Buried Treasure 

Climbed the "Buried Alive" (p1 & p2 Buried Treasure, p3 Staying Alive) variation last night. Great link-up. The undercling traverse into the V-slot on the final pitch was really fun. Thanks for all of the work you've done on this area Ron!

With the Buried Alive finish, this climb packs a nice variety of climbing into the three pitches.

Really fun route. Three stars if you combine the last pitch of Stayin Alive.

One of the better lines in this part of the wall, sadly, it deserves no more than 2 bolts. Lead ground-up on gear while cleaning it, the only bolts that tempted me were those leading out right to gain the arete 2/3 up, but I found myself on 5.8 jugs anyway... Both bolts there are OK, but only one was really needed to protect the moves.
If those had been the only bolts this would read differently, but that is not the case.

I cleaned a lot of cracks out with my nut tool and sewed the climb up as I liked, save for that one place. It's a shame it was not done in mixed or trad style, in my opinion. This is a good candidate for the FA party to reconsider the bolts on. In my opinion, the route would be improved.

I led this yesterday with a set of cams and stoppers. I feel it is rather well protected. As Tony has stated above, I think this route should be considered for retro-unbolting with the first ascentionist's permission. I think the bolts left of the crack on P2 of Staying Alive are an atrocity. This part of the climb in particular is well protected and does not warrant permanent fixtures. I encourage other 5.9 leaders to lead the route traditionally and weigh in on the issue.

For those looking to lead this marvelous climb, a set of stoppers (every other size will probably do) and cams to 2 1/2 inches will be suitable, perhaps with doubles in the 1/2->1 inch sizes.

-chris

Dear Buried Treasure,

We first met at the suggestion of a friend, he told me I'd like you and that you were fun. Boy, he was right! We had some good times, didn't we? Sure, I may have gotten a little off-track with you here or there, but I always came back! I'm sorry it had to end - it's not you, it's me! I like you just the way you are. Don't you ever change!

-Mark

P.S. I'll come visit again soon.

If put to a vote, I would support chopping all but two bolts on this route. Leave the anchors; that is fine, but the bolts next to the cracks should be removed.

With that said, this is an excellent route. I really enjoyed my experiences today at the tower. Thank you FA folk.

As a new climber, doing mostly top ropes, just learning to lead some sport routes but having no experience placing gear yet, this route was a blast! Went with a better climber and actually led the middle pitch.

Thanks for putting this up!

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ron Olsen, Bruno Hache, Bob D'Antonio, Ken Cangi and others who contributed their considerable time, effort, expense and expertise to create the climbing routes that are now to be found on Tonnere Tower. Please keep up your excellent work. I climbed at this area for the first time today and had a truly outstanding day of climbing. I will be back for more.

Guess what, there are climbers who don't climb trad. And never will. While trad climbers can choose not to use the bolts and put their gear in the cracks (the bolts aren't in their way in the cracks), but if you lead sport, what? you are sorry out of luck because a bunch of purists get to decide when rock gets bolted?? I was up at Exit 38 in WA appreciating the rare opportunity to have lots of moderate sport routes to gain lead experience on and then thought about Boulder Canyon, or Boulder in general and how there are all these people who think "if it's protectable, nearby bolts are an abomination and should be chopped". As much as I love where I live and the granite of the canyon and the close proximity of a lot climbing, it was a drag thinking about the attitudes I would be returning to.

It's just rock climbing, people, and there are different styles. Why should trad preclude sport climbing? Sport climbers aren't stopping trad climbers from doing their thing. As soon as you step off a trail you've changed nature. As soon as you apply sticky shoe rubber to the rock, you are aiding. Live and let live.

Bolts or gear, the buried alive link is a blast. Nice work guys! Look forward to going back for more on Tonnere.
-KT

Concering a loose anchor,

The nut is loose on the left anchor. I still rapped down from both but would not recommend this to anyone! The anchors are mentioned above in the beta. The anchors atop the second pitch, 15 feet to left (I believe these are the anchors to one of the routes on the right of Sport Land) of the typical second pitch anchors.

Traddies have been driving past this crag and route for at least 50 years to get to Castle Rock, yet never bothered to do it. It was hardly cutting edge difficulty, even 50 years ago, so you can't use "too hard" as an excuse.

If it hadn't been bolted, it would probably remain undone, or at best, obscure. As it is, it's a fun, easy, well-protected multipitch climb that seems to get regular traffic. I doubt that would be the case if the bolts were removed.

I bet not a single person would have carried a rack up here if not for the "see how many bolts you can skip" challenge posed by the FA.

Buried Treasure was intentionally created as a sport route, to provide an easy multi-pitch clip-up for newer climbers (this is how we rationalize bolting cracks). In almost all places, it can also be protected with trad gear. If you prefer to place gear, bring your trad rack (nuts and cams up to 1") and see how many bolts you can skip. If you prefer to clip bolts, bring your quickdraws, no nuts needed.

E Johnson: Birds get to fly because they have wings, fish get to live underwater because they have gills, and trad climbers get to climb cracks because they use equipment available since the late '70s that protect cracks without leaving a mark. If you want to climb cracks, learn to place gear in them. No one is making you climb cracks, go nuts on bolted slabs! Just skip the bolts, I mean cracks!

Just because the rock can be bolted doesn't mean it should be. Placing a nut in a crack and removing it when you're done should preclude drilling a hole in the rock and pounding some metal into it.

Jeff Welch: I carried a light trad rack up the 5 minute approach because I heard they over-bolted the place and wanted to skip the bolts, yes.

Yo admins, why were my comments about this climb removed?! The Cascade Creek discussion prompted me to look back at some of the prior comments I made after doing most of the Tonnere Tower climbs, but they are all gone! I simply don't understand, are only glowing reviews of this climb acceptable?

FWIW, I climbed this specific route and found that the overwhelming number of bolts, especially those on the third pitch next to the crack in the corner, to greatly detract from the climb and the overall experience of the wall. It could have been a great route.