Beacon Rock: Note on anchors and 'loose' rocks

[froodish]

i went up the SE corner for the first time in the middle of september- it was my first time to beacon and it was great. and no, we didnt play jenga with any flake-stacks after the traverse pitch or trundle anything or cut any webbing. two things:

 

1. i didn't use that webbing because it was faded and unusual

 

Faded? Rubbish.

 

I was at that anchor in August when I did Jill's Thrill and it was bomber and barely faded at all. Another month wouldn't have faded those out.

 

2. since flake-by-flake descriptions are the norm around here, where did y'all place gear when headed for the (now loose?) horn on p3? i dont think we found any great gear until well up on the slab.

 

As kevbone notes, good medium nut placement about 10' above the belay. I usually place a nut there on a medium length runner, pull over right onto the slab, then motor up to the crack on the slab.

[letsroll]

i didn't use that webbing because it was faded and unusual- i mostly wondered...who puts little stamped medals on zip-tied anchors? the state park? the boy scouts? does it mean 1908? but seriously, I mostly thought the ziptie business just made it harder to inspect. i bet the anchor-screwers of late thought they were doing everyone a service.

Hmmm. With all due respect, I would posit that people looking at that anchor and thinking twice about it says more about the state of trad knowledge and experience today. The interpretation of "08" is a matter of basic common sense and at the very least should have conveyed the notion that it was an actively maintained anchor. There was nothing about the appearance of the anchor that should have given one pause from a materials standpoint. Two independent 1" sliding-X slings installed in 2008 would be solid to hang your car from for the next five years minimum. Testing has shown one inch milspec sling material is bomb after completely fading out to white, and the fading wasn't significant on the anchor in question. The tie-wraps keep the the tandem sliding-X slings paired and organized and they do actually afford all necessary inspection of the installation. BUT, you do have to some idea what you're looking at and some familiarity with the materials in question. That anyone would think they're better off replacing two independent slings and SS rings of any age with a badly installed single sling and ring combo (or just skipping the webbing and rings altogether) defies all notions of common sense and logic. Bottomline? However well intended, it was a bad judgment call from a trad climbing perspective and one that belies either rank inexperience, gross incompetence, or both. In either case it was done by someone who doesn't realize they have neither the experience nor judgment to be making such calls on such a public and well-travelled venue. But, c'est la vie.

 

What he said