Did Bear Canyon yesterday, someone installed a particularly questionable bolt above a downclimb. It wiggled and spun. We put a rope into it just for fun and pulled on it, moving it about two inches out of the rock. So, if you’re heading in their soon and are particularly motivated, maybe bring some equipment to pull it out and patch it?
Also, both Bear and Sundance are full of (cold) water. No pothole escaping is currently necessary, and really with these conditions, it seemed like sundance was the easier canyon, as long as you don’t consider the 180 foot rap difficult.
And one last thing. Does anyone know what the story is with the wreath in Sundance? It definitely made us think twice about heading in…
TomJones
SEE BELOW
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “adam.wibby” wrote:
Hey Ram,
I’ve never done this myself, though my climbing mentor said “If drilling a bolt leave a little extra depth to the hole for ease of removal. (this is on granite) when the bolt needs to be replaced you can just chop the bolt and hammer it into the rock leaving a little room for the epoxy paste and sand mixture to hide the bolt”
TOM=> Uh, well – the directions for drilling the hole are to drill it 1/4″ deeper than the length of the bolt, so that the bolt will go all the way in AND function correctly. If using blue-tip “bolts”, then the easiest way to get them out is to spin them out. If using red-tips in sandstone you should be shot, because they will become dangerous rather quickly, but… in this case it helps to have a bit of space to tap whatever stud is sticking out the top after cutting/removal efforts.
that said the porousness of the sandstone might not be wise to leave a pocket behind the bolt for water to collect and freeze? I’ve also seen people take a small rock and carve it to match the drill hole to look almost like a circular cap that lays flush when you glue it in. just bolting tricks I’ve heard. >
TOM=> In granite this is a consideration, not in sandstone. The stone is porous. water in behind the bolt will dissipate through the rock and/or rust wherever it can, creating a wonderful welding of steel and stone. Carving a plug of indigenous materials – bonus points for outstanding craftsmanship, but sounds a little OCD to me!
Tom
adam.wibby
Hey Ram,
I’ve never done this myself, though my climbing mentor said “If drilling a bolt leave a little extra depth to the hole for ease of removal. (this is on granite) when the bolt needs to be replaced you can just chop the bolt and hammer it into the rock leaving a little room for the epoxy paste and sand mixture to hide the bolt”
that said the porousness of the sandstone might not be wise to leave a pocket behind the bolt for water to collect and freeze? I’ve also seen people take a small rock and carve it to match the drill hole to look almost like a circular cap that lays flush when you glue it in. just bolting tricks I’ve heard.
hope you’re well man! just went to the doll house and it was mind blowing.
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “RAM” wrote:
Thanks for the report. A cold water destination sounds great right now. Half in bolts are bad news. Hope someone gets it out and patches it. Perhaps someone can share how that is best done? I have heard that VW tire iron has been used in the 90’s, for extraction. What is Tom and others using. I think an epoxy/sand mixture is used to fill the hole and blend it into the surrounding rock? is this right? What else? Had trouble locating some removed bolt holes last week, so it can be done artfully. > Ram
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “rickinlo” wrote:
Did Bear Canyon yesterday, someone installed a particularly questionable bolt above a downclimb. It wiggled and spun. We put a rope into it just for fun and pulled on it, moving it about two inches out of the rock. So, if you’re heading in their soon and are particularly motivated, maybe bring some equipment to pull it out and patch it?
Also, both Bear and Sundance are full of (cold) water. No pothole escaping is currently necessary, and really with these conditions, it seemed like sundance was the easier canyon, as long as you don’t consider the 180 foot rap difficult.
And one last thing. Does anyone know what the story is with the wreath in Sundance? It definitely made us think twice about heading in…
>
RAM
Thanks for the report. A cold water destination sounds great right now. Half in bolts are bad news. Hope someone gets it out and patches it. Perhaps someone can share how that is best done? I have heard that VW tire iron has been used in the 90’s, for extraction. What is Tom and others using. I think an epoxy/sand mixture is used to fill the hole and blend it into the surrounding rock? is this right? What else? Had trouble locating some removed bolt holes last week, so it can be done artfully. Ram
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “rickinlo” wrote:
Did Bear Canyon yesterday, someone installed a particularly questionable bolt above a downclimb. It wiggled and spun. We put a rope into it just for fun and pulled on it, moving it about two inches out of the rock. So, if you’re heading in their soon and are particularly motivated, maybe bring some equipment to pull it out and patch it?
Also, both Bear and Sundance are full of (cold) water. No pothole escaping is currently necessary, and really with these conditions, it seemed like sundance was the easier canyon, as long as you don’t consider the 180 foot rap difficult.
And one last thing. Does anyone know what the story is with the wreath in Sundance? It definitely made us think twice about heading in… >
RAM
here is the info on that… http://www.canyoneering.net/forums/showthread.php?3036-Fatality-in-Sundance-Canyon
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “vapormanb” wrote:
I can’t find the link, but a young man passed away down there a couple summers ago due to a pre-existing heart condition that had nothing to do with the difficulty of the canyon…
Brian
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “rickinlo” wrote:
> And one last thing. Does anyone know what the story is with the wreath in Sundance? It definitely made us think twice about heading in…
>
vapormanb
I can’t find the link, but a young man passed away down there a couple summers ago due to a pre-existing heart condition that had nothing to do with the difficulty of the canyon…
Brian
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “rickinlo” wrote:
> And one last thing. Does anyone know what the story is with the wreath in Sundance? It definitely made us think twice about heading in… >