Using Community Topo content for a Verified Topo

When you start creating a Verified Topo, you may find that the crag already has a Community Topo with existing routes, descriptions, and images. Here's what you can use and when.

Route names and grades

Route names and grades are not subject to copyright, so you can always use them in your Verified Topo — no permission needed, regardless of when they were added.

Route descriptions

Route descriptions are copyrightable content. Whether you can use them depends on when they were added:

• Added after September 2025 — these are community contributions and can be used freely in your Verified Topo.

• Added before September 2025 — you need permission from the original contributor. To see who added a description, check the "added by" info within the route. If you can't reach the contributor or they decline, the description will need to be rewritten.

Topo images and lines

The same September 2025 rule applies to topo images and route lines. Any topo images or lines that aren't carried over into your Verified Topo will simply be hidden when your Verified Topo is published — they won't be lost, just not shown to users.

When your Verified Topo is published

Once your Verified Topo is published, the Community Topo for that crag is hidden. Climbers with a Premium subscription will see your Verified Topo instead.