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"Sharing" music in the outdoors

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:50 pm
by JHH60
There was a thread some time ago about people listening to music while climbing, but it focused on private listening (through headphones). What's your opinion on people playing music out loud, so that they "share" it with others who may or may not want to hear it, especially in places like trails, climbing routes, undeveloped wilderness areas, etc? Like it or not I've come to expect people playing recorded music at developed car camping areas, popular picnic spots, etc., but the farther away you get from those areas the more out of place I think it is.

Background - I was bouldering at Castle Rock State Park yesterday and a group of 20-somethings came up to the other side of the boulder group that my friend and I were working, and started playing reggae on their mini boom box. They weren't blasting it and it wasn't the kind of music that was extremely annoying to all but a small group of fans, but rather the kind of background music you hear in a gym. And therefore, instead of appreciating the quiet you get in a nice outdoor place, I started to feel like I was... back in the climbing gym. Since we were leaving soon and they weren't over-the-top obnoxious I didn't say anything, but I do wish they had been more considerate of others in the area.

Where do you think the line should be drawn? And if someone crosses the line, do you do anything, and if so what?

Re: "Sharing" music in the outdoors

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:11 pm
by MoapaPk
There may be a sound ordinance for that particular park.

This phenomenon-- the loud music in a quiet natural setting-- has been with us for a long time. It's very common in Calico Basin area, Nevada, to have someone climbing or bouldering while a boombox blasts his/her favorite music. Normally I just move on to a different, remoter spot. Maybe it would be more effective to go to the base of the climb and sing along to the boombox in a totally noxious and atonal voice; how could they object? Sometimes I see and hear a lone guy climbing a 5.9 wall, while the music blares away; if I simply go down and turn off the sound, what is he going to do?

Re: "Sharing" music in the outdoors

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:30 am
by simonov
JHH60 wrote:I do wish they had been more considerate of others in the area.


Considerate of others? What decade are you posting from?

Re: "Sharing" music in the outdoors

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 12:53 am
by lcarreau
Depends on WHO they were "sharing" the music with ... if the reggae artist had been Bob Marley, I would have dug it completely ... :wink:

Re: "Sharing" music in the outdoors

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:17 am
by Andrew Rankine
I think that this depends upon the volume, having music relatively quiet while cragging seems fine to me as long as it is not crowded. If the neighboring party can hear it easily that is a problem. It also depends upon the quality of the music being played (prog rock, classic rock, classical are okay)...the top 40 hits stuff isn't.

But, I think that any neighboring party should be able to request the music be turned down or off.

If the party is not cooperative, it is a good idea to carry a couple bumper stickers reading "Lower Pay For Cops" to discretely place on the violator's vehicle.