Chopped Bolt on Serenity Crack!

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pazreal

Sport climber
New Brunswick, NJ
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 22, 2005 - 09:59pm PT
This morning I went to climb Serenity/Sons and the bolt that is listed in the topos as being some 30ft off the ground is now gone and chopped. The party ahead of me said they scoped the route last night from the base at roughly 6PM and the bolt was there and it was also there earlier yesterday as my friend climbed it. Anyway I ended up finding the bolt head and washer at the base...no sign of the hanger. Needless to say, pitch 1 is now a bit spicy but manageable. The rest of the climb was without incident and was fantastic.

P.S. Whoever chopped that bolt, gracias el doucho!
Rhodo-Router

Trad climber
Otto, NC
Oct 22, 2005 - 10:07pm PT
Let's weigh in here, folks: troll or no troll?
WBraun

climber
Oct 22, 2005 - 10:31pm PT
I don't believe it's a troll it's Arthur he works for Link.
ricardo

Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
Oct 22, 2005 - 10:42pm PT
here we go again .. another bolt thread
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Oct 22, 2005 - 11:12pm PT
Kind of a bold chop I'd say.

After all, I clipped that bolt over 25 years ago (actually the 1/4 incher that was replaced at some point)

And the pro is only OK between there and the ground if you have Aliens.

So if it's true (insert slander about choppers here) Go chop Wheat Thin next.

Peace

karl
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Oct 23, 2005 - 02:17pm PT
How is the pro up to where the bolt is/was? (assuming it hasn't been replaced already)

Does this mean that someone is Going To DIE™?

And is/was that a FFA bolt or knott?
Rhodo-Router

Trad climber
Otto, NC
Oct 23, 2005 - 02:55pm PT
Going to break some bones,fer sure. 30 feet up or so, greasy sixpack holds... that thing spooks me every time. I've probably always been too scared to fall.
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:00pm PT
30 feet ain't so bad...How's the landing?
Link

Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:02pm PT

Whoa! Did the route Friday and clipped the bolt.

Hmmm... every pin scar we yard on to get up the darn thing isn't a first ascent scar either...

Sounds like the name just got a bit more ironic.

-Link
James

Social climber
My Subconcious
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:06pm PT
If you are going to chop or replace something, you should make it known. Guilt and justification do not matter as much as claiming responsibility.
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:07pm PT
Link –– That's why I mentioned FFA.

Did people continue to pound pins after the FFA?
James

Social climber
My Subconcious
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:09pm PT
Hardman Knott,
You can place a piece prior to the bolt, it requires adapt gear placement knowledge.

Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:12pm PT
So what else is new?

And you can put a shitty 1st piece on The Line @ Lover's Leap, and deck when it blows.

Happens all the time.

Like I said, what else is new?
SoloBolo

Trad climber
groveland, ca
Oct 23, 2005 - 03:16pm PT
good,
the bomber placements start 5' up from that bolt. its really a useless bolt.
ThomasKeefer

Trad climber
Monterey, CA
Oct 23, 2005 - 04:57pm PT
The fact that bomber placements are only a few more feet is true. I would actually say that if the bolt was in fact chopped and the hole filled then it should not be put back there. I think that it would make really good sense to put a bolt about 1/2 to 2/3 the original distance up. That would make it more useful. A fall from that height would be pretty bad and then you would also likely fall off the pedestal you start from. The landing area is very flat in a small area but around that there are plenty of flakes to make the landing less than ideal.
HalHammer

Trad climber
CA
Oct 23, 2005 - 05:06pm PT
Put it back. That route is too classic. Scary enough already when that start is wet half the time. Manky nuts/aliens aren't a good answer.
Shack

Big Wall climber
So. Cal.
Oct 23, 2005 - 07:15pm PT
"Did people continue to pound pins after the FFA?"

The FFA doesn't necessarily mean the first "clean" ascent.
WBraun

climber
Oct 23, 2005 - 11:35pm PT
He he he, I remember nailing this climb back in 1970. Pitons man pitons, so I was one of the many guilty bad boys that made and contributed to those nice pin scars you see today.
briand

Trad climber
bay area
Oct 24, 2005 - 02:55am PT
It's not that bad. Should be able to get a 1# Friend in about half way up to the bolt. Landing is fairly flat. And the pin scars are jugs.

brian
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Oct 24, 2005 - 03:40am PT
Serious doubts about that #1 friend. A Red Alien would be a fair bet half way to the bolt. Not bomber but would hold a fall if well placed.

Don't forget that this section of crack is frequently wet as well. The whole first 50 feet can be wet for weeks or more.

While the whole first section is pretty easy, pinching pin scars is an unusual technique fairly unique to Serenity crack and some folks don't quite get it. I've seen huge square foot rasberries on the butt of folks who fell aways and were caught by that bolt.

The bolt location is at least 25 years old. It would be pretty darn Taliban to go looking to chop bolts that established where the pro is not straightforward. It is, after all, a wasteland of pin scars and the only reason any clean pro fits in the first 40 feet is because huge holes have been chiseled and beaten into the stone by years of nailing.

I don't need the darn bolt cause I've done the first pitch blindfolded, done it in Tevas, done in at night, and done it wet. It was my first 5.9 (at the time that was the rating) lead, on the same day as my first 5.8 lead. Fundamentalism just kind of rubs me the wrong way.

If somebody replaces the bolt, and I think it should be replaced, and they are still in a climbing mood, the very last pitch of Sons has a protection bolt that sorely needs replacement.

Come to think of it, that final anchor, which consists of slings wrapped around a big tree that drips sap around the slings, should be replaced with bolts for the sake of that tree.

Peace

Karl
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