Route development question

I have been looking into developing an area near my home and found some super long (80 meter) splitter cracks. I was hoping to divide these cracks into 3 pitches when I do them. The issue is that these things are splitter (as close as it gets to splitter in my hometown. no, you wouldnt need 18 billion #2s). Theyd probably need a rack of doubles to triples of #1-#4. When climbing these I was wondering what the ethic would be as far as bolting anchors to the side of the crack to separate it into clear pitches. The walk off would probably not go, and it would need bolted anchors at some point along the top level to get down anyway.

Above is a photo of the situation. As far as bolts go, if ethics werent an issue, I have two ideas for anchors, depending on how much fixed gear I want to put in. 

This would be the first option, most invasive, but it allows climbers to not have to carry any more gear to build an anchor. This would also allow for a simple and clear rapell route instead of a dedicated rappel route up top.

The second option would be to place a bolt and make the climber build half an anchor, equalizing the bolt with a piece or two. This option kind of allows for a rapell if youre willing to bail on a bolt. It also reduces the amount of fixed gear I would have to leave on the wall.

The third option is to make climbers build full gear anchors as they go up, and use a dedicated rapell route to get back down. The reason I didnt automatically resort to this is because of issues with the size of rack youd be carrying. In my area people dont have anything more than a double rack because you would never need 18 billion number twos. Basically I want people to climb the route and not have to buy an extra couple cams so they can build an anchor. 

All in all

Option 1: two bolts. easy rapell route, and no gear required for anchors.

Option 2: A bolt and gear. Less gear required for anchors, and a semi-sketchy rapell route. 

Option 3: Build gear anchors, and add a rapell route off to the left or right of the route. 

Let me know what you think, whether I need to study ethics (I definitely do), or if bolting anchors on splitter is not as terrible as I thought. 

Sorry for the ramble, I hope yall can understand it!

If walk-off is no bueno, then option 1 would be best.  Try to find good stance or small ledge to place the bolts from about 1/2 way up.  Then look for a similar spot near the top for the 2nd set of anchors.  

Option 2 is almost never a good idea.  Either make a real 2 bolt anchor or none at all. Option 3 is only a good idea if you think this route will have a like 10 parties a day that want to climb it.

If it wasn't clear above, I'm suggesting two pitches, approx 40m each.  No big deal to drag a 2nd rope up a 2 pitch climb.  This way you minimize the impact to the rock (4 bolts instead of 6 bolts).  And you get the feeling of doing a real pitch.  Don't cheapen the adventure by making the pitches shorter. 

1. What length of rope is standard in your area? 40m pitches require an 80m to rap or tag lines. How hard is the route and are people who want to get on it going to need anything specialty? Who are your customers?
2. Bailing options? That independent rappel line makes bailing midway challenging. I'm a wee babe and appreciate any thought spent on contingencies (skill, gear, inclement weather if your area has weather, emergency; I understand it's just 80m but stuff happens). The answer might be not to go up it if you're not confident on sending it, again, who is the customer?
3. A reference for you https://hownot2.com/blogs/bolting-bible

If the route is good enough, I’d be inclined to not put bolted anchors next to the crack and put in a separate dedicated rappel line. Bolted anchors next to good gear anchors simply to remove the need to carry a few extra cams isn’t a good enough reason in my mind to put in the anchor. If someone is that strapped for cams they can build a gear anchor a bit lower and have shorter pitches.   

The other advantages of a separate rappel line include:

- No parties are rapping over each other, makes it easier to have multiple parties on route

- You can put the rappel line in a logical and reasonable place. Cracks tend to eat ropes, slabs usually don’t. If you scope things out you might be able to find a rappel line that keeps clear of the route, links stances, and stays on slabs for easy rope management. 

- You say there are multiple lines, so rather than installing rap anchors on each of them, a single rappel line from the top reduces the total number of anchors required. 

Matt Z wrote:

If the route is good enough, I’d be inclined to not put bolted anchors next to the crack and put in a separate dedicated rappel line. Bolted anchors next to good gear anchors simply to remove the need to carry a few extra cams isn’t a good enough reason in my mind to put in the anchor. If someone is that strapped for cams they can build a gear anchor a bit lower and have shorter pitches.   

The other advantages of a separate rappel line include:

- No parties are rapping over each other, makes it easier to have multiple parties on route

- You can put the rappel line in a logical and reasonable place. Cracks tend to eat ropes, slabs usually don’t. If you scope things out you might be able to find a rappel line that keeps clear of the route, links stances, and stays on slabs for easy rope management. 

- You say there are multiple lines, so rather than installing rap anchors on each of them, a single rappel line from the top reduces the total number of anchors required. 

