Who chopped DOA at Lovers Leap? (and why?).

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Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic

ablegabel

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 13, 2018 - 02:48pm PT

Does anybody know who chopped the route DOA (5.11c/d) next to Lovers Chimney at Lovers Leap? Only the first and last bolt on the original route remain. The direct finish BOA (5.12b) had its one bolt chopped too.

This route was done ground up, with a self belay (clove hitch tied off every five feet), hand drilled with no preview..

There is a very thin (1/8" or less) seem, intermittently on the first half. Many falls were taken on equalized sets of #1 stoppers (4 or 5 stoppers in an equalized nest) and sky hooks. Usually two or three stoppers would blow and the sky hook too. Still have the scar between my eyes when the sky hook nearly put my eye out, lesson learned!

It had six bolts I think, and there were two or three good natural placements that where left, one at the start and two at the end.

The route is very sustained and technically difficult, with many cruxes. It represents one of my better efforts at the time. So I'm just curious why someone thought it needed to be chopped?

Eric Gabel

the Fet

climber

Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La

Nov 13, 2018 - 03:04pm PT

^ Link please?

Aeriq

Social climber

Location: It's a MisterE

Nov 13, 2018 - 04:38pm PT

A fair bit of random choppage lately out west.

It is disconcerting.

Scott Thelen

Trad climber

Truckee, Ca

Nov 13, 2018 - 04:55pm PT

Do you not remember chopping it?
You are the master chopper.....

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Nov 13, 2018 - 06:14pm PT

Disconcerting indeed!

A Essex

climber

Nov 13, 2018 - 09:00pm PT

some sort of Tradiban jihad?

Aeriq

Social climber

Location: It's a MisterE

Nov 13, 2018 - 09:03pm PT

some sort of Tradiban jihad?

You loaded the wrong forum, Bro-heim.

skywalker1

Trad climber

Nov 13, 2018 - 09:20pm PT

I don't know nor do I live there. Ignorance comes to mind. But that's easy. I do remember this dude who would take a hanger off a route to use it for a route he was working on. People do some weird things.

Fortunately you already did the hard part. Now you can feel free to rap in and replace what the a-hole did without feeling like you're cheating.

But that sucks.

S...

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Nov 14, 2018 - 09:51am PT

Reminds me. I need to buy more Loctite.

Remember to keep your nuts tight folks!

kev

climber

A pile of dirt.

Nov 14, 2018 - 07:38pm PT

Bump for the able one

Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber

San Francisco

Nov 14, 2018 - 07:39pm PT

Unfortunately it is much easier to destroy than create.

climber

Nov 14, 2018 - 07:51pm PT

Geeze, Eric, I remember you popping that flake with a hook on the 1st trip on Crossbones at the Needles. That was a certain ankle sprain on that, especially hobbling out of Voodoo Dome!

Don’t Erase, Create! It’s a better use of time.

caughtinside

Social climber

Oakland, CA

Nov 15, 2018 - 08:14am PT

That is a real bummer, DOA is a great route.

I didn't see anything about other routes being chopped on mp. There was some old stuff about the Fandango kerfuffle, but that was a separate issue, and is old news at this point.

If I had to take a guess why DOA was removed though, I would suspect it had something to do with the hideous glue job on a flake. I think it was up higher. I remember getting there and being really surprised. It looked like it was there to reinforce a flake, but it was sloppy and nasty. It's the only time I've seen glue at the Leap.

I remember thinking at the time (maybe 7-8 years ago) that if certain people knew about the glue job, they'd be pissed, and my thought was the Leap had enough drama already. Certainly, given Eric's reputation as a ground up/trad ethic guy, I was wondering if he glued it or if it was a third party.