Anchor Maintenance End-of-Summer Report 2021
Anchor Maintenance End-of-Summer report
September 25, 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
While the authorization to use power drills to maintain climbing anchors in designated wilderness is still pending approval in American Fork Canyon (read more about that effort here), SLCA anchor maintenance efforts are currently directed to designated non-wilderness climbing areas.
Late summer’s efforts have focused on some of the Wasatch and Uinta’s greatest climbing assets- bulletproof quartzite, in ‘choose your own flavors’ of traditional and sport climbing- or sometimes both at the same time.
In the heat of August, the SLCA shifted anchor maintenance efforts to climbing resources on National Forest land in the High Uintas. In increasingly hot summer temps, the Uintas continue to be a welcome escape for the growing community of greater Wasatch climbers. As the intensity of use grows, the Forest Service is supportive of the SLCA’s efforts at proactive stewardship of the climbing resource. Several trail building and maintenance projects have been completed at Ruth Lake in past years.
CONDITION / OBSERVATIONS:
Most of the routes in the Uintas are relatively not that ‘old.’ In some areas, climbers are still establishing new routes, and with greater awareness of Best Practices, these will be sustainable climbing resources. Uinta quartzite is incredibly hard. It’s a good place to use expansion sleeve bolts for climbing anchors. It’s further from the corrosive dust of the Great Salt Lake and locked under sub-freezing temps for much of the year.
Most of the climbing anchors are in pretty good shape, shifting the SLCA’s task here from full-on replacement to a process for inspection and long-term maintenance. Quartzite can almost polish when drilled, so it’s not uncommon to find either spinning or loosening bolts (both studs and sleeves) in the Uintas - especially at sharp rope direction changes.
The bigger maintenance issues in the Uintas are the top anchors- which get a lot of use for top-roping at the most popular and accessible venues. Many of the top anchors are older, large diameter rap hangers that were popular at the time, but are prone to loosening and spinning from rappel and top-rope use. For now, these can be reset (if possible) and supplemented with equalized chain extensions for top-rope and rappel.
In some of the venues- notably Stone Garden- one of the earliest areas in the Uintas to get established- many of the original top anchors are improvised hangers- chains installed over long bolts with stacked washers as spacers under the first link to attempt to minimize the leverage. While these are cheap to install- the washers rust and degrade over time, and the unsupported bolt becomes a big lever arm. Most of these are not in completely unreliable condition yet, but if replaced with new bolts, hangers and hardware, will be reliable and sustainable for the longer-term.
Later summer also gave the program a chance to return to the hard quartzite in Big Cottonwood Canyon to maintain the Narcolepsy Crag. In addition to the SLCA maintenance work at nearby Challenge Buttress earlier in the summer, our collective experience and several local climbers had also submitted Anchor Observations and communications on the condition of the anchors there.
Being older, and closer to the Great Salt Lake, there is more noticeable corrosion on bolts in lower Big Cottonwood Canyon. At one point in the past, disagreements over the style of climbing at Narcolepsy led to the placement and subsequent removal of some additional anchors.
With exposed but protectable and relatively easy alternative access to the top anchors from above, this popular crag allows climbers to choose their own level of risk: either lead ground-up and be prepared for some runouts and/or gear placements between bolts- or scramble around and (carefully) set up a top-rope from several of the previously established anchor options. A few of these anchors were original, poorly located or poorly equipped.
WORK REPORT
In the Uintas, the scope of work was expanded to include a more proactive approach for long-term management of the resource, with inspections of the established bolt anchors, and then an assessment of any corrective actions needed.
In the compact rock, any ‘spinners’ were reset and re-torqued (if appropriate.) The torque specifications for carbon and stainless steel stud and sleeve bolts, and their different diameters do vary, and these were carefully considered. If after resetting, the bolt would not engage and tighten, and the sleeve or stud kept spinning in the hole, then the hard quartzite at least facilitates ‘hole for hole’ removal and replacement with a new bolt.
Older rap hangers were reset if needed and equipped with chain extensions. All stacked washer and chain anchors were replaced with new Powers ½” x 2 ¾” stainless steel sleeve anchors, equipped with Kong 8mm stainless screw-links and 5/16” stainless steel chain extensions.
