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How is this anchor set up being used?

Original Post
carnage adovada · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Sep 2023 · Points: 0

I've run into this style of anchor set up in a few different spots in the Sandias. My best guess is it's being used for TR solo, but wanted to see if anyone here has better ideas or thoughts on details. Pics below:

In the last two pics, red is approximate location of the rubber eye and blue is approximate location of the bolt + hanger. On the opposite side of this boulder is a larger face that I'm guessing was being TR soloed. 

Any thoughts on how this set up could have been used? Anything not climbing related this could have been used for? If this was a TR solo set up, what was the rubber eye used for?

carnage adovada · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Sep 2023 · Points: 0

I found some pics I took of another similar set up. Different hardware but very similar angles and distances:

ClimbBaja · · sandy Eggo · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 66

I have no idea what they were used for. Hopefully not for climbing/rappelling purposes. I wouldn't hang anything more than a picture frame on any of them. 

The "bolt" with the nail head is a Zamac Nail-in, a zinc expansion rivet suitable for light duty use, such as, hanging a plant on a brick wall.

The clamp with the rubber insulator is used for fastening wires or lightweight pipe to a wall or ceiling. Who knows what the Phillips screw was attached to? Maybe a plastic hollow wall anchor (plug) in the rock?

The hangers are homemade aluminum. I stepped on one once at Mt. Woodson and it broke in half...

bob steed · · Gilroy, CA · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 66

Maybe used to hold up a big tarp for a shelter?

Cocoapuffs 1000 · · Columbus, OH · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 50

The 'rubber eye' is a light duty hose/cable clamp.  Rounding down it has a breaking strength of zero pounds (0 kN)

carnage adovada · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Sep 2023 · Points: 0
ClimbBajawrote:

I have no idea what they were used for. Hopefully not for climbing/rappelling purposes. I wouldn't hang anything more than a picture frame on any of them. 

The "bolt" with the nail head is a Zamac Nail-in, a zinc expansion rivet suitable for light duty use, such as, hanging a plant on a brick wall.

The clamp with the rubber insulator is used for fastening wires or lightweight pipe to a wall or ceiling. Who knows what the Phillips screw was attached to? Maybe a plastic hollow wall anchor (plug) in the rock?

The hangers are homemade aluminum. I stepped on one once at Mt. Woodson and it broke in half...

Thanks ClimbBaja, glad I'm not the only one who's stumped. From what I can find, absolute best case for the drive in is ~1-2kN and it sounds like the clamp is far below that.

Cocoapuffs 1000wrote:

The 'rubber eye' is a light duty hose/cable clamp.  Rounding down it has a breaking strength of zero pounds (0 kN)

Thanks Cocoapuffs and very good to know. I definitely haven't run into too many of those and had no idea about it's strength.

bob steedwrote:

Maybe used to hold up a big tarp for a shelter?

Thanks Bob, given the very marginal "bolts" and that there are very few trees or other things to hang a tarp by in this area, this theory makes the most sense to me. Now that you've mentioned it, my backpacking tarp would at least fit in both of those spots, might have to keep those in mind next time I'm caught in a storm up there...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Fixed Hardware: Bolts & Anchors
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