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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
All NSW	(General)	(General)	(General)

Topic Date User

Rings on 9-Aug-2012 At 11:37:33 AM Nick Clow

Message

I have been watching this car crash of a thread and can no longer refrain from commenting.

To Macciza:

Is there any special reason for getting stuck into the re-bolting/re-bolter of this route? Over the last few years various routes in the mountains have been retro-bolted: Trad Exterminator (was all trad, now all bolts), The Plunge, On Edge etc, etc. In order to be consistent I think you should get stuck into the re-bolting/re-bolter(s) of these.

To Simey:

> The only times that the first ascenionist should really command full respect is when they have gone ground-up to establish a new route. I reckon as soon as you opt to rap-inspect a line you have started taking the soft option. If you choose to bolt a line in a bold way after pre-inspecting all the climbing and working out what placements go where, you are basically being lazy or an egotistical wanker. Personally I don't think you can claim complete ownership of the line given that you have already forfeited your opportunity to meet the cliff head-on by opting for abseil pre-inspection. In fact I hate it when great lines have been hijacked in this way.

In my view, these are the most perceptive and smartest comments on the whole thread. Take a bow. Seriously.

Some facts (as opposed to supposition or misinformation):

* The retro-bolted route is The Rage this Season, graded 23, established after top-roping and with bolts and pre-placed gear by Geoff Weigand.

* The Age of Reason (a 24 established in the same way by Warwick Baird) shares the same start then goes up more directly. This climb cannot be climbed in its present state as it is covered in run-off and lichen. No-one has done it in donkey's years.

* You will get a surprise if you think that The Rage this Season in its present state is 'sport bolted'. There are significant run-outs with the possibility of falls slamming you into the slab below you. The key gear placement is retained. I will add no more as I would not wish to give anyone unwanted beta.

* It’s one of the best routes I have ever been on in The Blue Mountains. It's a fragile climb with some very thin edges, so, unfortunately (as someone has said previously), with wear, this climb could rapidly become a 26. Please respect and minimise wear.