What have you learned?

There’s an insane wealth of knowledge in this forum, and most of it only comes out when directly and specifically prompted - I wanted to make a thread where you can just drop knowledge you’ve learned and want to share without waiting for the perfectly appropriate question to do so.

Some starters:

• A hammer holster and compact blower of some sort are next-level quality of life improvements
• If you’re doing a log-highway trail, the most important part isn’t how good your log-highway is, it’s how much you can make sure that none of the surroundings might be confused for a log-highway. Removing crossing logs and nearby parallel logs is almost more important than creating your guardrails
• You can patch bolt holes, but you can’t patch the crater that you’ve hammered in to ensure your hangers sit 2mm more flush
• It doesn’t matter what kind of resources you provide nor how good of a trail you make - if your crag is more than 20 minutes away from the parking, some people will just get lost. Don’t take it personally
• Pack the night before because you’re going to forget something day-of

If drilling quartzite on rappel use three drill bits per hole. You can get maybe 8-10 holes per bit this way instead of 3-5. For some reason quenching one bit in water three times per hole does nothing but changing the bit out does a lot. Absolutely zero idea why, but that's how it be. 

Development is harder on ropes than a TRS day. Do not treat it like a TRS day and pad the shit out of your fixed lines. I've lost a lot of ropes from not doing it or not doing it well enough. You don't have to lose too many ropes before you figure your shit out. I own like six fifties now, wtf am I supposed to do with em? Don't be like me, protect yo ropes

Fun thread. In my short time:

• A fanny pack is a great way to store bits and bobs when re/bolting.
• If you're ever short on ropes and live near a major metro, post on local climbing facebook groups. Gumbies love retiring perfectly good ropes.
• A sidewalk weeder makes for a great crack cleaning tool.
• Cheap bolts can be found on eBay in the form of construction surplus.

Not much, really.

Big Redwrote:

• A sidewalk weeder makes for a great crack cleaning tool.

Genuine question, do you use a face shield or something for this? I cannot imagine the carnage

Tal Mwrote:

Genuine question, do you use a face shield or something for this? I cannot imagine the carnage

https://a.co/d/4mjgx4u

This is what I'm referring to, not sure what you're thinking of

Big Redwrote:

https://a.co/d/4mjgx4u

This is what I'm referring to, not sure what you're thinking of

Whoops, was thinking one of those electric wire trimmers like you’d use for cutting and edging a lawn

The best way to ensure that you won't break a bit while hand drilling is to bring an extra bit.  Forget one and your day will be short.  

Honestly, the only bits that I have broken while hand drilling are the expensive Hilti ones.  

Everything will break at the most inopportune time when doing development work.  Have backups of everything in the car especially if driving a long distance or multi day trip.  

No one has ever complained of a route being too clean. 

Zach Harrisonwrote:

No one has ever complained of a route being too clean. 

You would be incorrect

What I’ve learned

• Someone will complain about any and every thing. You won’t please everyone. Just be reasonable

• your bolts didn’t get bigger, your drill bit is dull.
• Buy the good stuff, cheaping out is never a good idea for route development.
• Make sure your battery is clicked into the drill, and make sure whatever releases the battery is secure. Otherwise you’re going to lose your battery.
• Paint your hardware, but wash it first,
• Let someone else try to send the route, it’s more fun that way
• Once you know hardware, bolts you never looked at before will give you pause when you realize they were 1/4”ers
• Stop at the natural route end, even if it’s taller and could keep going forever, there might be a better place for the anchor (or first anchor).
• Clean more than you think, yes that person will go all the way over there.

If the hole is taking longer than normal check if the drill is in reverse.

Everybody wants to bolt and FA routes, nobody wants to clean routes and build trails. 

Rebelay your rope after the edge always, rope protection is good too, but rebelaying is much more fool proof. If you have to burn an extra bolt because you don’t know where the anchor is going to go yet, it’s worth it.

Never jug a rope after leaving it overnight, critters love to chew on ropes. Ideally don’t leave fixed ropes at all.

Refrain from eating copious amounts of spicy chimichangas before sitting in the harness or Bosuns chair for hours on end.

Sometimes going ground up is best. Sometimes going ground up is really fucking stupid.

There’s as fine a line between prudence and cowardice, as there is between boldness and stupidity! 

Realize that cleaning routes can have a major negative effect on the deck. Killing or severely damaging trees and bushes and destabilizing the soil with aerial rock bombs can have a major impact that will destabilize the deck and will only unravel and grow as users begin to frequent your wall. If a route or wall looks like it'll take massive levels of cleaning, especially of very large flakes or chunks, consider developing somewhere else. There are plenty of existing routes out there to enjoy. Alternatively, try very hard to throw or transfer large pieces away from vegetation and unstable slopes--aim for slabs or other rock features.

Rap bolting: offload all of your heavy development equipment onto a large locker on an extended GriGri.

If you're hauling a drill over less-than-vert terrain, pad the mode selector switch and other vulnerable controls well. Otherwise, they'll get mangled and will no longer function.

There is nothing bold about rap bolting a line and leaving it run out. Developing a line with interment knowledge of the holds, sequences etc is something most people who repeat it won’t have. Top down first ascents are pored over for the best featuring, necessary cleaning etc. It is not the same experience.

Place your bolts in sheer if possible, and avoid placing bolts in direct tension if possible. (Obvious but seen often enough).

Dont take on a massive cleaning effort unless you’re ready and able to see it all the way through.

Avoid cleaning routes that leave massive scabbed off plates and nothing but crusty broken edges. It’s even uglier than the bolts sometimes.

Fanny pack beta mentioned above is spot on.

Leave a few extra drill bits floating around your pack.

Take a picture of any stashed hardware you may have before you pack it up, easy to forget how many bolts/ what accessories you have. Or don’t stash gear, some will say.

good idea for a thread

If you're working a route (on TR or rappel) and just can't decide on the exact line, or the bolt locations, just rap to the ground and pull the rope. Do it ground up. The line will now most likely now be very obvious.