Official Rebolting and Route Hardware suggestion thread

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

It sounds like you guys got everything except the hangerless bolt on Threadbare. I updated the master list.
After a conversation with Brad some months back I wrote in ink in my guidebook on Needles' Eye - "Stay Away"
Bummer about the Gonzo tuning fork!

JC,

not sure if the hangerless bolt on Threadbare really protects anything meaningful.  After you get out of the chimney it would be a pretty ugly fall back into it if you came off.  Having said that it could probably stand to be replaced.

[clink]

a pretty ugly fall back into it if you came off

This is a test.

[JC w KC redux]

JC,
not sure if the hangerless bolt on Threadbare really protects anything meaningful.  After you get out of the chimney it would be a pretty ugly fall back into it if you came off.  Having said that it could probably stand to be replaced.

Isn't reflection wonderful?

[mungeclimber]

He is probably the 4th or 5th person to lead that 10a.  Funny I do not remember that one being runout.  I was thinking it was kind of short.  The name was supposed to be Agony of DaFeet because I had a pair of shoes that were a bit to small.

jaybro pic

[mynameismud]

nice drawing

[JC w KC redux]

Clink and I rebolted The Mollusk today - it now has a new lead bolt and a new anchor with chains.
The lone lead bolt came out disturbingly easy (a 2 1/2" star dryvin). One of the anchor bolts(another 2 1/2" star dryvin) also came out easier than expected - the whole thing came out in a single pull - including the lead sleeve. The other anchor bolt was a 1 7/8" long 1/4" split shaft showing no evidence of compression. There was an array of rotten slings that required no knife (easily torn by hand) and a single aluminum rap ring - Garbage out - stainless in - good for another century...

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

Clink and I rebolted The Mollusk today - it now has a new lead bolt and a new anchor with chains.
The lone lead bolt came out disturbingly easy (a 2 1/2" star dryvin). One of the anchor bolts(another 2 1/2" star dryvin) also came out easier than expected - the whole thing came out in a single pull - including the lead sleeve. The other anchor bolt was a 1 7/8" long 1/4" split shaft showing no evidence of compression. There was an array of rotten slings that required no knife (easily torn by hand) and a single aluminum rap ring - Garbage out - stainless in - good for another century...

You gotta love those Star Dryvins and 1/4" split shafts.  We should all be on our 5th or 6th life by now.  Thanks guys!

[clink]

Bruce or Waldo, are the Star Dryvins measured by the nail or shaft for length?

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

Bruce or Waldo, are the Star Dryvins measured by the nail or shaft for length?

That's a good question.  I have seen a lot of Star Dryvins where the nail was clearly shortened(cut off) to the same length as the sleeves.  I have also seen a lot of Star Dryvins where the nail is up to 1/2" longer than the sleeves.  Bottom line... I have seen too many Star Dryvins.

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

Just a quick observation on the proper size of Quick Links to use on chain.  I have placed and removed my fair share of quick links over the years from 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter.  What I have found is that anything less than 3/8" can have problems if the threads are rusted or clogged with grit.  Smaller than 3/8" there is a good possibility that if you have to really torque on the wrench you can bend the quick link in such a way that you won't be able to screw it back together if you want to use it.

Therefore, these days, I am trying to use 3/8" quick links wherever possible.

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

Clint and I went up and finished rebolting on the Sew What Needles.  I sucked it up and was able to get out the 3/8" Rawl split shaft (second protection bolt on the South Needle) and we replaced the chain setup on top of the South Needle with quick links and 3/8" chain.  We found the hangerless bolt mentioned in the description of Threadbare on the Middle Needle.  It turns out that the bolt is actually on the wall of the chimney on the South Needle.  We replaced that bolt.

We went over to Pipsqueak Pinnacle (nice new trail thanks to the volunteers at PCAD 2014!) and replaced the Leeper hangers on the three protection bolts and one anchor bolt on the Regular Route with SS Petzls.  The route had been rebolted some years ago by an unknown party using 3/8" x 3" plated Rawl/Powers 5-piece bolts.  They all looked in very good shape.

