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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 14, 2007 - 03:29pm PT
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With Clint's fine footwork we have 1600 ft of rope fixed and we're drilling like a couple of crazy men.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jul 14, 2007 - 04:22pm PT
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good on you guys!
keep on tapping!!
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Ventura
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Jul 14, 2007 - 06:12pm PT
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nice work roger! hope to help out soon.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 14, 2007 - 08:07pm PT
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great Job!
Thanks!
The skin you save might be mine!
Peace
Karl
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 15, 2007 - 03:35am PT
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Just back from 3 days of rebolting adventures with Roger!
I have photos to post, but gotta pack for a trip tomorrow, so in the meantime here's a brief summary of the recent efforts:
 Tues. or Wed. - Ryan (pyro on the mountain) led up Surf Nazi, which they had originally mistaken for p1 of Midlife Crisis. The rope is fixed and Roger replaces the bolts on it and/or the unnamed route to its left.
Thurs. - I met Roger at 6:30am at Camp 4 and after breakfast we were at the wall before the sun hit it. Our goal was to get to the top of Midlife Crisis / Friday the 13th, so we would have ropes fixed to the higest point(s) on the wall and be able to access everything for rebolting. I led up p1 of Hershey Highway 5.8 since it looked a lot faster than p1 of Midlife Crisis, plus I wanted a warmup. There was no existing route connecting over right to Midlife Crisis, so we made a variation by climbing up easy rock and placing a bolt, then traversing right at about 5.8 to intersect the second pitch of Midlife Crisis. One spot was a little sketchy for my mediocre slab skills, so I brandished Roger's 18' cheater stick and it worked great (hey, I'm an aid cilmber when necessary!). We backed up the 1/4" belay with a cam. On p3 I was stopped by a rather committing rounded lieback corner, so I brandished the stick again. We backed up the 1/4" belay by including the first bolt on p4. On p4 it looked scary but the runout was too long for the stick so I freed the moves in between bolts by necessity! We simulreplaced at this point, with me fixing the top of p4 anchor (USE 1/4" x 1.25" taperbolts) and Roger the anchor where he was belaying. Left 4 ropes fixed and down for the night.
Fri. - I slept in a little and met Roger after 7am. After another nice breakfast at the Curry buffet, we hit the wall with several more ropes for fixing. Roger grabbed 2 ropes from Surf Nazi as well. So we tied' em all together and had a hauling party to the high point. Midlife Crisis joins Friday the 13th for p5, which has a single bolt and a long runout on 5.10a above. I tested the bolt by jerking on it, and climbed up about 10', but it was too scary to get past a glassy section, so I downclimbed and lowered way down and right onto the belay atop p5 of Reefer Madness. I was a little confused at first with the topo, but eventually realized there is a route not shown on the topo which is essentially a direct finish to Reefer Madness that stays separate from Greasy But Groovy - it looks fairly hard and goes up a streak that was wet in the morning but dried out in the afternoon. The topo promised a 5.8/5.9 path up Reefer Madness and Greasy But Groovy and then back left to rejoin Friday the 13th. p6 of Reefer Madness is a rising traverse along a faint dike, rated 5.8 with no pro and a ramp far below to hit. After some moves that were at least 5.9, I was pleased to discover an original bolt that was not shown on the topo! I clipped it and continued to the belay - 2 fixed pins with a new sling and 2 TCUs. p7 of Reefer/Greasy but Groovy is 5.9 with no pro - I tensioned off the anchor to get started and managed to survive the runout, reaching a healthy 6" diameter pine tree below the big pine tree. Here we rejoined p7 of Friday the 13th, which was rated 5.9+ with no pro - more like 5.9 and I survived it to replace the anchor while Roger worked on bolts below. p8 looked way too scary, though - rated 5.9 but very glassy and long. It was about dark and we headed down with our ropes fixed high.
