Req 2 — Leave No Trace & Outdoor Code

A popular climbing crag gets trashed over a single weekend — chalk graffiti on the rock, granola bar wrappers stuffed in cracks, and a fire ring built on fragile soil at the base. The landowner closes the area to climbers permanently. This has happened at real climbing areas across the country. Leave No Trace is not just an ideal — it is how climbers keep their access to outdoor spaces.

The Leave No Trace Seven Principles

These seven principles were developed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. They apply to every outdoor activity, but several have specific meaning for climbers.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Research the climbing area before you go. Know the regulations — some crags have seasonal closures for nesting raptors like peregrine falcons. Check if permits are required. Bring everything you need so you do not have to improvise solutions that damage the environment.

2. Travel on Durable Surfaces

Stick to established trails on the approach to the crag. The soil at the base of cliffs is often fragile and slow to recover from trampling. Avoid creating new social trails. At popular bouldering areas, approach mats and crash pads should be placed on bare rock or established ground, not on vegetation.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

Pack out everything you bring in — tape, water bottles, food wrappers, and even used athletic tape from your fingers. Climbers also need to think about human waste at remote crags. If there are no restrooms, follow the “cathole” method: dig a hole 6–8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and the climbing area.

4. Leave What You Find

Do not remove rocks, plants, or historical artifacts from climbing areas. Do not carve your initials into rock. Avoid “cleaning” natural holds by chipping or altering the rock — this permanently changes the route and is considered unethical in the climbing community.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

If you camp near a climbing area, use an established fire ring or a camp stove. Do not build fires at the base of cliffs — heat from fire can weaken rock structure and leave permanent scars. In many climbing areas, fires are prohibited altogether.

6. Respect Wildlife

Climbing areas are home to birds of prey, snakes, bats, and other wildlife. Peregrine falcons nest on cliff faces and are protected by federal law. If a route is closed for nesting season, respect the closure — even if the route looks open. Keep food stored properly to avoid attracting bears, raccoons, and rodents.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Share the crag. Do not monopolize popular routes by hanging on them for hours. Keep noise levels reasonable. Yield to other parties on the approach trail. If you are playing music, use headphones — not everyone wants to hear your playlist echoing off the canyon walls.

The Outdoor Code

The Outdoor Code is Scouting America’s pledge for responsible outdoor behavior:

As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded.

Each line has direct relevance to climbing:

• Clean in my outdoor manners — Pack out all waste, clean chalk marks from holds if excessive, leave the crag better than you found it.
• Careful with fire — No campfires at the base of cliffs. Use stoves for cooking.
• Considerate in the outdoors — Share routes, communicate with other parties, keep the area welcoming for everyone.
• Conservation-minded — Support climbing area conservation through organizations like the Access Fund. Respect closures. Educate newer climbers about stewardship.

Chalk and Leave No Trace

Climbing chalk (magnesium carbonate) leaves white marks on rock that can last for years. While chalk is a necessary tool, excessive chalk buildup is an eyesore and a common complaint from land managers and non-climbing visitors.