UKC

Well, after much deliberation and profound in depth consultation, rather than just on a whim, Heading the shot is now a sports route in the real sense of the word ie new bolts for old. No more faffing aroung trying to get biners in the old hangers, you've now just got to get good enough to climb it...

Check out http://www.markreevesclimbing.com for more details of other routes rebolted in the safe slate section.

In reply to Rob at V12 Outdoor:

Sounds like the right decision even if it does mane a lose a precious E5 tick. The real issue has always been the nasty landing before the first clip and that worry will have been circumvented with the advent of stick clips.

Good effort to all involved.

In reply to Rob at V12 Outdoor: Just slightly misleading really, re-equipping of Heading the Shot has been debated to death in the GYG, UKC and the VPL. The main delay in re-equipping the route lay around the problem of whether the old hangers could be effectively removed. They were surprising easy to unscrew, and then snap off. If anyone wants a hanger from the route they are £35 inc VAT at V12!

The problem of trying to get carabiners through the hangers hasn't been too bigger problem for the last couple of years ever since someone left tat through every bolt for people to clip.

Fortunately the first ascentionist thought the route needed re-equipping, so hopefully he can now spend more time with the granchildren, rather than making a 3000miles round trip to do the work.

As for a whim Rob, it was that second filthy mocha from the 'Ground Up Cafe (TM)' that sent me into a bolting frenzy! After months laid off all work, climbing and bolting with my bloody back it was a relief to final touch the rock again, even if it was with the cold caress of steel!

There is only one or possible two bolts to replace on serengeti slab. The Windows bolt and possible the peg above?

<runs for cover!>

In reply to mark reeves: Must have a go at this one. I saw the video of someone sliding down it on your dringo thing and it looks like a pleasant experience. How long does it take to dry etc?

In reply to willhunt: If the slate roofs are dry in llanberis you should be OK!

In reply to mark reeves: Nice! Is it just fingery stuff on a slab? I can do that but I might fall down on power.

In reply to willhunt:

Link?

Mark/Rob; Is the grade unchanged?

In reply to Oli: Grade is probably going to be F7a in new guide?

In reply to Oli: you mean caff on/off the route.

The link is:

http://web.mac.com/mark.reeves/iWeb/Markreevesinstruction1/Video%20Podcast/...

In reply to mark reeves: Hi Mark, have you replaced bolt for bolt or added extra?

In reply to Rob at V12 Outdoor:

What a shame. The runout to the first bolt made it.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

I always thought it hard at 7a+ let alone 7a!

I hope it is bolt for bolt, the first run was worrying as was the last one and each of the sections inbetween was also wobbly!

I'd love to know that the poetry pink bolts have been have been redone, atleast the Heading the Shot bolts were big and chunky looking, the Poetry Pink ones were so little and old looking...

In reply to Rob at V12 Outdoor:

Please please please tell me it is definatley like for like with the same runouts.
The Ent

In reply to Enty: The bolt have been replaced like for like. The old peg has been replaced with a bolt. The first bolt is a staggering 6 inchs lower than before!

In reply to mark reeves: At least I managed to climb it before the tat and rebolting. Half the fun was trying to clip the bolts (more fun cos I had some old snapgates that fitted whilst everyone else had their funky new ones with the fins around the edge that wouldn't go through!!!!).

Will have to try it again this year with the shiny new bolts!

Never thought the getting to the first bolt was an issue - getting passed the second IS!

In reply to Glyn Jones:

I have to agree there. It didn't seem particularly scary to me.

In reply to mark reeves:

NOoooooooooooo. It's the begginning of the end. Britain will be over-run with sport climbing woozes. Someone call Ken!

(How does one spell wooses anyway? Wuzzes? Woozies? Wusses? - none look entirely right, although I think the last one looks best).
Iain

In reply to mark reeves:

Any chance of making a bolt ladder of this route so I can tick it in my book?

In reply to mark reeves:

Out of interest I see that Short Staircase To The Stars, just above Serengeti, has been rebolted with the first bolt lower than before. Is this now clippable before the crucial slap to the good holds?? I did this a few years ago and it took me several attempts to commit to that move for fear of a short but hard groundfall...

Has there been a decision to change the nature of these routes?? I'm not really making a judgement on it, but I am interested in the context of how careful you lot are apparently being. Although, nasty first clips don't seem so essential to the slate experience as huge but safe runouts between good bolts.

Actually on the subject of nasty first clips, are there any plans to change Scarlet Runner from a pointlessly dangerous and quite unbalanced E4 into a much better quality E3 (which incidentally could be done with less bolts than there currently are....just better placed!)??

Oooops....let a judgement slip there .

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
It is fairly easy up to the first bolt and you can clip it from a good foothold and handhold, it is more the worrying fact of decking it whilst lingering around the second bolt as it is a bit more featureless up in that region. Cracking route and agree with its rebolting.
Mark, are you planning on getting onto the routes in Twll Mawr(?excuse spelling, quarryman hole)??
With regards to the new bolts, are all of the old original bolts being taken out because alot of bolts had previously been replaced a while back but just put in next to the existing very original bolts and it just looked a mess?
Is Jack of Shadows going to be rebolted? My friend had an epic on that and got up to the crux bit and turned back due to the shitness of the rusting bolt.
Keep up the good work, Ed

In reply to andi turner:

I thought F7a+ too. Comparable to Scheherezade though I think that's slightly more technical.

In reply to Rob at V12 Outdoor: Had a pop at this on top rope today. Was well into the crux sequence when I bollocksed it up and came off. With a bit of work I reckon it would go. Very nice climbing.

In reply to Enty:


Probably not mate. It appears they don't give a f*ck about the opinions of others.

I too think this is a bit of a shame. It was one of the routes I really hoped wasn't going to get retro'd.



I don't think the Poetry Pink ones have been replaced but you get two for the crux.

In reply to FedUp:

The bolts and drills are there for you to go and rebolt routes too you know, then you can make a judgement in real life...

In reply to Aly:

... as long as you can reach them. Shorter people may currently find themselves stood on the mantleshelf tantalisingly unable to clip. (A krab taped to a nutkey solves the predicament!)
If PP is on the upcoming rebolting list, it would be good to try take this into consideration.

In reply to Aly: From what Ive heard then the retro bolting was competely in order. If your going to have bolts then have some proper bolts instead of dodgy stuff that you have to leave tat on.
Dan Osman died by leaving stuff up then using it. Best not to have the temptation to leave cord etc on the route.

In reply to willhunt: So all tat is bad now? :P

In reply to willhunt: I wouldn't advise climbing in Thailand then!

In reply to Ri: All crap tat is.

In reply to willhunt:

I think there was a bit more to it than that
http://outside.away.com/magazine/0499/9904terminal.html


Isn't that for the climber to decide? You can use the 'it's safer that way' argument to justify pretty much anything.

In reply to Aly: Yeah but its not like it steps outside the ethics of the thing to rebolt it with bolts that can fit a modern day quickdraw through so why not do it. Its not like it was previously a trad route or a solo and its been bolted.