Bolting at Dumplington Hill, Raymond NH

To the following person(s) or parties that have been partaking in the bolting of the climbing area known as Dumplington Hill (a.k.a. The Dump), in Raymond NH. We the climbers of the southern NH climbing community would like to ask you to cease and desist your actions. Climbing at this crag is not new and has been climbed at for some years, yes it is a lost and forgotten crag but ethics about and on the subject of bolting have long been established.

Dumplington Hill was founded and intended to be a non-bolted crag for people who wanted to experience climbing in its purest form, no bolts, by the community of climbers that found and help developed the routes that have been posted in Manchester Rock Climbs in the Greater Manchester, N.H. (1996).

“Ethics
Ethics at Dumplington Hill are strictly traditional – no bolts, pins or hammers! Most first ascents were either scrubbed and then led ground-up, or top roped. Bolts and pitons have been avoided by the small group of activists responsible for most of the lines. Most lines are either safe with clean protection or easily top roped; the steep yet climbable rock would result in 1 or 2 bolt lines every few feet if drilled into submission; and last not least there has been a desire to have some climbing areas preserved for the climbers who choose to climb via soft paths. At the present there are hardly any areas in New Hampshire that have not been assaulted by sport climbers. The Dump is almost pristine, having only one bolt as a top rope anchor (unnecessary, but left in place). Top rope rehearsal and pre-inspection have been used on some recent bold leads to spare the rock and the adventure. Scrub and hangdog all you want, but leave the iron at home!” Manchester Rock Climbs in the Greater Manchester, N.H. area (1996). By Granite Mountaineering, Paul Boissonneault, Dave & Marie Saball of Vertical Endeavors.

These ethics have held true until sometime this summer (2012) when person(s) or parties took it upon themselves to deface this area, either knowingly or unknowingly of the ethics that were laid out by the climbers that founded this area, which predates the guidebook's 1996 copyright date.

The climbs and areas that have been bolt are at The Main Cliff. Areas and routes are listed as follows:

The Pinnacle Area
5th of November 5.8-5.9 - Bolted
Can the Jingo 5.10 A1 – rap anchors

The Dump Face Area
Basic 5.11 (TR) – rap anchors
Stone Zoo 5.11+ - Bolted
The Hang 5.8+ - Bolted
Zack Attack 5.7+ - rap anchors

Hi Chris,
I don't know anything about your little area, but as a climber of multiple disciplines, let me say that this statement:

"At the present there are hardly any areas in New Hampshire that have not been assaulted by sport climbers."

is not going to help your cause. It would seem like you are trying to be polite, but condescension is not going to win folks to your side.
Have a good afternoon.

On this line "At the present there are hardly any areas in New Hampshire that have not been assaulted by sport climbers."
Wasn't written by me, it was written by the developers of the crag (Paul Boissonneault, Dave & Marie Saball & Mack Johnson). The section labeled "Ethics" is a direct quote from their guidebook & wishes to leave this small crag unbolted...

Yes, I know it would piss people off just like I'm sure it did when it was written and published back in 1996 but people still respected the well wishes of this small group back in the day. I also know that there are places that are bolt free in NH and will remain so.

I also climb Trad, sport and boulder but also believe in the mentality that you place a bolt when and only when it is needed. The routes that have been bolted are lines that protect with gear and have no need for bolts on them in the first place...

Also to add to this, I thought and was my understanding it was a general or THE rule of thumb that a person(s) should look into seeing what the ethics were for an area and ask the permission of the people/persons that developed said area or did the FA if they can place bolts on their route(s)...

It's not my intention to be a jackass just make said person(s) who did the bolting aware that ethics for this crag have been developed and to stop...

As for a guidebook this area is part of the new Southern NH guidebook that Todd Swain is in the process of putting together...

Christopher you are right, stand your ground, do what it takes to keep areas bolt free. It seems like every time there is a thread about unethical bolting the OP gets called a douche. I would conclude that those who pass such judgement are worse than douches. They are hang dogging, chalk using, beanie wearing, sport climbers. Keep the fight man!!

I don't know Dumplington itself,but i spent 30 years in NH if it's 's OK with base and the Saball's, then it's Ok with me

I live in Derry and am now very curious about this area. What other info is there?

John, if the person(s) got permission from Base or the Saball's fine but I don't think Base or the Saball's would give someone permission to completely bolt two finger cracks and a line that takes gear, a little runout in parts, but it can be protected natural...

JakeD... You're calling me a douchebag for quoting something fine but don't be an ass and blast someone else out for voicing their thoughts or backing someone up...

