Allenbrook Anchors

Some idiot installed carbon pin anchors at the top of the majority of the routes at Allenbrook in Atlanta. Every single one spun. One pair had chains attached with the cheapest quicklinks you can buy. One quicklink was bent from the weight pull by the chain. I was told there were anchors at the top of the 5.8 crack that had tape on them and I decided to swing by here between jobs to inspect/chop them. Someone taped them because they were cracked in half. People were using them even though they were both cracked... Every hanger here looked as though they've been in the elements for 15+ years but I know they were put in within the last 2 years. Needless to say, I didn't come with my angle grinder as I figured they were bolts and not pins. I plan on coming back and chopping and patching all of them. If you are the idiot who poorly and cheaply installed these anchors, please don't do it again. And, to anyone else planning on climbing here, all the hangers have been bent flat until I can come back and clean up the mess except for the chains which have bent bent back as much as possible and pulled back from the lip. Don't be a dumb ass and think the chains are safe. If you are going to break the rules of the park and install anchors, at least use stainless and actual bolts...

Scatterbrain wrote:Some idiot installed carbon pin anchors at the top of the majority of the routes at Allenbrook in Atlanta. Every single one spun. One pair had chains attached with the cheapest quicklinks you can buy. One quicklink was bent from the weight pull by the chain. I was told there were anchors at the top of the 5.8 crack that had tape on them and I decided to swing by here between jobs to inspect/chop them. Someone taped them because they were cracked in half. People were using them even though they were both cracked... Every hanger here looked as though they've been in the elements for 15+ years but I know they were put in within the last 2 years. Needless to say, I didn't come with my angle grinder as I figured they were bolts and not pins. I plan on coming back and chopping and patching all of them. If you are the idiot who poorly and cheaply installed these anchors, please don't do it again. And, to anyone else planning on climbing here, all the hangers have been bent flat until I can come back and clean up the mess except for the chains which have bent bent back as much as possible and pulled back from the lip. Don't be a dumb ass and think the chains are safe. If you are going to break the rules of the park and install anchors, at least use stainless and actual bolts...

I was at allenbrook in 2016 and didn't see the carbon pins you are describing so this is relatively new. =/

"carbon pin"?

Thanks for volunteering to fix these. i've been there a half dozen times this past year and every time I had to build an anchor off the trees and use a ton of runners and lockers to get my rope over the edge so it wouldn't cut. Couldn't believe that someone used athletic tape to try and 'patch' this hangers. And don't apologize for calling the person an idiot. They very easily could have gotten somebody seriously hurt or worse. Good on you.

I saw these when I was in town for x-mas

I'll donate time and money to put some bolts up for a sport route on the 5.12! I think it's called flaming fingers? Not sure of exact name

Here is the deal. I went down to remove the bashed over bolts and anchors today. The four bolts that I did remove before being asked to stop by the Park Service were not up to standard and should have been totally stainless steel.

Whomever smashed and cut the anchors is not being a responsible part of our community. This could have killed someone that used them assuming that they were still safe!

Long story short...I got stopped by the Park Pervice. They said they have plans to negotiate adding anchors. We need to do this through the SCC. Please do NOT add any more bolts. For now...do not remove the smashed anchors that are there. Their concern is that someone will come down and see the bolts are gone and add new ones. I guess we have to go through their chain of regulations. Hopefully we can get some stainless steel anchors installed soon.

I'll get in contact with the SCC and let them and the NPS work out the best solution.

At least The approach to the climbs is so short at allenbrook, it's not a big deal to bring gear to set up natural anchors while this gets figured out.

I ran into the ranges this weekend and they were telling me that someone from the SCC is coming out to chop the bolts this weekend. I ask if they were going to install new bolts and they (the ranges) told me no that it would be build your own anchors only that they dont want anything bolted.

As mentioned above the NPS has reached out to the SCC to remove the current unsafe anchors at Allenbrook. That will be happening sometime soon - probably this week depending on weather. The SCC has also set up a meeting to begin to open up dialogue with the NPS about Allenbrook climbing in general. Look for additional information to be coming on that in the future. In the meantime, if you plan on TR-ing routes there bring some gear, etc. My personal opinion would be to add quality appropriate anchors for TR possibllities in the future. The trees on the cliff top will not support long term anchoring. Thanks.

Just a quick update on the Allenbrook anchor situation.  All but one set of anchors have been removed, the remaining set will be done soon.  The SCC has met with Allenbrook NPS representatives to discuss climbing at Allenbrook.  The rangers are very interested in making this spot nice, sustainable and climber friendly.  There will be more details coming in the near future.  Thanks.  

Sooo... when can I get all my hardware back?  I have new project and need them.

Scatterbrain wrote:  Who knows if they were originally cut with malicious intent or to prevent people from using them........However, if the hangers were originally cut out of malicious intent, who's to say it won't happen again? 

stainless is about 2x as hard to cut by comparison to carbon steel.  less likely to be vandalized.

to the rest of yall,

thanks for working with the NPS on this one!