb indoors now which has advantages. Climbers are getting stronger, training better, climbing year round during bad weather and starting at an earlier age (in a safe place) and it shows in the average level of difficulty that so many people are climbing at within a relatively short period of time. Also, climbing gyms have become very social environments and consequently a lot of gym climbers enjoy the sport crags like Rumney because it's similar. You can climb hard and hang out with your buds at the same time. On the other hand, multi-pitch traditional climbs on cliffs like Cathedral and Cannon offer a different, perhaps more adventurous experience that is certainly helpful in preparing climbers for long routes in the mountains or exploratory type climbing. It all depends on what you're into. Often I see a progression, with young climbers starting out in the Gym, then going to the sport crags, then the Trad cliffs and finally taking all those skills to big climbs and mountain routes. Tommy Caldwell is an example of that.


On the most basic level, climbing is about being outside. Do you think all of this indoor-mumbo-jumbo will instill the wrong idea into entry-level climbers? Or maybe all of these training facilities are simply breeding grounds for a new generation of teenage-mutants that will take climbing to the next level?

Gyms are great training facilities for strength and technique but of course Gyms cannot adequately prepare you for natural rock and placing protection, especially crack climbing like in Indian Creek or Yosemite etc. That you must learn with Mother Nature. At least you can start off strong from the gym with some rope handling skills and the basic movements down. When I started rock climbing in 1972, 5.10 was the top of the grade and only the best climbers were at that level. Today, in the gyms, that's practically entry level. Of course, there is a big difference between indoor and outdoor climbs but there is no question that climbers are training more intensely now. We never dreamed that 5.15 or freeing the Nose would actually happen but here we are. In another 10 to 15 years we'll probably be looking at 5.16s and on-site, one day free ascents of huge multi-pitch climbs on El-cap and elsewhere. We're not that far off and it's pretty exciting!

But on another note, I think we all stress the grades too much and miss out. I know a lot of gym climbers wont go and try climbs on Cathedral or other trad cliff because they'll have to climb at a lower grade, but who cares, they're missing out on some of the best climbs in the country. It's funny, some of my favorite climbs of the 70s and 80s get way less traffic today and are growing moss because everyone goes to Rumney!


Along those same lines, where do you see climbing headed? Straying away from the bad-ass traditional lines somewhere far off on the ends of the Earth and focusing in on who can pull the hardest SINGLE move on plastic or.....WHAT?

All climbing is developing. A lot more people are focusing on really hard, sustained technical climbing on rock, ice and mixed climbs and generally in relatively controlled environments so the technical progress in those arenas is happening fast. Alpine style and exploratory climbing in the greater mountain ranges like the Himalayas is still the realm of relatively few climbers so progress is slower and mile stone ascents fewer and far between. There are a lot fewer top athletes getting into alpine climbing for obvious reasons, it's expensive, time committing and dangerous. But it's happening there too, the recent alpine style ascent of a new route on Nanga Parbats Rupal face by House and Anderson is a good example.


These gyms seem to be setting the foundation for an increased commercialization over the sport (competitions, media coverage, funds, increased public awareness, etc.) This could lead to paid athletes, other than Sharma and Tommy! Do you see this potential as good or bad?


I think its fine. I applaud those climbers that are able to combine there passion with there vocation. However I do think that climbing in the mountains for monetary reasons (other that guiding) is a risky business for obvious reasons and sometimes has led to poor ethical decisions and a regression in climbing style. i.e.; getting to the top no matter what to satisfy sponsors. At any rate, being a professional climber has never been an easy way to make a living and I don't see that changing any time soon but nothing wrong in trying. Personally, I think I'd get bored with climbing if I had to make my living at it and I never want to get bored climbing!


Enough on that, as a world-class climber and mountaineer, what are your future goals?

I'd like to continue to climb and explore as long as I can on everything from bouldering to high mountains and especially remote areas like the region of Eastern Tibet we visited last autumn. And despite my age, I'm 49, I'm still always trying to improve my technical climbing ability, strength and just climb harder in general. That motivates me but I must admit it does get more difficult.

In June I'll return to the unclimbed North Ridge of Latok 1 in Pakistan with Steve Swenson and Doug Chabot. It will be my third expedition to that peak. I'd also like to spend more time climbing and exploring in Africa and I'd like to climb in Antarctica someday.


After literally 35 years of elite climbing, how do you stay motivated? More importantly, how do you manage to stay so strong and injury free? I mean, I'm 21 for Pete's sake and I get injured every other month!!!