Sat. - 6:45am at Camp 4 again, cruised the buffet, and onto the wall. Roger was first up the fixed lines, and worked on replacing the p5 anchor of Reefer Madness, a bolt on the direct finish, and several bolts below. I replaced the single bolt on p5 of Friday the 13th, and the belay anchor at the end of the pitch. This belay anchor was three 1/4" taperbolts in a waterstreak running with water, and the sling had a fat growth of moss on it! So after consulting with Roger I decided to place the new anchor bolts 18" left, out of the water and above the main belay stance. Next I rapped from our high point anchor atop p7 with 2 ropes tied together and tensioned way left in an attempt to intersect with Shakey Flakes, which was so far left (80'?) that we could not see any of its bolts. This actually worked, and I clipped the first bolt on p6 and rapped to the anchor atop p5. The ASCA notes said bolts were missing on pitches 4-6. p6 had both bolts visible. Looking down at p5, I could see the (top) protection bolt was missing for the crux 5.11c traverse across the smooth wall. So I fixed Roger's static line over to that p5 anchor, so he can access that. I cleaned my 2 ropes and gear from the wall and we headed out.
This leaves Roger in good shape for replacing up to 100 bolts in the area over the next week or so. After that he will need more assistance in getting ropes fixed on other climbs which need replacement, such as the Middle Cathedral North Face Apron (shady, as Kelly noted). To contact Roger, just do what I did and send his wife Carol an email at wallstridr@sbcglobal.net ; she can pass along plans to Roger when talks to her on most evenings.
Roger holds a record of 263 bolts replaced in the summer of 2005, but it was not done singlehandedly - Greg Barnes and crew were very busy moving fixed ropes around to try to keep with with Roger's drilling pace! So help make it happen this year; Roger is ready to rebolt for the next 6 weeks if people can assist with setting up fixed lines on the many routes in need of repair.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 15, 2007 - 05:44am PT
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A few photos from 3 days at the Arches Terrace area:
starting Midlife Crisis p3
Roger jugging
1/4" x 1" bolt extracted
enlarging and deepening the hole for a new stainless steel 3/8" x 2.25" bolt
replacing taperbolt anchor for p7 of Friday the 13th
kneepads help when replacing on slabs
Friday the 13th p5 anchor in wet streak, slings growing moss
p5 anchor moved 18" left (and up to chest height) into dry area
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jul 15, 2007 - 08:22am PT
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you guys really do Rock!
and what a sense of timing! Friday the 13th on Friday the 13th,
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MikeL
climber
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Jul 15, 2007 - 09:43am PT
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Fantastic. You guys are heroes. Wonderful.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 15, 2007 - 09:44am PT
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Roger is the man! Thanks for your critical role Clint.
Now all those 5.9 pitches with no pro can get sent by the next generation of corn-fed Gym muntants, trying to find dime edges to mono off, safe in the knowledge that after the 300 foot fall, the consequences might be no worse than a motorcycle accident.
"Dude, cool slab leathers! You gonna go send Friday the 13th now that the bolts are replaced?"
"Wurd!"
Just making fun of the climbs, not the effort
Peace
Karl
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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Jul 15, 2007 - 11:23am PT
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ran into Roger this morning and did he look hammered! The guy is working his rear off, and perhaps some of the front too!
I got to tell him this in person, GOOD JOB ROGER!
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jul 15, 2007 - 12:03pm PT
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Great job gents.
I'm worried about your eyes, will you were some I-pro next time?
Thanks, Mom
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MikeL
climber
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Jul 15, 2007 - 12:55pm PT
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You sound a little sad about it, Karl.
I guess in the end everything out of the ordinary is brought down to the masses.
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spyork
Social climber
A prison of my own creation
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Jul 15, 2007 - 01:03pm PT
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LOL, even with decent bolts, those climbs are not for the masses.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Jul 15, 2007 - 01:18pm PT
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excellent work guys! (and I mean *work*!)
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Jul 15, 2007 - 05:10pm PT
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Wow! Great work! What kind of shape were those taper bolts in?
This is a work of art...
Thanks for sharing.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 16, 2007 - 01:42pm PT
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"You sound a little sad about it, Karl.
I guess in the end everything out of the ordinary is brought down to the masses."
I am a little sad. I've done a few of those climbs to their tops, Shakey Flakes, Rambler, mid-life crisis and led the "Hole" pitch of Greasy but Groovy.
