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Missing Bolts on Monkey Face Aid Route...


Lambone

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how do you take a "whiper" on a bolt ladder?

 

well...the bolt/crappt rivet/ or whatever could blow, causing you to zipper the other crappy bolts below it...

 

or your crappy rivet hanger could break...

 

or you could fall out of your aiders while trying to top-step and break your daisy chain...

 

Not that i have done any of those things.

 

I don't know anything about the route, just relaying something I read to folks who know Smith...

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The poster at rockclimbing.com had it right. He climbed the "West face" which starts out as a bolted/mixed crack pitch then a couple pitches of bolt ladders to the cave. The picture above is the west face. If you turn the arete to the cracks on the second pitch then you are on the NW face. I have climbed both. Many bolts on the west face were 1/4 rivets. Last time I climbed it many years ago you could pull some out with your hands. However, prior to my ascent I believe the late Chris Pernell (may be mis-spelled) replaced the belay bolts and replaced a couple of the aid bolts with some bomber bolts. The face is steep so a ripping fall would be more fun than dangerous. In addition a hand full of machine bolts, a few key hangers, or some bat hooks should make the climb more fun. Last time I climbed it we stayed the night in the cave and I found a new petzel head lamp. The mice are nice and they keep a secret history of smith FA hidden deep within a crevase in the middle of the Monkey's head, but to see it you have to eat some mushrooms and get really small like Alice to climb in there.

Shapp

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'What a curious feeling!' said Shapp; 'I must be shutting up like a telescope.'

 

And so it was indeed: Shapp was now only ten inches high, and his face brightened up at the thought that he was now the right size for venturing into the Monkey's head to read secret tales of climbing history recorded in miniscule mouse script.

 

mushsmile.gif

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I made the original post on rockclimbing.com and am looking for some imput on replacing a few bolts, about 12' of the bolt ladder is gone and should be replaced, any comments on what should go in the holes? I would like to reuse the existing holes but this would require drilling them out for 3/8". Some imput I have recieved is original diameter bolts should be used, I still think 3/8" would be best for perserving the route in the long run. And Yes the route is the West Face Aid Route of Monkey Face. The condition of the route was posted in January on Smithrocks.com in the missing bolts section.

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I think the only difference here is going to be longevity. If he puts in Rawl Split drive 1/4" button heads, they're rated to 1200 lbs--plenty to catch any bolt ladder fall. Only difference between that and 3/8" is that they'll be rusted out in 10 years and need replacing again, in yet another hole. (No 1/4" stainless is available) In my opinion, that doesn't decrease the adventure factor on a bolt ladder.

 

If this were a rivet or two on a otherwise "natural" aid pitch I would be all for replacing it with 1/4" to preserve the experience of the route. I'm also all for preserving this route's character, but I doubt that fatter bolts on the bolt ladder is going to change it.

 

Ask yourself this: When the pioneer route was rebolted in the mid 90's, would you have rather they put in 1/4"ers (like the original) that would by now start needing replacement?

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Reuse the holes! If that means drilling it out to 3/8" so be it. That is a lot better option than drilling new holes next to the old ones IMHO. Clipping fixed gear is clipping fixed gear, if someone is going to be bent out of shape that a bolt ladder is in good condition they should be aiding up that big scary wall near the parking lot!

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3/8" would be best but...

If there is a concern about preserving the nature of the route hellno3d.gif...

 

They also make 1/4" Rawl 5-piece that would hold far better in that crap stone.

 

Oversizing to 5/16" to allow Fixe button heads is an option as well, although the stone may fail while pounding them in.

 

bigdrink.gif

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Put something in that will last awhile--3/8" bolts.

 

The "missing bolts" are not referring to the bolts on the Pioneer Route aid pitch, which are 5/8". Putting new 1/4" in Smith Tuff will just swiss cheese the stone when they inevitably work loose and have to be replaced.

 

I was climbing Ancient Art in the Fisher Towers outside Moab in March (conglomerated mud/sandstone-stuff has granite and quartz cobbles embedded in it) and the belay placements were pincushioned with crummy bolts, manky 1/4" bolts and old holes. Let's try to avoid this at Smith!

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