Half Dome has fallen.

Russ Bwrote:

I work in The Mountain Shop, the little gear shop here in Curry Village. 

Can you get me a discount on cam lube

Arch Richardson wrote:

GBK shows a picture is still worth 1000 words.....

That slop has a 1000 words on it, it looks like a ben garrison comic (derogatory).

Arch Richardson wrote

GBK shows a picture is still worth 1000 words.....

 “A picture is worth a thousand words” is supposed to mean that an image conveys meaning without needing lots of (or any) text. The AI brainrot will be the end of us. 

Mauricio Herrera Cuadrawrote:

Did you only remove the hangers? No photos of any patch work on the holes or bolts cut? Sorry, but your account was just created back in April and you have no contribution history on MP whatsoever. I’m suspicious of you using this as an opportunity to create a Gofundme and grab people’s money. Nothing personal, just an observation in case you want to be the hero in this story, then you should be able to present better evidence of your work.

I wouldn’t put this past being a Sloan supporter, or the douchebag himself.

Mauricio Herrera Cuadrawrote: Did you only remove the hangers? No photos of any patch work on the holes or bolts cut? Sorry, but your account was just created back in April and you have no contribution history on MP whatsoever. I’m suspicious of you using this as an opportunity to create a Gofundme and grab people’s money. Nothing personal, just an observation in case you want to be the hero in this story, then you should be able to present better evidence of your work.

I'm curious where the two quicklinks came from. If from the anchor bolts, that would be a mistake, as it allows the leader to lower his noob followers who realize they're in over their head from the anchors of P1, then leader can rap themselves down to low-angle/easy terrain and walk back down to the start.

Mauricio Herrera Cuadrawrote:

Did you only remove the hangers? No photos of any patch work on the holes or bolts cut? Sorry, but your account was just created back in April and you have no contribution history on MP whatsoever. I’m suspicious of you using this as an opportunity to create a Gofundme and grab people’s money. Nothing personal, just an observation in case you want to be the hero in this story, then you should be able to present better evidence of your work.

While I'd also like to see photos of the patches, and I also have no interest in donating to a nameless/faceless GFM, I sure would be curious how they'd get the hangers off the buttonheads in one piece without also removing the bolts

edit: oh I see what you're saying, you're suggesting they may have just thrown a few hangers and quicklinks on a cord to pretend to have chopped the actual bolts - yeah I'd agree that I've seen too many names attach themselves to the bolt removal, so to see a new, anonymous account pop up claiming to have chopped the bolts and providing a GFM link with zero proof of actual bolt removal is pretty suspicious

Russ, any legitimacy to this?

Bolting wars are an interesting lesson in economics. If the route goes back to what it was, then all it did was increase California's GDP. Sales of gear, transport, accommodation, interest use to argue about it etc. all whilst creating literally nothing but drama.

Reposting from the other thread here for coverage:

Need agua messaged me on the 11th, stating he was the friend Jim Hornibrook spoke of in one of these threads. 

After looking over the account, rereading the messages, thinking over my interactions with Sloan yesterday, and receiving a call at 1am last night that I didn't answer from a different number, I've grown quite suspicious of it being Sloan. 

That's OK. 

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 Bwrote:

Reposting from the other thread here for coverage:

Need agua messaged me on the 11th, stating he was the friend Jim Hornibrook spoke of in one of these threads. 

After looking over the account, rereading the messages, thinking over my interactions with Sloan yesterday, and receiving a call at 1am last night that I didn't answer from a different number, I've grown quite suspicious of it being Sloan. 

That's OK. 

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. 

If people feel inclined, there’s a link to report the fundraiser at the bottom of its page.

https://gofund.me/500292a61

Russ Bwrote:

After looking over the account, rereading the messages, thinking over my interactions with Sloan yesterday, and receiving a call at 1am last night that I didn't answer from a different number, I've grown quite suspicious of it being Sloan. 

you should see what his dumbass has to say about going from runout to grid bolt in foul swoop!

This sucks.  Whether you think that more bolts should be added or not, unilaterally adding bolts to a classic climb without some kind of prior public discussion is only going to result in damage to the rock.  This is going to send the "adding bolts to Snake Dike" side back to the dark ages, and the "protect the tradition" side back to multiple chopped studs.  Maybe a few thoughtful bolts could have been added if a compromise could have be reached, but that will never happen now.  Sad for the route, which I did in 1979.  Funny, I lead the whole route, except for the first pitch that now-temporarily- has six bolts.  That (as we thought) warm up pitch was a non-issue, and was lead by my much less experienced partner without any trouble.

need aguawrote:

Not sure if it adds much useful info, but the EXIF data for this image is intact:

Device: Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Taken: June 15, 2026, 10:43:33 AM PST
Location: 37° 29' 3.5" N, 122° 12' 53.19" W (or 37.484305, -122.214775) an industrial/business area of Redwood City CA and the site of Hyperion Climbing Gym.

