Single Pitch Anchors

I’ve been slowly putting up some routes at a fairly remote range that I’m pretty stoked on but realistically is too far of a drive for a lot of traffic, especially not from newer climbers.

This area has a lot of ~40m cliffs, that top out to 1st class ledges you can walk off of.

For single pitch trad how important is having a bolted anchor for you, if it otherwise would be possible to walk off? I’m debating leaving it purely traditional, or throwing anchors in make it a bit more accessible. 

How important to you is it for your routes to get climbed.  You use the phrase "putting up"  so it sounds like you aren't interest in LNT and leaving adventure for others, but would like some recognition?

Would the anchors be just for belay or also used for descent?  Sounds like descent if you want to avoid the walk off.  Why not develop a dedicated descent route(s)?

It’s just a beautiful area with no climbing history. I considered leaving it offline, but gatekeeping the rock climbing at an entire mountain range felt strange to me. Especially because I doubt it’ll get enough traffic to negatively impact it.

If I did put anchors on I’d have to decide whether to put them ~25m up where you could do the best climbing and then belay from the ground, or past the cliff edge to allow for a top belay + a separate rap line.

No anchors needed. 

Climbers can make a temporary rap anchor out of gear/natural features if they don’t want to walkoff every time. This is better for maintaining access as well.

consider also the quality of the wall/routes. Is it packed full of four star splitters? Well maybe that will warrant anchors because it will see traffic. I’m going to guess it’s not that, though, so the convenience and speed anchors add is probably not worth the investment

Eric Engberg wrote:

How important to you is it for your routes to get climbed.  You use the phrase "putting up"  so it sounds like you aren't interest in LNT and leaving adventure for others, but would like some recognition?

You inferred all that from the use of the phrase "putting up"?

FrankPS wrote:

You inferred all that from the use of the phrase "putting up"?

Yes I do.  

If you can swing it, I think it would be great to have bolted anchors. If it takes a while to get to this location, the gain in time efficiency would be nice. I'd be psyched to not have to deal with the logistics of walking up and down from the top in favor of getting more climbs in. In my opinion, having bolted anchors at a single pitch trad crag goes a long way in making the day more chill and enjoyable, which I'm usually going for when I'm climbing single pitch (sport or trad). If there are trees at the top that people would otherwise use for anchors, you'll be protecting them by providing bolted anchors and keeping people from unnecessarily going to the top and kicking rocks down on folks at the base.

But if you're going for creating a place that feels remote and adventurous, then maybe skip the bolts.

I'd probably enjoy it either way. I think it just comes down to what you are hoping that the crag would become.

"Inferred", a route name?

Jared E wrote:

consider also the quality of the wall/routes. Is it packed full of four star splitters? Well maybe that will warrant anchors because it will see traffic. I’m going to guess it’s not that, though, so the convenience and speed anchors add is probably not worth the investment

That makes sense.
There’s a few definite king lines that could require them, but I’ll wait until there’s an obvious need before I put anything in.

It’s my first time first ascending and since it’s an area with no history it’s a bit tricky figuring out what the ethics should be, so thanks for your suggestions.

Depends on too much to answer. How good are the routes, how far of an approach is it, how many routes would someone going there expect to do in a day, how annoying is the walkoff, how easy is it to build anchors above the routes? If it's just a couple of quality lines, easy anchor gear, and the walkoff is easy, I wouldn't mind not having fixed anchors. If it's a density of good routes with annoying anchors and an annoying walkoff, I would love the efficiency of fixed anchors.

If I climbed there I would certainly appreciate bolted anchors

Big Red wrote:

Depends on too much to answer. How good are the routes, how far of an approach is it, how many routes would someone going there expect to do in a day, how annoying is the walkoff, how easy is it to build anchors above the routes? If it's just a couple of quality lines, easy anchor gear, and the walkoff is easy, I wouldn't mind not having fixed anchors. If it's a density of good routes with annoying anchors and an annoying walkoff, I would love the efficiency of fixed anchors.

