There was an incident in the New last week, it has been discussed and hypothized about on that other site.

Here is the real situation, as I understand it, as I have heard/lived/seen it from the guys how played the joke to who it was played on.

Two guides that work for a commercial guiding company here in the New decided that it would be a funny joke to place fake bolts around a 5.7R climb called Easily Flakey at the Bridge Buttress. The hangers (5 in all) were glued on with super glue bought from Kroger's grocery store. The joke was aimed at showing how stupid the bolting feud here in the New is, and particularly at a couple of individuals, one of which being Jim Taylor (who the others are I'm not completely sure).

The hangers were placed where noone could clip them. 2 were placed way far off left directly above the tree in the middle of the climb(very hard/impossible to climb to them). The remaining 3 were placed up and left of the final flake system about 6-9 ft away from the flake that takes perfect #4 cams (which you are below/laying back). Those 3 would require the ability to climb 5.13+ to get to and the face above them is very blank.

The Park service has done their investigations, threatened to shut down climb in the gorge(how they planned to enforce that I don't know), and forced the jesters involved to reveal themselves due to their strong conscience that not being able to let the gorge be closed down for a joke.

Right now a couple of malicious mischief charges are being considered for the jesters and perhaps more charges for anyone who could have been involved as a leader/accomplice.

I'll keep you all updated

I don't know. That sounds pretty funny to me. Not sure why the park service would worry or care about 5 fake bolts, but what do I know.

It was a great idea for a funny joke. The guys who did it are great guys who are fed up with the ego-trips that are so prevalent here in/around the New River Gorge. They had the best intentions and made sure they placed the fake bolts where they couldn't be reached.

Was it meant to piss Jim Taylor off? I ask because I don't really get the joke. It does sound like the Park service is over reacting though.

It is amazing, the difference in reactions to this post on this website as compared to the "other" website. What does that say, if anything?

It sounds stupid if not downright dangerous to me to super glue a bolt hanger any where in a climbing area. Were they totally inaccessible even from rappel? What if someone were to clip one of these bolts and put weight on it? It would fail and somebody gets hurt or worse.

Practical jokes are OK but serious consequences must be considered beforehand.

i live in colorado so i don't know who did this but that is so wrong. i climb eldo and boulder canyon and i know about bolt wars but to put up fake bolts is the lowest of low. if i was an vacation there and saw those bolts i might think the route went that way.and what if someone died would that make the joke that much better. find those guys and whip there asses.

kick their asses?

5.7 route has glue ons in extreme placements around 5.12+ range! a weee bit obvious....

I guess none of you have a sense of humor, don't drink, and pray daily @ you local religious house.

wow, you guys sound like fun.

off to drink a "bumper" of colt 45

Why has this idea taken so long to come to fruition?

What a beautiful thread...

The anarchist in me thinks this was a beautifully elegant practical joke. Sounds like the "bolts" were placed so that anyone with any brains would figure it out from the ground.

But the pragmatist in me thinks putting an entire climbing area at risk for the sake of a joke is extrememly selfish and short-sighted. I can't imagine how pissed I would be if something like this threatened to shut down my "home" climbing area.

Just another internal conflict in the dichotomy that is my life...

Yes, the NPS views this joke VERY seriously, however I have talked to the prosecuting ranger and he has said that he understands it was a joke and anyone who saw the bolts would know not to clip them.

You could very easily tell that the bolts weren't actual bolts if you got within 10 ft of them, so the bolts weren't something someone would actually clip on lead, on rappel, or for any reason.

This reminds me of one of those elementary school principal intercom announcements. I guess we're all on double secret probation now.

As long as the rock wasn't damaged, I think it's original & friggin hilarious. I can only imagine the look on the faces of some hardcore Splatte guys if I caulked some hangers on one of their lines.

It seems to me we shouldn't be concerned so much about whether the joke was funny or stupid but about how the NPS reacted to it. The New is one of the largest climbing areas in the east if not the country. Thousands if not tens of thousands of people go there to climb every year. The fact that the Park Service would even threaten to shut it down over a small and insignificant prank between climbers means that it is time to reevaluate their "service" and be sure that this is what we want. If it is not climbers are citizens as well and this is America. A little bit of organization and a few phone calls or emails can actually have an effect.

I am going to have to agree with mike o here. It seems to be a case where the threatened punishment doesn't seem to fit the "crime." To shut down the gorge over a small prank, doesn't that seem a tad much?! If this threatened ban did happen, which with time cooler heads will prevail, but for some odd reason if they dont I might be forced to place a call to good ol' Walter Sobchak. See walter is living back in the vietnam era and he is always looking to dish out a "world of pain" to those who do not see things as he does. believe me, if the New were closed to climbing, he might just have to do something about it especially the cats who started all this. Who knows the movie i am talking about?
Actually i think this whole situation is pretty comical. And Jim Taylor, he is the man!! good guy!

TP - We don't get off-route while on vacation; we go exploring...

Ropeless, put a lid on it, man.

hey mark bite me!!!!

Bro I think you made ropeless mad... Oh well. I thought it was pretty funny.

That's one of the stupidest most irresponsible things I've ever heard of at the New. I can't believe so many of you think that it's funny or whatever

The NPS decision on the punishment for these bolts will occur sometime in September/October.

Ladd, I could see a problem if this were a mixed-pro line, but it looks to me as this goes as a natural line.

We're not talking about fake bolt studs, correct?

This is about some hangers on the rock that could be easily recognized as a joke for someone leading at that technical grade, which is not even close to a beginner level, & just as easily removed without damage.

After looking at the pictures, seeing the technical grade, & natural line for pro; it should have just been kept as some humor between climbers.