To bolt or not to bolt: That is the question

Gaston? High Step? Drop Knee? Talk in here.

Would you bolt a sketchy crack/seam?

Poll ended at Fri Sep 25, 2009 4:06 am

Yes
24
49%
No
20
41%
Say no to crack
5
10%
 
Total votes: 49

sendit
Posts: 299
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:41 pm

Post by sendit »

I voted "no" to the question in the poll. It just doesn't seem worth it from the little bit of info provided. If you found some obscure crack in the middle of nowhere why waste the time and energy?

If you got the itch to do some bolting, I'd second Rhunt, go out and upgrade some existing sketchy bolts on established sport routes. It may be less glorious but many more people will probably benefit than from some random dirty seam equipped with shiny new bolts.
It would also suck to go back to your crack someday to see the bolts chopped by some strong mo like sandman who cruised it on gear.
all you haters die slow.
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clif
Posts: 1731
Joined: Thu Dec 25, 2008 9:24 pm

Post by clif »

well, speaking as a homogeneous homosapien from harmonious home,
with small slcd these days isn't the idea of 'sketchy nuts' a trad ethic throwback?

variety is good. so is head and shoulders.

but when i think about bolts v. clean gear, with history taken both as a reflective source of perspective and a lens to the future, i think of the 'compressor' route and the stag anchor bolts poking out of the rock at the top of awol or crazy fingers or the other ten there...what will it look like in another 15 years?

or, with clean pro.

also, maintenance and reliability.

style can be understood as simply a measure of climbing strength and boldness or, additionally, consideration of the rock and other people. pimps had a bad reputation because of their exploitative use in pursuit of vain glorification (they had style).

with apologies to snoop.
sklag
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Nov 02, 2008 3:07 pm

Post by sklag »

Yeah pimps got a bad name becuz they don't consider others, and they steal your money, and beat you up in front of their hookers... They are bold and sometimes meth-strong. Not that I'd know or anything.
Comfort is a mindset.
JR
Posts: 1128
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:18 pm

Post by JR »

sendit wrote:I voted "no" to the question in the poll. It just doesn't seem worth it from the little bit of info provided. If you found some obscure crack in the middle of nowhere why waste the time and energy?
I think that I have seen this crack in question. It is not in the middle of nowhere. To me the line is worthwhile.
If you got the itch to do some bolting, I'd second Rhunt, go out and upgrade some existing sketchy bolts on established sport routes.

This sounds retarded to me. This MADMIKE is psyched on an FA and you are telling him to go replace bolts????
It may be less glorious but many more people will probably benefit than from some random dirty seam equipped with shiny new bolts.
Ironic. Last time I checked I saw some ink on Blake Bowling for replacing X amount of hardware at the Red. And I have never read boo about Pigsteak bolting X amount of shiny new routes.
It would also suck to go back to your crack someday to see the bolts chopped by some strong mo like sandman who cruised it on gear.
It would suck. It would suck to be the guy that went around correcting other peoples bolting decisions.

Having said that. I personally don't think this crack in question falls under the heading "seam". I would NOT bolt it.
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Jeff
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 6:40 pm

Post by Jeff »

"Having said that. I personally don't think this crack in question falls under the heading "seam". I would NOT bolt it."

Have you been on it?
JR
Posts: 1128
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:18 pm

Post by JR »

No. I have not been on it. Saw it Monday.
I think of a seam as something you couldn't possibly get your fingers in. This thing looks like a nice crack climb. Unfortunately the crack doesn't reach the ground or the top of the cliff. Hence, the debate. To me this would be like bolting GoodStone out at Funk Rock. It is sort of the same deal.
Jay
Posts: 498
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:17 pm

Post by Jay »

Alright, enough already-

Where's this "seam" at?
"Always carry a large flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake." -W.C. Fields
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

It does look like a great crack and I haven't been on it either, so it's hard to say if it seems out towards its end or not.
Just going by Madmikes description, who has been on it. Might give it a tr go this weekend.
JR
Posts: 1128
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:18 pm

Post by JR »

Its at the Vanilla Factory, aka Chocolate Factory Left. Just right of the two new kick ass 11d sport routes that Pigsteak and SCIN authored Wobbler and Sign of the Stalker.

Good luck Jeff. I hope you guys send.
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Jeff
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Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 6:40 pm

Post by Jeff »

Thanks JR. Hope there is some "play time" between the work.
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