Copying local guide books

These days it seems that anyone can produce a climbing guidebook, freely and without any kind of permission or consent. If sufficient ‘research’ material, in the form of previous guidebooks, internet information etc. exists, then the only limiting factors on the quality of the guidebook will be the skill and resources of the editorial team.

However, let’s consider two ethical points:                                                         -the amount of work that went into producing the previous (local) guidebook may have been enormous — months of field work, hours of telephone conversations and marathon stints in front of the computer monitor.                                                                                                                          - guidebooks produced in collaboration with, or directly by, local climbers provide vital sources of funding for equipping new climbs, as well as re-equipping older routes.

Lamentably, outside interests have realized the potential for profit in the production of selective guidebooks to Spain, aimed mainly at the foreign visitor. Until recently, these ‘pirate’ guides where mostly the work of the British company ‘Rockfax’ (Mallorca, El Chorro, Costa Blanca, Barcelona, Montgrony, Costa Daurada…) but recently two German climbers have published a guidebook ‘Pyrenees Rock’ covering many areas on both on the French and Spanish sides of the border. This guide reproduces comprehensive (not selective) topos for some of the best-known climbing centres in the area. Evidently, no contact was sought, or made, with local climbers or equippers in any of the zones included.

The legal situation is unclear, though common sense should make it obvious that the reproduction of drawings (topos) and use of information, without the authors consent, is plagiarism, pure and simple. Indeed, in a recent case in Valencia concerning two different guidebooks to the area of Montanejos, a precedent may have been set when a judge ruled that the later guide was in breach of copyright for using names of routes and other information, which had previously appeared in the older publication.

It would be nice if the bolts protecting the many thousands of superb sport climbs in Spain appeared overnight — sprouting from the rock like plants after periods of heavy rain — but unfortunately they don’t. Notwithstanding the great physical effort involved in placing each and every bolt, the financial costs to individual activists can be considerable, and locally produced guidebooks are often the only way to help fund the process. Buying local guides is a sure way to invest in the future development and expansion of these zones. On the contrary, buying foreign pirate guides benefits no one but the authors.

The climbers, equippers and local guidebook writers of the areas included in Pyrenees Rock would like to protest in the strongest terms. The manner in which this book was prepared is unscrupulous and deeply offensive to us. Let’s hope it is the last of its kind.

Signed by the following activists:

-Sadernas: Carles Terma.

-Montgrony: Pere Morales y Toti Vales.

-St. Llorenç de Montgai: Jordi Marmolejo.

-Camarassa: Josep Mª. Casals.

-Santa Linya: Dani Andrada.

-Tartareu: Albert Cortés.

-Terradets: Kim Santacatalina.

-Cavallers: Luis Alfonso.

-Alquezar y Rodellar: Dani Ascaso, Lisi Roig y Carlos Logroño.