Joshua Tree N.P. Heart of Darkness is back OPEN to climbing

Heart of Darkness is OPEN Thanks to the local Rock Stars for their fast work.  

Any questions Contact bernadette_regan@nps.gov, frank_klein@nps.gov

The NPS is closing a climbing route because the anchors are crappy?  

Check out the BRAND NEW anchor!

11/24 Heart of Darkness Anchor was replaced today and the climb is now open.  Huge thanks to Kevin, Mark, Doug, and Tyler - the team of rebolters!!!!!

This was an important event - the park service now understands that a powerdrill is the min tool required to remove and replace bolts.  Yes, Heart of Darkness is in Wilderness. 

Continue to enjoy Heart of Darkness and I am pleased those bolts didn’t fail while one of you was on it.  

Bernadette Regan

JTNP Climbing Ranger

B Regan, 

Any idea of want happened to the anchor bolts? I climbed it about a week ago..... Just trying to find some info. Good thing we backed it up for TR after leading.

This is one of the bolts currently in place at the anchor. The goal is that both bolts will be replaced within the next 10 days.

"When we finally found Conrad Rock we came in with an ASCA Rebolting Team and we quickly replaced all the anchors in the area. Later after we moved on, an old climber came running up to us, in tears. He kept pointing back to the rock and repeating himself, the bolts, the bolts. So we went back to look. They had chopped off every new bolt we placed, every one of them. And there was this, pile... of little bolts. I cried. I wept. I cursed god. I didn't know what I wanted to do. But then I realized. It struck me like a lightning bolt, it split me apart and I would never be the same. The strength. The strength to do that. These men, they love climbing the same as you and me. They love the convenience of safe clipping and solid anchors. But they have the strength. The strength. Give me a small group of these traditionalists and I could quickly restore all of Joshua Tree. Our troubles here would be over, the crowding gone."

-Kurtz

Thanks for your work, Bernadette. When I lived in SoCal, I would bump into you occasionally in JTree. You were usually getting after something spicy! You’ve been a great steward for many years. It’s good to see you’re still there, looking out for the tribe.

what happened to a climber relying on his or her ability to evaluate natural or fixed anchor conditions for themselves?  I don't need authorities to tell me climbing conditions are dangerous.  I can evaluate that for myself and adjust my activity as i see fit.  Shouldn't that be the way it should be?

GMAFB!

No, the way it should be is that if fixed gear is an obvious piece of crap, it should be replaced, the sooner the better.  Why should your problems with authority dictate the experience for everyone else?

Historically, land managers have stayed away from fixed protection evaluation and maintenance due to liability concerns.  I’ve never seen NPS or any other park manager intervene like this - interesting precedent.  Seems to open the door to a lawsuit if an anchor elsewhere fails.

bernard wolfe wrote:

what happened to a climber relying on his or her ability to evaluate natural or fixed anchor conditions for themselves?  I don't need authorities to tell me climbing conditions are dangerous.  I can evaluate that for myself and adjust my activity as i see fit.  Shouldn't that be the way it should be?

If the picture of the one bolt represents what the other one looks like I'd rap without a problem. I wonder why nobody has explained the exact problem.

M M wrote:

I'd rap without a problem. I wonder why nobody has explained the exact problem.

SMCs bolted with rusty button-heads on one of the park’s most popular test piece routes. No problem, eh?

I don’t think that justifies the sudden immediate nature of this closure, but I think people seeing that setup and rapping “without a problem”, is in-fact the problem.

Edit: I don’t support land managers stepping in and closing routes. But based on that image alone, if there was a route to do it on, this one seems to be it.

bernard wolfe wrote:

what happened to a climber relying on his or her ability to evaluate natural or fixed anchor conditions for themselves?  I don't need authorities to tell me climbing conditions are dangerous.  I can evaluate that for myself and adjust my activity as i see fit.  Shouldn't that be the way it should be?

What you say is true enough, but it's the Park Service that has to cart out the bodies when a rappel anchor fails. It's understandable that they would want to avoid having to do that. 

I appreciate the park making this effort.  I'm assuming they will not be installing the new bolt?  At the very least, I assume the park's attention was brought to this bolt, the park closed it, and another party is installing bolts.

Us bickering over an action the park is taking to make climbing slightly safer and still allow us access is what matters.  If you disagree with me, I will listen to your argument over the beer you bought.

Mike Grainger wrote:

GMAFB!

No, the way it should be is that if fixed gear is an obvious piece of crap, it should be replaced, the sooner the better.  Why should your problems with authority dictate the experience for everyone else?

I don't expect someone else, "authority" or otherwise, to take care of me.  I'm capable of doing that.  Once you begin to relieve the individual from that responsibility.......and encourage the expectation that somebody else applies the vigilance in making things "safe" for you........where does it end?  Is that the role of authority (in this case).....to make things safe for people?

Haven’t been to JT in awhile - but isn’t this on the bomber side of a typical anchor found in the area?  Maybe the entire park should be closed off?

The park posts a PSA and is already arranging to get some bolts replaced on one climb and you have some sort of freedom aneurysm?

Thank them and grow up, man toddlers.

Colonel Mustard wrote:

The park posts a PSA and is already arranging to get some bolts replaced on one climb and you have some sort of freedom aneurysm?

Thank them and grow up, man toddlers.

yep......freedom aneurysm........if that is what you want to call it, that'd be fine

I'm not opposed to any of the remedial efforts or intentions.......in fact, i'd support them directly or indirectly if it was my home crag.......but that's not the point.  I think you might be missing the point.  The Park posted a PSA that implied their supremacy in deciding for you what your risk tolerance should be.  A climbing route is not a public road or a public building or a new medicine or something similar.  Historically the evaluation of risk in climbing has been left up to the individual, and that implies a fairly high level of responsibility.......knowledge, judgement, etc, in making decisions for yourself.  Personally i would prefer that it stay that way......but that is just my opinion.

Evan Noronha wrote:

SMCs bolted with rusty button-heads on one of the parks most popular test piece routes. No problem, eh?

I don’t think that justifies the sudden immediate nature of this closure, but I think people seeing that setup and rapping “without a problem”, is in-fact the problem.

Edit: I don’t support land managers stepping in and closing routes. But based on that image alone, if there was a route to do it on, this one seems to be it.

I dont know how many rusty old gear youve spent time on but I gotta say if both bolts look the same they have years left on them, just dont pull up on them too hard, easy peasy. Its not a beginner route unless its getting TR gang banged by gym climbers and if thats the case then someone should pull the anchors and make it traditional again.

Government bureaucracy has been known to cause problems in the recreational world before.

I like hearing about good relationships between climbers and land managers, its certainty not the same everywhere.

Gumby King wrote:

If you disagree with me, I will listen to your argument over the beer you bought.

Class act. Hey you want to come to my mother-in-laws Xmas party? 

Michael Rush wrote:

Class act. Hey you want to come to my mother-in-laws Xmas party? 

I have no plans!