Go ahead, take the whip. You’ve got a trucker bolt just below. But wait … you sure about
that? In this Gear Myths, Kolin “KP” Powick shares a recent close call, which resulted in an exploration of safety protocol when it comes to sport climbing.
I think most of us stroll up to a sport climb, tie in and cast off without thinking too much about
the bolts, hangers, anchors or fixed gear (i.e. permadraws).
Recently, my undercover crusher wife Ellen Powick was trying a route at our local crag and took a little plopper fall while barely above the bolt—standard fare. Then she let out a little scream (extremely unusual) and continued to fall further than expected, luckily coming up short of hitting the ledge below. She was fine, but we were all confused as to what had just happened.
It turns out the nut on the bolt must have come loose with barely any thread remaining, and a
slightly outward force of the fall popped it off, resulting in the hanger and entire fixed
permadraw flying off and sailing down the rope during the fall clocking her in the forearm.
Luckily it wasn’t her face! The next bolt caught her. After she lowered and the jitters wore off, I
asked if she ever checks the hangers or nuts or bolts as she’s climbing by, or especially while
working a route. She gave me a look and calmly said “well obviously not this time!”
Photos: James Lucas
Just a few weeks later at a different local crag, local hardman Bill Ramsey was working a route
that had been seeing lots of traffic lately and the same thing ALMOST happened. He was
hanging on a bolt and noticed the nut incredibly loose and about to pop. He very gingerly stick
clipped his way past and up to the next bolt to security, hauled up a wrench and tightened the
suspect nut below.
So, the question is, how should we properly approach bolted sport climbs—routes equipped
with protection many of us inherently consider completely “safe.” Do the majority of climbers
inspect the bolts, hangers, and fixed gear on sport routes? Who tightens loose bolts, or inform local climbing associations when climbers encounter something suspect? We decided to pose
these questions to a handful of our friends, athletes and ambassadors and hear what they had
to say.
First up, we chatted with the inveterate badass Hazel Findlay.
“I check at least the first bolts, but if I can see that the first few are new or glue-ins I tend not to
check them as I go, especially when onsighting,” she says.
We asked if she ever carries a wrench in her pack to tighten bolts.
“Sometimes,” she says. “We have one in the van and take it with us if we think the crag needs
it.”
As for reporting suspect bolts, she says it depends on where she is climbing.
“It depends on where I am and how bad it is, but I haven’t had an experience that has been
explicitly bad. Usually it’s more “these bolts could do with being replaced but they are probably
safe for now.”
But she adds:
“I also think it’s important to check fixed quickdraws. Often, they are super sharp, or the
webbing is really worn.”
For Daila Ojeda, checking bolts is second nature.
“I do check the bolts because I climb and I have always climbed with people who bolt and re-bolt sport climbing crags and they are very aware of this, so I am used to checking them out,”
she explains.
“A friend who bolts a lot gave me a small wrench to keep in my backpack. And I have to tell you
that it has been useful many times,” she adds. At some areas, the locals will leave a wrench at
the crags for people to use if necessary.”
As for reporting potential problems, Daila feels it’s necessary to go right to the source.
“I like to know who bolted the routes I climb and if there is a problem with the route, I normally
say something to the original bolter, or to an association. It is very important to do this because
we are a community, and we have to take care of our playground. In the climbing gyms, there
are people who work to keep the wall safe, clean, etc. On the real rock, it’s up to us.”
While talking with Babsi Zangerl, we were surprised to learn she too had a similar experience to my wife’s.
“I had the same thing happen to me on a route too,” said Babsi. “The hanger was loose and
came off as I climbed past, and I fell and was faaaaaaaalling. Before that experience I never
really checked any bolts. I always took it for bomber protection. Nowadays I often check bolts.”
Babsi says she carries a wrench for long multi-pitch climbs but not to the crag.
“At the crag I often try to tighten the nut with my fingers.”
But for Babsi, the really scary thing with sport routes are rusty bolts.
“I had an experience in Val di Mello with a very old route,” she says. “The first few days on the
wall I was happy to see lots of bolts and felt pretty safe and took some risks of having big falls.
After a while trying this route the guys who did the first ascent of the route asked if we could
replace some bolts and that was the eye-opening moment. When I saw the bolts (see photos) I
was not so confident anymore. I switched from climbing without fear to being extra sensitive
about it!”