[Bruce Hildenbrand]

Clint and I were rebolting over in the Hanging Valley.  We replaced the four bolts on the North Goal Post and two bolts on top of the South Goal Post.  BTW, all six of these bolts were Star Dryvins and all them were improperly installed with the sleeves underneath the hanger.  Two of the bolts in the photo below were installed with the sleeves below the hanger because whomever put then in used a 1/4" hole hanger and only the nail will fit through that small of a hole.  Also, for some reason, the nails were bent indicating that whomever was placing them had some trouble getting them all the way into the drilled hole.

The four Star Dryvins on the North Goal Post were the shorties(2").  The two on the South Goal Post were long ones(2.5"), but they were placed about four feet apart so who knows what that was all about.  We put quick links and chain links on both anchors for rappel.

We then went over to Hidden Pinnacles and replaced the two lead bolts and two anchor bolts.  All of then were the old, aluminum-sleeved Star Dryvin like we found on Kaspareks and H&L.  Unlike those locations, these bolts were very hard to remove.  Also, does anyone know the make or manufacturer of the hangers(on the right in the photo).  We added quick links and chain links to the anchor for rappel.

[JC w KC redux]

Clint and I were rebolting over in the Hanging Valley. 
We then went over to Hidden Pinnacles

I'm getting rebolters envy
Thanks for getting rid of those dangerously placed stars. I updated the list.
We'll have to work our way over to that valley when we get enough of being deserted and neglected!

[JC w KC redux]

Kat and I rebolted the anchor on Little Flatiron today.
Brad's book does not say what's up there.
Rubine's 1995 book said 1/4" bolts with chains - WRONG! Not surprising since he also describes both routes on the formation as chimneys. The regular route in no way resembles a chimney - Brad's description of it is accurate.
There was one star dryvin with a thin Leeper hanger and a smash link. The star dryvin was improperly installed - just like the ones Bruce posted about in Hanging Valley. The sleeve was UNDER the hanger and also like what Bruce and Clint found - the nail was bent (indicating a too shallow hole) and the sleeve was mangled under the hanger. We installed a new two bolt anchor with chains set to rappel over the Regular Route.

[JC w KC redux]

I provided support for Jon, Noal and Missy while they climbed and rebolted the anchor on Toadstool today. There was one old star dryvin with an smc hanger and a real piece of history for the other bolt. It was a drilled out piton with a button head/rivet style bolt. Jon removed the star dryvin and patched the hole. The three mudstateers then proceeded to drill two new holes and placed a new anchor with chains. The old piton was left in place. Missy is supposed to send some pics.

[waldo]

Bruce or Waldo, are the Star Dryvins measured by the nail or shaft for length?

Clink, Jack and I always cut the ends off the Star nails. That way they were 1 & 7/8s inches from the top of the sleeve to the bottom.

[clink]

 I hope a pic of that pin/hager gets posted. It was an unusual pin. We had a "what would Bruce and Clint do?" discusion. Although few people will climb the Toadstool, the old pin will be a treat to see. Pulling and replacing old bolts is more complicated and intriguing than I imagined it would be. The relevance of the history of these early climbs at Pinnacles, as we repeat and restore them 50+ years later, is something to contemplate. Noal was referring to the references to "shoulder stands" on these freestanding and undercut pinnacles in his 1966 Roper guide.

 I have seen more knobs slung for "pro" in the last couple months than in my whole prior 35 years of climbing combined. Cook made me laugh yesterday when he commented that slinging knobs may only insure that a pile of rocks lands on you after cratering.

[mynameismud]

Interesting to mention the use of slings.  There was a time when I always carried a couple for tie offs.  Now I rarely carry them.  I think it was a good habit.

[NOAL]

Noal was referring to the references to "shoulder stands" on these freestanding and undercut pinnacles in his 1966 Roper guide.

I got the routes flip flopped.  Toadstool is rated 5.8 (no shoulder stand) and it says something like "make difficult moves for the first 10 feet." and I think if mentions another spot where you could do a shoulder stand and not have to do the chimney. The Mollusk
is rated 5.4 with a shoulder stand.

Toadstool=oldschool cool.

[JC w KC redux]

Noal onsighted the burly 5.8 solo on Toadstool - I'm still trying to figure out how the heck he did it!

clink and Noal drilled the new anchor

Original single bolt anchor on Toadstool - left for the sake of history - this thing is cool!




Missy has a request in for a screen name so I'll let her post anything else she likes - the above is a pic she took