It wasn’t the first time Adam Burtle had gotten in trouble for walking into Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park, attaching the ends of a long rock-climbing strap to two big trees set 150 feet apart, pulling the strap taut, and then performing what is essentially a homemade‚ not-so-high high-wire act. But what happened on July 24 is certainly Burtle’s most famous run-in with the park’s law enforcers.
As his girlfriend shot video, and as this Stranger writer randomly happened to be picnicking nearby, Burtle, 30, was confronted by a security official who said, “This is considered not legal in the park.”
Burtle flatly told the security officer that his sport, called slacklining, is totally legit—and, more to the point, perfectly legal.
“The police will come and cite you,” the security officer warned.
Burtle called the police himself.
In the end, this disagreement ended up requiring the presence of not only the security officer, but also two park rangers and two Seattle bike cops. “There’s no type of violation that I know of,” said one of the bike cops, talking to Burtle toward the end of the standoff. “I would just like to personally see you walk from one end to one end. If you can do that, then you can stay.”
Burtle walked the line—which is one inch wide, and bounces, sways, and requires a lot of core strength to navigate—all the way to the other side. So, per the cop’s rules, he got to stay.
This was not the end, however. The standoff in Cal Anderson was followed by days of exploration by Seattle Parks and Recreation into how best to deal with situations like this in the future. While that was under way, The Stranger‘s blog, Slog, published several posts on the subject, the video circulated on YouTube, and KING 5 ran a story. On Slog, commenters had quite a bit to say about the welfare of trees, the wisdom of slacklining, and even the boredom of white people.
“The slackline attachment method shown in the video is harmful to the tree,” huffed Slog commenter Fnarf. “ANYTHING that binds or compresses the bark throughout a wide arc is harmful, period. It should not be allowed.”
Slog commenter crap bag complained: “I’m supposed to walk 150 feet around this douchebag’s rope?” Many others lobbed the sort of sweeping cultural critiques that have become common in testy debates over park usage in this city—debates that encompass a rich history of freak-outs over dodgeball played on tennis courts, the creation of off-leash areas, and the propriety of bike polo.
“Slackliners are just dumbass hipster types,” wrote Karlheinz Arschbomber on Slog. “Fuck ’em, let them shove Skittles up their ass if they need a little thrill.” Another commenter, A Magnolia Heron, described the situation in Cal Anderson as “some hippy looking to re-enact the golden days of ‘Skateboarding is not a Crime.'” And according to commenter Reg, the whole problem can be summed up as “what happens when white people are bored.”
The parks department went a different direction. After arranging for an “informal chat” with Burtle on July 27, parks spokesperson Dewey Potter announced that the agency sees slacklining as an “emerging” sport. Which is true. After being created by bored rock climbers in Yosemite National Park decades ago and very slowly seeping out into the wider culture, slacklining has now become popular enough to have spawned clubs, national competitions, and do-it-yourself kits sold at REI. Potter says the city will issue guidelines this week for slacklining in city parks, which she describes as a sort of “best practices” document. (Basically: Be nice to the trees, use safe equipment, and if you go to use the bathroom, put some bright objects on the slackline so other parkgoers don’t get clotheslined.)
Still: What about the trees?
“Some people are very protective of trees, as are we,” Potter says. “But fortunately we have professionals to manage them… Our arborist says that if the tree is of adequate circumference that padding will protect it just fine.”
And the security guard who claimed slacklining was “not legal” in Cal Anderson?
“He’s been dealt with,” Potter said.
Burtle, who moved to Capitol Hill so that he could slackline more easily, says the most common reaction to his presence is not resentment, but rather interest in the sport.
“The average slackliner wants to enjoy the community, doesn’t want to annoy people, and doesn’t want to hurt the trees,” Burtle said. “Just like anyone else. It’s about fun.” ![]()

‘Legitimate Sources,’ often referred to as reliable, trustworthy, and not anonymous, died Aug. 2nd, in an article written by Kelly O.
“I like to read blog comments and then use them in my article,” said Kelly O. “It makes it SO much easier. Why interview someone when I can use some anonymous asshole’s comment? I’m pretty sure we can trust their opinion.”
Blogger ‘Evil Dead Funny Guy’ commented, “I’ve seen Kelly O slacklinging on more than one occasion. She’s totally biased…I’m not giving you my real name.”
‘Legitimate Sources’ will be missed.
