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Questions regarding routes, bolt and grades. 17-Mar-2018 At 10:27:46 AM bigchris

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Call it my adventurous nature and maybe a love for suffering, as I climb more and more routes which don't appear to be very often climbed, I have come up with a few questions.

I was climbing at Buffalo last weekend, and on a climb which I don't think anyone has been on (or in) for a very, very, very long time. On our way up, philly noticed a whole heap of different bits of tat at what appeared to be the end of the pitch (it was a two pitch route). It looked like it had become part of the rock, and to its right, there was seat belt webbing and a slightly newer piece of rope (slightly) which had been used to bail.

The pitch above was an absolute joy, but I did have a 9 and a 12 Valley Giant. The tat was obviously there because people would have been horrified at the run out with zero gear in the second pitch. The start of the second pitch of the climb had two rusty carrots. I clipped the first one and not the second because I could reach the VG9 into the wide roof above me.

Here are my questions.

1. The route was put up in the early 70's, so I assume was bolted around then. The carrots are rusty and shit, and probably might hold a fall. However, I would assume that they are one of the reasons that the climb is not climbed (because they look totally dodgy). The second one which appears to be 4 or 5 mm bolt and probably has rusted through, and also is probably not very deep into the rock, seeing it would have been hand drilled.

Is it ok to rebolt these with new solid bolts and hangers? I've sent the original ascensionist an email but he has not gotten back to me. Is this generally the done deal? If it needs replacing just do it?

I think the route would see ascents if this was the case. I feel very comfortable in the wide stuff but some people might look at the old crap bolts and bail.

2. The route was hilariously under graded, I said 16, but depending on your body size and if you had access to wide gear or not (irrelevant) but I think it should go at 18 or 19. I guess that is just historical Buffalo grading? Or should it be regraded? I've put on thecrag.com what I think it should be as a personal grade (everyone can see this) but have left the original ascent details there.

3. The tat is old and ugly, and might be ok to rap off (its obviously been done before). Cut it or leave it there?

4. As Rod has told me numerous times, Mt Buffalo is a convoluted area to find your way around. I'm glad that people have written guidebooks etc, but even then i've found it difficult. I feel that everyone should be taking pictures of where they climb and putting them up on the crag so that people can more easily find their way around. I've made it a personal goal to upgrade pictures on the crag so that everyone can find their way around. Not a question, but rebolting old climbs when they need it and doing this is my way to give back to the climbing community. I'd hate for older climbers who know the place well to either stop climbing/die and we lose all of the information and local knowledge that they have.