I'm addicted to climbing, the mountains and wild places and I love to climb and explore as much today as I did when I first started in 1973. The people you meet along the way (I met my wife Teresa at an American Alpine Club meeting) and friends you make is of course a huge part of. Also, climbing and traveling has helped me and my family become more aware of how precious our wild places are and how we must all be good stewards and more compassionate for those who have so much less than us (that is Americans in general). My involvement with the AAC is very rewarding and also with other non-profit organizations we support like the CAI that builds schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I think if you don't give back to your community as a climber you miss out on perhaps the greatest reward of all, helping to make the world a better place. That's very motivating to me now. I'm also grateful that I've had other important things in my life like my family and our business which has helped me put climbing into perspective and enjoy it when and how I choose.

As far as staying strong and injury free, first of all, I'm hardly injury free, although not the typical finger and elbow tendon stuff that avid sport climbers suffer from. My weakness is my back which I guess I injured as a young man and I have to be careful with. But I do try to live healthy, eat well, get varied and regular exercise and avoid stress as much as possible. In the rock gym, I like to work out no more than 2 to 3 times per weak and I see the most benefit that way but of course a younger person could do more. I also like to vary the workouts from bouldering one day to overhanging jug hauling and then maybe an endurance session with maximum mileage on easier climbs say 5.9 and 5.10s only. Then mix in cardio, and some weight training to balance off. 3-5 months before a major expedition I pick up the training and tailor it depending on where I'm going to climb. Oh yea, I save the weekends for outdoors!


Mark Richey: Mountain Climber

Mark began rock climbing in 1973 at age 15 in the Quincy Quarries of Massachusetts. Adept at all forms of climbing, he has made over 30 expeditions to the greater ranges throughout the world with a focus towards technical alpine style ascents and exploratory climbing.

Some of his climbing highlights include the Nose on El Cap at age 17, North Face of the Eiger in 12 hours in 1981, 1st ascent of the E-face of Cayesh in Peru in 1984, Cerro Torre in Patagonia in 87, Mount Everest in 1991, the East ridge of Shivling in 1996, the 1st ascent of Yamandaka in the Indian Karakorum in 2001 and the 1st alpine style ascent of Latok II in Pakistan in 2006.

Mark lives in Essex Massachusetts with his wife Teresa and their 18 year old daughter Natalia who often accompany Mark on his adventures.

Mark has climbed extensively throughout North and South America, Europe, the Himalayas, and Karakorum.

He began climbing in 1973 at age 15 at Quincy Quarries, near Boston, Massachusetts. By age 17 Mark climbed the Nose on El Cap, the Diamond, and a new route on the S-face of Snow patch spire in the Bugaboos and many other long rock and ice climbs.

The following year, Mark was selected to represent the United States in an international climbing meet called the Rassemblement held in Chamonix, France where with fellow climber Rick Wilcox climbed the American direct on the Dru, the North east spur of Les Droites, and others. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Mark made many expeditions to Peru where he established numerous first ascents in the Cordillera Blanca on typically long technical routes. Of note are the first ascent of the east face of Cayesh and the south face of Oecshapalca and new routes on the South face of Chacraraju and Cashan oeste. In 1987 Mark climbed the Maestri route on Cerro Torre in Patagonia with Carlos Buhler.

In the Alps in the early 80',s Mark and long time partner, John Bouchard, made numerous fast repeats of the classics including the North face of the Grandes Jorrasses, North Face of the Matterhorn, Frenney Pillar on Mt. Blanc, and the North Face of the Eiger in 14 hours (2nd only to Mesners at the time, 1981) and others.

In the Himalayas Mark climbed Everest in 1991 by the S-col route, Gzumbpa Kang in ‘85(2nd ascent) and a rapid 5-day ascent of Shivling's East Ridge in the Indian Garhwal in ‘96 with Bouchard again. In the late 90’s in Pakistan Mark made 2 attempts on Latok 1's still unclimbed giant North ridge and 2 first ascents of very technical peaks in the region.

In the Summer of 2000, Mark and partner Mark Wilford joined a team of British climbers including Chris Bonington to explore and climb in a remote Fjord of southern Greenland. The team of 8 climbed 12 new peaks mostly by long rock routes.

In early September 2001, Mark and Mark Wilford made the first ascent of Yamandaka by its challenging north ridge. They were member of the International Arganglas expedition led by legendary British climber/explorer Sir Christian Bonington and Harish Kapadia of India. This unique expedition was the first ever to explore the region. The comments of one member summed up the sentiment. "It was like going to the Alps for the first time only none of the routes had been climbed and none of the mountains had names."

