Normally I don't need to vent about something like this, but for some reason a recent "Anchored" bit in Climbing Magazine #276 has pissed me off.

Jason Haas and friends managed to free West Side Story on Cottontail Tower earlier this year. Pretty cool. To do it they replaced a dozen or so bolts. The article points this out, singling out the ARI Project for its assistance to all future climbers. The article made no mention of the ASCA replacing at least 40 bolts on the route and installing chain (nearly 30 pounds of it) on all of the anchors. The article does not say that only ARI has done the work, but instead implies it in its complete disregard for the previous efforts... efforts that Jason himself, on this website, has said helped spur he and his friends to attempt to free the route.

I am thankful that Jason continued the project and he no doubt helped to make the protection on the route better and longer lasting. He deserves full credit for not only freeing the climb but hauling the bolts and drill up the wall to make the repairs. However, Climbing Magazine, if it is really into the ARI Project to help climbers and not to promote itself, needs to acknowledge that a lot of work goes into the rebolting of things that ARI does not do. The ASCA doesn't try and make light of anyone elses work, at least not here in the desert, as that would only hurt climbers in the long run. IT would be nice to see the magazine quit using "climber safety" as a sales tool and let the rebolting work stand on its own.
A photo of the steel installed on West Side Story last Spring

This is what we took up to bring the anchors up to speed. You can thank the ASCA. Not all of these were used. Submitted By: Sam Lightner, Jr. on Apr 30, 2007

Matt...thanks for responding and participating in the conversation. I don't think anyone expects you to be perfect. It does help when you can respond positively to criticism and keep working to do the best you can with the information you have. And thanks for the hard work putting out the mag.

I'm not sure why this thread popped up again... I chatted with Matt last week and understand it was an honest mistake. In any event, it was good that the equipment got replaced, no matter who did it. And congrats to Jason and Rob P. for freeing the route.
Lets put the discusion of the rebolting behind us... mistakes are made from time to time and I shouldn'tget so fired up about it.

Are some of those bolts Sleeve and Nail Drives??