Smashed anchor bolts at Mt. Diablo

There will never be enough bolts for some people.  This despite there being more bolts then anyone climber could ever clip in their lifetimes.  I’d say chop away.  

Unfortunately the "community" is all mixed up now with communities within communities. The largest community of climbers now originates from inside the plastic palaces where bolts are on everything. 

I realize I'm pretty late to the party, but if there is anything I as a local can do to help, I'd really like to. 

Carolinawrote:

There will never be enough bolts for some people.  This despite there being more bolts then anyone climber could ever clip in their lifetimes.  I’d say chop away.  

So your reasoning is because there's enough bolted climbs in the world that no one will climb all of them it justifies smashing bolts and leaving a mess at smallish local climbing area hours away from the nearest decent climbing area?

Sometimes there's justification to "chop" bolts (and by chop I mean remove them correctly) smashing bolts anonymously is a weak move and shows selfishness, overinflated ego, and cowardliness. 

Gloweringwrote:

So your reasoning is because there's enough bolted climbs in the world that no one will climb all of them it justifies smashing bolts and leaving a mess at smallish local climbing area hours away from the nearest decent climbing area?

Sometimes there's justification to "chop" bolts (and by chop I mean remove them correctly) smashing bolts anonymously is a weak move and shows selfishness, overinflated ego, and cowardliness. 

Wow there cowboy.  I’m not saying it’s ok to smash bolts.  

What I am saying... is that there already enough bolts out there.   

Eric Dwrote:

I realize I'm pretty late to the party, but if there is anything I as a local can do to help, I'd really like to. 

There is a plan to get these taken care of. Jim Thornburg has a special way of installing the glue ins and knows what hardware to use in this very soft sandstone and has this uncommon hardware. Most people are hesitant to touch such soft rock so Jim having the hardware and expertise means he's really the one who ought to do it. He has plans to do it but is extremely busy finishing up his guidebook. 

I don't think he's looking for help to do it, but your willingness to help is appreciated. I think we're just waiting on him to wrap up his current project that he's trying to finish up and turn around soon, and then once he's done that it sounds like the Diablo anchor bolts are a large priority for him. Waiting a while isn't a bad strategy either since there is concern of Snyder returning. 

Carolinawrote:

Wow there cowboy.  I’m not saying it’s ok to smash bolts.  

What I am saying... is that there already enough bolts out there.   

This thread is about smashed bolts at Diablo. So in that context…

Gloweringwrote:

This thread is about smashed bolts at Diablo. So in that context…

Yes and why are the bolts being smashed at diablo? Because there are already too many careless bolts.  

Carolinawrote:

Yes and why are the bolts being smashed at diablo? Because there are already too many careless bolts.  

If I found myself on the same side of an issue as Shawn Snyder I would seriously reevaluate my position, but that's just me. 

Ricky Harlinewrote:

If I found myself on the same side of an issue as Shawn Snyder I would seriously reevaluate my position, but that's just me. 

Lol.  You do you.  

My position of too many bolts is long standing.  Well before Snyder’s most recent, well documented, escapades at smith rock.  

I don’t buy that enough bolts worldwide somehow affect a local area. If I lived 15 minutes from a crag with no cracks and it can’t  be top roped so it needs bolts. And the nearest other climbing areas are over an hour drive away. That crag is getting bolts. But if there’s an established bouldering area and someone adds bolts on 12’ problems they are getting removed. Both of these actually happened in my area. No one chopped the bolts at the new area. No one tried to put the removed bolts back in at the bouldering area. The majority of the community agreed with both of these actions because they make sense. 

Gloweringwrote:

I don’t buy that enough bolts worldwide somehow affect a local area. If I lived 15 minutes from a crag with no cracks and it can’t  be top roped so it needs bolts. And the nearest other climbing areas are over an hour drive away. That crag is getting bolts. But if there’s an established bouldering area and someone adds bolts on 12’ problems they are getting removed. Both of these actually happened in my area. No one chopped the bolts at the new area. No one tried to put the removed bolts back in at the bouldering area. The majority of the community agreed with both of these actions because they make sense. 

And the bolts were removed in a responsible manner, yes?

Nathan Doylewrote:

And the bolts were removed in a responsible manner, yes?

Yes. They weren’t just smashed. 

Gloweringwrote:

I don’t buy that enough bolts worldwide somehow affect a local area. If I lived 15 minutes from a crag with no cracks and it can’t  be top roped so it needs bolts. And the nearest other climbing areas are over an hour drive away. That crag is getting bolts. But if there’s an established bouldering area and someone adds bolts on 12’ problems they are getting removed. Both of these actually happened in my area. No one chopped the bolts at the new area. No one tried to put the removed bolts back in at the bouldering area. The majority of the community agreed with both of these actions because they make sense. 

How do you know that a majority of the community agreed? Inaction doesn't equal agreement, people are busy and have better things to do than smash/remove bolts, except SS of course. 

In reality it's a free-for-all, which allows bad things to happen on both sides of the aisle. In the past there hasn't been enough bolting to make a difference but now the flood gates are open and that's why it now needs a governmental intervention.

Tradibanwrote:

 it now needs a governmental intervention.

Jfc lord help us 

Carolinawrote:

Yes and why are the bolts being smashed at diablo? Because there are already too many careless bolts.  

The anonymous coward who smashed them didn’t give a reason. Sniyder was in the area and is a likely culprit. From watching his interview with how not 2 his reasoning seems more that he didn’t think bolts were put in correctly (the way he thinks they should be) so he smashes them. The bolts at Diablo typically provide a way to climb the routes without the rope wearing deep ugly grooves in the sandstone. That’s caring not careless.

At least you now say it’s “careless” bolts that are a problem. I agree with that. Every bolt or route needs to be judged on it’s owns merits.