Chouinard Equipment 1972年型錄《A Word…》（翻譯）

一些背景資料：

70年代，美國攀登史上有一個很有名的運動，叫做「Clean Climbing」。呼籲攀登者使用不會傷害岩石的裝備來攀登。那時候活躍在Yosemite的攀登者用大量的岩釘攀登，重複使用下岩隙就開始有坑洞。後來他們發現英國人使用繩環扁帶以及不同大小可以卡在岩隙裡頭的岩楔來做攀登時的保護，這些保護之後可以被乾淨地移除，不留痕跡。於焉，Clean Climbing的運動開始。

當時有幾篇經典的文章出現，最有名的大概是Yvon Chouinard和Tom Frost合夥的裝備公司，在1972產品型錄上的文章，包括Chouinard和Frost的《A Word…》以及Doug Robinson精彩的《The Whole Natural Art of Protection》。

可在以下連結看到這兩篇文章：http://www.frostworksclimbing.com/gpiw72.html

這篇文章翻譯的是A Word… 希望很快就有時間翻譯篇幅長很多的The Whole Natural Art of Protection.

A Word…

一些話

The 1960’s marked an awakening in American climbing characterized by a vast increase in climbing activity, closely paralleled by a corresponding improvement in technique and equipment. Significant climbing advances have resulted. On the other hand, this combination is producing a serious problem – deterioration of the climbing environment. The deterioration is twofold, involving the physical aspect of the mountains and the moral integrity of the climbers.

1960年代標誌著美國攀登開始蓬勃的時候：攀登活動的激增，伴隨著技術和裝備的進步。攀登大大地往前躍進了。但同時，卻也製造出相當嚴重的問題─攀登環境的惡化。而這惡化是兩方面的：山的原始面貌，以及攀登者的道德操守。

No longer can we assume the earth’s resources are limitless; that there are ranges of unclimbed peaks, extending endlessly beyond the horizon. Mountains are finite, and despite their massive appearance, they are fragile.

我們不能再假設天然的資源是取之不盡的，從地平線望過去還有無數的未登山峰群。山的數量是有限的，儘管看起來巨大，實際上卻很脆弱。

Although alpine tundra, meadows, trees, lakes and streams are all endangered, our primary concern here is with deterioration of the rock itself. Granite is delicate and soft – much softer than the alloy steel pitons being hammered into it. On popular routes in Yosemite and elsewhere the cracks are degenerating into serious of piton holes. Flakes and slabs are being pried loose and broken off as a result of repeated placement and removal of hard pitons.

儘管高山苔原、草甸、樹木、湖泊、河流都遭到威脅，我們這裡主要的關注還是在岩石的惡化。花崗岩既細緻又柔軟，遠軟於敲擊進去的合金岩釘。在優勝美地或是其他地方的熱門路線上，裂隙已經因為岩釘的使用變成一個孔一個孔的。重複地置放、清除岩釘也造成岩片和岩板的鬆動和破碎。

We can offer a few immediate solutions. Say off climbs you do not intend to finish. Don’t climb up to Sickle Ledge unless you plan to do the entire Nose. Do not use artificial aid on free climbs. But most of all, start using chocks. Chocks and runners are not damaging to the rock and provide a pleasurable and practical alternative to pitons on most free, and many artificial climbs. Do not use pitons on established clean routes. Where a piton is necessary a fixed piton should be considered and documented in local guide books. Routes of 5.7 difficulty were climbed 60 years ago in England. Today the footholds on these routes are well polished, but because pitons have not been used the protection cracks are still in mint condition. We urge to your attention Doug Robinson’s excellent treatise on the joys and ways of pitonless climbing. It was written especially for this catalog.

