Infinite Bliss - another rag

[512dude]

Just climbed this route on Sat and have the following observations/comments/questions regarding the "creation" of this route. I don't want to discuss whether or not this route should have been bolted in the first place as there are many discussions on that but I want to understand and discuss why it was constructed the way it was.

 

Q1: Why were the lower pitches bolted so heavily?

 

The first 5 pitches of this route follow some non-descript line up what is basically a dry waterfall for most of the year. The climbing is in the <5.5 range and is fairly straight forward but there seems to be a bolt every 4 to 10 feet! Why was it necessary to make a ladder up these pitches? I think this has aggravated some traditionalists to the point where some of the hangers have been hammered over in protest. I am not an advocate of unsafe climbing but the pattern of bolting seems ridiculous given the angle of the rock, the fall potential and the difficulty of climbing.

 

Q2: Why are there so few bolts from pitch 13 to pitch 17?

 

So whatever logic was used on the bolting for pitch 1-5 all went to hell on pitches 13 thru 17. Again the cimbing is all <5.5 and easy going but now there are huge stretches, 400+ feet, of shitty loose rock and very little to no pro. Although we unroped and solo'd this section for our own safety, I don't see how this is to be useful as part of a bolted 'sport climb'? The risk is greater with the poor rock quality that one might fall and if 1/2 of the bolts from pitches 1-5 were used on these upper pitches there would be minimized risk on the route for injury. Accidents impact more than the climbing party; costs of rescues and the time and effort involved are additional impacts and climbing related fatalities have their own broad reaching affects. A bolt every 50' to prevent ground fall would make the a huge difference. In addition to climbing up was the task of getting back down. We had to down climb these pitches until discovering the anchors somewhere around the 13th or 14th pitch. If we had to do this in the rain on wet rock or with an injured climber this would have increased the issues significantly.

 

Did I miss something on this route or have other parties had similar experiences?

 

I'll enjoy your comments and feedback.

 

Thx

[Peter_Puget]

 

I think this has aggravated some traditionalists to the point where some of the hangers have been hammered over in protest.

 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't some outraged tradster but rather winter stuff falling and beating them.

[512dude]

That winter stuff sure leaves some funny marks like a hammer on the hangers...

[Peter_Puget]

Seems odd someone would tote a hammer up and do a half-assed job banging on the bolts. Wouldn't it have just been easier to use a wrench?

[JosephH]

Breaker bar is my choice - I hate bad work whether it's bolting or chopping. If you're going to go up there and bother doing the right thing then you should be removing/breaking them and patching with epoxy even if that means humping a sh#tload of it up there, and you should be hauling the trash hangers and bolts out.

[catbirdseat]

Q2: Why are there so few bolts from pitch 13 to pitch 17?

 

My guess is they became aware of the enormity of the job and that to ever finish they'd have to limit the number of bolts. Edited June 5, 2007 by catbirdseat

[David Trippett]

The real question here is, 512dude, where can we see a full size version of your avatar photo?... No, seriously.

[kevbone]

The real question here is, 512dude, where can we see a full size version of your avatar photo?... No, seriously.

 

Uh....what he said.

[Dr_Flush_Amazing]

The real question here is, 512dude, where can we see a full size version of your avatar photo?... No, seriously.

 

Uh....what he said.

 

OMG. I agree with Kevbone on something.

 

Could this be the turning point in our acrimonious relationship?

 

Will our contentious fire morph into a passionate love affair?

 

Will he ever learn how to use an apostrophe correctly?

 

STAY TUNED!

 

sickie

[richard_noggin]

The reason it was bolted in such a manner was that during the years it took to put up the route( as if any of you can comprehend the work it took for those upper pitches)people were talk,n smack about one of the first accent team overbolting other routes....overheard...they won't say this phuk'n route is overbolted!!!!

what it is, is what it is, just climb the shit

[eldiente]

This conversation is about sooo 3 years ago. Really there is a CC thread that is 10 miles long arguing about the bolt placements on that route. If you feel the bolts are to close for your taste don't clip them. If they are too far apart and your feeling a bit sketch, maybe you should bail.

 

The school of thought I heard was that the route was to be viewed as 2 parts, upper and lower separated by some 4th class choss. This seems about right as in the middle there were a couple of hundred feet of scrambling to get to the upper part of the route. Think like Squamish where you have to scramble through that steep forest above the Apron to go up Squamish buttress to the summit. Also, as a side note I just climbed Green Giant Buttress last weekend and found the climbing very similar to Infinite Bliss. Lots of bolted slab. How come nobody complains about that wall?

[ivan]

my hope is that when that comet strikes the earth in 2012 and kills us all, that plows strait into IB and spares the alien archealogists of the future the same amoutn of bullshit...

 

might be good if it split up in the upper atmosphere too and a big chunk atomized the middle east also

 

and dollywood!

[rob]

Also, as a side note I just climbed Green Giant Buttress last weekend and found the climbing very similar to Infinite Bliss. Lots of bolted slab. How come nobody complains about that wall?

 

Because it's not in the alpine lakes wilderness?

Edited June 5, 2007 by robmcdan

[mattp]

It is in the Boulder River Wilderness, though.

[kevbone]

Also, as a side note I just climbed Green Giant Buttress last weekend and found the climbing very similar to Infinite Bliss. Lots of bolted slab. How come nobody complains about that wall?

 

Because JH has not found out about it yet.

[richard_noggin]

my hope is that when that comet strikes the earth in 2012 and kills us all, that plows strait into IB and spares the alien archealogists of the future the same amoutn of bullshit...

 

might be good if it split up in the upper atmosphere too and a big chunk atomized the middle east also

 

and dollywood!

 

Yeah!!! The Mayan prophecie of the world becomeing cosmic dust in 2012

We are all domed!!!!

The end is neer BY BY

:wave:DICK

 

[JosephH]

And was it bolted before or after IB...?

[mattp]

Dreamer was originally established about 1980 or so. The most recent bolting activity up there has been some installation of rappel/belay anchors, but I'm not sure anybody has done any of that or any bolt replacement in the last couple of years.

[kevbone]

And was it bolted before or after IB...?

 

I was joking....but why would it matter?

[RideT61]

Bolts, If you place them, they will come... and complain (too close, too far, blah blah blah).

[JosephH]

I was joking....but why would it matter?

 

It's worth tracking the genealogy of these alpine theme parks...

[kevbone]

I was joking....but why would it matter?

 

It's worth tracking the genealogy of these alpine theme parks...

 

I understand. But are you going to be the alpine theme park police?

[G-spotter]

Q2: Why are there so few bolts from pitch 13 to pitch 17?

 

My guess is they became aware of the enormity of the job and that to ever finish they'd have to limit the number of bolts.

 

Or maybe 512dude was off route

[512dude]

I am sorry but I will not be posting any larger images of my girlfriend climbing in her bikini.

 

Find yer own!

[David Trippett]

you tease!