Ha!
@1 – the only thing I contributed to this article was photo taking. not sure who-the-what you’re going on about?
Is that crispin glover?
@3 – My apologies. Please replace your name with Eli Sanders (the actual author of this piece). I saw your photo credit and mistakenly thought you had written the article.
@thedundieaward They’re man-on-the-street flavor quotes, not sources. Get off your high horse.
For what it’s worth, a 150 pound slackliner (probably the weight of the guy in the pic) with a 150 ft line will put a force of about 1900 pounds on each tree. This is assuming that he deflects the slackline 3ft at the line’s center.
I have absolutely no idea if the tree (probably a concern regarding the compression of it’s phloem, as Fnarf stated) can withstand this force without being compromised. Someone else will have to fill us in on that.
You might be interested to know that Fnarf once lived in Ann Arbor as an arborist and began the first Arbor Day.
Perhaps the stick up Fnarf’s ass makes him an expert on trees.
The comments on this non-issue are more evidence of white boredom — even multi-racial boredom — than slacklining.
Slacklining can be an emerging sport all they like, but can the slacklining losers PLEASE put up posts and keep their lines off the trees? Other people would like to enjoy them as well.
damn hippies.
There’s no evidence that trees are being hurt by this. It seems like it’s hogging space if not done carefully; cordoning off 150 feet for your personal use would be a bit much if it’s at all crowded at the park that day. If it’s a group of people using it and/or it’s not crowded, it’s not all that different than people throwing around a frisbee, I guess.
People need SOMETHING to whine about. Usually it’s the weather. Now that it’s nice, they needed to find something else.
that guys face bothers the crap out me for some reason.
@10, Yeah that is pretty much what I was referring to. A rent a cop got his knickers in a bunch and look what it started.
How come you never see anybody doing limbo anymore?
theundieaward @5: As a fan of unintentional irony, I find your comment delightful. The fact that you criticized the author for lack of investigative rigor while failing to identify and read the byline is delicious to me, like a bitter and complex chocolate. Thank you.
@6 Hardly “man-on-the-street” More like douchebag-in-the-gutter-with-a-laptop quotes.
I’m with thedundieaward. I’d rather be on a high horse than a one-trick pony anyday…
Eli’s favoring of inflammatory quotes over informative ones says a lot his ideas on journalism.
Tell Aaron to get the frack off my lawn.
Eli: What is a “security official”? You later referred to him or her as a “security officer” and made it clear that this was not a police officer or a park ranger.
@9
Okay, that was pretty funny.
Holy shit do you guys need something to do.
Also, CLEARLY, slacklining is awesome, Tightrope walking is awesome, so practicing tightrope walking = awesome. If you don’t think it”s awesome, then you are probably a sad dude.
It is good to know za security guard has been dealt viss.
@9 FTW
@13 This is the atypical problem with the Public Commons, just who has a right to enjoy what. As it is public property and in effect is owned by everyone in common, I’m afraid that Slackliners have every right to enjoy the trees as stanchions, as you have to enjoy them for more esoteric purposes.
NWH say, fuck the security guards!
Whatever happened to nice little picnics, with perhaps a jolly round of tether ball?
Your story sucked and the comments you used to write it were just as bad. Let the kids have their fun. At least they aren’t ruining your day with frisbees. “What white people like” was BS. Would you rather have a crack park in the CD? The Stranger isn’t read on that side of the hill is it?
@ 29,”What white people like” was BS. Would you rather have a crack park in the CD? The Stranger isn’t read on that side of the hill is it?
are you trying to say white people dont like crack too? The audience of the stranger is far and wide, either side of the hill. Just saying…
LARPers > Slackliners.
Dewey Potter! What a name!
I see people slacklining at Golden Gardens all the time, in the area next to the main building. They’re having fun, they’re not obnoxious — good on them.
What is up with the “they need something better to do” and the racist bullshit? You don’t like someone enjoying their life, and not bothering you or someone else? Fine, go sit in your basement and watch cable.
YO @Approaching 40. Webbing is dynamic. I’ve taken falls with webbing as an anchor following a trad lead with a dynamic rope. Tree didn’t die and neither did I.
I would have more sympathy for this guy if he didn’t have such a douchey look on his face. It’s obnoxious. He’s the kind of person who always gets what he wants, and the one time things don’t go his way he cries oppression! Get a life dude!