Dear Climbers,

Over the last 12 months, RCC has been working towards regaining climbing access at Dairy Farm. We share your frustration and disappointment at the pace at which this is progressing.

As an update to everyone who has not visited recently, signs from NParks are still up at the base of the crags (see attached photo).

At RCC, we believe rock climbers should be fairly entitled to access public resources, the same access as is accorded to mountain bikers, hikers and other park users. In many first world countries, it is no longer a question of whether land managers should or should not allow climbers to scale the cliffs but a matter of how to ensure sustainable public usage. 

We are aware that COVID-19 and the explosive growth of indoor gyms and new climbers have created new threats to our local crag - over-usage, overcrowding, an increased number of climbing-related accidents and changing environmental conditions. But countries around the world have managed to mitigate these risks and Singapore should do no less. To this end, we have continued discussions with the authorities, seeking to demonstrate that an appropriate climbing management plan can indeed reduce risk. 

While Singapore’s indoor climbing facilities may have gone back to old times with the lifting of capacity restrictions, we unfortunately do not seem any closer to any official approval of outdoor rock climbing at our crags.

Access issues have long been a part of climbing history. 

For those who are new to access issues or have never climbed outdoors, you might wonder what are the key concerns with Dairy Farm and if climbing there is really as dangerous as this year-long stall has made it out to be.

Generally, climbers have always been great stewards of the outdoors and have had a close relationship with land managers. Nonetheless, conflict often arises out of space allocation needs and climbing areas have been closed over the balance between commercial interests (e.g. mining, harvesting resources), public interests (e.g. housing development), human factors (e.g. overcrowding, disrespect for environment, accidents), nature preservation (e.g. bird nesting season) and/or cultural heritage (e.g. cave drawings). 

More climbers can mean more harm to the environment, but it can also be a great opportunity. There can be more voices organizing and advocating for climbing or sitting in influential policy-making positions. With good advocacy and greater public understanding of rock climbing, we are optimistic that the benefits of Climbing will speak for itself.

Outdoors versus Indoors - Liabilities and Responsibilities

Any climber who’s been to an indoor climbing gym should be familiar with the liability form telling you that “Climbing is inherently dangerous”. We understand that the occasional abrasion from rough textured surface or slip from a spinning hold are part and parcel of the gym environment. We climb with the assumption that it is the responsibility of the climbing gym operator to ensure that the walls and climbing equipment provided are maintained and functioning.

What then happens in outdoor climbing areas where there isn’t an operator whose primary job is to reduce risks for you as a climber? Does responsibility fall on the landowner / the bolters / the climbers / the rock to ensure that nothing happens? 

To answer this question, we need to start with reminding ourselves that Climbing in itself IS inherently dangerous. What is inherent indoors is vastly different from what is inherent outdoors when there are significantly more environmental variables we cannot control.

Does that mean we shouldn’t climb? There’s no simple answer to that as this depends on your own risk appetite, knowing your own abilities to deal with situations that might arise, and accepting the outcomes of your decisions.

Climbing Outdoors - An Exercise in Risk Management

If you’re planning to head out, here are some things to keep in mind:

Understand the terrain you plan to climb in and the associated natural risks (e.g. potential loose rock, weather).  

Understand any access limitations (e.g. are access fees due to a local farmer, are there any fines for trespassing, are my actions causing harm to someone else?)

Be prepared with proper safety equipment and skills to use the equipment.
Know who you are climbing with and the experience level of everyone in your group.

Know your risk assessment principles and the level of risk that you are comfortable to accept (e.g. what are the hazards/risks you might face and do you have appropriate controls/experience to manage risk).

Always seek appropriate safety instruction and training and be constantly learning.

[We will be putting out more resources on risk management in the coming weeks, so please watch this space.]

A final word from us

Remember, climbing outdoors is not going to a climbing gym: human and environmental conditions change rapidly and constantly. Remember to bring your risk assessment and decision making tools to the crag when you head out.

The ethos of outdoor climbing is that climbers assess the situation and decide if they want to climb. A personal decision may have broader ramifications that we may or may not be able to  see. But we consider all factors, and given current knowledge, make the best decision we can. 

We know it’s hard to hear that there is no clear yes or no answer, but amidst all the questions we’ve asked above, let us leave you with one final question: Why do we climb?