UKC

Plastic Soldiers - Skyline Slate quarries - Loose Block?

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 kipper12 02 Jun 2014
Hi

We were on Skyline yesterday in the Llanberis slate quarries, and one of the lines we did was plastic soldiers.

There appears to be a large hollow sonding, and we felt, slightly loose block just below the bulge near the top (just below 3rd blot from the top. Has anyone noticed this?

Might it be worth someone with more experience of slate to give it the once over, as it is large and if it came away while someone is on the climb the results might be bad. The worst case might be to pry it away rather than leaving it to nature to decide.

 The Ivanator 02 Jun 2014
In reply to kipper12:

Did this last Friday and didn't notice anything alarming, but that might be just my lack of observation - thought it was a great route.
Its inclusion in the N Wales Rockfax means it is likely to get plenty of traffic, so if there is a problem it would be great if it could be assessed/dealt with by someone with the appropriate knowhow.
 mfisher 02 Jun 2014
In reply to kipper12:

Better to be safe than sorry, thanks for the heads up!
OP kipper12 02 Jun 2014
In reply to mfisher:

I'm not absolutely certain, but two of us noticed it, but another opinion can only help.
 Sl@te Head 03 Jun 2014
In reply to kipper12:

Hi

Thanks for posting this. I've just been over to check it out this afternoon, there's some good news and some bad news...

The Good News is I've taken my crowbar and trundled about 4 significant flakes including the really big one above that bulge. The route is now considerably safer and that area of climbing now climbs better and looks really good so overall a big improvement. I re climbed it and it's just a bit harder but probably still a 6a. A blue Plastic soldier was also rescued from behind one of the flakes

The Bad News is the final massive flake I trundled damaged 5 bolt hangers on the way down, I had no choice as it was dangerously loose and massive and just had to go...

I've left a warning 'dangerous bolts' sign at the bottom of the climb, which should not be climbed until they are replaced.

Overall once the bolts are replaced 'Plastic Soldier' will be a better and safer route. Hopefully someone will volunteer to replace the 5 damaged bolts, I'm away on a sea kayaking exped so not around for a while.

Thanks again for posting, between us we may have prevented a nasty accident...


 SGD 03 Jun 2014
In reply to Sl@te Head:

Blimey! We climbed that route on saturday after another team of 3 had been on it. They didnt mention anything loose and we didnt notice anything ourselves otherwise I would have said when we met up. Thanks for taking the time to sort it out and enjoy the kayaking.
 Mark Reeves Global Crag Moderator 04 Jun 2014
In reply to kipper12:

I have checked around with various people who are involved with re-equipping work and it doesn't look like this problem will get sorted any time soon. Maybe when Ian get back from his trip? As the volunteers are busy with work and of course their own lives.

I will like to point out that sadly there are no 'bolting fairies', who miraculously do this work. It also cost money and a great deal of volunteers time. Probably two days for this job alone by the time the person doing the work has picked up the equipment and then dropped it back off at their own expense.

You can see in the link below what we have been doing recently to sort out lower offs (there was about 12 days of effort in march/april). I have noted this problem down in the database. So you can keep an eye on there if you are interested in when/if someone gets round to doing this work, you'll also notice that there is a lot more work that is just as important.

http://snowdoniamountainguides.com/Routes-Topos-Resources/Fixed-Gear.php

Sorry that it is not more positive, but as someone who volunteers a fair amount it drives me mad that people expect these things to be sorted miraculously.
 The Ivanator 04 Jun 2014
In reply to Mark Reeves:

Thanks to Ian for his work in cleaning up the route, and very grateful for the work that is going on to re-equip lines in the slate quarries.
Not sure anyone on this thread has shown a lack of patience, but I can understand your frustration at the lack of appreciation when you have come up against that - plenty more climbers do understand these things take time, effort and cash.
FWIW I just made a small donation to N Wales bolt fund, anyone following this thread who wants to do likewise can follow this link:
http://ukboltfund.org/ (select N Wales option)
OP kipper12 04 Jun 2014
In reply to Mark Reeves:

Sorry if I misunderstand your post, but are you having a pop at me for expecting the route to re equip itself. I know that work and kit doesn't come free. I've contributed to the slate bolt fund, and about to so some equipping myself.
 Sl@te Head 06 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ivanator:
Thanks for suggesting a contribution to the Bolt Fund, it would be great for anyone who's enjoyed climbing Plastic Soldier to do the same....

Again it would be fantastic to have a volunteer to go and replace the Bolts. I'm unlikely to have the time myself at the moment as I'm in the middle of my school's expedition season with a few more to go after this sea kayaking trip.

I'm sure someone who has been trained to place Bolts in North Wales will step forward in the mean time...

http://news.v12outdoor.com/2014/06/04/plastic-soldiers-f6a-%E2%80%93-damage...
Post edited at 11:32
 Sl@te Head 06 Jun 2014
In reply to Mark Reeves:

Might be worth correcting your 'fixed gear list' to read Bolts 5 -9 as the first 5 bolts are ok. This could be misleading as from the bottom looking at the first 5 bolts which look (and are) ok might tempt someone to climb it.

I have removed 3 hangers. Only 4 of the bolts were hit by the block, one of the 5 is just rusty and is worth replacing at the same time.

Just to make it clear, when I emailed you and Chris I wasn't specifically asking you to do the work it was more a request for you and Chris to contact the trained volunteers (as you know who they are) to see if anyone was keen to volunteer.
 jezb1 06 Jun 2014
In reply to Sl@te Head:

I've been out with Mark once and done some bolting, but I'm away for a couple of weeks so can't help replace the bolts you damaged.

 Sl@te Head 06 Jun 2014
In reply to jezb1:

'replace the bolts you damaged'.

Sounds a bit personal when you put it like that! I can assure you it was done in the interests of safety, that block would have killed the climber and the belayer.

Just for the record the huge block that took the bolts out was probably over a ton in weight no one other than gravity itself could have changed the direction of it's fall.
 The Ivanator 06 Jun 2014
In reply to Sl@te Head:
I've put a note on the UKC page for the route (via logbooks) - hopefully between this thread, the V12 article, logbook note and your signage nobody will attempt the route unaware of the danger.
Might help avoid a wasted journey too (although there is obviously plenty else to get on in Australia).
Out of interest in the section where the descending block damaged the bolts was the rock left reasonably intact? Just wondering if there might now be more loose material in that section or whether the route has altered lower down too.
Post edited at 13:30

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