new route standard or guidelines
new route standard or guidelines
Hello everyone,
It seems from time to time we argue about the creation of a route (too many bolts, too few bolts, natural anchors, fixed anchors, sport +, barley bolts vs. normal, glue, drilling holds, plastic holds, acceptable run outs, rope lengths to anchors, distance between climbs, tree removal, winching trees out of cliff etc)
It also seems that new routes and areas are always being created.
I was wondering if there was a standard/guideline for building a route (and if not maybe we should have something on this site). I recognise that this would not really be for those who have been doing it for a long time, it would be geared more for the newbies who are building a route for the first time.
If you head to the NSMB site (the mtn bikers bike porn site). They have guidelines for building trails (I.e drainage, what materials to use to build bridges, concept of flow etc). The site does not say "thou must, or I will chop!" Instead it provides some basic ideas on how to build and what should be built.
If one heads to Kalymnos, they have done a similar thing regarding the creation of sport routes (in regards to the first bolts placed on a climb).
Now I know to retro-bolt one must receive the permission of the original route creator. However, wouldn't it be wise to have something on this site stating what the ideal would be so that the original route setter got it closer to an ideal state on the first go..
Of course as many mtn bike trail builders have stated "you can still build it like sh*t, and watch it grow over and be forgotten".
And then again maybe I am blind and there is already a "standard" to what should be built in Squamish. IF so what is it?
It seems from time to time we argue about the creation of a route (too many bolts, too few bolts, natural anchors, fixed anchors, sport +, barley bolts vs. normal, glue, drilling holds, plastic holds, acceptable run outs, rope lengths to anchors, distance between climbs, tree removal, winching trees out of cliff etc)
It also seems that new routes and areas are always being created.
I was wondering if there was a standard/guideline for building a route (and if not maybe we should have something on this site). I recognise that this would not really be for those who have been doing it for a long time, it would be geared more for the newbies who are building a route for the first time.
If you head to the NSMB site (the mtn bikers bike porn site). They have guidelines for building trails (I.e drainage, what materials to use to build bridges, concept of flow etc). The site does not say "thou must, or I will chop!" Instead it provides some basic ideas on how to build and what should be built.
If one heads to Kalymnos, they have done a similar thing regarding the creation of sport routes (in regards to the first bolts placed on a climb).
Now I know to retro-bolt one must receive the permission of the original route creator. However, wouldn't it be wise to have something on this site stating what the ideal would be so that the original route setter got it closer to an ideal state on the first go..
Of course as many mtn bike trail builders have stated "you can still build it like sh*t, and watch it grow over and be forgotten".
And then again maybe I am blind and there is already a "standard" to what should be built in Squamish. IF so what is it?
One of the pages in the front of the McLane guide has a "standard" of sorts.
Most of it is common sense:
Don't place a bolt within clipping distance of a protectable crack unless you have a good reason, like, say, the crack is a loose flake or is bigger than your biggest cam or whatever other excuse is the standard-excuse-of-the-day
Do a good job of scrubbing, don't leave it half-dirty
Don't place bolts on highball boulder problems. Do them with pads instead
Don't clean out something that will be dirty again next year, it's a waste of time. Clean something that will stay clean enough to get traffic.
If you have to kill a tree make sure you do it right. Don't leave some rotting stump sticking out of a crack halfway up your route.
Use quality gear for fixed gear. No 1/4" bolts or non-stainless hardware or two links of random chain. It's best if you use gear that can be replaced when it reaches its useable lifespan, too (like hangers that can be taken off and have new ones put back on instead of glue-in rings as a top anchor) because 20 years down the road it probably won't be you that renovates your route.
Most of it is common sense:
Don't place a bolt within clipping distance of a protectable crack unless you have a good reason, like, say, the crack is a loose flake or is bigger than your biggest cam or whatever other excuse is the standard-excuse-of-the-day
Do a good job of scrubbing, don't leave it half-dirty
Don't place bolts on highball boulder problems. Do them with pads instead
Don't clean out something that will be dirty again next year, it's a waste of time. Clean something that will stay clean enough to get traffic.
If you have to kill a tree make sure you do it right. Don't leave some rotting stump sticking out of a crack halfway up your route.
Use quality gear for fixed gear. No 1/4" bolts or non-stainless hardware or two links of random chain. It's best if you use gear that can be replaced when it reaches its useable lifespan, too (like hangers that can be taken off and have new ones put back on instead of glue-in rings as a top anchor) because 20 years down the road it probably won't be you that renovates your route.
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