as someone who has worked for indigenous groups mapping land and features I have respect for the culture. However the closing of the climb is just symbolic. The real issue I think for Uluru is people walking around the base. The walk goes past many sacred areas, which are well sign posted, it also goes on the rock base itself in sections. My garmin mapped the walk at 14.5kms (I walked every optional path). There are no toilets apart from the visitor centre! This means that many people who walk around the rock, need to relieve themselves. Which is one of the listed issues about the climb, but the climb is much shorter and due to the exertion required, its highly unlikely that you'd need to go. I weighed it up carefully and I'm glad I did it. There wasn't any damage to th rock at all, apart from a buffering of the rock on the route.Everything we do has an impact. A lot of people want the camino closed too, as it's a pilgrimage, not a tourist trail. As for base camp - all those poor Sherpa's that are killed each year, due to money hungry people. I just try to tread lightly.
