Official Rebolting and Route Hardware suggestion thread

[climberdude]

Munge,

I have not tried the 4-point drill yet in granite, but will try it compared to a single point when the snow leaves the higher elevations.   (Or, I could go drill holes in the granite boulder outside of Metalmark Gym that has hangers for attaching dog leashes to, heh, heh, heh!)  Note that every place I have drilled in granite, I use a cordless power drill so efficiency is not a concern (although I do have an area in mind to bolt in a wilderness area where I will have to use hand drilling next year).

I have not tried the 4-point Hilti drills I bought yet at the Pinnacles, but used a 4-point drill that Gavin let me borrow earlier this year to put in an anchor bolt on one of the climbs on The Old Man.  I did this after getting frustrated with how slow and poor the drilling was with my two point drill (Brad was drilling with Gavin's drill right next to me).  I also go the 4-point drill because the 4-point drill produces a cleaner hole, i.e., less diameter variations, as well as prevents cracking of the rock around the surface while drilling.

JC, that picture looks exactly like my Hilti drills.

[JC w KC redux]

I also go the 4-point drill because the 4-point drill produces a cleaner hole, i.e., less diameter variations, as well as prevents cracking of the rock around the surface while drilling.
JC, that picture looks exactly like my Hilti drills.

Yep, the specs are probably very similar.
I agree that the 4 point is easier to get a clean hole started without cratering and there seems to be less binding.
The trick for me with either style bit to avoid cratering is to go easy at the start and continue easy until you get some depth.
I'm not sure the 4 point is any faster but I think it is more efficient.
I have been trying to let the tools do the work instead of fighting it all the time.

[Brad Young]

...making it confusing for uneducated white trash idiots like me.

...I have been trying to let the tools do the work instead of fighting it all the time.

Inconsistent statements (and the first one is just ridiculous). 

[climberdude]

"uneducated white trash like me"  - I doubt that!

[NOAL]

I have been trying to let the tools do the work instead of fighting it all the time.

No way! Fighting it is waaay more entertaining!  It's craaatering! It's binding!!!! ArGHHH! @#%$!!! Shorty? Shorty?

[clink]

 I thought of a descriptive insult for JC today. Instead of annoyingly posting it, I called him at home to deliver it personally.

 I have no climbing related content to deliver, other than JC has directed me to think of something in the sun to climb on Sunday.

[mynameismud]

that last hole was horrible.

[JC w KC redux]

I replaced a few bolts over the weekend.

Saturday Kat and I went to Casino Rock and I replaced the old single bolt anchor on the 4th Class Backside Route.

Someone had added a wedge bolt a couple feet away from the old bolt. This wedge bolt looks like a Powers brand Power wedge and is probably between 2 and 2 1/2 inches long with a Petzl hanger. I am speculating as to the brand and length based on the letter B stamped into the end of the stud.

I replaced the old, loose 3/8 x 2" Star Dryvin. The Star Dryvin was installed with the sleeve underneath the hanger and the nail was sticking up between a 1/4 and a 1/2 inch. It pulled easily and I drilled out and reused the hole.

Yesterday I went out with Brad to a recently discovered old route - Tutor Rock/Private Lessons

I replaced the anchor which consisted of a buttonhead (1/4 x 1 1/2”) and a 1/4 x 2” stud - both were compression bolts on Leeper hangers.

I was able to drill out the old holes for the Replacement bolts. Just a bit of work and BOOM! - yer dun. 

[JC w KC redux]

I was on the west side Friday to do a little rebolting and climbing.

I replaced a second anchor bolt on Passion Play.

There is still one old star dryvin with a good SMC hanger above the replacement anchor.

There is also an added wedge bolt (unreported) to the left of the two replacements I did.

The unreported/added bolt is a Fixe wedge with Stainless hanger but there is no way to tell whether it is a single or double wedge or what the length is. I torqued it to 25 foot pounds but could not in good conscience leave that bolt as one of the main anchor bolts.

The anchor originally consisted of three star dryvins with good SMC hangers. Two of those three have now been replaced.

I went to The Shepherd next at Max's suggestion (a while back).

There is also a new plated rawl style bolt on top of the Shepherd with a link on it. The bolt looks like a much better anchor than the old one. However, the link on this new bolt and the link on the old bolt does not facilitate a rappel, as both links are laying flat, not perpendicular.

