Slacklining highlining and bolting rock

[slackliner]

Does anybody have experience bolting? I am interested in knowing the climbing areas around the Halifax area a bit better. Does anyone have suggestions for places to highline? Ideally, I am looking for cliffs higher than 25' with 90 degree or more vertical faces. I understand the equipment and the forces involved just need to know where these places exist in NS. Thanks

Greg

[Scooter]

It might be hard getting a response here.

I'd like to caution you about the old-style ethics many climbers carry here in NS. Be careful where/ what you bolt - it wouldn't be the first time bolts have been chopped because they are unnecessary, unsightly, or any other such motive one can think of.

If you bolt in the wrong areas you may have some angry locals after you... just a friendly caution.

This by no means is to be taken as my very own thoughts or perspectives....but I've witnessed a lot of 'friendly' debates over the past couple years.

Goodluck

[Zamboni]

I would prefer knowing that all or any bolt/hangers used to climb would only ever take a downward force. I would not use a bolt/hanger if I knew somebody was slack lining on it.

[Quinn]

Presumably slack liners aren't bolting the vertical surface of a cliff, but rather the top to avoid loading a bolt along it's axis? Also, I imagine they would use a separate set of bolts. I guess bolts are like used cars - be wary of their history. Unless I'm mistaken, none of our crags are really suitable for this anyway.

Maybe some of the costal areas?


"The Three Sisters" Cape Chignecto NS

[Quinn]

A friendly caution? That didn't sound very friendly. Is that like when somebody says "with all due respect" and follows with something disrespectful. Has bolting in Nova Scotia ever resulted in a physical confrontation with Trad Climbers or just tough talk on the Internet? We've certainly had our share of that...

[stoneseeker]

I don't think you need bolts for highlining anyway. I would imagine if you wanna set up a highline around here, avoid using fixed climbing gear and just use BIG sturdy trees as per norm. The problem is we don't have a lot of cliffs across from cliffs, or chasms here. Maybe in Cape Breton ( or like Quinn suggested the coast... although no trees then) you'd have more options.

the only cliffs that may work around here I can think of would be Colombus wall, as it has some gaps between walls and plenty of trees on top. But I haven't been there in a while, so I cant remember if there are any large enough gaps to allow this.

[slackliner]

Ideally I would want to set bolts on the tops of cliffs to pull on sheer or use big trees and not have to bolt all together after all.

I have never heard of Colombus wall, where is it?

I have been to the three sisters and think that would be quite a feat!

Thank you for those who have actually suggested places to highline.

[Quinn]

There was a post on this forum recently about "slot canyons" - narrow deep riverbeds with steep cliffs on either side. Maybe these would be suitable?

Slot Caynons

[patzer]

It's true Columbus Wall has some walls that are opposed to each other on a likely acceptable angle for slacklining... However if I recall correctly I believe there is a substantial height difference between the opposed walls that would make highlining between them pretty problematic.

I wonder if Polly's Cove has some walls that are appropriate?

There are some gaps there, and the height is more in line with what was suggested, ~25' vs the other spots being quite a bit taller. Although as mentioned already, Polly's Cove has been witness to what passes for a NS bolt war not so long ago... Definitely no trees at the top as an alternative. It also sees much more traffic than other known locations.

You're probably better off seeking out other spots that aren't frequented by climbers, the cliffs are just not geographically favorable to highling here. You might even find some suitable rock/trees somewhere crossing the rail way in the south end?!

[shoshonite]

The Slot Canyons mentioned above are probably not your best bet but they would work. I have done a bit of hiking in the area between Parrsboro and economy mountain most of, if not all the brooks running off the cobiquids in that area are in some sort of canyon, some with very steep to overhanging walls.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=45.4 ... 7&t=p&z=12

The wall rock is mostly quite competent, granites and volcanics. The granites are centered around moose river and you will move into volcanics as you get closer to parrsboro. The tops of these canyons are pretty steep embankments as well and I would be quite weary of using the trees as anchors without a very through inspection as the roots systems don't tend to penetrate much, I have had more then one medium size tree give way just while pulling on them.

All that said It would probably require a day or more hiking around to find a good location around these brooks and streams.

In the Wentworth valley not far from Ski Wentworth there is a waterfall with some really steep ravines (near vertical walls) on top that could work. good tree anchors but only about 10-15' deep and 20' accross. This is also private land.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=45.5 ... 9&t=h&z=16

Would the split in the rock at Chebucto head work?

-Brad

[Rowan]

I was thinking this too. There are a few spots at Chebucto Head that might be suitable, e.g. a couple of those 'slot canyons' are pretty deep... but maybe too short to justify the hassle of bolting? Also a few other spots between high rocks to the north where it might also be nice to have some anchors for top-roping. But there's also a pretty wild spot where you could stretch a line 50 feet or so between equal height rocks clear over the waves. That'd be pretty thrilling.
And there are already a few bolts in the area. But: questionable legality (DND property?), and it's very public, very visible.

[Rowan]

Chebucto: This wasn't that *huge* gap I was talking about above but it still might be pretty good - I just happened to see these pics on my memory card and figured I'd throw them up here.
It's quite a bit more secluded, past the little cove and almost to the Chebucto Foot area.
Plus, for the rest of us it'd surely be nice to get an anchor on that clean, overhanging wall - which looks like it'd have one or two great problems on it but the landing is pretty heinous - you'd otherwise need a lot of pads and an army of spotters.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54433808@N00/5164402998/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54433808@N00/5163797451/