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rolo
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 16, 2010 - 12:25pm PT
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Bolts chopped on Cerro Torre
Under the auspices such a topic title I wish I could report that I have chopped some of Maestri's bolts, but I have not. The bolts I chopped two days ago are some of the many that David Lama's film crew placed last summer.
Above the col of Patience (the shoulder) I came across 20 “David Lama-Red Bull bolts”, as opposed to the 12 reported by Lama himself and the person responsible for placing them, the Austrian mountain guide Heli Putz. Because of time constraints I could not make an in-detail inspection of that section of the route, so I am guessing there were a few more. Of those 20 bolts, I managed to chop 17. In contrast to what Lama and Putz reported, all bolts were very much on the route, drilled in existing belays or in the middle of pitches, all in places where natural protection is readily available and where for more than 30 years climbers have climbed by.
Heli Putz had also reported to Will Gadd that the rappel line he bolted below the col of Patience (the shoulder) followed an independent line. This also proved to be incorrect. More kool-aid or whatever fizzy drink his employer manufactures to cover up for his own idiocy. The rappel line Putz bolted follows the same buttress that the normal rappel line follows, sharing the first two anchors, which he retro-bolted and later takes a more direct line to the ground, following a line that is often used by climbers to rappel when conditions are very dry. Next to each of his bolted anchors there are old rap stations on natural gear. Because of bad weather I was unable to chop those anchors. In that section I saw 20 bolts, but likely there are more, in contrast to the 14 reported by Lama and Putz.
Also worth noting Lama and the Red Bull film crew left 5 haul-bags of stuff on the mountain last season when they bailed out of town, including the 700 meters of fix line on the route. About a month later they hired three Argentine guides to clean up their mess. They did a great job and managed to pull most everything off the route, with the exception of two haulbags (not one as reported by Lama and Putz). Just four days ago two Argentine climbers brought down in disgust those two remaining haul-bags and hopefully will hold their contents up for ransom.
In his response to the debacle Lama wrote saying that for his second attempt to free the Compressor route during the 2010-2011 season they would take a different, lighter approach. However reports suggest that the team size has been increased rather than reduced, so again in this case Lama’s statement might be but a diversion.
With the level of misinformation that the Red Bull crew is dishing out their fancy fizzy drink is fast becoming the modern Kool-aid. Dont drink it!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 16, 2010 - 12:29pm PT
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Good job Rolo! That Herr Putz is aptly named methinks.
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The Larry
climber
Moab, UT
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Nov 16, 2010 - 12:31pm PT
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Truly lame.Those guys should not be allowed back. Thanks for helping clean that sh#t up Rolo.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Nov 16, 2010 - 12:39pm PT
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Hi Rolo,
(long time) Thanks for the update and thorough detail.
"Putz" is right.
Well, I don't drink that stuff anyway, but I hope a bunch of people that did will stop.
Red Bull should be pilloried for promoting this, however the fact that others were hired to recover gear mitigates the refuse aspect, but adding yet more bolts? WTF?
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Nov 16, 2010 - 12:54pm PT
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That pisses me off. Even though I will probably never go there. The least they could do is be honest. Anyone ever look into any other alpine project these people have done? I just spent two days in the cold doing needles style rappels off scetchy spires scaring the sh*t out of myself on routes that may not of been climbed since the 70's. I guess we should of brought a bosch and some bolts and lied about their existence then we could have made a film that would be a "service" to a lot of people so we could sell $3.00 fizzy sodas.
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onarunning
Trad climber
Duluth, MN
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:01pm PT
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Thank you.
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Johnny K.
Mountain climber
Southern,California
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:02pm PT
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Rolo you are the man.Much respect to you sir!
More often than not,mainstream (redbull,lama,putz etc) people look at money/fame and are blind in their actions to "progress" their money/fame.They totally forget that the utmost simple respect is due to the mountains/nature first and foremost.People who lie like that usually dig their own graves.I do not want to put anyone down,but its like the old saying "what goes around,comes around".
On top of the bolting,leaving the haul bags,trash,extra gear is just beyond unacceptable for someone who is supposed to have dignity and respect.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:07pm PT
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Pisses me off too! Thanks for letting everyone know the situation, Rolo!
In his response to the debacle Lama wrote saying that for his second attempt to free the Compressor route during the 2010-2011 season they would take a different, lighter approach.
Anyone want to start collecting donations for a special sniper team to protect the route from Lama for the upcoming season? I'll donate $50. I'm sure there are lots of people at ST who can advise on the best weapons for the job. (am joking of course, but I wish there was some way to stop this indiscriminate bolting...)
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Lithuanian
Trad climber
Reno
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:11pm PT
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Anyone want to start collecting donations for a special sniper team to protect the route from Lama for the upcoming season?
I know some Russians ;-)
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:41pm PT
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Thanks for making a statement that bolts should not be added to existing routes.
I hope "chopped" really means pulled and you didn't leave broken studs and left it as clean as reasonably possible.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:50pm PT
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Thanks tons Rolo! And the Argentinian crew too! This is the kind of response it takes to keep alpinism from becoming an effing joke. We all know that some of us have to make a living at it---have to eat and have a future---but it does not have to be that alpinism and the Wild both have to go into slavery for them.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:53pm PT
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Thanks for your report, Rolo!
Those of us that aspire (but probably won't ever do),
are inspired by not only your climbing brilliance, but
your ethics and committment to do the right thing.
Thanks!!!!!
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Nov 16, 2010 - 01:58pm PT
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Peter, am I the only one that catches a whiff of hypocrisy among those that direct more animosity towards Red Bull than BP?
(Specially when they fly hundreds of thousands of miles to climb leaving behind a carbon footprint that dwarfs Everest)
Lets keep this in perspective.
Write a few letters, but look to your own house.
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Cpt0bvi0u5
Trad climber
Merced CA
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Nov 16, 2010 - 02:00pm PT
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Major props! You did a great service to the climbing community. Hopefully this will teach Lama and his team a lesson.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Nov 16, 2010 - 02:56pm PT
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good job ROLO!!!
Maybe they should hire you to be their guide and ethics leader, or just free the line before him and show him how its done..
kurt smith
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Nov 16, 2010 - 03:12pm PT
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Rolo, you are the man! Thank you ever so for your efforts on all our behalf's.
or just free the line before him and show him how its done.. Amen brother, amen.
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Nov 16, 2010 - 03:14pm PT
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RedBull should dump that chump!
David Lama's team's actions are not a benefit to the climbing community and they should re-think their methods. Good thing the locals cleaned up the mess. On behalf of the climbing community in general, thanks!
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Nov 16, 2010 - 03:15pm PT
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Goleta, California
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Nov 16, 2010 - 03:22pm PT
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Good effort, Rolo. I still can't quite get my head wrapped around all the reported additions. I can't think of any "why" that makes sense, as in the places you describe it seems to me far less effort just to do the climbing without whacking in some 30-40 bolts, even if one were burdened with camera(s). (If memory serves correctly.) All that stuff was free, or free-ish, climbing anyway, right?
I'm sure you did the best possible job getting rid of all that Red Bull garbage.
It's all so bizarre. There must be some hidden magnetic core to that peak that makes us all go bat-shit crazy when we're on it.
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