It's not a matter of bringing the climbs down to the masses, It just sad that there's not one "moderate" climb in that slab that a 5.10 climber can do without risking a 150 foot fall. The rock quality is not pristine in places so even a competent climber could break an edge and skate and slid or tumble forever. Sh#t, even Clint, about as qualified a face climber as they get didn't want to lead any of those climbs.
I know a 5.14 climber (whose done 5.13++ trad who backed off the Rambler. (bad bolts were part of it)
So, personally, I've done the climbs and I think they are something of a waste. Anybody who wants to disgree with me, go up there and lead one to the top and then tell me it's great that they all include x or serious, serious R rated pitches.
I'm getting too old to roll dice. I've done the first 3 of Mid-Life Crisis a dozen times or more. I might go back for that, but I don't know about some of those other ones.
Peace
Karl
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Ventura
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Jul 17, 2007 - 11:27pm PT
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what an awsome climbing area for the face climbers.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jul 17, 2007 - 11:37pm PT
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great job guys - brings back memories - hand drilling! Ugh!
you deserve a medal for that!
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 18, 2007 - 11:41am PT
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Karl, you say "I've done the climbs and I think they are something of a waste."
I guess this freshens up the retrobolting debate.
Rodger, Clint, EXCELLENT Work! Especially considering the heat wave we were having.
I've come across some old tat before, but that Friday the 13th belay is Classic!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 18, 2007 - 02:58pm PT
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Jerry,
The 1/4" taperbolts (at the belays for Friday the 13th) were in pretty good shape. I unscrewed each one with Roger's 6" Crescent wrench, using a fair amount of torque to get them started. The taperbolts at that belay with the living/mossy slings were rustier than the others, but still solid. They all had the thicker SMC hangers which held up fine to the wetness. It might have been scary to belay off of them with a partner doing a "factor 2" runout directly above, though!
Karl's point that most of the long routes in the area are rather runout is probably valid, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they are a waste or out of reach of 5.10 climbers.
To start with, I am not really a very good slab climber - not really even solid on 5.10 slabs. I have a mostly numb and weak left foot due to a spinal cord injury - I can't run across the street or do offwidths, and high steps onto my left foot are pretty scary. I've been totally stopped by some slick 5.10 slab moves like on Hogwash (5.10c), and I used Roger's cheater stick several times on pitches 2 and 3 of Midlife Crisis. The relatively abundant small positive flakes for crimping are what makes it possible for me to get up the harder moves on the 5.10s at the Arches Terrace.
Most of the 5.10 slab routes I've done (back in the 80s) were "Morris routes" - first ascents by Bruce Morris and crew, who took the time to place more than just minimal bolts. A few examples are Cryin' Time Again, Needle Spoon, Great Circle, and Sailin' Shoes (I've done the first 3 of these 4). Bruce did plenty of these routes, so they are an option for people who want more protection. Midlife Crisis is a Morris route. I am comfortable with my mediocre slab skills, which prevents me from attempting certain slab pitches, but I can still pull off a long 5.8 or 5.9 runout if I think it has enough features.
Also, the longer runouts on slabs are (in theory) reducible by pulling in lots of rope while the leader is sliding downwards (witness Steve Grossman's story on Greasy But Groovy, for example).
Will Roger's rebolting at Arches Terrace make routes instantly popular? Well, no, because there are relatively few slab climbers due to Apron rockfalls which have scared people away from the best moderate slab training routes. Also, few gyms have slabs, so the footwork and body position are unfamiliar for many people. However, the rebolting will enable a few more people (who like slabs) to do the routes there, especially those people who were scared of 1/4" bolts (I am not one of those people, perhaps because I am used to them from the 70s/80s and I'm very lightweight). We know of one person in particular who did not want to lead the second pitch of Midlife Crisis because it had 1/4" bolts, even though they are relatively abundant. Roger is also fixing the missing bolt on p1 of The Rambler and the p5 crux of Shakey Flakes - those routes were previously mostly rebolted and are fairly well protected by slab standards, but the missing bolts were hardly encouraging to potential climbers.