The added bolt is a non stainless/carbon steel sleeve bolt and Fixe hanger. The bolt is a 5 piece and it looks like the old style from Powers (3 raised ridges in a spoke-like pattern on the bolt head). It is 3 inches long (D code on the bolt head).
I didn't check the torque but it is nice and tight, as is the original anchor bolt. The original anchor bolt is a long 5 piece carbon steel sleeve bolt. The hanger on that one is a Metolius (stainless) so there is some light rust on the washer from the mixed metals. Both bolts are oriented to belay the Regular Route. There were single screwlinks on both bolts and since this formation is designated as a walkoff, I removed those links and will re-use them elsewhere.

I (and others) would greatly appreciate it if the person or persons adding anchor bolts to climbs on the west side would bring it up for discussion on this forum before making any changes. I know of a couple other spots where anchor bolts have been added. Old Original has a belay bolt at the start of pitch one and a belay bolt was also added to Came in Second at The Game Show area. Both of these bolts and their hangers are carbon steel.    

[JC w KC redux]

I forgot to mention that when I was working on Passion Play I noticed that the nuts and washers have been removed from the Highline anchor on Big Bad West.

[JC w KC redux]

Kat and I went to the Toes yesterday.
We climbed the South Toe and then I replaced the lead bolt and the anchor.

Someone added an anchor bolt. As far as I could tell, it is a stainless sleeve bolt with a no name brand stainless hanger. It had a 3/8 screw link and a carbon steel rap ring. I loosened it and rotated the hanger to equalize with my ASCA replacement bolt and tightened it back down. It was flush and tight, so I decided it should be okay with my replacement bolt. If anyone knows anything about it, it would be nice to know the history. I added a screwlink and single link of chain to my bolt.

After I replaced the anchor I decided to replace the lead bolt. The lead bolt is three quarters of the way up the route, not about halfway up as stated in the guidebook. The hanger was loose. The bolt was a short 3/8 star dryvin with the sleeves incorrectly installed under the Leeper hanger.

The nail came out with almost no effort after getting it started with the tuning fork.
The sleeves and lead sleeve slipped out easily, all in one piece.

I plan to go back and rebolt the anchor on the North Toe on our next trip out.   
I could only see one old bolt on the North summit with a piece of tied cord and an old oval biner.
The hanger looks like a Leeper.

[JC w KC redux]

Here are some updates on the South Toe and new info on the North Toe

Kat and I went to the Toes yesterday.
We climbed the South Toe and then I replaced the lead bolt and the anchor.
Here is the old anchor. Notice the homemade hanger and huge space under the allen drop-in bolt.

I removed the old single anchor allen bolt and torqued the lead bolt and the anchor replacement.

Someone added an anchor bolt. As far as I could tell, it is a stainless sleeve bolt with a no name brand stainless hanger. It had a 3/8 screw link and a carbon steel rap ring. I loosened it and rotated the hanger to equalize with my ASCA replacement bolt and tightened it back down. It was flush and tight, so I decided it should be okay with my replacement bolt. If anyone knows anything about it, it would be nice to know the history. I added a screwlink and single link of chain to my bolt.

I didn't have my reading glasses last weekend but I made sure I had them yesterday. The bolt is a 3/8 x 2 1/4 Powers SS sleeve bolt with a Pagan Gear 24kN hanger. I torqued the bolt to spec. It tightened up nicely.

After I replaced the anchor I decided to replace the lead bolt.

The lead bolt is a comfort when you finally get to it when leading the South Toe.
It is better not to think about what will happen to you if you fall leading the North Toe with this same bolt clipped but it is all you've got.

I plan to go back and rebolt the anchor on the North Toe on our next trip out.   
I could only see one old bolt on the North summit with a piece of tied cord and an old oval biner.
The hanger looks like a Leeper.

The North Toe had a single anchor bolt. It was a 2 1/2 inch star dryvin with a Leeper hanger. I pulled that bolt and drilled out the hole for the replacement bolt. I placed another bolt about a foot away and added screwlinks and a link of chain to each. The rappel is set up to go off the back side.

Both of The Toes now have two bolt anchors (upgraded from single bolt anchors) and both are equipped for rappel.
The North Toe rappel has some PO over to the left. It's easily avoided by snaking the rope down.

Both routes and both rappels can be done with a 30 meter rope - and they are both fun albeit a bit runout.

