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Lead Bolting Ethics....


marc_leclerc

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Alas! The Bolt Princess emerges!! With nothing less than a top shelf copy of True Inspiration. Dashing bravado, shirtless men riding arabian stallions, and umbrella's for the sun! And duh, He never watched where he was going because he couldn't see. Leave that guy alone and go pick on someone else. HE CAN'T SEE. BECAUSE HE'S BLIND. HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HIS SHIRT DOESN'T HAVE BUTTONS AND EVERYONE CAN SEE HIS BARE CHEST.JESUS, GIVE THAT A GUY A BREAK.

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Let's segue this thread and talk about 1/4" vs 12mm vs button-heads...

 

I like button-heads because they are just bomber but they take a hell of a guy to stand there all sketched out pounding away with rattly little hook barely holding on to that flake. Or maybe a little copper wedge keeping you steady just enough so you can get both hands free for 15 minutes whilst you go a pounding. If you don't get the hole straight in you're gonna feel sorry for the person who clips it and pulls it out. Or if you bend it, you might be setting someone up for breaking it clean off at the button on a whipper. Keep an eye out for them bent or loose button-heads.

 

The 1/4" are easier to pound in but after they rust out, you might as well be climbing with roofing nails. I'd feel even sorrier than the bent button-head bolt. Good for a first but probably not many more. The leading party should really head back up there and replace them after a couple of years of basking in their new glory. Besides, you have to find those custom hangers or cheat with a big washer.

 

12mm is cool but I seem to remember being way up there and realizing that bolt I thought was 5/16 was actually 12mm (or was it the other way around?). I distinctly remember a friend experiencing the same thing (but maybe not). Worse than all of the above because you know if you're gonna finish the climb, you're gonna have to move past it. If you match the right bit to bolt, 12mm are probably the best thing going for hand drilling.

 

Sorry if any of this sounds suspect of tom foolery.

 

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12mm is cool but I seem to remember being way up there and realizing that bolt I thought was 5/16 was actually 12mm (or was it the other way around?). I distinctly remember a friend experiencing the same thing (but maybe not). Worse than all of the above because you know if you're gonna finish the climb, you're gonna have to move past it. If you match the right bit to bolt, 12mm are probably the best thing going for hand drilling.

 

 

 

??

 

One inch = 25.4mm

12mm ~ 1/2"

5/16" = 8mm

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Most of my routes i have done ground up, but only because its neccassary in thailand, and on limestone karsts. I have done some ground up routes here, but only a handfull- beacuse I can rap walls here. I like to tag a haul line with me- thin cheap nylon from ace hardware or something.... climb, go indirect to your piece ( make sure where you drill is a good clipping position- that definetly takes practice on lead), have your ground person tie the shit on, haul it up, drill it, bang it in, clip it, proceed). most drills can take some abuse if you fall.. iv'e taken a 20 footer in a limestone dihedral while proceeding to drill, when my hook blew- i'll post a photo of just prior to that moment actually! thats some f'n adventure dude! But* Around here it's so easy to rap into stuff and make a quality route, why not? it's about quality, not being bad ass, so you shouldnt contrive it (or make yourself do someting unneccessary).. in other words if you can, why the fuck not. people dogg on routes that are squeeze jobs, suck, over bolted, contrived, don't complement existing routes in an area, etc. you can rap bolt a route and be proud of it, so long as you took your time to make sure your doing a TITS job. Make it safe for other climbers, and at the same time an "adventureous" lead. there is a balance, and every line is different.

 

I bolted some RIDICULOUS shit when I first got started. Until I learned to save my bolts for the good shit, which takes a little more effort to find most of the time. You should get ahold of other climbers that frequent that crag, and see if they agree with your idea. they just might.

 

sometimes you can aid it by- installing the first bolt, clip it with a draw and the rope as normal, add an additional short sling to the bolt, stand in that sling *only with the tip of your shoe and without actully going indirect because if so that static fall will SUCK, use the tension of your lead rope to your advantage and try to drill! on lower angle routes that have a traversing nature this works great.

 

I dont know how deep those pockets are you speak of, but tri cams work great in many pockets. Bottom line, just put up good routes dude. Have fun, and thanks!

 

 

 

thailand_dihedral3.JPGthailand_dihedral.JPGthailand_dihedral2.JPG

Edited by Frankazoid
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