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john hansen
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 4, 2007 - 01:11am PT
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They only used thirteen on the FA. How many now?
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Got to be a lot more than when I did it in 81...
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john hansen
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 4, 2007 - 01:17am PT
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Are there stories of when any new bolts were added, Piana's and Skinners belay on the headwall...
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monolith
Trad climber
Berkeley
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On the pitch to Long Ledge, there is a variation to the left that allows a bypass of Long Ledge. I'm guessing about 5 bolts. No doubt someone on ST has a better recollection then I do. I believe Piana and Skinner placed them.
These probably don't count as they are not directly on the route.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I don't know the current bolt count but here is an interesting historical tidbit. When RR made his third ascent of the route in 1976 there were 42. The first two repeats didn't carry a bolt kit, so between about 1966 and 1976 twenty nine bolts showed up!
Not too hard to see why lots of people like RR, YC and Roper were rabid about the spurious bolting issue.
I would like to figure out which positions are the original thirteen and replace the existing bolt hangers with replica stainless ones.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Steve, I believe all or most of the original bolts were below the Half Dollar. The heavy traffic on that part, and free ascents, may mean that most or all have been replaced.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I think that there is one original bolt protecting a hard move a pitch or two above Heart Ledge and that is the last of the thirteen. I will have to ask Royal next time I see him.
Warbler- I will also have to ask him about the incident where he demanded Graham's hammer after your futuristic little spree. Makes me chuckle every time I think of it.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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When my cousin George and I made the 7th ascent in '69, there were no additional bolts yet. But I heard that shortly afterward one was placed at a cruxy little move above Heart Ledge.
-JelloWithTheMemoryOfAnElephant
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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"The first two repeats didn't carry a bolt kit, so between about 1966 and 1976 twenty nine bolts showed up! Not too hard to see why lots of people like RR, YC and Roper were rabid about the spurious bolting issue."
Steve: We were down visiting Allen in Berkeley a couple of weeks ago, and he pulled out the film of the third (first non-Robbins) ascent. As you said, he and Roper and Long didn't take even a single bolt, but they did take a movie camera and plenty of film. Pretty amazing footage when you consider they learned how to use the camera the night before they went up. It currently exists in the form of a few VHS copies plus the original celluloid, but he said they're working on a DVD version, with commentary. That will be a treasure.
David
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Coincidentally, I just recieved a disk from my cousin yesterday, containing about 100 photos from old climbs we did together. Three of them were from our 1969 climb of the Salathe. Thought I'd share them.
-Jello
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Naw, Kevin, we had jugs, but hanging in mid air on goldline, you never stop spinning!
-Jeff
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WBraun
climber
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Yeah yeah like wtf man?
Holes in your jeans, a goldline POS rope and wtf happened to the bolts that are supposed to be on the wall behind your head there.
You Photoshop those away?
And looky here here kid you're not even tied in and your mom will suffer a stroke seeing sh'it like that.
Thanks for the great memories Jeff ..... w00t
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Those were good days, were'nt they? El Cap seemed SOOO big back then. I was quaking in my boots the day we started. Finally settled down after a couple days, and felt totally at home when we topped out on the fifth day. George and I discussed the freeclimbing possibilities along the way. He didn't think it would all go, but the thought stayed in the back of my mind as something to eventually try...
-JelloDreams
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Mimi
climber
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Nice shot and stories and an awesome thread! Back when Jello first appeared on the shelf.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Those are some great photos Jeff. Quite the youngster there!
Kevin I think I removed more bolts than we added in total. That should have made for only 8 bolts required for the whole route.
Damm Kids
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Kevster
Trad climber
Evergreen, CO
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I only recall 1 old bolt on the route, at the top of the hollow flake chimney pitch. There are plenty of bolts at belays but only 2 protection bolts on the original route above the Half Dollar. The bolt protecting the slab move off Heart, and the bolt added by Skinner and Piana on the headwall.
(Edit: Oh yea...forgot about the bolts on the roof pitch...don't recall how many)
About 1/2 of the bolts on the 2 Freeblast slab pitches are not necessary for freeclimbing, but removing them would definately increase the spice factor for those not confident on 5.11 slab. The slab crux on Freeblast is always a slight disapointment as I usually always use the huge chisled hook placement as a hand hold. It would be a lot harder without that hold.
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WBraun
climber
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After Skinner and Piana did their Salathe climb I saw many new bolts on the pitch going over the roof to the headwall.
Big ones, fat ones with slings on them.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Kevin the comment was more like “Immature Kidds” as I was told it went when Yabo confronted Royal in the parking lot. Yabo may have taken the origin of the myth with him.
Maybe it was something like 6 bolts. I’m sure you remember our first free version of that pitch followed a weakness of holds wandering around the bolt ladder making it rather useless. It’s sad upping the anti on the route didn’t keep it from being yet slain again with all the chipping - A more destructive out come than I imagined when removing the bolts. Still to this day I don’t think the logic was flawed but in hindsight just rerouting the pitch completely and having it as an option would have been the best. Then you’re back to the question would it have been really freeing a part of the Salathe?
Adding bolts to free routes isn’t new but its sure scrutinized more than it was 30 years ago. So I for one can’t get all up in a roar about it, its just evolution.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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A retro repair may be in order. Better late than never they say.
I actually wouldn’t mind doing that traverse from the Nose to the Salathe again. I think your memory on that is better than mine. Most I recollect about the deal was it was sure fun.
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WBraun
climber
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Hahahaha yeah Kevin LOL
But I tell ya, after you guys did the deed up there Dale got that pitch and he was swinging all over the place on that slab trying to get to the right place. I was laughing.
The next time, I made Merry lead it, cause I knew I would surely die.
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