Routes like Greasy But Groovy and Friday the 13th will never be popular. They are testpieces, put up in the minimal bolting style their creators enjoyed. Accessible to few climbers, but probably enjoyed by those who can succeed on them (slab versions of the Bachar-Yerian, if you will). I've climbed on each of them, and gotten to stances where I've said "I would have placed a bolt here, and without a bolt here, I'm not leading any higher", but I'm OK with that. Not every route needs to be accessible to me. And I am always free to create my own routes if I want to protect something in a particular way (like we did to create a variation to join p2 of Midlife Crisis from Hershey Highway).
There is scope to add more routes to the Arches Terrace area. As I mentioned in my mini report, there is a relatively new route (probably done in the 90s - 1/4" bolts but less rusty than others and one 3/8" belay bolt) which goes straight up from the p5 belay of Reefer Madness (where p6 of Reefer Madness is the "5.8" rising traverse). It goes up 2 pitches to the big pine tree (3x on p1, 2x on p2), and then continues directly above the pine tree (2x visible, and probably many more above that).
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 18, 2007 - 03:16pm PT
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weschrist,
Thanks for your interest and support. You can donate directly to ASCA to buy more SS bolts, hangers, double ring hangers and drills:
http://www.safeclimbing.org/
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Jul 18, 2007 - 03:42pm PT
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Nice work guys!
I have an EASY bolting job for you next!
Steve Schneider and I put up a little route on Fairview quite a few years back that needs a little work.
Burning Down the House. the best part is you only have to replace 7 lead bolts and 5 belay bolts....
Bring a long rope for the route/rappel!
ks
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 18, 2007 - 04:07pm PT
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Clint, thanks for clarifying the nature of the routes you two worked on.
I've done a few routes over there and found them to be lots of fun and within reach. GBG & Friday, perhaps some day I'll be able to look at those, but not before I repeat some of the better protected slabs over there.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 18, 2007 - 04:10pm PT
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Kurt, I'll check out Burning Down the House. Hey, I have always wanted to toprope it anyway! I see the lack of bolted belay anchors on some pitches may make it an interesting adventure for rappelling (all the better). I know you're too far away back east to get to it yourself.
But I think we will get over to the Middle Cathedral North Face Apron before that, as we can get to more bolts there in less time, assuming we can cheat our way up them somehow.... (We could probably use your help, Kelly, if you are around and free).
Sunday July 22, Middle Cathedral North Face Apron, anyone? I have plenty of ropes to fix if Roger's are still in use at Arches Terrace.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Jul 18, 2007 - 04:21pm PT
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Couple of years ago there were some "thought provoking" bolts and anchors on Cat Dancing.... good route.... can link two pitches together.... moderate. Good candidate for some fixin.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Jul 18, 2007 - 04:26pm PT
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Holy cow... that was fast work Clint!
(maybe it wasn't cat dancing? Black Primo? hmmm.... I'll ask the brains of the operation later)
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Ken Zemach
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Jul 18, 2007 - 05:24pm PT
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Ya'll just inspired me to finally get off my butt and donate to ASCA, which was well overdue (thanks to there being new bolts on Inverted Staircase which would have been a horror show otherwise).
If you're looking for an easy route to knock off on a "rest" day, Wise Crack needs two anchor bolts replaced for Pitch 2. It's a great climb for a couple of reasons: a) I think it's a great climb, irregardless of the crappy "approach" pitch. b) it's an interesting alternate approach to get to the start of Pitch 6 of Royal Arches (or The Cobra, which rumor has it Clint enjoys) c) it'll make for a safer exit from Royal Arches if one has to rap earlier.
If you're looking to an excursion from hell to replace bolts, the two hangerless bolts on Steck-Salathe really need to be replaced. The lower one is bent downwards from someone's fall, and thus a nut slipped over it may not stay on during a subsequent fall. That makes for a death/serious injury fall in a place where you can least afford it. If ultra-purists are against replacing them with "real" bolts, they could always be replaced with new 1/2" hangerless bolts. I'd be fine with that, but the way it is now, it's totally unsafe.
PS- you guys totally rock
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 18, 2007 - 06:10pm PT
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Yeah, the Steck-Salathe.
I cannot believe that someone went up there and 1) added several bolts to the face pitch and 2) added a two-bolt anchor to the pitch before the Narrows, but didn't replace the death-bolts in between. I've been wanting to replace them for years.