Better yet if your really this pissed about the statement contact the people that developed the ethics for Dumplington Hill and yell at them and find out why they maybe it...
As for their reason for making this statement I don't know why they did and I'm not going to make assumptions on why they worded it the way they did. I wasn't climbing in the early to mid 90's when Base and the Saball's were climbing at The Dump... For all I know there could have been an issue with climbers, whether sport, trad or both, going crazy with bolts... You have their names find them and ask...

I do know that the Manchester guide came out after their Pawtuckaway guide and there was an issue with the Yellow Dog wall, in Pawtuckaway, and someone bolting it in a piss poor manner...

John, Maybe you can give us some insight on climbing in that time frame... If you want...

I agree chris,,, i highly doubt that base would approve of bolting ANY crack and i have known him a long time.

One thing that is of striking importance that Christopher left out is that two of the climbs bolted are retro's of traditional routes. Zach Attack is a thin crack in a featured face, it takes gear bottom to top every body length. To the left is The Hang, a beautiful old school "5.8+" roof pull that was protected by perfect gear, the crux roof now sports a bolt right next to a .75 placement that is straight out of the pages of Freedom of the Hills. I can understand the need for top anchors but it does not give someone carte blanche to retro existing routes climbed in a traditional fashion.

Casey Bald

Christopher Gagne wrote:Areas and routes are listed as follows: The Pinnacle Area 5th of November 5.8-5.9 - Bolted Can the Jingo 5.10 A1 – rap anchors The Dump Face Area Basic 5.11 (TR) – rap anchors Stone Zoo 5.11+ - Bolted The Hang 5.8+ - Bolted Zack Attack 5.7+ - rap anchors

I think it's very important to make a distinction between rap anchors and retro-bolted trad lines. Retro-bolted trad lines are wrong in every sense. Rap Anchors can be a very important tool to prevent overuse and degradation of the cliff top ecology. I would think conservation of would be important to the local climbing community.

Morgan......

top anchors are about the only thing approving in this situation, most of the cliff top is quite complex with trees far back from the edge and loose gravel and blocks abound, also the cliffside ecosystem is very diverse in the area, LOTS of different flora and fauna in the area. In my head it makes sense to thrown in top anchors to keep the masses from treading ever backward on the steep fragile environment.

As for what to do with the sitution, if at all possible return the rock to as close as its original state... I agree with leaving the rap anchors but the rest should come down.

Did a little looking into who owns the land that the crag sits and it happens to fall on Dearborn Estates which is one parcel of land that falls under Raymond's Conservation Commission...

No, clue if the Commission knows of the bolting as of yet...

I would yank the retro'ed bolts asap... fill in the holes with some epoxy (A7 Redhead Epoxy) and top with some local rock dust from the base of the cliff, leave the rap anchors, go on about your business quietly spreading the word that retro-bolting in NH is un-acceptable.

If you find out who placed the gear try to give them back as much of it as possible, or let them come forward once the gear was yanked. I would not approach the land owners personally.

i generally have no problem with tr anchors,, esp with veg issues and such.. CHOP away the retro bolts !!!!!!!!!!!!

"Top rope rehearsal and pre-inspection have been used on some recent bold leads to spare the rock and the adventure. Scrub and hangdog all you want..."

I am curious what the distinction is between the obviously highly ethical and superbly pure approach of "toprope rehearsal and pre-inspection" on hard/scary routes, and the despicable alternative of "scrub and hangdog". Are those not both ways to initially clean, figure out the beta, and dial in a route safely before sending?

I don't disagree with what your goal is here, but as suggested by J.Albers, if you speak in a condescending way to people who enjoy a different type of climbing than you, you're not going to change anyone's minds. Telling sport climbers that there style is somehow "less pure" or less worthwhile than your own preferred style won't make the bolting stop, but will perhaps encourage it.

Jesus. He's not speaking in a condescending way. How many times does the poor guy have to reiterate that the offending type was from the guide put out by the crag developers? And secondly, if cracks that have been climbed on gear for the better part of two decades are suddenly getting bolted then id say some condescention is in order at the very least. I've never climbed at these cliffs, I have no dog in this fight, but cut the guy a break eh?

Top anchors are a pragmatic solution to cliff top erosion caused by climbers. Connecticut's Ragged is a good example of cliff top management failure.

Most people agree that bolted cracks are a travesty, especially climbs that have been established for nearly 20 years. Until a beneficent action can be determined, why don't you begin by simply removing the hangers?

A 9/16 wrench should do the trick.

I'll take the hangers off somebody's hand if they want to do the work?

I have more hangers than god but I only have one hacksaw.

chris magness wrote:Top anchors are a pragmatic solution to cliff top erosion caused by climbers. Connecticut's Ragged is a good example of cliff top management failure.

100% - RMF is working on it though... first they are looking at restoring the fixed protection which was illegally vandalized and then next hopefully a re vegetation program and some serious SS anchors.

funny, I have plenty of crowbars/piton tunning forks/hacksaws...