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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 28, 2007 - 07:35pm PT
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Well, Clint did it again. Just when I had about given up on someone showing up to help with getting some ropes fixed, here comes Clint to the rescue. The guy drives most of the night, spends a long day leading pitches, then drives most of another night home. Bottom line? The following routes have had their 1/4" bolts replaced. Angel's Approach, Lucifer's Ledge, Variation from Point Beyond to Lucifer's Ledge, Lucifer's Ledge to the Oasis, Anchor's Away, and Sailin Shoes/Sailin Shoe's first pitch variation. I got this overpowering urge to go home for a few days, so I left three static ropes fixed, and using those cool ledges, there should be access to several one pitch routes that could use some work.
Roger Brown
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Aug 28, 2007 - 07:38pm PT
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Thanks for all the work! Not only that, on routes that are climbable by the lesser mortals - though I bet I'll still be a bit thrilled by the runouts!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 28, 2007 - 09:17pm PT
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thanks Roger and Clint for the hard work in what must be a hot place!
Your labors are greatly appreciated.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Aug 28, 2007 - 09:25pm PT
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Roger - where do we pin the medal?
the thought of repairing the bolts on the Apron? - kinda staggering but, you would know that probably better than anyone!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Aug 28, 2007 - 09:28pm PT
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Good people, good stuff!
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lars johansen
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Aug 28, 2007 - 10:21pm PT
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Thanks a million!!!!!
Those were some of my favorite routes. Much appreciated.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Aug 29, 2007 - 01:39am PT
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Really Rodger and Clint, you both deserve medals.
And no, we won't "pin" them on you!
Sailin' Shoes! Oasis!! YeHa.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Sep 11, 2007 - 06:53pm PT
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After much delay, here are some photos of working with Roger at the Apron on August 17th. He's still busy there now! I believe he will stop long enough to join the Yosemite Facelift party.
Staging at the base of Monday Morning Slab - lead line plus 7 ropes tied together.
Following p1 of Monday Morning Slab - Right Side.
Following p2.
At p2 anchor, enroute to Point Beyond.
Following p3, to the flake tunnel anchor.
The key bolt on this pitch had already been replaced by someone, but there were 3 additional (very unnecessary) bolts added!
We were entertained at this point by some people who were looking for the start of the Harry Daley route, but then realized that a bear was roaming the base. They left shortly after the bear did. We were trying to encourage them to tie the bear in and have it lead the first pitch....
Roger at the flake tunnel belay. The bolt on this traverse had already been replaced by someone.
Roger getting ready to follow. More unnecessary bolts had been added to the upper part of the pitch.
Belay atop p1 of Angel's Approach.
L to R: OK 1/4" (hauled from it), 1/4", 1/4", 3/8", 1/4" chopped.
I was also disgusted to find at least 4 retrobolts on this pitch (bolts 2, 8, 10 and 11). I didn't clip them. bolt 2 was right in the middle of a crux move.... These bolts had Cassin hangers, and we believe they were probably added because someone was scared of the existing bolts and did not know how to pull them and enlarge the original holes. So the bolt replacement on this route was long overdue!
Roger provides moral support as I skip clipping more retrobolts on p2 of Angel's Approach. This particular bolt might be justified since there is a pin scar next to it with no resident pin and not really possible to place a nut there.
Roger ready to follow p2 of Angel's Approach. Typical retrobolt with Cassin hanger, about 2' above an original bolt. Note: I believe Roger removed all the obvious retrobolts with Cassin hangers; ASCA does not replace retrobolts. Usually Roger does not remove retrobolts, but in this case they were easy to identify and were essentially trash to clean up. On this day I was just helping get the ropes fixed; Roger did all the bolt replacement himself on later days, except for the two I got this day.
Anchor atop Angel's Approach p2. Note Cassin retrobolt on far right, already rusty.
Getting fairly high up on the Apron.
Existing anchor on Lucifer's Ledge. Single 1/4" bolt with lap links, probably backed up originally by a fixed pin. Was currently backed up with 2 nuts.
Roger replacing the anchor at Lucifer's Ledge. Note previous single 1/4" bolt anchor at knee level.
Existing anchor one pitch out from Lucifer's Ledge (shown as single bolt anchor in Meyers topo).
Pulling the worse(?) [edit: original] bolt while hoping the other [edit: (added)] one holds.... Much weight on footholds, too!
New meets old. I ended up having to move the bolts up about 12" because the old ones were in a hollow-sounding flake which was slightly detached from the main slab.
View back to Lucifer's Ledge.
Roger with newly replaced anchor at Lucifer's Ledge.
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bwancy1
Trad climber
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Sep 11, 2007 - 07:04pm PT
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Thank you! Climbed Angels Approach earlier this year and was not inspired by the bolts. Great route worth repeating!
