We managed to get in a little bit of trail work and route maintenance this weekend too. John Cook and I re bolted Chimney Sweep. We also replaced three bolts on Generation Gap with Climberdude on Sunday.
Here's the old hardware from Chimney Sweep. We had two options - replace only the hangers (Leepers) or replace everything and preserve the route for at least another 100 years. We chose the latter option. One cool thing we were able to do was replace the carbon steel anchor bolt with a stainless bolt and reuse Jim's SMC stainless hanger. It had Jim's initials etched with a Dremel tool. It was really satisfying to walk away knowing we kept that history and updated the lead bolts with current state of the art. The other anchor bolt and hanger were already stainless.
Old carbon steel bolts with Leeper hangers
Jim's initials
One of the mid belay bolts on Generation Gap. There was a huge void behind the hanger making removal useless (for reusing the hole) so we left this one for the sake of history. Note the unusual lack of rust on the star dryvin (aluminum doesn't rust). This star dryvin bolt and homemade aluminum hanger are both 40 years old.
The other bolt was a star dryvin with an SMC death hanger. It was in a strange location on a huge ledge (at your feet). The Dude tapped it out using only a tuning fork - the entire thing came out in one piece.
It was a 2 inch nail. Pictured on the right. The old lead bolt snapped off while I was trying to pull it. The surface was majorly crooked - causing my puller tool to bend the bolt - so it snapped instead of coming loose as it should have. Sometimes they just snap from the amount of force too.
The old lead bolt as I found it - before I tried to pull it (the nut was barely on and the hanger floppy)
Here we are working away (me at the lead bolt, Noal and the Dude at the pitch one anchor/mid-belay)
