Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

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Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by squamish climber » Tue May 17, 2011 8:02 am

I received this email from the Smoke Bluffs Park Advisory Committee last night:
Eighteen months ago the Smoke Bluffs Comm. spearheaded a project to create a family , beginner group,friendly crag to take some pressure off Burgers and Fries. We selected the neglected Call it a Day and had the base machine graded as part of Loop Trail upgrades. SAS provided TR anchor hardware to be installed by SBP volunteer George Hanzal . The ever obliging Harry Young gave the crag a thorough cleaning and soon the intended user groups were using it on a regular basis. It is regrettable that some individual(s) has taken it upon themselves to render two of the stations unusable by angle grinding and hammering the hangers.Obviously this is extremely dispiriting to the hardworking volunteers, so I would ask that anybody who has concerns with any Park initiative to please contact the Smoke Bluffs Park Advisory Comm.of Council at the District of Squamish Parks Department
You have to wonder what's up with that?? Why would anyone vandalize a crag that was refurbished for the purpose of providing a friendly beginner/family crag?

Anybody know why these anchors were chopped/vandalized?
Let's hope if anybody has a problem with fixed gear or anchors they take it up with fellow climbers before going rogue.
Here's a shot of the crag being enjoyed by the climbers from the ACC

Image
Call It A Day climb in Sqamish by iwona_kellie, on Flickr
Dave Jones - site admin
When you reach the top, keep climbing -- Zen proverb

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gnarnaphobe
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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by gnarnaphobe » Wed May 18, 2011 6:43 am

That's F%$#$&^ Disrespectful!
Imaging how much funner this could be with booze and explosives

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by c-plus » Wed May 18, 2011 8:34 am

what could possibly be the motivation for doing that?? was there a tree near the top and somebody took issue with not simply using it as the station? even if there're good cracks at the top, no beginner is going to build a gear belay so that would be a weak excuse.

and the whole angle grinder business seems pretty amateur... what a waste of people's time and effort.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by pbeckham » Wed May 18, 2011 3:38 pm

I'm wondering if the bolts in question were placed at the belay of a climb that had been put up without bolts. If so, maybe the first ascensionist took exception to unsanctioned retrobolting of their route. Penny Lane is a great example of this sort of view on things.
Maybe the first ascensionist had their bolts "vandalized" elsewhere and we've got an old fashioned case of tit for tat. Not defending anything here, just some food for thought or, grist for the mill, if you will.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by slopr » Wed May 18, 2011 10:42 pm

They are pretty brutal- definitely a malicious chopping, the rap chains on the climb beside are still there though? There is a tree there that will work fine but the bolts weren't hurting anything at this great teaching cliff, if the chopper wanted people to use the tree they would have taken the hangers off and chopped the bolts, nobody would have noticed probably & just used the tree. They left an unsightly mess and message of disrespect. I would be surprised if it was the FA or even a climber, i'm thinking probably a vampire.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by psi4ce » Thu May 19, 2011 7:51 am

Hey

This looks like a cool teaching area and chopped anchors or not, I might take a couple of noobs there.

But, I tried looking it up in McLane and couldn't find it.

How do I get there?

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by staven » Thu May 19, 2011 10:22 pm

Go up the stairs on the loop trail from the East end of Ronin's Corners, towards Funarama and Octopus'. It on the right just past the trail to Summer's Eve - there's a Smoke Bluffs Park sign there pointing at it, and Cockburns is up behind it.

While we're in the area, anyone want to say anything about the secret new crag being developed over the past couple of years, hidden in the woods above Cockburns, below Nighthawk Moss? Some cool looking steep cracks and bulges on good looking rock with a nice little clearcut to help dry it out.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by BK » Sun May 22, 2011 6:48 am

I don't have a real problem with chopping. It certainly has its place and even if done for all the wrong reasons, it can be reversed if the act of violence is conducted with craft and care.

What I can't stomach is the anonymous nature of how it is typically conducted. I think that unless the chopper is willing to identify themselves and present a justification for their actions, the chopper should be considered a renegade self centered prick, and this should be trumpeted by all from the top of the crag. This is nothing but disgraceful vigilantism.

Can anyone present an argument to the contrary?

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by BK » Mon May 23, 2011 6:32 am

Hmmm....... A Choppers code of Ethics.

Last on the list should be:

Along with Name, email address, place of employment, make, model, color and licence plate number of car, "The Chopper" (TC) should also include their street address. In the case where the TC is unable to follow the guidelines set out in "The Choppers Code of Ethics", the community can register their displeasure by depositing a quantity of those green dog sh*t bags to be found hanging in the bushes all over the place on the TC's door step, or in extreme cases, pasted all over their car and house windows.

The Ethical Chopper. Maybe it dosen't have to be a oxymoron

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by BK » Tue May 24, 2011 10:43 am

This guy operates a bolt chopping operation to a high ethical standard

http://vimeo.com/23823477

Everyone on the planet is explaining themselves in excruciating detail on video these days.
Why should choppers be exempt?

While we're on the subject, does anyone know the author of the crag area 41?
There's a few stellar 5.10 crack and face routes there that are totally bolted and can be quite easily led on gear. Maybe they'd be interested in de - equiping them. It would be well worth it.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by J Mace » Tue May 24, 2011 12:47 pm

hile we're on the subject, does anyone know the author of the crag area 41?
There's a few stellar 5.10 crack and face routes there that are totally bolted and can be quite easily led on gear. Maybe they'd be interested in de - equiping them. It would be well worth it.
So I can go sport climbing with a trad rack? Might as well just plant the moss on the routes yourself.
Everyone on the planet is explaining themselves in excruciating detail on video these days.
Why should choppers be exempt?
Stop stirring the pot, arent you too old now to still be doing this ?

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by BK » Tue May 24, 2011 12:59 pm

I'm was just getting warmed up for the past half century J Mace Wipe.

Did you check out the video? not bad for a Euro eh?

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by mcfly » Tue May 24, 2011 10:06 pm

pretty weak sauce to anonymously chop anchor bolts at a 5.6 crag
on the other hand
I completely support the bolt "chopping" (and sending) on that sweet video...

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by staven » Sat May 28, 2011 7:55 pm

For anyone wanting to climb at Call it a Day, the hanger fairies have replaced the damaged anchors. All are intact now. Super ghetto that it happened in the first place, but glad to see people are stepping up and pitching in.

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Re: Smoke Bluff Crag vandalized/chopped

Post by gnarnaphobe » Mon May 30, 2011 7:04 am

thank you hanger fairies!
Imaging how much funner this could be with booze and explosives

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