The relationship between activity specialization and preferences for setting and route attributes of selected rock climbers

Many natural areas are now in the process of developing climbing management plans in order to control management factors associated with the growth of rock climbing. These factors may include limiting areas of use and limiting the type of climber utilizing the resource. The purpose of this study was to further develop and operationalize the concept of recreation specialization as it relates to rock climbing. This study also examined preferences for the physical characteristics of rock climbing routes and the general recreational setting. Management implications of this study include the development of a heuristic management tool to categorize and rate climbers into a continuum of specialization from general to specific users that in turn would display different environmental preferences for the environment in which the sport of rock climbing takes place.