Clint, there's a chance I can make it up this weekend. I'll be in touch.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Jul 18, 2007 - 06:51pm PT
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Well you guys keep up the good work and next time i'm in the valley i can sample your work on some old classics!!!!
KS
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 18, 2007 - 06:53pm PT
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Bruce Bindner rebolted the Steck-Salathe' in 1995 after consulting with Steck:
http://www.supertopo.com/rockclimbing/route.html?r=yosestec
Perhaps he will respond about the old bolts on p11, and the bolts added on the face pitch. I haven't been on it since the rebolting to observe it directly.
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Spencer Adkisson
Mountain climber
Reno, NV
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Jul 18, 2007 - 07:00pm PT
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Wow! You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for doing that. It is a great service, and by the smile on your face, it looks like you even had some fun doing it. Great job!
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jul 18, 2007 - 07:12pm PT
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Karl...b/c of all of your cries about how aspring 5.10 slab climbers have nothing to climb and b/c I am one of those climbers, Clint and I replaced the rightmost two routes on the piller to the left of the Rambler last winter. (Barney Rubble and The Violent Bear it Away IIRC?) They're still probably too stiff for me (which doesn't say much) and by no means are they sport climbs, but there is no 150 foot fall to be had unless you unclip at the anchor and dive off.
I guess I don't see all 5.10's as presenting the same level of challenge (and don't feel entitled to having them be so). I'm OK with the fact that 5.10 slabs (w/ OK protection even) are often testpeices for people who tick 5.12 or 5.13 at Rifle or Indian Creek (or even Yosemite). It's apples and oranges...One taxes at the limits of physical abilities and the other the mind.
There is still room for new routes in these areas. If people wanted to sport climb on 5.10 slabs, I suspect more such routes would have been created whether the stance-bolting crowd wanted it or not. I just don't think the interest in spending the time that it takes to hand drill slabby sport climbs in granite is there. I'm not even sure that if you bolted it they would come.
Good work, Clint, Roger, and your other rebolting associates!
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 18, 2007 - 07:45pm PT
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Thanks Melissa
I love those routes on that pillar. I do em a few times each year, particularly in the winter. Including those, there are a few one pitch climbs over there that are fairly reasonable to lead.
Peace
Karl
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jul 18, 2007 - 09:57pm PT
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If you bolt it, they will come.
ask Clint, he knows.
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davehikes
Mountain climber
Los Osos,Ca
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Jul 20, 2007 - 12:41am PT
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Hey Roger - Looking good - had hoped to catch up with you this summer in Yosemite - but several trips to back country areas and a busy summer schedule - Call when youre home - Miss working with ya - Are you into an end of Aug backcountry trip? maybe bag a peak or two.
--CLOGGER --
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MAD BOLTER
Trad climber
CARLSBAD,NM
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Jul 20, 2007 - 09:22pm PT
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I thought I was the MAD-BOLTER !!! why do people set those double anchor bolts on side-by-side orientation without a connection? A vertical alignment with SS chain connection can be done using only one chain and with essentially no "impact" loading. Those taper bolts I see in the articles are apparently 3/8" dia.. I have used a number of them and not seen any problems with rusting - and they are easy to reset new bolts in the same hole. A long time ago I stopped using silicone or epoxy to seal the holes since the 1978 bolt failure on El Cap where I removed and replaced the remaining anchor. There was loads of rust in the hole!! Apparently the moisture gets inside and can't escape to dry out. The fatality was the result of improperly using the hardware, which had a mfg. flaw, and was overloaded with 3 climbers and haul bag on essentially one bolt.
you can reach me to comment at 505-981-2451 leave msg after frogs
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MAD BOLTER
Trad climber
CARLSBAD,NM
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Jul 20, 2007 - 09:25pm PT
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thanks for the re-bolting work-you all !!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 20, 2007 - 11:23pm PT
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Tom (Rohrer),
> I thought I was the MAD-BOLTER !!!
You still are! (If you want to be) :-) Roger and I talked about you; we have both met you, and you are still the original master.
> why do people set those double anchor bolts on side-by-side orientation without a connection? A vertical alignment with SS chain connection can be done using only one chain and with essentially no "impact" loading.