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Sep 11, 2007 - 07:29pm PT
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Oh, Yeah! Cool. Those bolts were in bad shape fifteen years ago! Thanks for restoring these climbs!
I'll never forget my friend Jim Lundeens face, leading up Angel's Approach. After clipping a few bad bolts and running it out on 5.9 friction, nearing the top, I yelled up, "How was that?" He looked down in complete seriousness and said "I just sh#t my pants." LOL! The rappels were even more scary than the climb.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Sep 11, 2007 - 09:09pm PT
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Clint writes in the caption of one photo: "Existing anchor one pitch out from Lucifer's Ledge (shown as single bolt anchor in Meyers topo)."
Meyers topo is correct, historically. When I did Lucifer's Ledge back in 1976, I belayed off the single 1/4" bolt on the right (square nut). Given that the SMC hanger on the other bolt is one of the thicker stainless jobs, I would say that the second bolt was probably added in the late 70's or early 80's.
Just to be clear, I have no problem that this is now a 2-bolt belay. I was just adding some historical perspective.
Bruce
ps - belaying off that single 1/4" bolt was gripping to say the least. Back then belaying off a single 1/4" bolt was pretty commonplace, but it didn't make it any less scary.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 11, 2007 - 09:15pm PT
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you guys rock!
thanks!!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Sep 11, 2007 - 09:42pm PT
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Good point, Bruce. And you may have noticed that when I replaced the second bolt, I used my own (non-ASCA - lizard imprint) hanger and bolt, so the ASCA gear still only replaced the original.
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climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
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Sep 11, 2007 - 09:44pm PT
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AWESOME! That's one of my favorite sections of rock. It's great climbing and really should be done more often. Good work!
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Sep 11, 2007 - 09:59pm PT
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totally over the top cool!
you guys have all the fun!
great pics, great work.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Sep 11, 2007 - 10:23pm PT
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Great work, Guys! Way to lead up there on the old stuff, Clint! I'm glad you managed safely.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Sep 12, 2007 - 12:31am PT
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Way to go!
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Sep 12, 2007 - 01:17am PT
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Thanks Guys!
how about the punch bowl and it's rap route?
thinking i might like to do that again.
Largo, how about you?
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Sep 12, 2007 - 01:21am PT
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Maybe OT or something... but does anyone else think it is absolutely moronic that these guys need to HAND DRILL these projects just because the Park Service has its head up its ass?
What is the fine for using a powerdrill to do this work? Maybe a collection can be taken up where the "purp" just replaces all the damn bolts with a drill, gets a $100 ticket and has his cordless drill confiscated. BFD.... cut a check to the green gestapo and move on to the next route.....
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Sep 12, 2007 - 01:26am PT
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I was wondering why there was no power drill happening here and over on the arches.
WTF
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Sep 12, 2007 - 01:41am PT
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Thanks, particularly for that Anchor bolt on Lucifer's, which has made me nervous many times.
I don't know who placed them, but one thing about those retrobolts on point beyond, they aren't where the old route used to go. On pitch one you used to clip the bolt and traverse right to the Corner/ramp. Now you go straight up. Sure it's overbolted but compared to the rest of the Apron, perhaps it creates a fair balance for the regular guy.
Nice that you even went a pitch beyond Lucifer's, it starts getting scary up there.
My old trip report when I soloed to the Oasis
http://www.yosemiteclimber.com/LucifersLedgeSolo.html
Peace
Karl
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2007 - 02:16pm PT
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Russ-Graham,
Myself, I really don't mind the hand drilling. It kinda comes easily for me. I've been swinging a hammer most of my life so it is just like going to work, only more fun. The drilling is not really the hard part. The hard, and most exciting part for me is just getting to the bolts. Like the HD project in 05. 20 days, 9 trips to the top, all for just 38 bolts. Yea, but an adventure I will never forget. I do this work because few are willing to, it has to be done, and I can. Power drill? Not me, those folks who put these routes up did it, for the most part, on lead from a stance. Then came drilling from Bat Hooks. Then drilling on rappel. Then power drilling on rappel. If you do enough of this work you find out a lot of stuff. Bat hook holes hidden by the hanger. If it was power drilled. Right handed or left. On rappel or on stance. Maybe I'll write a book someday :-) Just doing the work hanging from a rope feels like I'm insulting the FA team, but thats the best I can do. The greatest honor to the FA team would be to replace this stuff on lead. You know, I know people who are, right now, putting up new routes on lead from a stance. They are placing 1/4" bolts on lead then comming back and changing them to 3/8". A lot of work, but way proud. Thanks for caring about us, but we are happy the way things are. Not saying that power drilling is for sissy's :-)
Roger Brown
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Gene
climber
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Sep 12, 2007 - 02:29pm PT
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Three robust cheers for Roger!!!
