Bolted Bridges in Los Angeles

Does anyone know anything about climbing bridges in LA or remember these days?

Apparently the Aroyo Seco bridge in Pasadena used to be bolted. I couldn’t find much information online, though I would love to see photos or hear some stories if anyone has any...?

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-10-24/news/vw-364_1_artificial-wall

I remember those days as I was actively climbing then in the LA area but never on bridges,  I’m sure some old timers like me will chime in with tales,  Pretty sure the LAPD/Highway patrol would throw your ass in jail and take the gear, A quick google search pulled up  this photo.  It’s up north in the SF area. Doran bridge

there was a couple that had bolts(don’t know if they still have them)..... Check Tampa/118

There were climbs under Adams street bridge over the Santa Ana river in hb. Not sure if they are still there. I also remeber going to a spot in south OC, maybe dana point that had a good amount of climbs down in the river under the 5 freeway. 

Edit* both spots had holds glues on as well as bolts 

In Orange County, there were routes on the pillars under the 22 near Hart Park and a roof traverse in a culvert in Tustin (off Jamboree, as I recall). There was also a spot in Irvine near UCI in a riverbed/drainage channel but I don't remember exactly where. 

Was a crappy place with rocks epoxied on concrete here in Ventura but it was hit hard with the fires. Epoxy is brittle and holds are failing. 

I used to climb the Pasadena bridge all the time.  We would climb there in the afternoons on weekdays and up at Williamson on the weekends.   That bridge was a great place to hang when it was warm, always in the shade.   I really miss it.   

The glue ups pre-dated gyms.... at least in So-Cal... 

The quality of the climbing varied, depending on the FAist and location.... 

Under the 210, close to the Rose Bowl was the El Cap. Oh the happy daze, early morning entertainment for the hobos. 

I am always amazed reading the stories in the paper about how much it cost the STATE to remove the vandalism. 

A few broke climbers spent $500 on gear and glue... CALTRANS spent 1.5 MILLION removing it.

Those pictures are friggin‘ awesome, thanks for posting 

Frank Saab and I glued up a long traverse in Eaton Canyon- 1986.   I left soon afterwards for the east coast- when I returned for a visit  few years later I was amazed to see the entire wall was covered in holds.  The photo shows the very first holds getting glued on.   Frank had scored a sample quart of road reflector epoxy, and we just picked up rocks from the ground.

Wasn’t the guys name Hassan Saab? We use to call him Hank not Frank. Dlfa rules. Now puke.

Edit: Chez should chime in.

Russ Walling wrote:

Hey Leo... are you Leo Hermanuski or something like that?  And is "Hank" actually Hassan??? He was working in Pasadena just down the road from that traverse.  I saw your name scrawled into the walls of that traverse.  I was there with Bill "Chez" McChesney and maybe Dave Groth.  They recounted tales of you and the DLFA from back in the day.  Small world if true...

Russ it's an honor- yes that's me.  Hassan --> Hank ---> Frank over the years.   Frank is the latest version.  I was living at his house  in Altadena after returning from a DLFA trip to Arapiles with Frank, Dave, and Prunes.  Plenty of tales from that trip.   Yes Hank was working nearby and discovered the bridge while running in Eaton Canyon.   Hank/ Frank got into windsurfing in a big way and moved  to Hawaii.   Chez's reputation and renown is widespread- I was at a ski lodge in BC a few years back and the conversation got round to "you must know Chez...."  

Who remembers Karl, Karl with a “K”.  He was a paranoid schizophrenic who would hang out at the pillars occasionally as well as JT, Yosemite and Idyllwild.  He would come into Sport Chalet and but hundreds of dollars of climbing equipment and talk about the CIA hiding in the tents that hung from the ceiling.  Someone has to recall this guy.   The last time I saw him was in the early 2000’s in Malibu at the Starbucks.  

Wow, I don't know how many times I've walked under that 210 bridge and hiked at Eaton Canyon growing up in Pasadena. Seeing these photos is absolutely amazing and brings a whole new dimension to the place! Thank you.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there ever has been any sort of attempt on the gap/crack in the roof of the 210 bridge that separates the eastbound and westbound (N/S technically) lanes? 

Russ Walling wrote:

Karl with a K is the bomb!  I've taken him to the Valley and Josh numerous times BITD.  Last I heard he is well, like really well, and still climbing, mostly with his kid (s)

Another great, and I mean great, climbing area are the Freeway Cracks in Arcadia.  Go to where the 210 crosses over like 2nd ave or 4th ave in Arcadia.  Pebbled wall panels separated by every size finger crack you could want.  Some are 20ft high.  Better than the Valley by far.  There are hundreds of them too.

I went to that Freeway Crack area a few times with Troy and Curt a few times.  I need to go back, I totally forgot about that place.

Glad to hear Karl with a K is doing so well.  When I saw him in Malibu he looked better and more clear eyed than I had ever seen him.