Route Maintenance

[Sunshine]

I climbed at the Indy wall for the first time on Monday and had a lot of fun doing new routes. More new routes! We did five routes. The following is not intended as criticism of anyone. It is just a reminder that routes (even new routes) require attention from time to time. All the routes but one had at least one loose anchor bolt (two I could turn by hand). A few spinners along the way to the anchors and the last bolt (crux) on Happy Fisherman was pulled out about an 1/8". I just happened to have my trusty 9/16" off-set boxed end wrench with me. All the bolts on the five routes we did are now tight. I would guess the other routes could have loose bolts also. It is not uncommon for bolts to loosen over time, especially crux bolts that get hammered on pretty hard. If loose bolts are caught early and tightened this will prevent them from becoming spinners. I have said it before, if you are a sport climber you should carry a small wrench. That way instead of saying someone should tighten the loose bolt on....you can do it right then and there. And speaking of route maintenance, while your're hanging and tightening loose bolts, brush the holds. That is, if you use chalk.

[J-Rock]

Hey Terry, thanks for the help with the route maintenance. We tightened quite a few bolts ourselves when we visited the southern regions. T bone and I are in the process of checking all of the bolts in Muir Valley. We had not yet made it to the Indy Wall. If you could send us a pm stating which routes you tightened (then we won't need to check them) then that would be really cool.

Personally I crank the shit out of the bolts when I put them in and so far I have only found one loose bolt on a route that I put up. A few times I've even tightened them so hard that I broke the rock or created cracks and I ended up placing another bolt. Also, we have often noticed people improperly clipping into the anchor bolts (clipping into the hanger rathter than the ring) and thus creating a "loosening" torque on the left anchor bolts. Over time bolts will loosen and they will be retightened. Thanks again.

[Sunshine]

No. Thank you!

[Stewy911]

what size wrench should be carried? do the bolt sizes vary or they all standard pretty much?

[Meadows]

9/16" off-set boxed end wrench

[KD]

Is a 9/16th the standard size wrench to carry for this?

[squeezindlemmon]

I personally like the socket wrench bec it gives you room for your knuckles so you don't scrape them while tightening bolts.

Thanks guys!

[Sunshine]

I personally like the socket wrench bec it gives you room for your knuckles so you don't scrape them while tightening bolts.

Thanks guys!

I use a ratchet and socket for bolting new routes. It stays in my bolting kit. I carry the much lighter and cheaper 9/16" (to save my knuckles) off-set boxed-end wrench on my pack for route maintenance.

[cassio598]

Also, we have often noticed people improperly clipping into the anchor bolts (clipping into the hanger rathter than the ring)

Really? Not only have I never heard that, I've never seen it either? I'm not trying to make a judgement here, I'm just surprised. I assume you mean when lowering off, but does it make a difference if the next people are going to lead vs. tr? Where might I find info on this?

[Artsay]

I have a question about some anchors I saw this past weekend at Muir...
On Air-Ride Equipped and the project just left of Lip Service there were these anchors that were a thick wire of sorts. What's that all about? I've never seen anything like it before.