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curt wohlgemuth
Social climber
Bay Area, California
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Sep 12, 2007 - 02:46pm PT
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Big thanks for the anchor replacements, but I gotta ask: Is everybody still climbing on the Apron? I thought after all the monster rockfalls from (how many?) years ago that most people were avoiding the place.
Curt
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2007 - 03:52pm PT
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Curt,
I don't post often, and twice in one day might be a record for me. Yea, a lot of people are climbing on the Apron. Almost all those are climbing in the "Safe Zone" People almost daily on "Harry Daley" even a line sometimes. "Mr. Natural" see's action also, but that is getting a little into the "un-safe area" (thats where the climber was killed in the last rockfall) The "Grack is also busy as is "Goodrich Pinnacle". I've been there for the last few weeks and that is what I've seen. I have seen no one to the far right or the far left. I plan to work the area between "Goodrich Pinnacle" and "Harry Daley" next season because of all the activity there and the fact that the bolts there need some attention.
Roger Brown
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murcy
climber
San Fran Cisco
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Sep 12, 2007 - 04:02pm PT
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Roger and Clint for President!!
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J. Werlin
climber
Cedaredge
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Sep 12, 2007 - 05:26pm PT
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Many thanks for your work gentlemen. Cheers.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Sep 14, 2007 - 12:21pm PT
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Roger and Clint, thanks a lot! Now I can try all those routes that I've been hearing so much about on this forum! I remember doing Goodrich Pinnacle earlier this year and building gear anchors where possible just to avoid using those ancient bolts. Rappelling was definitely the scariest part of the climbing there. By the way, does anybody think that GPA is really much more dangerous than other areas in the valley? Personally, I've seen rock fall all over, but not at GPA...
Vlad
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rockermike
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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Sep 14, 2007 - 04:16pm PT
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Goodrich P is a great climb. Fortunately the one time I climbed it I was with someone who knew how to climb. As I remember it there was one pitch about half way up where you get two options: up and right with a bolt or two for pro (felt like 10c to me, but maybe there is some tricky up/down/over path that I missed) or a long unprotected 5.9 runout (100' plus). Both seemed too scary to me to ever go back without a rope gun. What's the consensus take on the route. Is it as bad as I remember? Any tricks/beta?
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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Sep 14, 2007 - 05:47pm PT
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Whatever it is that drives you fellas, I admire and appreciate it. Good karma to you both, and neither of you should ever pay for your own drinks in the Valley again!
I know it's an ongoing project, but any chance you could post an index of all the replacement work you've done so far? If that's a pain in the ass, scratch it. But each time you post up with more kick-ass work done I grab my Reid guidebook and get to annotating, and I'm sure I've missed some. Maybe start a thread dedicated to that and we could keep it updated? It's a thought: feel free to ignore it. And again, cheers for your generosity.
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adventuretrainer
Trad climber
Sedona, AZ
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Sep 14, 2007 - 06:08pm PT
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Some of my first real climbing adventures were on these routes when I lived in Boystown in 1996! It made some of the desert anchors I encounter now not quite as intimidating. Great service to replace those anchors. Always thought the climbs were classic, now they are safe and classic, except for the rockfall of course.
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spyork
Social climber
A prison of my own creation
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Sep 14, 2007 - 06:25pm PT
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Nice going, Roger and Clint. Maybe I will go try one of the routes meant for sub-mortals.
I need to go kick some more bucks to ASCA to help you guys.
It was sure nice last week to be able to clip bomber bolts when I was climbing way-over-my-head in fear mode, hehehe. That was more ASCA work I think.
Thanks again!
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Orion
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Sep 17, 2007 - 03:28pm PT
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This weekend my partner and I went up the lucifer's route in that area and had a chance to really appreciate your handiwork, Roger.
We were on the first serious slab pitch and I was finishing the runout to the new anchor but what I really appreciated was that the bolt that was thirty feet below wasn't rusty!
I was pretty scared but at least I didn't think I would die from the fall just lose most of the skin on my hands.
There was some talk recently about museum climbs and I'll tell you I would not have been on this pitch or picked this area if I hadn't seen the work you guys did, Thanks very much.
And we were there yesterday and were the only climbers on the entire apron, what a good feeling in September in the valley.
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Orion
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Sep 17, 2007 - 03:30pm PT
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Thanks for posting your picture if I see you when I'm in the valley my coldest High Life comes out of the cooler straight at ya.
Sam
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Sep 17, 2007 - 04:06pm PT
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Great work, Roger and Clint! But it wasn't clear to me from your post whether you retro-bolted all of "Sailin' Shoes", or just the first pitch & variation? It seems to be that the 4th pitch of that route & the concluding anchors really need replacing; that is, if a leader isn't going to bounce on his belayers head after clipping the first bolt above him on the dike.
