Mank Patrol

[Tradrenn]

Who Needs Bolts @ B&F, nut and hanger is missing from the anchor.

Dirty Dicky @ Papoose could use a bolted anchor instead of sling around the tree.

[pinner]

Climbed Wonderland on the Smoke Bluffs Wall today, belaying off the bolts above the final wide-hand crack after the belly-crawl ledge. The left bolt is a loose tooth.

Ton of rope drag having the bolts that far back from the edge too, probably better to use the tree there anyway...

[Tenn]

all the talk of NNA reminded me...the fixed lines on the lower NNA are pretty beat. That's probably an accident waiting to happen.

[jefffski]

I had a long talk with robin about his anchors. He agreed that I could share what he told me. I also suggested that he share his point of view publicly, but he he didn't wish to.

first, his brother is an acknowledged anchor expert.

his cv is here:
http://www.sbmasystems.com/anchorman/html/technical.htm

tony agrees that robin's anchors are safe.

Robin buys 3/8" stainless steel bolts from Hilti.

The chains are galvanized steel with a breaking strength of 4,000 lbs.

Robin does not like to use Fixe anchors because they are expensive, over engineered and obstrusive.

Robin believes that anchors should be present but not visible from a distance. Unlike traditional climbing anchors, Barley's are dull or rock coloured and not as, Robin says, "a blight".

He explained that at belays where the climber can comfortably stand, and use two hands to set a rappel, he places one link free. The climber can anchor to one link and thread the rope through the same link. Otherwise, he places three free links, so that the climber can hang on one link and thread the rappel rope through the other.

I was glad I had the chance to talk with Robin. He was eager to share his thoughts, and would do so with anybody who has the time to ask.

I am also eager to read of others' opinions on his views.

I am not in regular contact with him, so please do not ask me to ask him. Go ahead and ask him yourself.

This post is an effort to share what he told me and I am open to hearing other points of view.

Finally, as a climber who does not set routes, i am always grateful to those who spend countless hours and money helping me enjoy climbing. Thank you.

[pinner]

I've definitely had times where threading both the rope and a biner through one of Robin's links is impossible.

Other than that, having the new insight you've just provided jefffski, Robin's anchors sound great. In the past, having trusted them less as they appear a little shady, I was always nonetheless grateful for and amazed by Robin's prolificacy.

After spending a summer in Skaha, if you don't appreciate Barley bolts, there's something wrong with ya!

[Dru]

Speaking of Tony Barley, he just died!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=368435

[jefffski]

my condolences to robin and hi family.

[slopr]

the bolt on the 2nd pitch (10B) of the Daily Planet seems to rattle in the wind. Anyone who has made it past the first pitch probably won't fall there but it is still pretty exciting to see it moving on it's own.

RE: rope drag/far away anchors on wonderland

"Ton of rope drag having the bolts that far back from the edge too, probably better to use the tree there anyway..."

The easiest way i've found to reduce the drag is to run out the final wide crack, then the rope just runs straight down over the edge, no drag and safer for the second too, if you place pro in the final easy crack and your second falls off the bellycrawl they will swing into the trees for sure, whatever works for you i guess...

[pinner]

I placed my last piece of gear about 2 meters before the end of the belly crawl - I was all out of anything big enough at that point. Long runners and all, still a fair bit of drag. Hard pulling, but mostly tough on the ol' rope - she was retired last week though. Goodbye Ruth!

[pinner]

Seconding the motion for some care to be given to the fixed lines on the lower North North Arete... they are a horrible manky mess, with half-eaten through cords, and even (for some unknown reason...) alpine butterflies for hand knots at some points that are close to flipping through. Being a hundred or two meters up on 75 degree slopes batmanning in flip-flops, those are gonna do somebody some damage someday.

[enchanted]

Breathe, the 12 on the Zoe wall at Murrin, needs a new first bolt hanger and nut. Just a a stud there now making it a little too exciting...

[Dru]

There was recently an incident at Index where two bolt hangers broke under load, the first of which was simply bodyweight from a climber hanging on it.

Here's a link to the interesting thread on cc.com, with pics:

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthr ... Post902857

Galvanic corrosion appears to be to blame, that and a coated (non-stainless) hanger made by Kong. I don't think those were ever used much on Squamish new routes?

[stephanemd]

I found few anchors on top of alexis who need to be replace! The bolts and the hangers are moving.
Thanks

[Dru]

Time to restart the Mank Patrol thread.

Nubile Woman has two very rusty bolts as the anchor. Stainless? SMC hangers. Bolts and nuts are non-stainless and heavily corroded.

[Tenn]

Pitches 2,3 and 4 on Cruel shoes have rusty protection and anchor bolts. Good candidate for a retro.

First two or three protection bolts on supercharger are pretty rusty.

Teetering on the brink of madness has some new stainless bolts - 1/4 inchers!