bad bolt - ellies sweet kiss, exit 38

[markwebster]

FYI:

There is a bad bolt on "ellie's sweet kiss" 5.10a, exit 38, interstate park cliff. It is about the 4th bolt up. When I grabbed it, it wiggled badly. I not talking about a spinning hanger, the shaft is moving an eight of an inch in the hole. I clipped it anyway as the bolts are about 10 feet apart there. On the way down, I pulled on it, thinking I'd just pull it out since you can see it from the ground. It's not quite ready to come out, but I didn't try very hard.

 

It's one of those new stainless steel bolts. The head is unusual. It's not a nut. It's a round disk, about the size of 4 stacked pennies. It has a hole, and may be threaded, but I couldn't tell. I have no idea how this bolt works. But it's very dangerous right now.

 

Of the three bolts at the rap station on top, 2 are shaking in their holes. I hand tightened one of them. The anchor bolts look to be about 0.5" diameter, normal nuts.

 

Love the route by the way. Great moves on a bunch of overhanging choss that looks like it ought to rain death on bystanders, but is secure...for now..except for the bolts.

 

I'm going back to trad.

[shaoleung]

I was looking at that one a few weeks ago, thinking it was interesting and apparently solid! It looks similar to a Petzl expansion bolt(the beefier/better version of the old star dryvins)... except that the stack of pennies has no taper on it, right?

 

Amazing that it is so bad now. Does anyone have a picture of one for an ID?

 

 

[markwebster]

no taper on the "stack of pennies". Its definitely not one of those old quarter inch button heads with the lead tapered disk holding the hangar on the shaft. I used to see those in the late seventies.

 

It's a modern stainless bolt that has gone bad. There are several others of the same type on the route, but they are still tight.

[Rad]

Thanks Mark.

 

That needs to be fixed soon as that route sees a LOT of traffic. It would be best if the developer would fix them...

 

Failing that, I'm working on a few routes in the area and could possible put in new Hilti KB3 3/8 stainless bolt(s) if needed, but I probably can't get out there until next week.

 

Please update this thread when bolts are fixed. Otherwise, someone should put a note at the base of the route warning people of the bolt status. Thanks.

 

And if you are philosophically opposed to bolts or maligned against x38 then feel free to post in one of the thousands of anti-bolt threads on this site.

[dom]

i did ellie's sweet kiss 2 days ago and didn't notice anything wrong with the bolts except for a spinning hanger on one of them, which is pretty common. In my opinion its nothing to be concerned about, it shouldn't stop you from getting on this great route.

[counterfeitfake]

i did ellie's sweet kiss 2 days ago and didn't notice anything wrong with the bolts... In my opinion its nothing to be concerned about

 

So what makes your opinion valuable? We just had a firsthand account of a bolt wiggling when touched. Do you have anything that is actually worthwhile to add, or should we just conclude you trust bolts as much as your average sport-cragger?

[dom]

My opinion is valuable becasue it is a 2nd opinion of someone who has actually climbed the route recently. Which I think makes my opinion is more valuable than yours. I'm not saying the bolt didn't wiggle when whoever climbed it, I just think its not really a big issue. I went back again a few days ago and a friend climbed it, I told him to check out the bolts on his way up, and he thought they were fine.

[shaoleung]

While it's hard to tell from avatars and screen names... Mark's a bad-ass and has drilled a few holes in his time. I think many would say he's got some serious street cred for bolt quality assessment. Your opinion is indeed important... just that Mark's has a little more weight behind it.

[G-spotter]

While it's hard to tell from avatars and screen names... Mark's a bad-ass and has drilled a few holes in his time. I think many would say he's got some serious street cred for bolt quality assessment. Your opinion is indeed important... just that Mark's has a little more weight behind it.

 

I think you meant to post that in this thread?

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/882666/1

 

[shaoleung]

Dude! I knew there was a thread for me! Thanks! There's always a helping hand when it comes to sword fighting on cascade!

[ilookeddown]

Bolt and rap station fixed today. Any more problems in the area just send me a PM.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[mattp]

Nice!

 

Did your inspection reveal a serious problem? Did you replace bolts or just tighten a nut or what?

[ilookeddown]

I went up with the person who put up the route. We found that the rap station just needed to be tightened up. The 4th bolt was not as loose as we thought it was going to be. It just needed the center to be tapped with a punch. The reason these unusual bolts were used is b/c the hangers have been stolen off this route a few times. I plan to climb the route later in the week after people have been up it a few times just to check to see if the bolt stays tight. If I find a problem it will be replaced.

[markwebster]

thanks for the compliment shaoleung! And thank you to ilookeddown for fixing the bolts. I've not placed any of the new bolts, only the old split shaft bolts so I wasn't sure whether tightening the rap bolts was the right thing to do.

 

As far as the 4th bolt, you tapped it with a punch? wow. Is there a website anywhere that has a diagram of how those strange bolts function? It's so weird because they have no nut, just that round disk, and possibly not even threads on the shaft.

 

Thanks for your work up there. There are so many selfless individuals who put up sport routes out of their own pockets. The sport monkeys who climb them seem to take them totally for granted, with no thought of the hardships and money spent on their behalf.

 

I spent a while talking with Leland Windham about the many routes he's put up. He is, or was, just a carpenter. His out of pocket expenses must be huge. I sent him a little money, need to do that again.

 

[shaoleung]

Just went back to visit Ellie. Sweet job on the bolts. Glad to see the lone bolt on the face just left of the start is gone too. You guys that pour time and money into keeping things square in the climbing areas are F#cking awesome. Thanks.

[Rick]

Yeah, A BIG THANKS to all who maintain these climbing area's that everybody enjoy's! I also donated a bunch of bolts, quick links and hangers that I had stashed away to Leland and he was much appreciative.

[lepiolet]

Ditto on the thanks for the work put into the routes at Exit 38. Climbed Ellie's for the first time yesterday with my 25- y/o son (yeah, I'm that old!) He lead it onsight, though I was topped. It's a great route and the bolts were great, at the right places, and we found all was tight.