Hellgate, Little Cottonwood Canyon Anchor Maintenance
The mission of the SLCA’s fixed anchor maintenance program is to assess the current condition of established anchors, identify and monitor current and future maintenance needs, and replace antiquated and unreliable anchors as necessary and in partnership with land owners and agencies.
"It's vital that the climbing community takes the lead role in monitoring and identifying outdated or dicey fixed gear. I deeply appreciate SLCA's leadership and the tireless effort of the dedicated individuals who maintain the integrity of protection bolts and fixed anchors at our crags." Boone Speed, award winning photographer and Wasatch First Ascensionist.
2021 LCC: Hellgate Climbing Anchor Maintenance Summary
June 17, 2021
Climbing has primary and fundamental hazards. The use of any previously installed or ‘fixed’ anchors or equipment to protect climbers has inherent risks that cannot be removed, and are assumed entirely by the user.
OVERVIEW
The Hellgate is the most popular climbing site in upper Little Cottonwood Canyon. At 9000 feet, Hellgate makes a good summer cragging option when the valley is too hot. The base of the Main Wall, Towers and East Hellgate areas are accessible by steep trails from roadside parking. The cliffs generally face south & southwest, and are shaded in the morning but receive full afternoon sun. The rock is fractured limestone of very variable quality in the sub-alpine environment. Rockfall from slopes or the gullies above present an additional objective hazard to seriously consider for all climbers there.
The Hellgate area is mostly owned by Snowbird and Alta, which both generously allow climbing. As organized representatives of the local climbing community, the SLCA has agreements in place with these land owners for maintenance and stewardship of the climbing resources.
The Main Wall, Towers area and East Hellgate crags host an estimated 102 established single- and multi-pitch climbing routes up to 500 feet long. Some older routes follow crack systems and offer removable anchor placements for protection, but a majority of the more recently established routes follow cleaner rock features and are protected by bolt anchors. The bolt anchors used for sport climbing at Towers and East Hellgate are inherent to the type of climbing activity there, and are intentionally loaded by climbers anticipating reliable anchors. On the more adventurous Main Wall, the bolt anchors provide the only consistently available and reliable protection on the cleaner faces and more committing terrain, and are used for both ascent and descent.
CURRENT CONDITION (06/11/21)
Some of the climbing anchors have been maintained, or partially maintained, by the first ascenionsts, or independent climbers, and previous WARI (Wasatch Anchor Replacement Initiative) volunteer efforts. Many of the climbs on East Hellgate are relatively new routes, and have been actively maintained by the climbers that established them.
With increased climbing activity, considerations for long-term anchor maintenance at Hellgate include:
Rusting and corrosion of aging carbon steel and mixed metal hardware. Modern Best Practices utilize corrosion resistant stainless steel or titanium materials.
Variable quality and hardness of the limestone bands and alpine temperature extremes contribute to more occurrences of ‘spinning’ hangers and sleeves (on previously installed mechanical bolts.)
Traditional or original routes and anchors with aged textiles that have not been maintained or replaced, discouraging climber use.
Selective prior maintenance/replacement of individual anchors, with a mix of reliable anchors and older, corroded or unreliably installed anchors. Maintaining all anchors on a route (or area) on a similar service life facilitates sustainable, long-term maintenance.
Use of cable slings and steel carabiners left in place on the more difficult overhanging routes where removal between ascents is difficult. These are subject to intensive wear over time. Technically these are personal protective equipment, not the actual ‘anchors’, and up to each individual climber to use (or not.) However, periodic removal (as part of the anchor replacement work) ensures these are (at least on that occasion) inspected; unsafe hardware is removed, and the cable slings and steel connectors are replaced by active, independent climbers as needed.
WORK REPORT (06/11/2021)
SLCA Anchor Maintenance Technicians spent 4 days over the week of June 8-11 maintaining climbing anchors and routes at the Hellgate.
The climbing anchors on 8 (previously not maintained) routes in the Towers area were either inspected, maintained or replaced with adhesive anchors.
Adhesive anchors- if carefully handled and installed correctly- provide durable, corrosion resistant climbing anchors for long-term recreational use, on par with the recreational infrastructure available nearby in the canyon.
76 mechanical anchors were replaced with Fixe Stainless Steel (Inox) 10mm diameter x 90mm adhesive eye bolts certified to the EN959 standard for climbing anchors, with a breaking strength of 35 kN when installed properly. Manufacturer’s specified adhesive epoxy (DeWalt AC100+ / 200+) was temperature controlled for handling and curing on site, and the batch and expiration documented. These bolt anchors should have an indefinite service life, subject only to mechanical damage by rockfall or avalanche debris.
On the top anchors, stainless steel chain and CE verified screw-links were used to extend and equalize the two anchors to a common focal point. These ‘modular’ anchor extensions are intended for long-term use, but may also be monitored for rope wear, and replaced as needed. Climbers may also add, remove or replace steel carabiners on the chain extensions as they feel necessary.
Recently installed stainless steel sleeve anchors that were reported as spinning, and could be re-tooled to manufacturer’s torque specifications, were tightened. Anchors that would not tighten (i.e. the sleeve spins within the hole) were replaced. These anchors will continue to be monitored over time, and may be replaced with adhesive anchors in future maintenance efforts.
SUMMARY (06/18/21)
With this year’s annual maintenance efforts completed at Maple Canyon (spring project) in Manti-La Sal National Forest, Gate Buttress, Echo Canyon, and Hellgate, the SLCA Anchor Maintenance Program will direct the remainder of this year’s maintenance efforts to Big Cottonwood Canyon’s Storm Mountain Island and Stairs Gulch areas, Ruth Lake in the Uintas, and a final fall project in Maple Canyon’s Pipeline and Schoolroom/Roadkill crags.
An approval for anchor maintenance efforts in wilderness areas, is still in consideration by the Forest Service. This will open up more efforts in American Fork Canyon in the future.
Please use the observation form to report notable anchor conditions and help focus and plan the SLCA’s efforts. Your donations are appreciated and help keep this work going to maintain Wasatch climbing for all climbers. Donate here today!
Photos by Bree Robles and SLCA Anchor Maintenance Techs
TOTAL COST
Total cost of this project with labor and materials was $4,500. This does not include the advocacy work to line this project up with the land agency.
SUPPORT
The Anchor Maintenance Program is supported by grants from: Recreational Trails Program Grant, Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, Central Wasatch Commission, San Pete County
as well as...
Partnering Land Managers: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, United States Forest Service, Department of Wildlife Resources, Alta and Snowbird Ski Resorts
and...
Outdoor industry sponsors: Black Diamond, The Front, Liberty Mountain, Petzl, Backcountry, Blue Ice, Momentum, Gnarly Nutrition, The Gear Room, Utah Mountain Adventures, and donors like you!
Rock climbing is an inherently dangerous activity and we encourage anyone who participates to obtain the appropriate education and training in order to minimize accidents. We also encourage participants to consult resources including but not limited to guiding outfitters, SAR, Utah Avalanche Center, ranger stations, and weather reports. Nevertheless and although tragic, accidents can happen even when the participants have the proper training and have consulted authorities on conditions. Participants in outdoor climbing are assuming a risk, just as they do in skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, or other outdoor activities. Anchors once maintained by the SLCA are not guaranteed to be in the same state or condition as when they were maintained.