Exit 38 - Gritscone

[Chris Simmons]

If you follow cc.com, you've probably read that the nuts and hangars were removed from the routes on the Gritscone at Exit 38. This was a very popular area for beginning leaders.
On the thread, one poster recommended contacting Pro Ski in Bend to set up a local anchor replacement donation box. I think this is a great idea that could be incorporated by the WCC and spread to other climbing areas too (climbing shops in Leavenworth and Yakima jump to mind).
What do you guys think?

[Matt Perkins]

Its basically a good idea that can be undetaken with or without WCC coordination. If somebody want to make it their project to replace missing or aging bolts at any climbing area, and if they put a collection jar in a local climbing shop stating that this was the purpose, they'll probably get money. And my guess is that the shop owners in Leavenworth and Yakima would support this at least as far as providing space on their counter somewhere, as long as the individual involved was somebody with sufficient credibility that they weren't worried the guy would embezzle the money -- in other words, a local climber they know as a regular customer or as someone with a history of crag stewardship in the area.

[adsell]

Why wouldn't we help out getting donations for this cause it may not be the scale of buying a crag but it's important that we take a stand against bolt thieves.


We should not be afraid of the anti bolting crowd. Bolts have there place in climbing.

[Chris Simmons]

Exactly, and the WCC can provide a greater amount of accountability and credibility than just a local good Samaritan.

[adsell]

We should make a presence and not silently condone bolt removal by our lack of voice on the issue.

[DCramer]

Bolt replacement activity is an important component of crag maintaining. I would even go so far as to suggest that bolt maintenance on existing routes is an obligation of those placing new bolts; however I do not think that the WCC is the best place to coordinate this activity.

I feel this way for several reasons not the least of which is that bolts are low down on the issues list and there is no real way for the WCC to control the process. In any event there are several organized groups of climbers who have been actively replacing old bolts and have raised thousands of dollars over the years.

I do not think that the WCC is condoning the theft of bolt hangers by its silence. Frankly there doesn’t seem to be a significant problem with bolt hanger theft and that which does exist doesn’t seemed to be tied into any ongoing bolt debate.

D :)

[BHench]

I was up to Gritscone a couple of weeks ago, and noticed that all of the hangers have been replaced. Garth Bruce said he was going to do it. Not sure if it was him.