BOLTS and fixed metal gear

[cory]

If you ever plan to clip a piece of fixed gear, you should read this.
http://www.climbing.com/climber/built-to-last/
If you are considering placing a bot, you definitely should read it.

[*Chris*]

That article was questionably crafted. Given it's length... a magazine such as Climbing would know that most readers won't make it through the middle so it started off with an alarmist tone. If you only read a paragraph, you got a skewed view.

Checking fixed gear isn't a bad idea, and backing it up if you are in question is an even better idea. I've personally experienced two bolts failing. The first was an ancient 1/4 inch'r at the base of Diurnal Pegs (Eagle Rock). Sheared through under bounce test loads. Fortunately to no consequence. The second was on Scurvy (Greenlaw). In that case the nut spun itself off the stud through repeated swinging falls. So I guess the point is that it can happen... and never trust your life to a single piece of fixed gear.

I will say this... that article makes one good point about how expensive it is to develop routes. That can easily lead to cutting corners with cheap equipment. I don't have any concerns in NB but that has only been thanks to heroic delivery of a few crag developers.

Ascent NB could in the future become a bank for community-funded development using the best-available gear. It isn't there yet but that could be a future vision if there's enough support.

[chossmonkey]

I think the point of the article was that SS is not completely immune to corrosion and unlike plated steel it can be very hard to tell the bolt is suspect. There is a still a lot we as climbers don't know about fixed hardwear. I think most people think SS will last forever. I have often wondered what the lifespan for bolts would be near the ocean in the Maritime climate.

[brentc]

I suspect many of the alloys subject to SCC have been weeded out over the years at least for granite environments. 1/4" Leepers and the SMC Death Hanger" (bronze tint) but if you find yourself clipping one of those this day in age you probably don't have much choice but to clip it and realize falling is not much of an option. A good point to take away from this discussion is to take a look at what you are clipping: rock quality around the gear, is the hanger flush to the wall, is there a crater around the bolt hole, is the nut snug, is the bolt bent, discolored. I have noticed a lot of people clip, anchors, especially and not even know what they just lowered off. I always take a look at bolts, pins and slings before I lower. Rodents chew slings, pulling ropes can burn and char them. They may look new except for that one bad spot. When I first started climbing I worked Montezuma's Revenge at Pyramid only to get to the top and remove the 2 bolt anchor with my hands. The only thing keeping the bolts in was the fact they were cantilevered when they were weighted.

[brentc]

I climbed McGuffen? 11c at cedar point yesterday. The bolts are scary. Drilled obliquely and likely not deep enough. Hangers are super lose and look like they have never been torqued enough. Bolts are well positioned and no problem for body weight . I wouldn't want to wip on them. Great motivation to fight the pump and pull through. The crows in their nest didn't mind me either and I was only 6 feet from them.