After seeing these responses I might not put bolts on the route. While I seriously doubt that more than one party at a time would climb the route, I do like the somewhat untouched look of the climb. Thanks for the responses and help everybody!!

We have this situation in the Platte on routes like Center Route, Wunsch's Dihedral, etc. The reality is that if a climb gets traffic, there will eventually be fixed gear creating a belay. I personally would rather come across two bolts than a mangled, 15 year old #4 with a ratty sling that I either need to clip and hope doesn't fray further on me, or ignore despite it taking up a godforsaken amount of space in the crack. Additionally, if there's not a great obvious stance off from the anchor, it's pretty annoying to have to anchor yourself directly in the climbing line - both for getting to the anchor as a follower and for leaving the anchor as a leader. Having bolts off to the side in those situations is a pretty big QOL boost.

Option 1. Why mess around? You are the developer. Basically every route in the creek has a bolted anchor. Most Yosemite multi's have bolted anchors. Nature could not care less, only climbers that appreciate the convenience will ever notice. Nothing wrong with making a deluxe experience for people down the line. 

bob steed wrote:

If it wasn't clear above, I'm suggesting two pitches, approx 40m each.  No big deal to drag a 2nd rope up a 2 pitch climb.  This way you minimize the impact to the rock (4 bolts instead of 6 bolts).  And you get the feeling of doing a real pitch.  Don't cheapen the adventure by making the pitches shorter. 

A bump for bob's suggestions. 

Nobody should put bolted anchors next to a crack.  Do just like they do at the crack capitol of the universe Indian Creek.    Oh wait a minute.    Never mind. 

Once a route is bolted it usually stays that way. A dedicated rap route gives new climbers a place to practice building anchors, see how it feels to commit to a route, and reduces number of bolts on the wall. If there’s a nice spot for one at least.

Scott D wrote:

Option 1. Why mess around? You are the developer. Basically every route in the creek has a bolted anchor. Most Yosemite multi's have bolted anchors. Nature could not care less, only climbers that appreciate the convenience will ever notice. Nothing wrong with making a deluxe experience for people down the line. 

This. Almost everyone who actually climbs your route will be glad to clip bolted anchors, like at most popular classic crags. As for whether it's 2 pitches or 3 pitches: most people prefer to belay while standing on ledges and not from hanging belays, so I would let the presence or absence of natural ledges dictate how long the pitches are. As said above, it's your route. Create the experience you want others to have, and above all, have fun with the development process!

Where (roughly speaking) is this route? Sounds rad - would love to climb it. 

Adding a vote for Option 1. Jay DeYoung nailed it with his comments IMO.

wez zer wrote:

Where (roughly speaking) is this route? Sounds rad - would love to climb it. 

Adding a vote for Option 1. Jay DeYoung nailed it with his comments IMO.

Its in my hometown of Ogden!! i swear dude the entire thing is just a massive wall of splitters that are only 4-12 inches apart! wild

Seems crazy that there are 80m undeveloped splitters in Ogden.  If the solid rock between cracks is only 4-12", I'd be careful with your bolt placements.  Maybe use glue-ins?  Maybe use vertical configuration vice side-by-side?  

I would make the rap line rapelable on a single 70 meter or perhaps 60 meter rope so people don't have to bring a tag line just to get down.

Todd Jenkins wrote:

Seems crazy that there are 80m undeveloped splitters in Ogden.  If the solid rock between cracks is only 4-12", I'd be careful with your bolt placements.  Maybe use glue-ins?  Maybe use vertical configuration vice side-by-side?  

 

They might not be 80m, its probably just my massive Gumby overestimation skills, but I'm almost completely sure they're over 60m 

climber pat wrote:

I would make the rap line rapelable on a single 70 meter or perhaps 60 meter rope so people don't have to bring a tag line just to get down.

This is for sure what I would do, although I would make it rappable by 60s instead of 70s because the need for a 70m is pretty rare over here.

Matthew Hoff wrote:

Its in my hometown of Ogden!! i swear dude the entire thing is just a massive wall of splitters that are only 4-12 inches apart! wild

I've lived around Ogden for 70+years and climbed for more than a few of them. I'm no threat to your development but would love to find out where this area is. I have a hard time believing we missed it in the 60's and 70's.

Shoot me a PM if you feel like it.

K M wrote:

I've lived around Ogden for 70+years and climbed for more than a few of them. I'm no threat to your development but would love to find out where this area is. I have a hard time believing we missed it in the 60's and 70's.

Shoot me a PM if you feel like it.

PM'd 

maybe you didn't miss it, and I'm just really bad at doing research into old routes. For the life of me I cant find a guidebook that includes certain areas in the canyon...

Thanks for the PM. Steinfel climbers were very poor about documenting routes back in the day.

Good luck and I vote no bolts.