我們可以提供一些直接的解決方案。別爬你不打算完成的路線。如果你沒有打算爬完The Nose就不要爬上Sickle Ledge。在自由攀登的路線上，不要用人工器械。但最重要的是，開始使用chocks。Chocks和繩環不會破壞岩石，並且在大部分的自由攀登路線，以及很多的人工攀登路線，提供一個有趣且實際的替代方案。不要在已建立的、可以無痕攀登的路線上使用岩釘。如果在某一條路線上，岩釘是必要的，考慮放置一個永久的岩釘，並記錄在指南書裡。在英國60年前早有許多5.7難度的路線了。雖然這些路線的腳點已經非常光滑，但因為沒有人使用岩釘，用來保護的裂隙仍然像原來一樣。呼籲各位一定要好好讀接下來Doug Robinson’s的經典文章，娓娓道來不使用岩釘攀登的方式和樂趣。該篇文章是他特別為這份型錄所寫的。

Equally serious is a moral deterioration. Armed with ever more advanced gadgetry and techniques the style of technical climbing is gradually becoming so degraded that elements vital to the climbing experience – adventure and appreciation of the mountain environment itself – are being submerged. Siege tactics, bolt ladders, bat hooks, bash chocks, detailed topos and equipment lists, plus a guaranteed rescue diminish rather than enhance a climb. Even now existing techniques and technology are so powerful that almost any climb imaginable can be realized, and the fear of the unknown reduced to rote exercise.

同樣嚴重的是道德淪喪的問題。裝配著更先進的玩意和技術，技術攀登的風格逐漸往下沉淪，攀登經驗裡最重要的元素 ─ 冒險和對山岳環境的讚賞 ─ 都已不復見。可以隨時得到補給和撤退的siege攀登方式，打錨栓梯子，蝙蝠鉤，用槌子把不合大小的岩楔敲進岩隙裡，詳盡的路線圖和裝備清單，一定會來的救援，都會削減而不是增加攀登的價值。儘管現在的技巧和技術是這麼地強大，幾乎可以讓所有想像得到的攀登得以成真，對未知的恐懼也只變成習慣性的練習。

Mad bolters are among the worst offenders of the alpine environment. Young climbers must learn that bolting is done as a substitute for climbing. Guides, climbing schools and established climbers have a heavy responsibility here.

瘋狂打bolts的人是破壞高山環境的罪魁禍首之一，攀登新手需要學習在攀登中，打bolt只是一種代替方案。在這一點上，嚮導、學校、以及成熟的攀登者都肩負教育的重任。

We believe that only way to ensure the climbing experience for ourselves and future generations is to preserve (1) the vertical wilderness, and (2) the adventure inherent in the experience. Really, the only insurance to guarantee this adventure and the safest insurance to maintain it is exercise of moral restraint and individual responsibility.

我們相信，只有保存（1）垂直世界的荒野性，和（2）攀登中固有的冒險成份，才能保障我們自己和以及子孫後代的攀登經驗。事實上，能夠做到以上唯一的保險方式，就是自我約束和行使個人責任。

Thus, it is the style of the climb, not attainment of the summit, which is the measure of personal success. Traditionally stated, each of us must consider whether the end is more important than the means. Given the vital importance of style we suggest that the keynote is simplicity. The fewer gadgets between the climber and the climb, the greater is the chance to attain the desired communication with oneself – and nature.

因此，衡量個人成功的方式，在於攀登的風格，而不是在登頂與否。也就是說，每個人都必須認真想想，結果是不是比所使用的方法更加重要。因為風格是這麼地重要，這裡的關鍵即是簡單。在攀登者和路線間，使用愈少的工具，攀登者愈有可能獲得與自我以及與自然真實溝通的機會。

The equipment offered in this catalog attempts to support this ethic. Basically multi-purpose, the articles are carefully designed to serve the overall needs of the climber. More than mere aids, they are conceived to be used in meaningful combination with accepted technique to elevate the individual to a rewarding alpine experience.

這個型錄裡的裝備即想要支持這一倫理觀。基本上，我們設計多功能的裝備來支援攀登者的整體需求。不僅是輔助用品，它們必須和可接受的技巧配合使用，讓個人得到更有價值的高山經驗。

As we enter this new era of mountaineering, re-examine your motives for climbing. Employ restraint and good judgment in the use of Chouinard equipment. Remember the rock, the other climbers — climb clean.

在我們走向登山的新紀元的同時，重新審視你攀登的動機。在使用Chouinard裝備的同時，要配合自制和良好的判斷能力。為岩石著想，也記得其他的攀登者 ─ 無痕地攀登。