I have heard rumors of someone bolting routs in N. Conway. The bolted routes in question are highly controversial and have stirred up a lot of discussion and anger with the N. Conway locals. Does anyone have an info on this?

There is a post on NEclimbs in the announcements section that I started about this. But, for the most part this latest bickerfest has been kept on the quite side. The meeting was initially called for a specific incident about heavy handed tactics that went against a previously decided issue.

edit; I guess there was a meeting last night. If anything...anything came out of it I'll post up.

NHClimber,
Any word on route it was that sparked the controversy? Thin air from this summer? When Dogs run free or whatever it's called over at Band M? or something more recent?...

E, PM or email sent.

How about that new bolt ladder where the pendulum tree was? I noticed this weekend that there is an older (although bomber) bolt three feet to the left of the newly installed bolt ladder, it looks to me that the other "older" bolt was from a free ascent of the first pitch, either way the crack and corner above is cleaned now so go give er....

the leftmost bolt is from the topless tellers free ascent.

Some typical BS. Did some one bolt If Dogs Run Free ? If so , unless it was Base, I got a big problem with this one. 'Dogs is a GREAT and well protected route w/o bolts.

Jay I forget the name, if dogs run free? when dogs run free?!? if it's the .11 at Band M that starts with thin face traverse to hand/finger-crack, to traverse with two pins and finishing up another crack then they did indeed. I climbed it this summer and there were two counter sunk glue ins on the face climbing part that was previously protected with a high nut.

TWO BOLTS !? That's shit. The route is well protected as it was. GodDamn retro-bolting assholes,go find a new route !

John, the locals who have been against bolting in the past certainly held the same position as you and gave the fellow quite the tongue lashing the other night. I don't know what the resolution was that they reached, but i heard some talk about chopping it earlier in the summer.

E - I am certainly not against bolting, I have done plenty. But adding bolts to this route is just poor. You did it, did you think it needed 2 at the start ? I know it did not on the f/a or the second ascent which I did, or the third ascent which TC did.

I know of plenty of f/a's at Band M that could use some bolts, maybe 10-15 new pitches.

john

John that was not a slight in any way. The folks I am referring to are folks Like Bayard and Freddie, Hot Henry, people who are called a number of things in relation to these situations; "the local hardmen" "Custodians of the cliff" the " Vigilantes." I was trying to find a way of referring to them without showing a preference for one side of the debate or another. I followed the pitch, and the person I followed used the bolts, so I didn't really see what kind of placements there were as I was more focused on finding those damned hidden pockets for my feet! Seeing as it lasted that long as a classic without bolts I will take that as a sign of it not needing them.

John and E something that's missing from this post that should be added is that the person that did the bolting got the blessing from Base...

I'm not saying that they were right or wrong in doing what they did but from my limited understanding of the New Hampshire's muddy climbing bylaws, they went about it in the right way... Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not looking for a barroom brawl or anything just trying to get some facts out...

No, I haven't climbed this route or any of the climbs on Band M, so I can't say whether the bolts are needed or not. I only have hear say from local (southern NH) climbers that the bolts are a blessing, an most have climbed the route before and after the bolts were added... An like with anything if you need the bolts use them if not don't...

E you are right that some of the bolts will be removed but not all, as to which ones I haven't heard...

Interesting- I would want to here it from Base's mouth though. I lot of "rumor" goes into some retro-bolting. As to the route getting more popular after the bolts, My feelings are well known about that.