Bolts from the wayback machine

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David Wilson

climber

Mar 31, 2012 - 09:31pm PT

Left side of Reeds, second pitch, has an old rusted LA with a 1/4" stud through it - that must be original

mikeyschaefer

climber

Yosemite

Mar 31, 2012 - 10:59pm PT

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Mar 31, 2012 - 11:17pm PT

Every one of those bolts look completely bomber nearly 40 years later.

Rather have those than the crap on valley walls.

thanks for the pics!

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Mar 31, 2012 - 11:35pm PT

Impressive wreath of eurobolts!

Equally impressive home-made widow makers there Joe! LOL

Great eulogy material though...His number was up...Tabs expired...License suspended...Plates retired.

KabalaArch

Trad climber

Starlite, California

Apr 2, 2012 - 04:39am PT

.25" X 1.25" (??) StarDryvin w/a Layton Kor Hanger from the Kingfisher Tower, Fisher Towers, UT

Don't remember that particular placement, but it's only been 15 years. I remember 1 new bolt that Bill placed on the 1st pitch. But he was soloing, so let's forgive. Other than the occasional A3 placement, the "bolts" on the NE Colorado Ridge were 5/16" x 1/2" machine bolts, pounded into 1/4" holes. No expansion sleeves, no hangers...just enough of a projection to slip a hero loop over. These you do not bounce test. I have one from the 1st pitch in my office, which was amorous enough to fall into my hand.

Don't know if there are any "spoon hangers" left in Tuolumne. No names, word was these were favored by the FAist so they could stand up on them to drill the next bolt above. These are on some of the 1st 5.11's established up there. I guess some are still up on Piwyack, since I've only seen one other party, on one of the routes which branches off an unprotected 80' 5.9 approach pitch (to keep the riffraff off, I suppose), since 1976.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I guess I got myself retired before the new stuff went in; the photos show pretty well what was to be expected. Glad I never took a fall on one of these.

Steve G. - Funny you should mention Pieces of Eight (Burk-Schneider). I was one of a veritable army of belay slaves conscripted by Scott, in whatever year he dedicated an entire summer ascending. I helped on the 3rd or 4th pitch - it was easier to traverse over from Paradise Lost to regain his high point.

I remember an inbound medivac helicopter choppering its way, just beneath our feet; or so it seemed. I think it was for a friend who'd been rather seriously injured on Selaginella that day, as I was to learn later.

It took an entire day to extend the route by 1 bolt! And, since you've been up there, you know, in Scott's case, that can mean a lot of vertical gain. Made it to a crater we nicknamed "The Welder's Lighter," after some poor welder who'd blown himself to smithereens when a spark hit a Bic lighter in his pocket, then in the news.

After we got down, Scott led nearby Gravity's Rainbow 5.12...I couldn't quite pull the crux. But, with a TR established, Scott proceeded to reclimb up to the stance, in a direct line, ignoring the meanderings of the route proper. 5.13?

Scott sent me home, which lay over Tioga - he asked me to relay a message to Steve S., should I see him in The Meadows. Which duty I dispatched.

Scott was pleased with his achievement afterwards. At the time, he felt stung by the HOM controversy, and embarked upon a decade of establishing difficult, long, and runnout routes in the Valley and the Meadows. I had to remind him that this route of his would not last for time and eternity, at least in terms of Middle Catherdral's lifespan. "How long do you think your bolts are going to last up there?"

Frankly, I wondered if Pieces would ever see a repeat. Thanks for clearing up that mystery!

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Mar 31, 2013 - 11:52am PT

Bump for the Gold!

troutbreath

climber

Kanada

Mar 31, 2013 - 12:38pm PT

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Mar 31, 2013 - 12:52pm PT

I pulled these crusty old bolts out of the Point of Moab. Harvey T. Carter specials.

Scott Thelen

Trad climber

Truckee, Ca

Mar 31, 2013 - 03:31pm PT

Roots

Mountain climber

Tustin, CA

Mar 26, 2014 - 11:21am PT

Big BUMP for some bolt history!

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Mar 26, 2014 - 11:54am PT

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Mar 26, 2014 - 12:23pm PT

Guido, know I know where the phrase 'young and dumb' originates from.

Wow, that Eiger bolt must weigh a half a pound! How hard was it to pull?

le_bruce

climber

Oakland, CA

Mar 26, 2014 - 01:02pm PT

Posted these in various other places but maybe belong here:

Top of Jack Pinnacle (or Pat?)

From the Magical Mystery Tour:

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Mar 26, 2014 - 03:06pm PT

These beauties came from Ron Carson's Dome Rock route "Carson-Ogenic". These bolts protected run out 5.11d moves. (I replaced them in the same holes with bolts which might actually work).

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Mar 26, 2014 - 11:52pm PT

nice Ksolem!
here are some Stoney Pieces.
Love the Bolt thread's on the Taco!
found em near the freeway!

Laine

Trad climber

Reno, NV

Mar 27, 2014 - 01:51am PT

Super interesting thread! Great history. Amazing how varied and scarily modern looking some of these old bolts look (salathe bolt). Far ahead of the license plate hangers. The "Bolts were trad first" quote by Roger Breedlove is so true.

Flip Flop

Trad climber

Truckee, CA

Mar 29, 2014 - 10:34pm PT

I'm pretty sure this is a Warren Harding original from the West Face of Conness. It popped out when I popped off.

bhilden

Trad climber

Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO

Mar 30, 2014 - 01:53am PT

That looks like a 1/4" Star Dryvin. The nail is slightly less than 3/16" which makes the shear strength pretty low. The overall diameter coupled with the way Star Dryvins work make the pull out strength pretty darn low as well. This was a very poor choice of a bolt for free climbing even when it was new!