Pist Off!

[theriault]

Anchor Steel Biners are being stolen from routes... These are heavy ( almost one pound ) steel biners, I don't understand why someone would want them on their rack...If anyone is that desperate for biners, PM me and I will donate some... dont steel them of route anchors. A lot of money and time is being invested in new routes for everyone to climb, this behavior sucks and the community should not accept this.. If you ARE or KNOW the duschbag(s) who are doing this please pass on the message.....

This probably does not concern 98% of people on this forum and I am sorry to rant this morning.....

Signed
Martin Theriault

[cory]

Last night, my climbing partner had to scramble up loose rock which caused debris to fall down near me, in order to get to an adjacent route with rings so he could rappel. This was because the fixed stainless steel 'biners (that were there on Sunday) had been taken off of the route we were on. Two lives were endangered by some stupid souvenir-seeking action. Thanks a lot, douchebag.

We were climbing a new route left of Tequila & Limestone at Cedar Pt. We didn't have anything to leave on the anchor, so avoid this route or bring gear to fix.

[Dom]

Anchor Steel Biners are being stolen from routes

dont steel them of route anchors.

is this a pun?

I'd also hold off going on routes that haven't been reported yet. If there are bolts and no tag on the first bolt, it doesn't necessarily mean that the route is ''ready''. Maybe it's still super dirty, maybe some flakes haven't been trundled, etc. Cory will be updating the guidebook very shortly. If I am not mistaken there are now close to 20 routes in the main quarry at Cedar point. YEY!

One route that hasn't been reported that is ready is Crazy yahoos shooting s-hit. Luc G. with the help of Marty trundled the flakes and bolted it very well. It's in the hard 5.11 range and Luc G. got the FFA about a week ago. That one is ready to go and IMO the best route at Cedar point!

So patience, Cory said the CP topo update will come in the next week or so. We're waiting on two routes to be cleaned and a clean ascent of another one.

[theriault]

well said Dom, thanks!

[Shawn B]

If you are there and your scumbag partner steals the fixed gear you are guilty by association. Tell your free loading nice person of a partner to put the frigging gear back.

[Shawn B]

Looked much better pre-moderation!

[motanb]

Just a thought... Perhaps the 'bandits' responsible (i.e. at Cedar Point) are local kids. I have seen many younger folk in the area either biking through the many trails or simply 'hanging out'. It is quite possible to reach some of the anchors from the top (as many of you know) without gear; it's a reasonable assumption that some curious kids are merely grabbing the stuff not understanding the angst it creates in the climbing community.

Or... maybe it is some cheap-ass climber looking to ass steel biners to his/her rack.....

[motanb]

...'add'...

[theriault]

The anchor in question is 3/4 of the way up the face lol ... so local kids are out

[Dom]

Just a thought... Perhaps the 'bandits' responsible (i.e. at Cedar Point) are local kids.

Hey Tom it's a valid assumption but like Marty said this anchor is on a face and would involve some 5th class soloing to get to it. Also, another anchor has locking biners for lower offs and is much more accessible from the top and the lockers are still there. (they were zip-tied)

We're not trying to catch the guilty ones..yet!, just trying to make people realize that gear at an anchor is not booty. Like Marty said it takes time, commitment and a bit of $ to new-route.
Again who would want to look like this douche: http://www.vimeo.com/18267416

If the ''bandit'' has read this thread, it'd be nice that the biner be returned on the anchor. Case would be closed.

[*Chris*]

That sucks Marty. Boo.

Curious... did you try to dress them up in any way to give the sense that they were there for a purpose as opposed to booty? We put zip ties on the ones at Sunnyside and they've at least persisted there for a few weeks (knocking on wood).

Not sayin' that you should have to do that... but if they cut zip ties and removed biners, that clearly points to thievery rather than just being misinformed.

Either way it sucks.

[Fred]

sonsabitches!! lmao

I knew this was going to happen. If it can be removed by hand or cut with a knife it's only a matter of time before someone takes it.


Marty: When I saw your message title I thought this was going to be a story about being off route (i.e. off pist!). lmao

[Fred]

...'add'...

hahaha

I actually thought you original version was better Tom.

[theriault]

Fred... Good one!
Chris... No there was no zip ties yet because the route is still not ready (been climbed, but still work left on it aka 1 bolt missing and a lot of cleaning and thrundling)

[anderfo]

Maybe you can glue the biners. Just put glue on the threads, lock the biner and let it hang around forever...
I've heard that they have to do this in places like Nepal, where everyone wants to steal the steel

[Zach Taylor]

Just a thought.. but what if instead of zip ties you used steel wire? Use pliers to twist it tightly and there's no way they could undo it with there hands or cut it with a knife.

[anderfo]

BTW, I've been bolting some anchors for our club lately, and their equipment looks like this:
and
(one ring and one double-ring makes less rope twist)
This is what the climbing association offers to the club...so I haven't checked the price. But it doesn't look very expensive.

People don't steal these rings - at least we didn't experience it yet

[cory]

The set-up in question was incomplete at the time of thievery. As was the rest of the route. This is one of the delays in my releasing the second edition of a guide... new routes keep going up each time I'm ready to publish. 22 distinct lines now, and 3 variations.

But how did the culprit get away without leaving something behind? It's 20' of 5th class choss to the top. And they're installed just above a dirty slippery ledge. No evidence was left behind (no corpse belonging to a local kid at the base, no tat in it's place) so either the guilty party is has bigger balls than a beach party and climbed right out, or they rapped Tequila & Limestone to grab the weight on their way down.

The end product will be comprised of stainless steel screw-lock 'biners, attached to maillons, which are in turn fastened to a standard bolt hanger. The advantage is the leader can clip the 'biners without untying and be lowered without excessive friction or twisting. Screwing the gate tight, or epoxying it defeats the purpose of a lower-off anchor and it becomes an (over-priced and over-sized) standard rap station. If people learn from this tread, maybe we can avoid having to do the latter. Zip ties, if UV resistant can help, and I like Zach's idea of wire, both as deterrents only though -you can't stop a persistent ass.

[anderfo]

aha, now i understand. so what you make is basically a cheaper version of the sport anchors..


originally i thought the stolen biners were the maillons;)

[*Chris*]

The only purpose of the zip-ties, as I see it, is to give the appearance of a deliberate set-up. I'd hope it would give pause to an inexperienced climber who might otherwise mistake anchor biners for booty. If someone is bent on stealing the steel... nothing's going to stop them.

[Zach Taylor]

If someone is bent on stealing the steel... nothing's going to stop them.

I agree 100 percent. I guess my logic behind the wire compared to zip ties is the wire will take a lot more effort.

[theriault]

Just a thought.. but what if instead of zip ties you used steel wire? Use pliers to twist it tightly and there's no way they could undo it with there hands or cut it with a knife.

Cut off steel wire + rope =eh...not the best mix in regards to safety in my book lol...Zip ties work fine

[GKelly]

I am certain the "culprit" is a resonable cat who is new to climbing and thought this was something free for taking for whatever reason. I expect that the "culprit" is reading this. Therefore, I think it needs to be said that if the "culprit" is caught in the action of replacing the gear that they should be commended for doing so and not sh*t on from above or below in the verbal sense.
If said "culprit" is unable to replace the gear for whatever reason perhaps you/"culprit" could send a private message to someone (me if you want) to arrange for it to get back to its origional owner.

Lets not make this dude/dudet feel like a criminal when they are most likely not.

That being said. If the "culpirt" is anything remotely like the dude in the gear theiving video I would retract all of the above.