“All this info should be freely available” and “all this info increases crag crowding” are both common complaints about Mountain Project, but they’re mutually e

“All this info should be freely available” and “all this info increases crag crowding” are both common complaints about Mountain Project, but they’re mutually exclusive. A person who is angry about crowding is not likely to support Open Beta either. I will say that the idea that route info should be freely available is not rooted in history of the climbing community. For many decades the primary way to get info (aside from asking around) was to buy guidebooks that other climbers researched and published. Making money off route info has a long tradition. And the core tradition of climbing competence is to just show up and climb what you see. This is why flash and onsight climbs are highly regarded even on sport routes with permanent draws. Free access to route beta is not essential for climbing. I certainly don’t object to Open Beta but I think some of the complaints about MP are a bit overwrought.