One Bolt Sport Routes

Something I've seen that irritates me is people stacking rocks like a staircase at the start. There is a short climb at erock (Bastard's Moan) where the crux is the start. If you want to climb it you will probably spend a few minutes moving the rocks out of the way so you can climb it properly. This is a 5.5-5.6 climb. 

Freaking tourists!

Vas Carmicheal wrote:

I've started to see more of these pop up in my area. Boulderers have starting doing it on high balls with chossy-er top outs. Usually just a single bolt, sometimes camouflaged. 

These have been popping up in SE Utah?  Are we talking one-bolt anchors for TR's, or mid-route bolts?  Are they intended for stickclipping?  I'd be interested in seeing pics.

BigFeet wrote:

Something I've seen that irritates me is people stacking rocks like a staircase at the start. There is a short climb at erock (Bastard's Moan) where the crux is the start. If you want to climb it you will probably spend a few minutes moving the rocks out of the way so you can climb it properly. This is a 5.5-5.6 climb. 

Freaking tourists!

 

There are several climbs in my area where this is done because some people may not be able to reach the starting holds, which in many cases drastically alters the grade. May not be applicable in the case of the route you described but it's something to think about whenever you see stacked rocks.

Michael Schneider wrote:

This thread needs more pictures!

The original Rup, protected line!

I Agree! 

The short nature means that you have to go for it a ways before the gear will keep you off the deck,

 then ya need to place a bunch in a short distance. . .  almost all, high-balls

(big jugs at the top) & top ropes.  I have led a few things on Rups & Knife blades(BITD) . . .There are things

Please no more "rup".  It's RURP (Realized Ultimately Reality Piton).

BigFeet wrote:

Something I've seen that irritates me is people stacking rocks like a staircase at the start. There is a short climb at erock (Bastard's Moan) where the crux is the start. If you want to climb it you will probably spend a few minutes moving the rocks out of the way so you can climb it properly. This is a 5.5-5.6 climb. 

Freaking tourists!

 I've seen the opposite also. There was a small crag where I used to live. One of the climbs had two cruxes. The first was the moves off the ground and then one up high. The moves off the ground were considerably harder if you were short. One of the locals their fit that description and at some point he went and dug out a couple feet at the base of the climb so everyone would have to climb it the way he had to climb it. While it didn't effect my ability to do the climb, I still found it to be a classless act.

eli poss wrote:

Stirring the pot. That's all this guy does. 

I think one bolt sport routes are ridiculous in most cases. Either it's highball and needs pads or it's longer and needs more than 1 bolt otherwise the single bolt isn't protecting you and you might as well solo it or TR.

That being said, there are always exceptions and one particularly legit exception would be a highball with an extremely dangerous landing where TRing isn't option due to a lack of access to the top (ie if this route was the easiest and/or least dangerous making it the best option and possibly only option for some people to access the top of the boulder)

I´m afraid I´m going to disagree, having bolted  few one and two-bolt wonders. Some of us don´t boulder, don´t own mats and have no interest in re-breaking our ankles yet again so you get bolts. And access to the top is prohibited.

If you don´t know how to protect the leader off the first bolt you shouldn´t be belaying.

I like it when Jim Titt lays down the banhammer on Mr. Poss. 

If that's the one I think it is the line to the left of this one is quite worthy. Hard slab first sent by EZ without a rope. Not recommended for most mortals.

ViperScale . wrote:

They become a gym climber.

This also brings up another point. I have seen guide books say stack pads for the start... does this mean if I have 15 pads I an just stack them and step off to the top of a boulder and count it as my first V12?

Here is a 40ft climb on what is called the grandstand boulder. Never heard it given a name but well I guess this person is leading it trad. My friend who I took out there onetime (not really a climber has only climbed maybe 5 days in his entire life) just free soloed it.

The guidebook doesn't even give it a name it is located on the bottom left side of the boulder in the picture.

Tim Lutz wrote:

how do you chop a bolt without a bolt on on top to rap in from???

Chop on lead obvi

Chop it!

Jim Titt wrote:

I´m afraid I´m going to disagree, having bolted  few one and two-bolt wonders. Some of us don´t boulder, don´t own mats and have no interest in re-breaking our ankles yet again so you get bolts. And access to the top is prohibited.

If you don´t know how to protect the leader off the first bolt you shouldn´t be belaying.

Like I said, there are always exceptions and if nobody has a pad and therefore can't safely protect a highball with bolts then I think bolts are a reasonable option. Same thing when access is to the top is prohibited. And I don't think you're understanding what I meant about the bolt not protecting something.

Imagine somebody bolted a 25-35 foot boulder. If they put the bolt 10 feet up then once get go above 18ish feet that bolt isn't going to protect you because you will hit the ground before it catches you. In other words, I'm saying people shouldn't be putting 1 bolt sport routes on a 25-35 foot boulder because they need to be either putting in more bolts or not using lead bolts at all (if they want it to be a sport route). If they're not looking to create a sport  route, then sure go ahead and make it spicy if you're in to that. 

70 ft 5.7, one bolt. Listed as a sport climb on MP lol

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/108443001/window-to-the-future

how do you chop a bolt without a bolt on on top to rap in from???

Throw rope over boulder.  One person holds the rope on one side and the other person jugs the rope on the other and chops bolt.

Does nobody place trad gear on stuff under 40ft anymore? Or is that just for the Brits on grit stone? A ton of those pics you guys are posting look like they have natural pro.

Jake G. wrote:

Does nobody place trad gear on stuff under 40ft anymore? Or is that just for the Brits on grit stone? A ton of those pics you guys are posting look like they have natural pro.

Why put gear on a boulder problem?

eli poss wrote:

Like I said, there are always exceptions and if nobody has a pad and therefore can't safely protect a highball with bolts then I think bolts are a reasonable option. Same thing when access is to the top is prohibited. And I don't think you're understanding what I meant about the bolt not protecting something.

Imagine somebody bolted a 25-35 foot boulder. If they put the bolt 10 feet up then once get go above 18ish feet that bolt isn't going to protect you because you will hit the ground before it catches you. In other words, I'm saying people shouldn't be putting 1 bolt sport routes on a 25-35 foot boulder because they need to be either putting in more bolts or not using lead bolts at all (if they want it to be a sport route). If they're not looking to create a sport  route, then sure go ahead and make it spicy if you're in to that. 

Not at 10 feet, the idea is that you put the bolt way up there right before crossing into the DO NOT FALL zone. For a 35 foot route a bolt at 20 will keep you off the deck, especially crucial if the finishing moves are cruxy. 

Sam Miller wrote:

Not at 10 feet, the idea is that you put the bolt way up there right before crossing into the DO NOT FALL zone. For a 35 foot route a bolt at 20 will keep you off the deck, especially crucial if the finishing moves are cruxy. 

In that case you are better off putting in two, if the route is really worth it. There is very little room for error or dynamics in the above situation. If you are already planting metal in the rock you may as well do it so that it accomplished the job.

Nothing wrong with a single bolt on a route.   It's a super short sport climb.  I'm not really understanding the theory that the one bolt is dangerous, or that you need two.