I think the best reason for the side-by-side anchor bolts was explained on a post I read here on supertopo - when you have 2 people at a hanging rappel/belay anchor, it helps to spread them apart (norizontally), so they are not leaning on each other. It makes it easier for them to work independently when pulling the rope down, unweight the anchor, thread their rappel device, etc. Of course these problems do not occur if someone is solo rappelling.
Another consideration is that the chain used in a vertically aligned anchor can be a bit long and is generally a higher visual impact as a result. Many people prefer that bolts / fixed anchors be seen as little as possible. Although of course when rappelling down and looking for the next anchor, we may feel the opposite! (Maybe a reflective or bright color visible from the top would be helpful).
Tom, have you seen Steve Grossman's welded SS rappel / belay anchor? I wonder what you might think of it (sorry it is for the side-by-side bolts):
The welded half link at the bottom is a way to increase the diameter of the surface the rope runs over, and to use up otherwise wasted links from cutting chain segments.
More details in the relevant thread:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=394886
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WBraun
climber
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Jul 20, 2007 - 11:27pm PT
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Tom (Mad Bolter)
Just you wait you ole goat till you see Steve Grossman's stainless steel wonder anchors.
You're eyeballs will pop outa your head.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 27, 2007 - 10:27pm PT
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The latest update on Roger's rebolting is that he is up to 92 bolts replaced so far, with at least another 3 days of work to finish up with the top of Greasy But Groovy, a newer route left of GBG, p1 of the Rambler, and misc. other stuff near the ground. So he should be done there by about August 2nd or so. Then he could do more, like up at the Middle Cathedral North Face Apron, if people will help fix ropes for him (he can belay, jumar, has done walls, etc. but doesn't lead 5.8 or harder free climbing).
routes we (Roger, Clint and Ryan) worked on
Bolts to fix next week near the upper pitches of Greasy But Groovy
Note: X (large X are 3/8" bolts - already replaced)
x (small x are 1/4" bolts - will be replaced shortly)
I arrived late on Sunday morning; Roger is already working at the top of p4 of Greasy But Groovy. He replaced 15 bolts on Saturday, a personal record, and he would get 10 Sunday.
Roger and Ryan (pyro on the mountain) at work on Monday
It's a long way up those fixed lines. But we gotta get 'em to the very top of GBG!
Ryan starting p7
fun with Roger's 18' cheater stick!
Ryan belaying atop p8 of the newer route (midway on the p8 traverse of GBG
managing the tangles
belay slings at end of p8 of GBG; I didn't bother clipping.
Sketchy dangling tree rap anchor, backed up with TCU in split 2" thick flake, detached 12" from wall.
Roger's "catch of the day" for Monday, from GBG and Arches Terrace (Star Dryvin bolts were still very solid!).
Ryan arrives at high point on Tuesday.
Ryan replacing the first of his 6 bolts on Tuesday
new rap anchor atop p9 to avoid scary tree/flake. Note: bolts and hangers are mine, not ASCA. ASCA only replaces existing bolts/anchors.
replaced anchor bolt atop p8 of Greasy But Groovy
weather is coming in over Half Dome as Ryan finishes his 6th bolt of the day
Ryan scores an old ring angle
rusty 2nd bolt on p8 of GBG, now replaced.
first or belay bolt on p8 of GBG. I couldn't fix it because it was starting to rain at this point. Roger will have it replaced shortly.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jul 27, 2007 - 10:39pm PT
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Umm, Clint, some of the bolts ("Xs") on the photo are marked 3/8" x 1/4" (not for long). What's that about?
Thanks for the great work!
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Jul 27, 2007 - 11:51pm PT
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Fantastic that you guys are replacing the bolts on Greasy but Groovy. People will soon find out that the 4th pitch is no slab. No one in their right mind would try that route with the old bolts - they must have come out easily.
Wonderful. With solid bolts, folks should be all over that one. Great work with all those routes.
Many thanks,
John Long
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jul 28, 2007 - 12:12am PT
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You guys are the shizzle!
Roger has always had my greatest admiration for his contributions to rebolting. He is a true iron man in every sense!
And Clint and Ryan, kudos, kudos, kudos!
and not only that, but a climbing related thread too!
