Theory

The work we do in climbing is shaped by more than techniques, standards, and best practices. Beneath them are ideas about what climbing is, how we describe and understand it, why it matters, and the role it can play in our communities.

This section is a place to explore those ideas. Through working papers and research-informed writing, ECCC examines some of the assumptions underlying climbing, outdoor recreation, and the organizations built around them.

Theory gives us a framework for understanding practice - and a place to ask deeper questions about why we do what we do.

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The Civic LCO

Proposes a second-generation model for local climbing organizations: shifting from organizations that serve climbers to community organizations that serve the public through climbing.

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Grading North American
Via Ferrata

Proposes a common North American system for describing via ferrata through three independent dimensions: commitment, technical difficulty, and exposure.

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Uncertanty Of Passage

Explores what distinguishes climbing from simple ascent, proposing that climbing begins where passage becomes uncertain - and examining what via ferrata reveals about the nature of climbing itself.

Theory

The Civic LCO

Grading North American Via Ferrata

Uncertanty Of Passage

Grading North American
Via Ferrata