We're flat broke, and the tens of 1000s of bolts in the Red aren't getting any newer!
That said, huge props to Blake for representin' us all at the big bolting conference this week out in Vegas... pull home some freshy gear, brah!!!
P.S.: Extra snaps to Brent "whine with his cheese" Dupree, Al "the Aliban" Dilluvio, Aaron "Rockhouse" Brouwer, and that crazy German carpenter Tom Richter for making personal donations this fall. Also to Brad Dallefield who gave me a harness, that was pretty sweet...and Rick & Liz Weber who subsidized the replacement of bolts on Prometheus and full inspection of all Muir steel draws back in September. Maybe Ricky Parks gave something too, and whoever else I forgot, I apologize.
If every visitor to the Red in the fall gave just 5 or 10 bucks our coffers would be overflowing. At this point, we got the hands and expertise, we just ain't gots the equipment.
Yes, something must be done indeed--like using your finger to check draws before you clip them, removing dangerous ones, or else just hanging your own. You have gone way over the top like some coked-up Master of Public Health student trying to design a thesis project to protect us all.
Yes, something must be done indeed--like using your finger to check draws before you clip them, removing dangerous ones, or else just hanging your own. You have gone way over the top like some coked-up Master of Public Health student trying to design a thesis project to protect us all.
I'm tending to agree... with Dustonian.
Pick myself up, stop lookin' back.
Grand Funk Railroad
No point in debating. You guys are entitled to your opinion. If there is no interest from the community it will play out without change. However, I will say this and then be done with debating it here...
We are all human, fallible, and rock climbing is already dangerous. I see no need to stack the odds against us by permitting a system that promotes increasing the inherent risks. Margarita had her sheath stripped after a climb at Rifle. What if the next episode is one of my friends or yours that missed "feeling" a sharp edge on a climb at the Red, falls on a ginsu biner, and dies. Experienced climbers have died from this. Of course there is always inherent risks that we all must accept by participating in this sport, but I see no reason to stack the decks against us even more so.
So, I think the current practices for fixed gear in the Red are due for an overhaul and I am willing to at least ask the community if they are ready too. If not, I will continue to take measures to minimize my personal risk.
I don't really understand what you are proposing Ian. That we pull all the draws from... Drive By right? Madness Cave? Dark Side? Bob Marley caves? Purgatory? Steel AND aluminum? Even if they're not sharp? Be specific. What about when draws come back and you, like the Crew, have moved on? This will continue to be a perennial problem, and in the long run, individuals need to be educated to cover their own asses and wipe themselves afterwards. You just can't keep the 2-3% from all those 10's of 1000s of visitors to the Red from leaving draws on hundreds of steep routes spread across dozens of crags here. That said, I totally agree that all the aluminum stuff needs to come off popular crags, for what that's worth. But I can't think of a single route that became "newly fixed" this season, except for two in Muir that are with steel and two at the Bright Side, also steel. Where are you seeing new proliferations of aluminum mank in the form of people leaving "project draws"?
BTW, Margarita's incident happened at Maple, which is loaded with aluminum mank. Rifle has enjoyed a hugely successful run of support from the local climbers and city council in getting over 90% of their routes outfitted with steel draws.
Last edited by dustonian on Thu Nov 15, 2012 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Havent been out there in awhile but watch the biners on Check Your Grip...a super heavy travelled climb with a very sandy base as well as a moderate grade seams like a disaster waiting to happen. That one seams like it wouldnt be to bad to hang and clean on your own draws to...Just a thought
Do you think the Petreus scandal is a smoke screen for some other debacle?
