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Posted by Ryan Lawson on October 27, 19103 at 18:30:30:

 

Here are a few new routes for you trad climbers to check out if you feel like doing something new. These climbs are not classics, nor will they ever be in their current states, but if you are adventurous and looking for something different, you might enjoy them. Rebolts were used in place of regular bolts in numerous locations. Please try to refrain from and be cautious to avoid knocking rocks onto the trail below.

 

5.10 R-Helmets, Gear to 5 inches, four 1/2" Rebolts, 60 meter rope mandatory.

 

This climb starts on the obvious flake crack with a sage brush at the base of it about 75 feet right of Snibble Tower. 1st Pitch-Climb up good holds and knobs to the ledge leading into the wide crack/chimney, climb this 100 feet to a rebolt hole. From the rebolt, climb up to an optional belay or keep climbing another 35 feet (1 rebolt), to the next belay. (55 meter pitch or one 40 meter pitch and one 15 meter pitch)

 

2nd Pitch-Climb knobs and edges past two bolts into the shallow dihedral (tcu's or Aliens). Exit left out of the dihedral (crux) past a rebolt and then follow bolts and rebolt holes to the next belay. (100 foot Pitch)

 

3rd Pitch-Climb into the shallow dihedral until possible to step right to the slabby pocketed crack. Follow the crack until it ends and easy climbing leads to large bowl. Step right out of the bowl and climb the long final slab (mixed rebolts/bolts) to the top. Belay at large purple boulder with single bolt anchor. (57 meter pitch). Rappel down Wherever I May Roam anchors or walk off.

 

 

5.8 A1 (5.11 free?)-One 1/2" rebolt for first belay, Gear to 4 inches (doubles helpful)

 

Looking for a wild aid line with a killer position but tired of the Monkey? Or are you looking to free an aid climb that nobody has done before? Give this one a try. This climb follows the obvious diagonal crack above Snibble Tower on the Arrowpoint. It has some incredible rock on the first pitch and a bit of not so great rock on the second. Hike up the back of the Smith Rock Group or climb up White Satin or any other route topping out and walk over to the north side of the Arrowpoint. Boulder to the anchor just out of reach and set a double rope rappel to reach a ledge that the climb starts from (400 feet off the deck).

 

1st Pitch-Free climbing off the ledge leads to easy but wildly exposed aid out a roof to a steep crack. Follow this crack until possible to set a natural belay at around the 100 feet out at a small ledge.

 

2nd Pitch-Slightly loose free climbing leads to looser free climbing in a groove that tops out on the summit of the Arrowpoint. There is a single bolt belay anchor up there. Downclimb the back of the formation.

 

 

 

5.11? Open Project Gear to 4 inches (two 60 meter ropes for rappel)

 

This climb is on the furthest left and most downhill piece of the Kiss of the Lepers formation. It climbs the obvious dihedral and huge roof crack. Feel free to give it a try. It will make most people cringe just looking at it, but who knows, maybe there is someone out there who can free it. I would love to get the first free ascent but honestly I'm too busy and would just love to see it get climbed.

 

1st Pitch-Stem and jam up the sometimes awkward crack 40 meters until possible to step left to a two bolt belay on a ledge.

 

2nd Pitch-Wide stems and jams and jugs made of petrified bird guano lead up to the giant roof. Ridiculously contorted and wide stems or a combination of foot jams and hand stacks lead to an extremely physical offwidth exit with your feet 180 feet straight above your pack. One double rope rappel with 60 meter ropes makes it to the ground.

 

 

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What is the advantage of using removable bolts? They're a very specialized piece of gear to buy -- the routes mentioned above are the only ones around here I've heard of that use them. But there are real bolts on the same pitches that call for rebolts. Why? confused.gif

 

Are bolt holes somehow supposed to last longer than bolts? It seems like weathering and repeated falls can wear out a bolt hole just like they can wear out a bolt, so there's no apparent advantage in lifetime. If you are going to drill a hole on a crag route, you might as well make it safer and more accessible by using a real bolt. I don't see any appreciate difference in the impact of a real bolt vs. a rebolt, either. Both are artificial holes, and you can always camouflage a bolt hanger with paint.

 

Maybe the placements are such that a bolt hanger close to the rock is less safe than a rebolt, which hangs further out of the rock? But I can't imagine not being able to find a bolt-friendly piece of rock within a reasonable distance of a rebolt-friendly placement. wazzup.gif

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My experience with empty bolt holes is that they can be VERY hard to find -- Twice I've stood there on the exact same footholds from which I drilled a hole and had a hard time finding the empty hole that I had drilled several months earlier! This was in Darrington, were debris washes down the cliff and forms a camouflaged trap-door over the holes, and maybe this wouldn't happen at Smith, but aside from this issue I'm not sure removeable bolts are a good idea for the reasons stated above and this is just one more reason not to use them.

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slothrop said:

What is the advantage of using removable bolts? They're a very specialized piece of gear to buy -- the routes mentioned above are the only ones around here I've heard of that use them. But there are real bolts on the same pitches that call for rebolts. Why? confused.gif

 

Are bolt holes somehow supposed to last longer than bolts? It seems like weathering and repeated falls can wear out a bolt hole just like they can wear out a bolt, so there's no apparent advantage in lifetime. If you are going to drill a hole on a crag route, you might as well make it safer and more accessible by using a real bolt. I don't see any appreciate difference in the impact of a real bolt vs. a rebolt, either. Both are artificial holes, and you can always camouflage a bolt hanger with paint.

 

Maybe the placements are such that a bolt hanger close to the rock is less safe than a rebolt, which hangs further out of the rock? But I can't imagine not being able to find a bolt-friendly piece of rock within a reasonable distance of a rebolt-friendly placement. wazzup.gif

 

His statement was that he put the routes up for "himself" and not the masses clears this up...

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