In most instances, the SLCA installs sleeve anchors for replacements in hard compact rock like quartzite, and saves the adhesive anchors- which are a more committing solution since replacement or removal is very difficult- for the softer rock types. However in the relatively high use sport climbing and heavily top-roped areas, and those easily accessible areas that are prone to theft or vandalism, well-placed and carefully considered adhesive anchors can be durable and sustainable.
At Cliff Lake - which gets a lot of intensive top-rope use by commercial and institutional groups all summer- a variety of mis-matched and improvised anchors were replaced with adhesive anchors and equipped with modular and replaceable chain extensions. These can be monitored and replaced as needed, and the overall impact of users at the site will be better focused on durable rock surfaces above the crag.
At Big Cottonwood Canyon’s Narcolepsy Crag- a similar approach was used to clean up and upgrade the aging anchor hardware, and preserve the character of the crag with ‘hole for hole’ replacements. Those wanting a ground-up experience can trust that the updated anchors are more reliable, and those preferring to use alternative access to hang top-ropes from above, can also use the previously established but now updated anchors. Given the intensity and variety of use, the ease of access, and the history of disputed bolt additions there - the SLCA Anchor Maintenance program installed adhesive anchors, replacing and preserving the old bolt locations ‘hole-for hole’. No additional anchors were added or ‘retro-bolted.’
The quartzite in Big Cottonwood Canyon is not to be underestimated though. It is hard on drill bits, and sucks drill battery life quickly. Part of the program involves planning and ordering the tools and materials, so we have extra drill bits. The techs ran short of battery power a little too early one day... thankfully Alpha Coffee is right down the road for a quick battery (and espresso) recharge.
In light of more climbing accidents and misadventures that SLC Search and Rescue responds to as the climbing community grows, it’s apparent that SAR and climbers can communicate and coordinate to try to minimize rescue situations, and be able to respond appropriately and work together when they (inevitably) happen.
The SLCA spent a day maintaining anchors in two select locations in BCC and LLC to support SLC SAR operations. At one roadside training site- we counted a total of eight broken or abandoned stud anchors from previous (and unreliable) anchor installations, all of which were removed, patched and camouflaged.
There are multiple patched anchor studs or holes in this photo. Can you find them?
SUMMARY & COST
At Narcolepsy Crag, with a scope of work prioritizing ‘hole for hole’ replacement: eight adequate existing anchors were inspected and/or reset, 25 older anchors were replaced, and four updated top anchor hardware assemblies were installed over 48 worker hours. Final project cost was $1,575, or $63 per installed replacement anchor.
In the Uintas the scope of work and cost analysis were expanded to include not just the installed replacement anchors, but also the majority of anchors that were inspected, reset if necessary, deemed adequate, and documented for future reference. Over 66 worker hours: 163 climbing anchors were inspected, 25 anchors were replaced, and 16 top anchor hardware assemblies were installed. Final project cost was $2,325, or $93 per installed replacement anchor, but only $12 per inspected and/or replacement anchor, which more accurately reflects this scope of work.
SUPPORT
The SLCA’s Anchor Maintenance Program is supported by:
Utah Recreational Trails Program Grant, Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, Central Wasatch Commission, San Pete County, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, United States Forest Service, Utah Department of Wildlife Resources, Alta and Snowbird Ski Resorts, Black Diamond, The Front, Liberty Mountain, Petzl, Backcountry, Blue Ice, Momentum, Gnarly Nutrition, The Gear Room, Utah Mountain Adventures...and donors like you!
NEXT PROJECTS
In October, the SLCA will be directing efforts to anchor maintenance in Little Cottonwood Canyon on East Gate Buttress and East Hellgate.
In November, the SLCA is headed to Maple Canyon again, with a focus on resuming anchor maintenance in the Pipeline, and possibly Schoolroom & Road Kill areas.
Please help the SLCA focus and prioritize route maintenance efforts by reporting anchor observations using this Anchor Condition Form.
Please consider donating to this effort.
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.