Cob rock - new rappel route
|
Anyone had a chance to use the new rappel route yet? Curious what others think. See my comments posted here: mountainproject.com/v/north… |
|
I think you have put forth some very thoughtful comments. |
|
Jason, thanks for the info. It seems if the top anchor were installed on the West face, a single rap with a 60 m rope would reach the ground, probably would require some walking down the slope though. |
|
I'm very disappointed to hear of this rap route. I climb at Cob rock frequently, and the Northwest corner is one of my favorite routes because of its slightly runout nature and beautiful moves. I've often climbed between it and Emperor. It is pretty runout with small gear and now it seems climbers on this route will have to dodge tossed ropes and rapeling climbers. The walk off is very simple and safe. Perhaps if there were signs educating on what a switchback was, we could avoid the erosive beeline straight downhill. Instead we now have a rap anchor which changes the NW corner and will cause traffic jams. |
|
David Appelhans wrote:I'm very disappointed to hear of this rap route. I climb at Cob rock frequently, and the Northwest corner is one of my favorite routes because of its slightly runout nature and beautiful moves. I've often climbed between it and Emperor. It is pretty runout with small gear and now it seems climbers on this route will have to dodge tossed ropes and rapeling climbers. The walk off is very simple and safe. Perhaps if there were signs educating on what a switchback was, we could avoid the erosive beeline straight downhill. Instead we now have a rap anchor which changes the NW corner and will cause traffic jams. This rap route doesn't belong here in my opinion and I'm sad to see it appear, changing the character of the Northwest Corner. I suspect it will also create an unintended cluster, with some people using the top chains for a belay anchor, other parties wanting to rap, and still other parties trying to climb the NW corner.+1 Worried David is spot on |
|
Solution! |
|
I don't really know the rock that well. I bet I wouldn't mind the rap anchors at all. |
|
Isn't there an anchor that could be used to rap from the top of that one 12- sport route to the right? |
|
Agree with David, rock fall as well. |
|
I had posted earlier, but took it down because Roger wanted to remain anonymous. However, because I posted the initial information of these two new anchors in the route database using my real name and because I have had complaints emailed to me (which I couldn't fully address as these weren't my anchors), I do think some transparency around this issue could be helpful. This rappel route was Roger Briggs' project, one that he had wanted to do for several years because of the extreme disrepair of the walk off. For those that don't know Roger, he's from Boulder and has climbed here for 40+ (50?) years. His name is on the FA and FFA of hundreds of classic lines in the Front Range. While Roger acted as an individual, outside of any organization, he is also the president of the Boulder Climbing Community (BCC) and is the liaison with the Forest Service. Roger has worked tirelessly behind the scenes developing a relationship with the FS, who is greatly concerned about user impact, especially on social trails, which they don't actually acknowledge as trails in their system. This was a proactive attempt to do something about the condition of the trail, with a larger goal to also later restore that trail, so that access does not become a problem with the Forest Service. So that's why it went in. Some could argue it is to save the existing trail/slope and some can argue it is a convenience anchor. Personally I see it as both. |
|
"Convenience anchors" are quite often the lowest impact solution. Sounds like it here. |
|
I'm not taking sides here. Many are quick to judge from the comfort of a chair but rarely, if ever, get involved with stewardship projects. Give something back to the areas where you climb. Leave the rack and rope at home a couple times per year and do something for the greater good. Build trails. Replace bolts. Collect trash. Build trails. I wish the adage about 10% of the people doing 90% of the work were true but in our world I'd wager it's closer to 1% doing 99% of the work. So whaddaya' think about being a one or two-percenter? |
|
CJC wrote: He acted unilaterally without any input from the climbing community, except now it appears we're supposed to say how we fell about it now that its already there lol.I don't disagree with everything you said, but you got this part wrong. Just because he didn't ask you didn't mean he didn't seek input. And I think I read that he's going to re-assess based on the feedback, but I didn't see where he said how you should feel. So perhaps you should reconsider your own reaction. It's fine that you don't like the bolts, but you are painting people pretty liberally here. |
|
ABB wrote: Give something back to the areas where you climb. Leave the rack and rope at home a couple times per year and do something for the greater good. Build trails. Replace bolts. Collect trash. Build trails. I wish the adage about 10% of the people doing 90% of the work were true but in our world I'd wager it's closer to 1% doing 99% of the work. So whaddaya' think about being a one or two-percenter?OK, so since you mention that, perhaps people know, or did not, that I help coordinate a volunteers list and action for trail work and maintenance at climbing areas. We work with State Parks, Boulder City/County, Jeffco, etc... Anyone who does wish to be a 1%-er (actually, I guess it's closer to .1%) is free to Email me and I'll add you the list of folks. The net trail project we are doing is with Eldorado Canyon State Park on Friday Night after work, August 23. Dinner and drinks will be provided. |
|
CJC wrote: I agree with much of what you wrote, but this wasn't a 'stewardship project'. It was one guy deciding for the rest of the community that his rap line is necessary to solve a problem he feels the community should be concerned about.One guy doing something in an effort to reduce the impact on the land qualifies as an act of stewardship just as much as 20 people showing up to work on an organized project. As was pointed out above, the Forest Service is greatly concerned about the impacts of social trails. I'm biased for sure, but it seems like the community that is causing these very real impacts that the land manager is concerned about should be concerned about it as well. |
|
CJC, I was referring to the bigger picture in broader terms. I recognize that not everyone regards this particular rap route as 'stewardship'. |
|
Here is the thing about Cob Rock - the BCC is working with the USFS to get permission to fix the erosion/trail problem, but that takes a process that moves with the glacial speed that only a federal bureaucracy is capable of... and so the BCC can't organize a trail day there at this time. But we are working on it, and have been for 2 years. There is some progress towards the long-off goal of having permission to build trails on these lands, but we're talking MOU, NEPA, etc... |
|
I heard Ken Nichols was gonna take a road trip over there with his tools. |
|
CJC wrote: not really following you tony, didn't say anything about roger saying HOW I should feel, only that he's soliciting input after the fact. maybe you misread/misinterpreted my comment? I was standing right there he could have asked my input and I would have given him the same response. by the way I'm not entirely opposed to there being a (temporary?) rap route somewhere on cob but like I said before I can't support one that impinges on any of the routes there. btw the 'middle' rap station is unecessary, as it is apparently intended to facilitate single rope raps. the definition of convenience, and completely out of character with the nature of climbing at cob.I did misread 1/2 of your comment, indeed. But I know he did some asking around about the raps before he went up there. It is regrettable that he didn't ask your input that day though - and/or that you didn't know what he was up to in order to offer it. I don't have a strong opinion about the anchor at this point, as I have not seen it/used it/climbed the routes by it since it was installed and I am a "see for yourself" type of guy for this sort of thing. But if it indeed is clipable from the route, then I'm in agreement with your suggestion that it should be elsewhere. Where we apparently differ, however, is in that I don't mind an anchor set for a single rope rap. The point is to get people to use it, and most people don't climb on double ropes, so... if they are going to use it, it needs to be set to be used. I hope that is is comforting to know that bolts, if removed correctly, leave holes that can be patched up nicely with care taken, so that they are not easy to notice. If they are moved, I am sure that will be done. If it is not done well, I will do it myself and try until I get it right. |
|
I'm glad the conversation has stayed constructive and respectful, I think we are all reasonable and on our way to working out a solution. I have a ton of respect for Roger (and his brother). I'll get out to Cob Rock soon to see the anchors for myself too. |
|
Im late in joining this discussion was out of town last week when most was said, and Ive thought a while about my words. |