I think this sums it up best, really.

On one of the local crags we have a bolted rap anchor for the entire wall.  So climbers just walk over to the common descent.  

climber pat wrote:

On one of the local crags we have a bolted rap anchor for the entire wall.  So climbers just walk over to the common descent.  

Common approach at Arapiles too, makes a lot of sense. Minimal impact, less erosion if the full walk off trail goes down a gully.

On single pitch routes almost all climbers will prefer rapping off to a possibly contorted walkoff requiring you to bring shoes to get back to the base. You will hear from some contrarians here that are stirring the pot and posturing, but they will never climb these routes. A tried and true method is when you bring people there - the actual people climbing the routes - get their feedback. They are the ones whose opinions should and do matter. Classy partners will offer to defray the costs of fixed hardware they are in favor of and will use.

Chandler Morfit wrote:

It’s just a beautiful area with no climbing history. I considered leaving it offline, but gatekeeping the rock climbing at an entire mountain range felt strange to me. Especially because I doubt it’ll get enough traffic to negatively impact it.

If I did put anchors on I’d have to decide whether to put them ~25m up where you could do the best climbing and then belay from the ground, or past the cliff edge to allow for a top belay + a separate rap line.

Not equipping a crag for someone else’s convenience or not posting the crag online or in a guidebook is not “gate keeping”. Gate keeping is when you refuse to share info with anyone, even when they specifically and personally ask for it. It’s not your obligation to tell the world about anything, unless that’s your prerogative.
The question you should be asking is to yourself. Is this crag worth the coin? Yes or no? If it is, well there’s your answer. If it’s not, then leave it be. You could always do what I do on obscure trad routes. Go buy a few pitons or booty some nuts. Climb the route and somewhere along the line, fix a piece. Then when the next guy is all stoked on discovering the crag again and about to top out on his rad new FA, he finds your old rusty gear lol. It’s not cruel, its character building. 

Salamanizer Ski wrote:

Not equipping a crag for someone else’s convenience or not posting the crag online or in a guidebook is not “gate keeping”. Gate keeping is when you refuse to share info with anyone, even when they specifically and personally ask for it. It’s not your obligation to tell the world about anything, unless that’s your prerogative.
The question you should be asking is to yourself. Is this crag worth the coin? Yes or no? If it is, well there’s your answer. If it’s not, then leave it be. You could always do what I do on obscure trad routes. Go buy a few pitons or booty some nuts. Climb the route and somewhere along the line, fix a piece. Then when the next guy is all stoked on discovering the crag again and about to top out on his rad new FA, he finds your old rusty gear lol. It’s not cruel, its character building. 

Every time I think I’ve found a cool new rock this happens to me

Jared E wrote:

Every time I think I’ve found a cool new rock this happens to me

And probably a high probability those rusty pins were left by Fred Beckey or Layton Kor….  ; )

Jared E wrote:

Every time I think I’ve found a cool new rock this happens to me

In my extensive explorations I've always made it a point to beat a piton in somewhere, my girlfriend of the time said I was like a dog marking his territory!

Salamanizer Ski wrote:

Not equipping a crag for someone else’s convenience or not posting the crag online or in a guidebook is not “gate keeping”. Gate keeping is when you refuse to share info with anyone, even when they specifically and personally ask for it. It’s not your obligation to tell the world about anything, unless that’s your prerogative.
The question you should be asking is to yourself. Is this crag worth the coin? Yes or no? If it is, well there’s your answer. If it’s not, then leave it be. You could always do what I do on obscure trad routes. Go buy a few pitons or booty some nuts. Climb the route and somewhere along the line, fix a piece. Then when the next guy is all stoked on discovering the crag again and about to top out on his rad new FA, he finds your old rusty gear lol. It’s not cruel, its character building. 

Lol learning that your FA isn't an FA while on lead is very character building, that's a great way to put it. 

If you can walk off, and use gear to establish belays, there is no reason for bolted anchors.