Must be a lot more to retro on the Apron for terminal work-a-holics?
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 17, 2007 - 10:27pm PT
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Bruce,
Sorry about the mix-up, yes all four pitches. It has at least one bolt above the last pitch to another anchor. That stuff also was replaced. I have found that sometimes these old routes get pushed higher and it never makes it into the guide book. To the right of "Salin' Shoes" the bolt at the anchor of "The Grunt" was never found, but the bolt above was and was replaced. The bolts on "Chiropodist Shop", "The Token", both pitches of "Emphemeral Clogdance", "Bark at the Moon" (the anchor was never found or any sign of an anchor at any stance but there was a bolt that matched the other bolts that lead up and left toward the top of the first pitch of "The Letdown" so it too was replaced), "Synchronousity", "Nothing on the Apron", "Something on the Apron" (not in guide books) and "Lean Years" also had thier bolts replaced this season. I have the bolts and hangers from at least the last five years "bagged and tagged" and some day I will sit down and make a proper list so the ASCA site can be brought up to date.
Roger Brown
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Looney
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Sep 17, 2007 - 10:40pm PT
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Really cool. Love the photos too!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Sep 18, 2007 - 12:14am PT
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Mike Graham asked about the Punch Bowl, which is on the upper right side of the Apron (up/right of Mr. Natural).
It was a cool climb, but it was damaged by the 1999 rockfall and by a previous rockfall. So it is probably not a good climb to try until things settle down further on that far right side.
For more details, and photos, see the discussion from July:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=413669&msg=418424#msg418424
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Paul H
Trad climber
Walnut Creek, CA
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Sep 20, 2007 - 10:46pm PT
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Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Sep 20, 2007 - 11:58pm PT
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Awesome Roger & Clint!
Roger, since we didn't manage to get you the latest box of bolts in the Meadows, George R. has it for you and he'll try to find you at the Facelift.
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Fingerlocks
Trad climber
where the climbin's good
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Sep 30, 2007 - 09:35pm PT
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This last week we climbed up to Lucifer’s Ledge. I had been wanting to do so for a long time, but was put off by the old bolts. As expected, it turned out to be a fun climb, and it was cool to get high up on the Apron.
Thanks for the good work, guys.
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clustiere
Trad climber
Rock Ridge/ Oakland CA
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thanks for all your hard work
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Always thought there was the possibility of another pitch above the ending of the fourth pitch of "Sailin' Shoes". Good that all four pitches have been replaced. Remember that Eric Mayo and I did a second pitch to "Dead Babies" in 1984 that never got into the book either. Believe that Ken Ariza and I did "Nothing On the Apron" in 1986 or 1987 and it, too, never got into the guide book. The Apron is certainly the realm of the obscure and remote.
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Roger and Clint: Many thanks. More $ on the way to ASCA for rebolting support. These ancient bones recently enjoyed some apron classics and found same old joyful sweep of granite all around, nice breeze, great views. And not too many climbers. So, am happy to pay to play.
Scoped out Punch Bowl (way back when FA with Bob Kamps) and posters probably are right: best to stay away for now to avoid potential rockfall and some crunched bolts. But someday it might be a good one for the rebolt list.
Rockermike: agreed, Goodrich rt. did seem pretty run in one area.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Tom,
The FA info for Angel's Approach in the Meyers/Reid guides simply say "Tom Higgins, et al" with any names of partner(s) or a date. Can you tell us more about it?
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jiimmy
Boulder climber
san diego
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Very nice of you to replace those bolts.Does anyone really climb over there still? It was all the ragein the 70's/80's(for people like myself who didnt want to do any steep hard crack) but I thought it was forgotten. Guess I was wrong. The bark service is outdated.
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jiimmy
Boulder climber
san diego
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Karl, you soloed to the oasis? You are my hero.....
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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"Karl, you soloed to the oasis? You are my hero."
Twice, once free solo onsight via the Harding Route and once with a rope via Lucifer's
Heroism probably involves some degree of stupidity if the only person saved by it is myself!'
Peace
Karl
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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jiimmy,
Roger answered your question about the current popularity of climbing on the Apron in his second Sept. 12 post on this thread:
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Curt,
I don't post often, and twice in one day might be a record for me. Yea, a lot of people are climbing on the Apron. Almost all those are climbing in the "Safe Zone" People almost daily on "Harry Daley" even a line sometimes. "Mr. Natural" see's action also, but that is getting a little into the "un-safe area" (thats where the climber was killed in the last rockfall) The "Grack is also busy as is "Goodrich Pinnacle". I've been there for the last few weeks and that is what I've seen. I have seen no one to the far right or the far left. I plan to work the area between "Goodrich Pinnacle" and "Harry Daley" next season because of all the activity there and the fact that the bolts there need some attention.
Roger Brown
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