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Ute Valley OGs needed

Original Post
Jeremiah White · · Colorado springs · Joined Feb 2021 · Points: 210

Can anyone that has been climbing here for a few years reach out to me? 

I found several boulders, some top rope routes, and someone's terrible bolting not on MP or in the book. Wanted to do due diligence before posting them and/or removing/repairing the bolts. Thanks!

Joe Kalis · · COS, CO · Joined Sep 2019 · Points: 25

I'm no Ute OG, but Phil Wortmann and Nick Murray (NicholasM here on MP) would be the fellas to ask

Brian Watkins · · Colorado Springs · Joined Jan 2021 · Points: 15

Reach out to Pikes Peak Climbers Alliance for any bolt concerns. Which bolts are you talking about? I know they just replaced some glue ins there not too long ago.

Jeremiah White · · Colorado springs · Joined Feb 2021 · Points: 210

The glue-ins from PPCA look great, on the Centennial/ Vindicator side someone has put in 6 top rope bolts over areas that aren't even a v0 in really bad placements and installs. Maybe they had been meant for rappelling practice for a max of 14 feet? One of them is already yanked out from the orientation of it to the use(direct pulling out), and the other expansion bolts had dust visible where the hole had barely been blow out.

Brian Watkins · · Colorado Springs · Joined Jan 2021 · Points: 15

Oh wow that is a strange placement I wonder what they were using them for. I see what you mean, you hate to leave anything unsafe were someone new to just jump on it or something. I just realized you're the guy I messaged about the belay gloves haha. You may still reach out to PPCA, they know a lot of people and may even go look at it and pull them. They have good relationship with the city too and they may want to at least be aware someone's doing weird stuff in the parks. 

PPCA Pikes Peak Climbers Alliance · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2023 · Points: 35

Howdy folks. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. As of now, we do not know who placed these bolts, but no bolting Is allowed within COS parks without prior authorization from the city. Not only are the wedge bolts used completely inappropriate for our soft sandstone in the area (use Glue ins or 5 piece stainless as wedge bolts are dangerous this application) but this indeed constitutes an act of vandalism if indeed this did not have permission. Acts of vandalism like this would also compromise the climbing communities relationship with the city and could threaten the climbing viability here long term. There are plenty of arenas where bolting is totally permissible just outside of city limits and there is no shortage of national forest, BLM and rock to do so. In the meantime, I would strongly encourage this individual or persons responsible for these rogue bolts to fix this before it becomes an issue of city involvement. If the PPCA is tasked with removing these, we will have to notify the city ahead of time and they may not take kindly to it. This is also not where the time of the PPCA is best spent, as there are many routes within our community that need hardware updates and this does a great disservice to our valuable volunteers efforts. Thank you again for brininging this up and if you know the individual responsible, please notify them so that they may clean up their mess before we have to. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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