[JC w KC redux]

clink told me he climbed Swallow Crack on Sunday and one of the fixed pins was missing - I believe he said it was the upper one. He also mentioned that Caleb placed a cam in the rusty hole. Care to confirm and share clink?

[JC w KC redux]

clink told me he climbed Swallow Crack on Sunday and one of the fixed pins was missing - I believe he said it was the upper one. He also mentioned that Caleb placed a cam in the rusty hole. Care to confirm and share clink?

Well...evidently clink has nothing to say or just missed this post.

I got my copy of the Richards guide yesterday and am getting a big kick out of reading what he has to say. The dude has a good sense of humor and injects it pretty frequently. I also enjoyed reading my Roper guide.

From Richards;

A dead giveaway for the pinnacles novice is to be caught clinking along the trail swathed in several ropes and bandoleers of hanging steel. Clean climbing never found a controversy here; the breccia rock is soft by nature, the cracks are even softer and with rare exceptions pitons are useless. Less than 10 percent of the current climbs require pitons (most  of this number are Discovery Wall aid climbs) and perhaps future years will see the complete elimination of pins.
Bolts are the Pinnacles protection and by their permanent nature, contribute to the climbing delight.



 

[JC w KC redux]

I can't believe clink has never responded to my last post.
I discovered some other very interesting things while reading the Richards guide.

In other news, last week I had another one of my Petzl Rocpecs fail. The spring broke.
I was pretty surprised it happened, since I had only been using that holder for about a year.
Luckily Petzl is standing behind their product and is sending me a replacement.
I started carrying an extra holder after the first one fell apart when I was rebolting The Proctor.

That is one nice thing about the Rocpec - it is so light you don't even know the extra one is in the bag.

[clink]

Yep, missed your posts.

Upper pin on Swallow is gone. Hope whoever has it breaks both legs and a few ribs.

I still on occasion will go clinking down the trail, although without the distinct sound that the hexes make. I still hunt for the rare exception at Pinns for pins.

Richards guide is great. Our guide that we learned to climb with. Same could be said of Ropers green guides for Yosemite and the High Sierra.

Why hasn't my rocpec broken? Don't gamble on the Proctor.

[JC w KC redux]

Yep, missed your posts.
Upper pin on Swallow is gone. Hope whoever has it breaks both legs and a few ribs.

Time for a bolt or does the pin scar work for a cam? Maybe an offset alien?

I still on occasion will go clinking down the trail, although without the distinct sound that the hexes make. I still hunt for the rare exception at Pinns for pins.

You can borrow my hexes 

Richards guide is great. Our guide that we learned to climb with. Same could be said of Ropers green guides for Yosemite and the High Sierra.

Yes. I didn't want to spend the money on it at first but the copy I got is pristine and the read was a real treat.

Why hasn't my rocpec broken? Don't gamble on the Proctor.

jinx 

[clink]

There are multiple placements for gear near the old missing pin. I will replace the pin because it is fucking history and a good placement. Unless whoever took the original is reading this and puts it back. If a pin is cracked or rusted out, it is fine to replace it. At Pinnacles pins are part of the route history and should remain, whether they are driven or bolted on. RK hangers as well.

[mynameismud]

I agree that pins are history at the Pins but some people do not.  I think they figure if they can place their own protection that is a better option.  For those of us who started climbing with pins they seem bomber, some those have have never used pins think they are dangerous.  I have no idea who or why it is gone but someone may have thought they were doing a good thing.  I see no issues with putting it back.  Perhaps they will take the hint.

[JC w KC redux]

There are multiple placements for gear near the old missing pin. I will replace the pin because it is fucking history and a good placement. Unless whoever took the original is reading this and puts it back. If a pin is cracked or rusted out, it is fine to replace it. At Pinnacles pins are part of the route history and should remain, whether they are driven or bolted on. RK hangers as well.

Good to know about the gear placements - because of that I wouldn't replace the pin and besides, the real chunk of history is gone once the old piece is removed.
I know we have all had a discussion about pin replacement before.
The main problem with that is the high cost and having to supply them personally - then the possibility that someone will cause them to get loose or find one loose and remove it. One way to really torque on stuff is to lower the leader off a climb. That tends to put a lot of weird forces on bolts and pins when the rope comes tight - especially if the line isn't straight up.

Old hangers are cool too but unfortunately that old hardware eventually will get replaced.