Bellingham WA General

Got a few people from VITAL and Zack came out to finish some erosion control. Great teamwork all around, can't wait until the boulders actually dry out so we can climb them! 

For context, a before and after picture. We are going to need to carve actual steps at some spots in the trail like the rest of the rock trail, but that's way out of my paygrade.

As an update, someone retrobolted the Boat Launch wall with poorly placed glue ins and it is not safe to lead. Some folks from AAI, the WCC and Larabee State Park are working on solving the issue. As a point of interest for anyone wondering if Bellingham's climbing community tolerates retrobolting, we do not. The consensus here is do not do that. An OG local who helped bolt the route in question was contacted and he wants the park and the WCC to do the work of removing the bolts due to some long standing agreements. When we got the email saying that the parks and the WCC would lead any more work on the wall we stopped trying to remove the bolts. All efforts to remove the bolts were made without chopping aside from one, and minimizing further damage to the rock was paramount. 

We removed whatever could be pulled with a carabiner and a prybar so as not to scar the route any more than it already is. Ended up only removing three bolts by hand, but it does not inspire confidence for the rest of the route. If you know who did the rebolting, please tell them that I'll buy them a beer for the stoke, but that their glue is shit and so is their ethics. Please please please please do not fuck up local routes with new anchors and new lines because you feel like people without a 70m rope should be able to whip on low 5th slab and install anchors below the crux of the climb. Pictures and video below for context. This route is often a beginners first climb because it is accessible and in a beautiful setting. Please do not endanger people and please practice glue in techniques before going after it. 

weird euro anchor with optional third bolt below crux?

can place .75 to 2 anywhere in the crack below the high step if you feel shaky 20 feet above your bolt. 

you can extend webbing for a tree anchor TR (we're rapping here, but extend further to avoid rope drag)

use the 1/2 inch SS wedge anchor that is bomber and extend to avoid rope drag if you're TR.

Caught wind of this mess last week. This definitely happened within the last month as I was there in early June and the route & anchors had not been changed as far as I could tell.

Slight thread drift: did anyone by chance find a red camp lift ascender at the top of boat launch wall? I'm almost certain I left it there last month and it's driving me crazy.

Thanks Spencer and Neil for removing the dangerous bolts.

It would be great if we knew who did the retrobolting, not so that we can shame them about their work, but rather to mentor them on ethics and safe practices.

Some totally green climbers placed sketchy bolts on Yamnuska earlier this year and Will Gadd took it as an opportunity to mentor them rather than ostracize them.

https://gripped.com/profiles/dangerous-bolts-added-to-yamnuska-removed/

I think a similarly positive outcome could come of this scenario too. 

Yosoymilk, I was up there yesterday with another climber and no ascender sorry   

Ben, I super agree. I think the impulse to make the route safer with glue ins is to be celebrated and encouraged. We'll see what the WCC does and if the developer wants to do some help cleaning and removing bolts, it should be with the WCC. That way we can all get together and figure out what went wrong and how to move forward without making that stoke die. I share the same stoke, but also was really bummed that retrobolting occurred at all. Like I said, I'll buy the developer a beer and give him some shit and then move on. The last thing we need is a bolt war or an access issue or beef between the community. 

The biggest detractor of that route has always been the sap. It seems to get worse every year. Not a place you want bring nice shoes/rope.

A tangent to the current discussion, but with the Bham thread getting bumped I was reminded. 

A couple years ago I put anchors on a big OW roof crack up at the Pumphouse. Up and left of Jungle Boogie. It's a second pitch, so you gotta rap in at this point. There's an anchor at the base of the pitch and another w/lowering hardware at the top. I never quite sent it before moving away. Someone should go fire it, there's nothing else like it in WA.

Zack Williams wrote:

Id be down to help out. Ill shoot you a message.

Also does anyone know if the wide crack halfway up the rock trail has been climbed? Is anyone going to take issue with climbing directly next to the hiking trail? It looks sweet and shockingly clean, Id love to get out there and climb it sometime.

Where is this crack located

Ryan, its on the rock trail in Larrabee state park, maybe 1/2 mile down the trail from the cyrus overlook. I've looked at it some more and think it would make a decent climb except for the last 5ft or so which is completely filled in with dirt and plants. Its probably 4-8" wide so requires big gear.

There is also random bolts in the rock near that crack or there was a year or two ago. I have no idea what the ethics of larbee are but there is a ton of climbable rock in that park and outside it but always assumed there was some rule in place. 

Looks like we need a Bham offwidth gang. 

I dont know if anyone wants to reach out to the guy who posted these routes but https://www.mountainproject.com/route/120986754/crab-walk but reading the description I feel like the hardware is 5-piece fixe bolts which is not what I would put in over the ocean in Sandstone...

Yeah the park doesn't want any new bolts without their consideration. I'll call the park and update them on this too. Lets hope that the stoke of new developers doesn't shut down the rest of the active climbing development in the park.

PTP and Spencer, I just sent a note to the young climber asking if he’d contacted the park prior to his actions and suggested he do so as well as contacting WCC to avoid compromising climbing in the park. I’ll share if I receive a response. Thank you for being good stewards for this great resource.

Princess Puppy Lovr wrote:

I dont know if anyone wants to reach out to the guy who posted these routes but https://www.mountainproject.com/route/120986754/crab-walk but reading the description I feel like the hardware is 5-piece fixe bolts which is not what I would put in over the ocean in Sandstone...

PTP I heard back from WCC but not the climber. The page with the climbs is no longer viewable.

Spencer Moore wrote:

That's good to know. I took a look at their website and AAI is listed for basic instruction. I have bought hangers from them before so I know they have hardware as well. WARP seems to have indefinitely postponed classes, but I might just call around anyway to see what things are looking like now that things are opening up. Does anyone know what the local ethic is for replacing bolts? I know if you are going to add a bolt or retro bolt you ask the FA, but if you're doing a facelift does anyone care? I'm not sure Oyster Dome has been regularly climbed or inspected in a long time. I zipped up to the top via the trail this weekend and noticed one of the anchor hangers is missing now too, so you can't even pretend like you can safely descend the route to inspect the rest of the cliff face. 

While we do not currently have the resources to run large Ground School classes, instruction is still available. If you are interested in apply for a hardware grant and would like to learn removal techniques, get access to specialized tools, learn about proper hardware selection, and correct installation of hardware you can contact me at Walter@washingtonanchors.org

Hey there y'all. I had a copy of this PDF a while back and I must've deleted it or something. Would one of you mind hooking it up? Thanks.

EDIT: Nevermind, I found it. If anyone ever needs help with any (re)development around Bellingham, let me know.