EJH

I replaced the bolt, but I did so only after discussing the replacement with multiple climbers—not a single person suggested that it not be replaced. The unanimous opinion of those with whom I spoke was, “Please replace the bolt.” Several people opined that they felt that, since the Godzilla block fell off, the start to the second pitch of City Park was a bit dangerous, and that, therefore, having a good bolt there was warranted. I’m not exactly hanging around on top of Godzilla all the time, but all the times that I have been up there, I’ve never seen anyone not clip that old bolt; hence, this suggests to me that the bolt was more than an old relic in the eyes of those who clipped it. I am a little perplexed by this suggestion: “[Y]ou could have simply tapped a pin in and out of the crack a few times and created an even better nest for the nuts.” So creating a pin scar is more acceptable than replacing a bolt? Why? Because a pin scar is prettier than a bolt? Long story short, with one blow from my funkness device, the bolt broke—it proved to be as sketchy as it looked. My only goal here was to replace a dangerous bolt that is routinely relied upon by climbers. Doug suggests that “The old bolt was irrelevant for a long time”; for him (and me for that matter), maybe true; however, for the many people I’ve seen clip that bolt it didn’t appear irrelevant. I would be more in agreement with Doug if I’d replaced an old bolt than no one ever clipped—that would be rather pointless; however, given that many people (newbies and otherwise) were clipping and relying on that bolt, seems like a harmless, and likely beneficial, replacement. This statement (regarding the existence of the replaced bolt), too, perplexes me: “I know that the experience has been dulled for anyone climbing after that bolt was placed.” I don’t understand this. Did having the option to clip a dangerous bolt provide a better climbing experience than having today’s option of climbing the route with a good bolt to clip? If you simply don’t like having the option to clip a bolt, then I suggest not clipping the bolt. Is there a problem with the aesthetics of the new bolt placed? Did you prefer the look of the old rusty bolt to the new bolt? If you think that a better option would have been to simply remove the bolt and force climbers to protect with micronuts, fair enough, I agree that would have been one option; however, the unanimous sentiment of those I discussed this with was to replace the bolt. In sum, I identified a dangerous bolt being relied upon by many climbers. In the interest of providing those who need the bolt a safer experience, I, after discussing the issue with multiple climbers and receiving their unanimous consent, replaced on my own time, with my own money, the old bolt with brand new stainless steel one. I respect Doug’s opinion on this—the new bolt bugs him, he doesn’t think it belongs, he thinks it’s unnecessary. My opinion is that if a bolt is being relied upon, it’s better to have in place a safe bolt than a dangerous one (particularly on a climb frequented by less experienced climbers). I’m not sure my opinion on the matter is any more valid or correct than Doug’s. To this day, I don’t come down on any particular side of the bolting debate—I consider myself neither for nor against bolting; I do, however, consider myself pro safety, and I, and those I talked to, agreed that replacing the bolt was a good idea. If Doug wishes to remove the bolt, he has my blessing; if the majority of the climbing community wishes the bolt gone, then I’ll remove it myself.