The Naked Edge P5 Crux Pin Is No More

On Saturday October 11th, I was climbing the Naked Edge with my climbing partner from New Mexico. After waiting 2.5 hours for the rain to pass at the semi-hanging below P5, my partner decided it was dry enough and got on the sharp end. He clipped the pin, backed it up with a black Alien and a brassy, stuck the initial moves off the belay and clipped a bad 0.4 in the broken band. He knew the 0.4 was bad so moved a little high to place a cam in the corner above. He placed the cam then blew it, ripping his 0.4, the piton and the brassy. Luckily, the Alien held (which kept him from taking a proper factor 2) and the fall was clean.

As is stands, P5 of The Naked Edge has gotten a little bit spicier, especially considering the previous pitch description claiming "The bomber fixed gear here eases the strain of the climbing". I have no opinion on whether the pin should be replaced, a bolt added or the route simply left as is but I think the topic deserves a proper discussion. So, what do you think we should do?

*Grabs popcorn*

Does it take a ballnut?

In my opinion, pins that rip and have no nearby spot for cams or nuts should have a bolt replacing them. 

The pin was there for a reason. It proved it's not going to hold. Other gear seems like it might not hold. People are still going to climb the route; no need to make it unnecessarily hazardous. 

Weston Swrote:

Does it take a ballnut?

I can't imagine the pin scar will take any form of gear. There are probably other gear options closer to the big scar (where we placed the Alien), but that's only a couple feet off the anchor.

Harlin, do you have a photo of the piton? Did it rip out or break off? Thanks.

Brady Robinsonwrote:

Harlin, do you have a photo of the piton? Did it rip out or break off? Thanks.

I'll update this thread with a good pic once I have it.

The entire piton (Knifeblade) ripped.

I’m often in favor of a bolt replacing a pin but in this case imo it’s unnecessary. You can place a funky 3 camalot off the belay, pull up on it, and place a totally bomber 0 mastercam or equivalent and you’ll be on Tr for the crux. I’ve done that many times. takes about 30secs. 

Turn it into a via ferrata of course. 

eldo is finally becoming a trad area instead of a retro pinned clip up thank god

*edit: I feel the gear is adequate, this definitely is a test piece route especially without the 2 pins, but with modern tech this is no sketchy endeavor

The Naked Edge should have a rule that you cannot use gear developed after 1970. 

Easy Cheesewrote:

Can I actually buy this shirt somewhere!? I freaking want one!

Either put the pin back or leave it as is...I wouldn't be sad if there wasn't a pin there, I never clip it and often just ended up in the way of my feet. The pin made things simple if you're worried about falling on that pitch, but it's still very well protected without it (far more so than the bombay). The anchor bolts are two feet below that spot, absolutely zero need to even consider a bolt.

Pic of the pin.

Harlin Brandvoldwrote:

I'll update this thread with a good pic once I have it.

The entire piton (Knifeblade) ripped.

If the photo of the piton posted by Eric Bowes is the pin in question, the piton is a lost arrow style and not a knifeblade. The bending at tip indicates that possibly the pin is slightly too long and driven until bottoming out. A short, thick arrow may be a better option if the piton is replaced. It’s possible that the bending occurred when the pin was pulled during the climber falling too. 

So far, this sounds like another instance where modern gear is eliminating the necessity for fixed gear. 

Choss Piratewrote:

Either put the pin back or leave it as is...I wouldn't be sad if there wasn't a pin there, I never clip it and often just ended up ended up in the way of my feet. The pin made things simple if you're worried about falling on that pitch, but it's still very well protected without it (far more so than the bombay). The anchor bolts are two feet below that spot, absolutely zero need to even consider a bolt.

Choss Pirate is spot on -- the pin was like 2 feet above the anchor, and there is a good place for a blue totem (or smaller) in between the anchor bolts and where the pin was. A bolt is extremely unnecessary and would be out of place here.

On Sunday I rapped in and removed Harlin's cam that got fixed (in the blue totem slot I mention) when the pin blew. I inspected the new pin scar, I think you could protect it with a ballnut or maybe find a place for a brassy.

FWIW, this is the best picture of P5 I could find as a reference. I think the pin is more than just a couple feet off the belay IIRC but again, I have no opinion. 

Here are some more angles:

Easy Cheesewrote:

Classic San Francisco keyboard warrior entitlement invading the front range, and attempting to corrupt local ethics into their own safe space.

Easy Cheese has never placed a bolt anywhere, but is happy to proliferate AI slop t-shirts with a command to the masses to go forth and do her bolting under the guise of anti-gatekeeping.
If Eldo is too scary for you, maybe you should have bought a house in Boulder Canyon?

Michael Goodhuewrote:

Classic San Francisco keyboard warrior entitlement invading the front range, and attempting to corrupt local ethics into their own safe space.

Easy Cheese has never placed a bolt anywhere, but is happy to proliferate AI slop t-shirts with a command to the masses to go forth and do her bolting under the guise of anti-gatekeeping.
If Eldo is too scary for you, maybe you should have bought a house in Boulder Canyon?

But Goodhue... Eldo could be the greatest sport climbing area in the world! Methinks your anti-bolt rhetoric is just a ploy to keep Eldo all to yourself. 

Gate keep this buddy - you are definitely not getting a t-shirt, or anymore elk meat for that matter.   

NO MORE ELK???

Furiously googles "How to delete mountain project post"