Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 26, 2012 - 09:06am PT
|
Thread for asking/answering questions....
I have one to start:
At times when I encounter bolt ladders on routes, the bolts are not spaced very close to each other (for example the reachy bolt ladder on the Prow). I can't really see a way how someone would drill a hole for a bolt by hand that would be so far up (I am 6'2 and it wasn't that easy for me to reach and clip those bolts!). Were there some intermediate bolts taken out and the holes patched? Or was the guy so skilled and had a giant reach?
|
|
pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:07am PT
|
robbins is a tall f*#ker u should see the bolt ladder on the Tis-sa-sack!
|
|
karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:07am PT
|
maybe a hook was used? Or maybe the FA guys just taped the hammer to their huge dicks and swung that?
|
|
mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:13am PT
|
Wood platforms made of 2x4's, stand on the bottom bolt.
Skystairs there called....
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2012 - 09:22am PT
|
Or maybe the FA guys just taped the hammer to their huge dicks and swung that?
So far this is the best answer.
But seriously though. Is there a video of someone putting up a bolt ladder? Would be interesting to see them doing it on the Leconte boulder (that thing is pretty steep!)..
|
|
Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:22am PT
|
Robbins is not really that tall, those guys simply knew how to get into their top-steps and SUFFER!
Most aid climbers climb far too often in their lower aid steps. Me, being short, am always in at least my second step and quite often the top step. I'm 5'2", have long arms, and have never come across a bolt ladder I couldn't climb (the Prow included).
|
|
Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:22am PT
|
I've always wondered that too. When I did Zodiac a gazillon years ago, I came away thinking that Charlie Porter must be tall, since I'm 5'7" and really had to reach like hell to clip bolts. I later learned he's only about my height.
The short answer is high stepping. If it's too steep to stand in your top or second to top aider, you can rig a daisy chain to your harness that will help you high step, even on slightly overhanging stuff. It still baffles me how someone could stand in that position for 20 to 30 minutes while they drilled a bolt. Hard work that.
|
|
Jeremy
Social climber
Albuquerque, NM
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:29am PT
|
Mark,
5'2" on a good day eh?
;-)
J
|
|
Dr. F.
Ice climber
SoCal
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:32am PT
|
We used to have a top half step on our aiders
It was just a loop of webbing big enough to fit your foot in clipped into the aider beaner.
It had a name, I forgot.
Thanks Keith, that's it, Hero loops
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2012 - 09:34am PT
|
It still baffles me how someone could stand in that position for 20 to 30 minutes while they drilled a bolt.
Yes! That! Or did they use a power drill? I mean...that bolt ladder is pretty long.
What stuns me though is these bolts are so far apart, but the bashed out piton holes on Serenity crack are like a foot apart. So why aren't those further apart if guys could have top stepped (terrain there is less steep too)?
|
|
Keith Leaman
Trad climber
Seattle
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:46am PT
|
We called them "hero loops".
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:52am PT
|
Power drills....my, my Vitaliy, you know your Valley history better than that. As Mark said, they knew how to suffer......and endure.
|
|
Jeremy
Social climber
Albuquerque, NM
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:52am PT
|
Skystairs there called....
That's what I use too Mucci...who woulda known?
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:54am PT
|
But world-class aid climbers like Pelut don't even get into their second steps.
Aid climbing is like politics: it's all about the spin.
|
|
Jeremy
Social climber
Albuquerque, NM
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 09:55am PT
|
Bottom step driller = A REAL THRILLER!
|
|
Cosmiccragsman
Trad climber
AKA Dwain, from Apple Valley, Ca. and Vegas!
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 10:00am PT
|
"Or was the guy so skilled and had a giant reach?"
He probably used a Cheater stick!
 Missing photo ID#140060
|
|
Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 10:02am PT
|
Jeremy, yeah, on a good day... I'm starting to shrink already, I used to be 5'2.75" but now I'm really 5'1.875" at best!
|
|
Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 10:03am PT
|
Bahahahaha
Ya gotta get up in that step son!
Go try the bolt ladder on Prodigal Son ....then buy Ron a Beer - you will be very impressed..
Technique and body tension...
Aid is hard!
|
|
Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 10:04am PT
|
Ron ain't no giant either! I suspect he knows how to suffer though!
|
|
Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
|
|
|
Oct 26, 2012 - 10:06am PT
|
No that is what I meant.....LOL....totally....
Ron also has that special technique with one foot inbehind the other....
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!