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Historic Ogden trad route desecrated
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Recently, someone grid bolted the first pitch of the Macabre Wall in Ogden, as well as adding at least two unnecessary bolted belays. For anyone not familiar, the Macabre Wall is Ogden's most classic multi-pitch route. The original and best version of the route connects 4 roof cracks, each harder and larger than the last, culminating in the Macabre Roof. The roof was first freed in 1967 by Greg Lowe. Today it's considered 5.12, making it the hardest known rock route in the world at the time he climbed it. The wall itself is typical Ogden quartzite, and offers abundant natural protection. The only fixed gear on the wall has always been a hand full of old pitons; there have never been any bolts or bolted belays, and they are completely unnecessary. In addition to the unnecessary bolting, the actual placement of the bolts was poorly done. The hard quartzite eats up drill bits, and the drillers clearly allowed bits to dull resulting in narrow, underdrilled holes. They then tried to force pound in 5-piece powers bolts, which caused the upper sleeve on the bolt to crumple, leaving many of the bolts sticking almost 1cm out of the rock. This is obviously completely unacceptable. With the influx of new climbers and the growth of the sport it's important to make sure that new climbers are informed on basic ethics. Bolting a 60 50+ year-old route is an obvious violation of ethics, without even considering the fact that natural pro is available throughout the pitch. Perhaps the bolters believed they were putting up a new route, but even in that case, the most minimal amount of research prior to drilling would make it obvious that it wasn't a new area or route. I'll be removing the bolts as soon as I can get back up there. Hopefully the word gets spread so that this mistake doesn't continue to be repeated with the growth of the sport, and maybe the perpetrators here can learn something. |
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Jordan, Thank you, for sharing this mistake in route development. Yes,.. it is important that climbers interested in putting up bolted lines / sport routes understand and appreciate the merits and value of trad climbing with natural gear placements. Hopefully, the individual(s) who did this,.. will realize the error of their ways. I completely support your action to remove the bolts. |
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Sorry to hear entitled incompetents desecrated that George Lowe route. Thank you for taking on the clean-up job. Retrobolting a trad route like this should not be tolerated. |
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Sad to keep seeing this in BCC and LCC and hearing about it at other local areas. Adding bolts to established trad routes is like graffiti, needs to be removed as soon as noticed. Very easy to remove the bolt and patch the hole with adhesive and rock dust. If done properly, you cannot see the patch. |
Jordan Gilbert wrote: We ran into this kind of thing in LCC a couple of years ago. The studs we found were 1/2 to 1" out of the rock because the holes weren't completely drilled. The line hadn't been fully cleaned and we couldn't tell if they bent studs were from rockfall or from over-hammering. |
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Such a travesty. Thanks for removing and patching up the problem Jordan. Your appraisal of the historic nature of the Macabre Wall and its significance in free climbing is right on. In the mid 70’s to the early 80’s a whole host of the best free climbers came to Ogden to give it a try (many came with Jeff Lowe) and it’s suitors confirmed its difficulty and historical significance. Greg Lowe was an amazing climber. His free climbs did compete with all of the so-called ‘first’ 5.11 and ‘first’ 5.12’s around the world. And such a nice guy. |
RKM wrote: Thanks for the great historical context and insight Kim. This one's close to me because I grew up literally underneath the wall and read all about the Lowe's and other Ogden climbing history as a kid. I even got to have lunch with Jeff before his health declined too much. Ogden climbing is pretty scrappy and under the radar, but it's history is so rich! |
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Thank you for posting and thank you for taking on the work to repair this damage. |
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Wow - a garbage execution of an ethically abominable act. Nice. Jordan - if you need support in chopping/patching, let me know. |
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Disappointing to see such a rad, historic line be retro bolted. Good luck on the patching |
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But I thought the Puppy-Guy established that grid-bolting was a myth?! |
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I've seen these bolts. They're mostly on 5.easy rock and avoid the 5.10 cracks. What Jordan and others fail to point out is that the iconic Macabre Wall Roof, where Jeff and Greg Lowe made the bold first ascent on minimal gear, now has bolts and perma-draws within spitting distance of the original route. When this new bolted route was established (within the last few years) on the Macabre Roof, there was barely a grumble from the local climbing community. Why? Because the developer was one of the local elites with the right last name. If the bolts near the first pitch are a desecration, then the bolts on the Roof are like pigs in the Ogden Temple. Climbing ethics applied selectively is elitism. Remove the bolts or leave them? Let the local climbing community decide. Just spare me the hand wringing about route desecration and self-righteous sermons on climbing ethics. |
John B. wrote: Yeah, I didn't do the last roof, so I didn't see that; although now that you mention it I do recall hearing about it. If they compromise the integrity of the original route at all, I'd agree they should be removed. The bolts on the first pitch follow the obvious crack line, cutting right to bypass the first roof. The bolts are literally alongside protectable cracks directly on the original route for much of the first pitch. I think I apply my ethics pretty evenly; if I'd have seen the bolts up on the hard pitch and they were near the original line with natural pro available, I'd have had the same reaction to those ones too, regardless of who placed them. I don't think it's preachy or self righteous to think that bolts shouldn't be placed ON existing lines, especially when there's natural pro available, and based on the responses here the community agrees. |
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https://m.facebook.com/groups/277087085766440/permalink/1375608825914255/?_rdr
This sheds light on the line near the upper roof. Still controversial though. |
Gerald Johnson wrote: Cool, thanks for sharing Gerald I'm not on FB so I miss that stuff. It definitely seems like the first pitch is indeed a totally different situation. Bolts on the original line where pro is available. And poorly done like I mentioned. |
John B. wrote: What are you talking about? There was a lot of controversy bolts going in on the last two roofs, and that's with them being completely independent lines that are not "within spitting distance." These bolts are right on the the actual line of the first pitch, as in you can clip them while following the crack. Applying ethics evenly? selective elitism? Spare me your rant that has no basis in what actually happened. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm all for Jordan pulling the bolts. I actually went up a few days ago with some stuff to do the job myself, but didn't have the time. Those bolts will be getting pulled at some point. Colby |
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Thanks Colby, hoping to get up there after the snow this week. |
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Adding another [former] Ogden local voice here. Jordan, Colby, you guys are in the clear and correct. I’m aware of the “controversial” bolts and believe the community’s consensus to leave that brand new line on unprotectable terrain to be an entirely different scenario. Thanks in advance for the hard work. |
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Another Ogden local chiming in (the one who "started the controversy" about the other Macabre Wall bolts): I'm in support of removing these bolts and appreciate the efforts to do so! Definitely a different scenario than the existing fully independent line that went in a few years ago. Based on the nature of these new bolts as described, it seems reasonable to think this might have been done in ignorance (as opposed to disdain and/or disregard for others in the community). If that's the case and anyone knows who is responsible, please send me a private message. As a professional instructor and guide, I'd like to offer them a free day of trad climbing instruction. I know the knowledge and expense of trad climbing is often a barrier for many who might otherwise like to try such routes. If a free educational opportunity would help address that and prevent dangerous/disrespectful bolting, it seems like everyone wins. |
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I'd love to see a picture of the 1st pitch bolts in question. They sound stupid, but it does pose a problem to allow bolted lines at a historic traditional cliff. Because someone thinks "oh, there are bolts here, I can put some up myself too". To me, the ultimate solution is to only allow for ground-up bolting. That makes each bolt earned and practical in the context of the natural upward ascent. Basically, trad with bolts. |
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Greg lowe is asking that the bolts be removed. Let me know if I can help. Mike |
