I/we deployed a dozen shiny metal bits this past week.
My buddy Julius has been wanting to learn how to drill and rebolt, so I took him out for some training on Thursday 7-16-15.
We needed something easy in a non-threatening environment, so I decided doing some anchor work on accessible sites would be best.
We started on the Love Handles 3rd class route where there are two old anchor bolts – one mangled star dryvin and a 3/8” split shaft – both with Leeper hangers. This anchor appears to be from someone toproping the formation – although no TR routes exist in the guidebook. We also found a hangerless ¼” stud on the route. I replaced the star dryvin as a learning exercise - since there are so many of these bolts that still need replaced around the Monument. Julius got to drill part of the hole and observe all the removal and installation techniques. The pic I posted of Julius on the “How was your day dear” thread is from that day. The formation now has one new and one old (but seemingly still solid) anchor bolt. We proceeded to the hangerless ¼” stud and I showed Julius how to remove it. It popped relatively easily with the tuning fork – a 1½” long split shaft. It was good for him to see what one of these things looks like. We patched the hole.
Things were really starting to heat up and although I wanted to replace a bolt or two at the Spaceman Spiff anchors (clusters of star dryvins on SMC death hangers) - it was in full sun. We opted for Tourist Trap where I knew there was another short, easy, accessible project. There were two old belay bolts on opposite sides of a wide crack at the top of the easy ramp that leads to the true start of Nipple Jam. One star dryvin on a Leeper and one star with a death hanger. I had Julius replace the left one - from start to finish - and I did the right one. I was shocked by how easily both nails came out. There was no customary creaking sound and virtually no resistance. Julius had to extract the lead sleeve from his (good practice) but mine slid out all intact. Both nails looked like they just came out of the box – perfectly straight…disturbing. I felt particularly good about getting rid of these bolts since TT gets so much traffic.
Yesterday (7-19-15)
Noal and I worked ourselves to the limit replacing nine bolts on The Fast Lane.
We lucked out after a surprisingly hot, early approach as clouds moved in to produce overcast skies and light sprinkles over the course of the day.
This was a particularly difficult job because eight of the old bolts were 3/8” carbon steel wedge bolts. The anchor consisted of two rusty 3/8” wedge bolts with stainless SMC hangers – a few feet below the original single bolt anchor (a star dryvin with an SMC death hanger). The current anchor bolts were disturbingly close to each other. The hangers had obviously been replaced at some point. Five of the other route bolts also had replacement hangers. Unfortunately, none of those hangers could be reused because the holes are only 5/16”. We drilled a new anchor and then Noal got started on the route while I removed the old anchor components.
Three of the lead bolts I replaced were in lodestones (we normally try not to place bolts in lodestones), so those were relocated to adjacent good rock. Two of them were wedge bolts and one was a ¼”, 1 ½” long split shaft on a death hanger (bolt 2).
With an unknown FA – we speculated as to the origins of this route.
One of the “surprises” we found on this route was a 3 ½” star dryvin with a death hanger. I have NEVER seen a star dryvin that long in Pinns. Noal said he slid the nail out with his fingers after barely starting it with the tuning fork. We weren’t sure if there was a lead sleeve in the hole because our lag bolts for lead extraction are only good for 2 ½”(normally the longest stars in Pinns).