You're right, John, this winter it will be hard to get on those routes for the first time in a lot of years (well, maybe not... but I'll be out there!).
Thanks again for all the work.
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Matt M
Trad climber
Tacoma, WA
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Jul 28, 2007 - 01:35am PT
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I love these rebolting TRs! They get me psyched to do more of my own AND to get on the routes these guys are working on! Mmm slab (with good bolts of course)
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Ventura
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Jul 28, 2007 - 12:09pm PT
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thankyou J.Long I've read your books..
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Jul 29, 2007 - 05:49pm PT
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Clint, et al,
I'm curious about the 4th pitch of GBG. This is going back basically 30 years, but I remember that pitch having some of the hardest on-lead bolting I had ever seen or ever tried. We recruited Dale Bard to help on that pitch. That gave us Ricky, Richard, Dale and me and none of us got more than one bolt in before we had to lower off - it was so steep and torturours on the toes. Ricky took a pretty good sized whipper trying to install one of those bolts. That was the crux of the route, trying to get thosed bolts in, casting off on a run out and not seeing where the next stance was and just hoping something, some edge would magically appear. Very intimadating.
JL
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jul 29, 2007 - 07:14pm PT
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RE:
" There was loads of rust in the hole!! Apparently the moisture gets inside and can't escape to dry out."
I had a top-rope anchor bolt fail on me for the same reason - had placed the anchor maybe 2 years prior, the bolt looked almost scorched - never used silicon again.
great pics, great thread and awesome work guys!
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Duke-
Trad climber
SF, aka: Dirkastan
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Jul 29, 2007 - 07:40pm PT
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Thank you for the comunity service.
-Dirka
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 30, 2007 - 03:13am PT
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Anders,
> Umm, Clint, some of the bolts ("Xs") on the photo are marked 3/8" x 1/4" (not for long). What's that about?
Sorry about the confusion. See my edit:
X (large X) = 3/8" bolt, already replaced
 (small x) = 1/4" bolt, to be replaced shortly
> Thanks for the great work!
Thanks - I've enjoyed your rebolting photo reports (at Squamish) as well!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 30, 2007 - 03:28am PT
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John,
> Fantastic that you guys are replacing the bolts on Greasy but Groovy. People will soon find out that the 4th pitch is no slab.
Cool - it is definitely steep there. Back in the mid 80s I tried to start p3 and realized I was way out of my league - I didn't even want to run it out to the hole where the first bolt was drilled! As another Clint once said "A man's got to know his limitations!"
> No one in their right mind would try that route with the old bolts
Yeah, they were way overdue for maintenance. Good thing Roger took on the project and got everyone psyched! I led the second half of p8 on two of the original bolts, but that section is only 5.9 and I'm very lightweight! Night and day vs. p3 or p4.
> - they must have come out easily.
Yes. Due to the rust they were getting fragile. You may be able to see a small crack near the bottom of the bolt that I pulled at the top of p8.
We had to be very careful to extract them straight out of the hole. Just pounding on the tuning fork in a single direction could break off one of those bolts, so instead we used knifeblades, first in one direction, then in the opposite direction, so the bolt wouldn't get stuck against the side of the hole.
On a couple the bolt broke off in the hole while extracting. Roger tried to drill through one of those with the broken piece, and he got an oversized hole and the 3/8" bolt wouldn't tighten down properly. So he had to patch it and put in a new hole next to it.
It sounds like Dale should make it onto some version of the FA list. If you define the FA list as "who did the work", then some people can get onto it if they make a significant contribution, even if they didn't make it to the top with everyone else. It may be a bit late to change it now, but it was good that you mentioned it, so we know the richer history of the route.
Thanks for creating the route and the inspiration!
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Jul 30, 2007 - 10:32pm PT
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That's great that you guys spent so much time and effort to replace those bolts. If you're ever up in Hood River, stop on in to the Hood River Coffee Co. and I'll spot you a couple pounds of coffee.
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Hummerchine
Trad climber
East Wenatchee, WA
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Jul 30, 2007 - 11:40pm PT
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I know you guys have heard it already, and I admit I skipped most of the posts, but YOU RULE!!! BTW, I am a corporate sponsor of ASCA...
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