In August of 2003, Mark and his family returned from a year-long sabbatical traveling in Peru. During their adventures they explored the deserted northern Pacific coast all the way to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, back through the wild jungles where the Amazon River starts, and of course the high mountains of the Andes.

This past summer of 2006, Mark made back to back expeditions to Pakistan and Tibet. In pakistans Karakorum, Mark succeeded on the first alpine style ascent of the technical Latok 2, 23,320 ft. with Steve Swenson and Doug Chabot. Then, with Mark Wilford and Jim Lowther of the UK he had a near miss on the still unclimbed Nenang in the remote and virtually unexplored Nainqentanghla East of Tibet.

Locally, Mark continues to be very active in the rock and ice-climbing scene establishing many 5+ ice routes and traditional free climbs to 5-12d in New England and in Newfoundland in winter with Joe Terravechia.

Mark has been a member of the Board of Directors of the American Alpine Club since 1998 and served as the clubs President from 2002 to 2005. Mark currently serves as the North American Council Representative to the UIAA

Mark resides in Essex, Massachusetts with his Peruvian born wife Teresa, and their 18-year old daughter Natalia. Mark and Teresa own and operate an Architectural Woodworking business in Newburyport, MA.


Climbing Resume:

Mountain Climber and Business Owner (Mark Richey Woodworking and Design, Inc.)

President of the American Alpine Club 2002-2005


Climbs and Expeditions:

North America

El Capitan, The Nose, 1975
Snowpatch Spire South face, 1975
Longs Peak, East face, 1975
El Capitan, The Majic Mushroom, 1977
Half Dome, Direct Northwest Face, 1977
Popcatapetl, 1984
Ixtactihuatl, 1985
Uruzaba, 1985
Extensive rock and ice climbing throughout the US and Canada.and Europe
Competed in Winter X-Games Ice Climbing Competition, 1997
Canadien Rockies ice climbs, Sea of Vapors, Weeping
Pilliar, White Man Falls, French Maiden,
Les Miserables, etc.
Newfoudland first ascents of various ice climbs

Europe

Petit Dru, American Direct, 1976
Les Droites, Northeast Pillar, 1976
Eiger, North Face, 1981, 14 hr. ascent
Matterhorn, North Face, 1981
Grands Jorrasses, Croz Spur, 1981
Mt. Blanc, Freney Pillar, 1981
Torre Trieste, Direct South Face, Carleso route, 1989
Greenland: First ascent of three mountains in southern Greenland by grade 5 and 6 rock routes with Mark Wilford. Expedition led by Sir Christian Bonington. The Spear, The Battle Axe and Warrior Peak.


South America

Peru:
Alpamayo, South West Face, 1978
Artesonraju, North Ridge, 1978 solo
Chacraraju Este, South Face, new route, 1978
Chopikalki, West Ridge, 1978
Pisco, normal route, 1979
Huascaran Norte, North East Face, Swiss Route 1979 3rd
Ranrapalka, North Face, 1979
Tocliraju, North Ridge, 1979
Oeqshapalka, South Face, first ascent, 1979
San Juan, North Ridge, 1980 solo
Maparaju, East Face, 1980 solo
Paron, West Ridge, first ascent, 1980
Huascaran sur, normal route, 1983
Cayesh, East Face, first ascent, 1983
Cashan, North East Face, first ascent, 1993
Rasac, West Ridge, 1995
Tsacra Grande, West Face, 1st ascent, 2002
Taulliraju, East Face attempt to within 100 meters of Summit.

Ecuador:
Chimborazo, normal route, 1983
Cotopaxi, normal route, 1983
Cayambe, normal route, 1983 solo
Sangay, to crater, 1983
Argentina: Aconcagua, normal route, 1980
Cerro Torre, Maestre route, 1987

Asia

Nepal:
Everest, South col route, 1991
Cho Oyu, East Ridge, attempt to 26,300’, 1985
Ngzumba Kang I, second ascent, 1985

India:
Shivling, East Ridge, second ascent, 5 days,
Alpine style, 1996

Ladakh:
Yamandaka, 20,400’ North Ridge, First ascent of mountain . Alpine style, over 7 days in September, 2001

Pakistan:
Latok I, North ridge attempt to 20,000’, 1997, 1998
Har Pinacle, first ascent, 1997
Harpoon Peak, first ascent, 20,109’, 1998
Latok 2, 23,320’ first alpine style ascent of mountain, 2006
Nenang, 22530’ Nainquentanghla East of Tibet, attempt to 22,000’

Africa

Kenya:
Mt. Kenya, via Makinders to Nelion and Batian solo in 3 ½ Hours. March, 2001.