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Half Dome's Snake Dike is being retrobolted - get involved!
John Tuttle wrote: No they won’t. Dude literally said he’s gonna go back up and do it again if the bolts are removed. There is a time and place for everything, including vigilante justice. When civil discourse fails, what else is left? |
Tony Danza wrote: It's just a rock. You are suggesting "altering" a living thing. Think that over. The rock will outlast all of us so respect the short life span of the living things |
Tony Danza wrote: Do we *really* want a replay of the Bacher / Kauk Camp 4 parking lot altercation? |
Marc801 C wrote: People have been moaning about one fist fight for 40 years now, holding it up as the worst possible sin. Who cares?!? How can the climbing community be so death-defying and yet so soft? |
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Imagine if you could credibly sell a fraction of the hikers trying to get up half dome on the promise of snake dike: half dome, no permits required. Could write an entire book just devoted to preparing a layman to climb snake dike - “the secret way up half dome climbers don’t want you to know about”, and sell it for $50. Affiliate links for all the recommended gear! I was struggling to explain why Erik Sloan is going about this in the manner he is. This, my most cynical take, is the most plausible explanation. Those photos, and my recollection of the route look well beyond what’s necessary to make it safer. He’s trying to make it pedestrian. |
Andrew Richardson wrote: As a retired MD that worked many Trauma's that were brought in after "a little punch in the face" that became life threatening quick I will state categorically that "physical confrontation" has no place whatsoever in this conversation. We want the moral high ground here and don't need to make Sloan a martyr in the national media. "i was just trying to help newbie climbers and I got assaulted. Here's my gofundme page..." How long do you think that would take to play out? And if some news outlet picks it up and it grabs the national interest...then Sloan gets exactly what he wanted, money. |
Andrew Richardson wrote: It's not soft. It's understanding that violence doesn't resolve conflict and physical conflict can have long lasting ripple effects. It's also a good way to land yourself in court these days. Do you think punching Sloan in the face is going to help change his mind? Or are you hoping to scare him away with threats? What if he is more in the fight than you? You ready to go all "to the death" over a route? |
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I'm not suggesting anyone punch anyone, nor have I personally made any kind of threat. I just think pearl-clutching over a little parking lot scuffle from 1988 is silly in a sport where people literally die every month. |
thomas ellis wrote: The tar and feathering I suggested would not be a *permanent* alteration of a living thing. Sloan *permanently* altered the rock. |
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Yosemite classic Snake Dike is a perfect route and has no need to be "improved" (i.e., made worse). It has served climbers well for the past 60 years - and once this blight is removed - will continue to do so for the next 60. The only thing that needs improvement is the climbers who, for whatever reason, can't climb it. Eric Sloan is completely and irretrievably full of sh|t. There's an abundance of rock in Yosemite to make one's own mark by putting in the time, effort, and vision to develop a first ascent. Unilaterally making the decision to destroy a mega classic historic Yosemite climb is myopic arrogant sociopathic narcissism. A BIG THANKS in advance to the honorable Valley climber who erases Sloan's retrobolt douchbaggery. No additional bolts are warranted or needed. Chop into total oblivion and bury forever Sloan's DoucheTopo Wankervision of Valley Classics. Drinks on me when I see you. |
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I have emailed Sloan to inform him that no more bolts will be chopped, and all that he places on snake dike will have the hangers cut and left in place. I also let him know that if he continues, the hardware on any route in the valley with his name on the FA, will be pulled. |
need agua wrote: Would caution anyone against donating to this anonymous GFM without actual proof of bolt removal from this person - anyone (including Erik himself, to pay for replacing the bolts that were removed) can string some hangers and quicklinks onto a cord. Without proof this was removed from Snake Dike, photos of the results on the wall that couldn't be taken by just any person climbing snake dike, etc, it seems pretty suspicious. I'd wait for Russ or one of the other people who have demonstrably been involved cosigns the Go Fund Me. |
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(removed because my suspicion was wrong, sorry! And thanks for your rapid successful removal of Sloans abomination to the route! ) I have a pair of bolt cutters arriving Thursday, and the hangers should be chopped by Friday evening. Will post selfies and maybe some fps footie too. |
Russ Bangert wrote: I wanna be Russ when i grow up.. Cheers brother. Thanks for doing to Lords work.. Bridwell would be proud of ya |
Tal M wrote: Would caution anyone against donating to this anonymous GFM without actual proof of bolt removal from this person - anyone (including Erik himself, to pay for replacing the bolts that were removed) can string some hangers and quicklinks onto a cord. Without proof this was removed from Snake Dike, photos of the results on the wall that couldn't be taken by just any person climbing snake dike, etc, it seems pretty suspicious. I'd wait for Russ or one of the other people who have demonstrably been involved cosigns the Go Fund Me. If people feel inclined, there’s a link to report the fundraiser at the bottom of its page. |
Russ Bangert wrote: am i reading this correctly? basically you are going to damage the hangers and leave them in place, and if they get "used" someone is going to get hurt? and people are cheering this? i think people's cheering is a bit misdirected here. why not just chop and clean like usual? |
slim wrote: I am certain Russ will not leave the chopped hangers in a state where someone could clip them without realizing they are worthless. Cleaning and patching can happen some time in the future. |
slim wrote: Sloan has stated that he will be going back up to replace the bolts. I am going to make two cuts to the hangers, removing the vertical part that the carabiner clips into. I also have red flagging tape I'm going to wrap up under the first few hangers to alert people something is up before they get to them. Not quite sure what your imagining, but no one is going to be able to mistakenly clip a bolt hanger. |
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I am not the one taking action, only paying attention to see how this all plays out. Deeply appreciate what Russ, Tanner, et al. are doing. I think Russ' described interaction with Sloan makes it clear that he intends to add more bolts again if his existing bullshit gets completely taken care of. So the logic would be that if the retrobolts become damaged enough using the bolt cutters that they will be visually obvious unsafe to clip for climbers just doing the route, then that makes the next move Sloan's. He has to clean up the damaged bolts and put new ones back in (money and time), add more bolts + hangers next to the damaged ones (money, time, and an even more flagrant offense), or do nothing. Obviously that last option is the best option for the time being. Then eventually things will be disappeared and completely cleaned up. But I think the risk in completely chopping and patching right now, would be that Sloan will just put new ones up right next to the patches and then we are back to this stage all over again. Edit to add: Thanks Russ for clarifying in perfect terms the intent. Appreciate your hard work and taking the needed action rather than just sitting in the morass. |