ETA: I wouldn't have doxxed the location if it was a residence. Even though the info is in the publicly posted .jpg anyway.

To answer everyone's question:  yes, Sloan's bolts from the first pitch of Snake Dike have been dealt with.  The route's R rating has been restored.  My friend, Darion had coincidentally climbed SD a week or so before Sloan's lecherous deed.  I've mentored Darion to respect OG ethics and boldness.  He was as sickened, as most on this thread are, upon hear of Sloan's sport bolting of the first three pitch of SD, and then proudly asking for funds for future bolting of the route.  Darion was hellbent on getting rid of those bolts.  We assumed they would be five piece rawl drive bolts so Darion went up with a ratchet and hammer to cleanly remove the bolts.  When he went up there 10 days ago, he discovered Sloan had hammered in buttonheads in an effort to make them more difficult to remove.  "Challenge accepted." Darion thought.  A friend of his manufactured a couple of extraction devices to keep removal as clean as possible, but the friend had to bail at the last moment.  

No one else had gone up there yet.  The route was being climbed daily with the sport bolting.  We feared the normalization of Sloan's bolting.  So, hell or high water, Darion headed back up there.  In the Leconte Gully, a rock hit his haul bag, knocking it down, creating a huge yard sale and breaking all of his water bladders.  He gathered up on the gear and kept going, knowing it would be a difficult day with no water.  He soloed the first pitch, hung a rope and removed the seven bolts on the first pitch (five lead bolts and an extra belay station Sloan had added half way up the pitch).  With darkness approaching and dehydration taking its toll, Darion removed one last bolt on the second pitch and headed down.  

It's still a mess up there...the second and third pitches have extra bolts still, and Darion left 1/4" bits of bolt protruding from the rock.  It'll have to be cleaned up and that's unfortunate.  But Sloan's heinous actions, on the micro level of Snake Dike, and on the macro level of bolting ethics, required a swift and strong counter measure.  

Post Script:  As we posed for this photo with some of Sloan's removed hangers, a true Yosemite OG, Gerry Czamanske came by.  Even he thinks Sloan's an embarrassment to the tribe.

Big kudos for the initiative and strong effort. Very sad that removal is so messy though, and fearful that this could be only the early phase of a very destructive war.

@Jim and Team: 

Do you guys know anything about the gofundme that is need aqua?

I’m really glad people are so motivated to get this done but also encourage it to be done right. Again, I think a Hurley Sr or maybe even a YABR (I have only used the former) would pull these cleanly without leaving behind track mark scars from tuning forks or pry bars, or the remnants of cut off studs.

Hopefully those studs can be tapped deeper in the holes with a punch. Someone experienced and patient should camo the holes: the wrong camo compound / epoxy will stand out like a sore thumb in color, and knowing how to pack it into a hole without it mushrooming out or smearing it more than necessary is a bit of an art. But someone skilled can make these holes literally vanish on that type of granite.

Really glad these bolts are gone already but I also hope eagerness and good intentions don’t get in the way of finishing the job correctly.

I posted this on the other thread but it seems appropriate for here too:

“Sloan’s stated goal was to “modernize” this route but he used an inferior type of bolt (a type that will become untrustworthy in a decade or two) that has no place in modern climbing. 1/2” stainless glue-ins would be just as difficult to remove if not more so and at least achieve the misguided goal of being “modern.” This fact alone tells me at best he is disingenuous and at worst sociopathic.

None of these bolts should be left. All should be pulled and patched. Someone who knows what they are doing can make the holes completely disappear. This is much more difficult on other types of rock, but on granite - especially the whitish variety that makes up the slabby terrain of Half Dome - an experienced person can make these holes completely vanish - no matter how many times it must be done.”

John Tuttle:

Regarding the go fund me for "need aqua" it was put up by the friend of Darion's who had produced the two extraction devices that ended up not going up on the most recent mission.  Evidently, the initial impetus for the go fund me page was to ridicule the fact that Sloan's started a go fund me page.  But I guess with gas being expensive, if anyone wants to send $5.00 or $10.00 their way, you now have an avenue to do so...but certainly don't feel compelled.  

But it is a good hearted person behind the account...and it's definitely NOT Sloan.  

The GFM page is very poor style (equally with Sloan's) and should be taken down. Monetizing route maintenance is not good form, don't do it if you need to get paid for it.

Jim are you related to Jeff? Also is it time to start a new thread highlighting this positive resurrection?

Philip Bone:

Indeed, Jeff is my big brother.  A much better and accomplished climber than I.  Related to this thread, I remember climbing Snake Dike years ago with a friend and my brother.  My friend and I pitched it out while Jeff free soloed it.  He had a swami belt with a sling and biner so he could clip into belay anchors and smoke some pot while we slowly caught up.  Good times!