UKC

What crag would you unbolt? In the same vain as the "what road would you unbuild thread", this is not voting for which crag to chop, just as we're not taking pickaxes to our hated roads :P. The bolts just disappear like magic in this scenario. You can also mention crags that you would keep free from bolts forever if you like.

In reply to FreshSlate:

Nothing in thr UK comes specifically to mind but I remember doing a stunning 5.11c crack line in Skaha, B.C, called Wings of Desire, that would have had amazing protection but was bolted instead.

In reply to FreshSlate:
Carn Gowla

In reply to FreshSlate: The entire Mont Blanc Massive...in particular Les Dru. They shouldn't put bolts on mountain routes
I don't have a problem with some Craggs, particularly some of the un protectable single pitch routes.

In reply to Rachel Slater:

Yes! I did it a couple of months ago and thought exactly that. I can't imagine a line like that would get bolted in the UK.

In reply to FreshSlate:

It probably says something for the consideration with which bolts have been applied in the UK that I can't think of one venue where I'd want the bolts to go. Don't know so much about southern crags like Cheddar and South Wales though.

In reply to Jamie B:

In agreement with you on this. One is possibly the granite quarry in Eskdale, not so much for ethical grounds but simply to avoid encouraging people to climb there - it's a loose death trap quickly returning to a vegetative state.

ALC

In reply to FreshSlate:

A few lines at Llanymynech Quarry.

cheers
mark

In reply to Jonny2vests:

Ok I know the setting is shite....

Edge of Darkness at Lorry Quarry Park

cheers
mark

In reply to lynx3555:

That's a dumb comment !

There's plenty of routes, notably the Piola ones that simply wouldn't be climbed at all without bolts !

On a day when the weather is uncertain, it's comforting to know that you can start a climb, such as Naboleon on the Pilier Rouge de Blaitiere and ab off if a storm breaks.

In reply to Mark Westerman:

Yes to Land-on-my-neck quarry and Lorry Park, there were good trad routes at both of those that were retro bolted under the radar.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

No thats a dumb comment!

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

No. It is a perfectly reasonable point of view and one with which I agree.


So?


Yes, good to have a dumbed down convenience climb available when you need it.

In reply to Mark Westerman:

Which ones? Nomad Wall by any chance?

In reply to Luke Owens:

Exactly. And Grid Iron as well which was a great E4.

cheers
mark

In reply to Robert Durran:
>.


I don't think the alpine experience of the Mont Blanc area has been ruined by Piola ! Nobody would bother with Pilier Rouge de Blaitiere etc if there weren't the bolted routes on them.

In reply to FreshSlate:

I'm dubious about some of the bolting on the slate. It's not that I'm against bolts on it entirely, it's more that I'd prefer the traditional "trad bolting" rather than the "sport bolting" that seems to be the default now.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:


But a few would. The very existence of bolted "abseil pistes" dumbs down whole faces. Piola's bolts certainly dumbed down my hurried retreat from another (unbolted) route on the R.H. Pillar of Brouillard (and call me hypocritical if you want.......). The Blaitiere might be one thing, but The Brouillard Face surely beyond the pale.

In reply to Robert Durran:

I get where you're coming from. Bolted routes have never been my thing, they've just offered a pleasant afternoons climbing when conditions were doubtful. Another example is"Asia" on the Aiguille de la Floria in the Aiguilles Rouges. I doubt many climbers would give it a second glance, but it's only 15 mins from the lift !

In reply to lynx3555:


I'm sure Chris will be pleased to hear that

In reply to FreshSlate:

The Works.

Kind Regards,

The People's Climbing Front of the Lake District

In reply to FreshSlate:

Dinorwic but only very selectively, bolts and slate work nicely together when done right.

In reply to Coel Hellier:

Genuine question, what do you mean by trad bolting? do you mean in respect to replacing old pegs with bolts?

In reply to The Norris:


No, I meant the sparse bolting characteristic of the original slate routes, thus giving routes with "sufficient" gear but with run-outs and getting trad grades (e.g. Gnat Attack and Massambula in Bus Stop Quarry). As oppose to sport bolting with regularly spaced bolts and resulting in sport grades (e.g. Plastic Soldier on the Skyline).

In reply to The Norris:

Trad bolting is when a route has a couple of bolts on it to protect what you can't protect with trad gear. Or when there's only just about enough bolts on a sport route to protect it. I can think of some routes near me where you don't have any bolts in the last quarter of the route and then there's no lower off.

Personally if you're going to bolt a route, it might as well be done well. One of the arguments folk use for sport climbing is that it's safer and more convenient. So if that's the idea behind bolting up all the unclimbed bits of rock, I want my sports climbs with bolts every 2 meters at least. If there's a ledge, I want the bolts placed so that I'm not break my ankles on the damn thing.

In reply to mattrm:

Spoilsport.

In reply to Jonny2vests:

Yeah, I know, it's awful not wanting to have broken ankles isn't it.

In reply to mattrm:


Climbs like Massambula are things you really need to psyche up for, and then find highly memorable. The fully bolted slate climbs I've done seem "ok", but nothing special and not memorable.

In reply to Pyreneenemec:


Maybe they should put an escalator on it in case people get tired climbing up.

In reply to mattrm:

12 inches surely?

In reply to Mark Westerman:

De-quarrying it would get my vote

In reply to mattrm:

Not that I'm some massive heed-the-ball, but surely designer danger is different to actual danger.

In reply to Jonny2vests:


Don't do this route then!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=7412

In reply to Jamie B:

Why?