Squarenail (Fresno) - New Bolted Anchors at Base of Routes?
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I noticed this a couple weeks ago and am just now getting around to posting it. I was at Squarenail (local Fresno crag) which has plenty of aging, quasi-rusted bolts on its beautiful slab face and someone had placed at least two (possibly three) 2-bolt anchors at the base of a couple of the routes. Has anyone else who visits Squarenail seen this? Does anyone know what it's for? The face below the main ledge doesn't seem very fun for climbing. Perhaps bolting practice? Belay anchor (I hope not)? |
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Not shocking. The last time I climbed there the sheer number of bolts was appalling. Being able to climb and clip bolts on 3 routes within a few feet of each other gave new meaning to the grid bolt term. Crowded to say the least. |
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Tollhouse and squarenail both have that grid-bolted feeling. I'm not entirely sure which area of Squarenail you are talking about but when I've been there I usually rap down to where there climbs are below that big aid boulder (Mr. Wizard, Zig Zag crack or something, some slabs/liebacks, etc). This involves getting an anchor in from the boulders to get down to the anchors on Easy Rider I believe, then rapping down from there. There's a gully that you can take down there but it's so loose I always rap in then climb out on Easy Rider. Maybe those anchors are the one's you're talking about? |
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Squarenail has the most egregious grid-bolting I've ever seen, particularly those far left slab routes... It is already a lost cause; I wouldn't worry about more bolts. |
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Carla R wrote: I'm surprised you think Tollhouse is grid bolted. There is a lot of run-out climbing - Wandering Taoist and Balls for example. |
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C Brooks wrote: Well, I said it has that 'feeling' of grid-bolting. Sometimes it's easy to get a little off-route. But I agree, lots of runouts...Wandering Taoist is a great one! |
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rain cloud wrote: This is the only thing I could think of. For those above, there seems to be confusion - they are not at the "bottom" of the top part of the mountain i.e. the approach, to where you could use them to rappel to any existing route. They are at the bottom of all the existing routes i.e. where the belayer would stand. But I can't possibly imagine anyone would need a belay anchor requiring bolts. And to those who are complaining about grid-bolting, thanks for your input. I was just asking if anyone knew what the new, weird, out-of-place anchors were for, not a commentary on the dynamics of how well- or poorly-bolted the routes themselves were. |
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Carla R wrote: +1 ... I love that climb -- although I may have cried like a baby while leading it |
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beau Griffith wrote: Dude it's the internet. That's 85% of what it's used for. Comentary. Sheesh |
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So speaking of Squarenail.... http://abc30.com/news/two-dead-one-airlifted-after-crash-on-the-hwy-168-four-lanes/1945330/ Crazy. Update: This truck literally crossed all 4 lanes going downhill at the Squarenail pullout and launched over the cliff! |
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^ Yikes! |
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I believe I owe you 5 bucks Jeremy as per my Velvet Elvis challenge. |
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Cory B wrote: Indeed. “Grid-bolted” was the absolute last thing on my mind when I climbed Wandering Taoist a while ago. |
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Grid Bolted! - not even close to Modern Urban Sport Crags. |
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To answer the OP, bolts he mentions are both for rope solo belay anchors and for teaching anchors. You and a few others are probably not aware of the history of development of Squarenail in relationship to Tollhouse Rock, which are dramatically opposed. |
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There is a lot of run-out climbing - Wandering Taoist and Balls for example.Fun as a free solo. |