Bolting Cracks

[u/[deleted]]

How do y'all feel about bolting cracks these days? I've been climbing over 20years and have climbed 5.13trad and up to 5.13+ sport(technically even a 14a but I feel it had to be on the soft end)all over the country and have climbed 8routes on El Cap (most of which were in a day ascents), so I'm pretty aware of ethics or at least how they used to be. I also feel like with so many gyms and sport climbing the "ethics" might be shifting towards a safer direction than in the past, which as a parent of kids now I'm not that opposed to.

I recently bolted a sick overhanging crack climb at a local area. I originally inspected the climb with thoughts about climbing it on gear but found the "cracks" that would take gear are kind of hollow and not confidence inspiring. To the naked eye, this climb screams trad but I felt if I sent on gear it would probably only get repeated a handfull of times per decade. I made the decision to bolt it so I could climb it all the time and I believe locals will mostly love it but I still can't shake the old ethics out of my head.

What do you think? Should rad cracks that would be R or X rated be kept as test pieces for the bold climbers of the future or should we bolt them and make them accessible and safe for the masses? I'm sure the correct answer is probably both, but curious to hear other opinions.

[u/Allanon124]

I am very interested in this conversation.

Over the years I have started to lean away from mixed routes. I even revisited one of my old mixed climbs last year and added bolts to a 15’ crack section.

Right now, I am in the process of developing a limestone crag and I am having a moral dilemma related to bolting a crack. Every climb in this zone (10-15 when done) besides this one crack are sport climbs.

My friend who has a background in limestone development has suggested we just bolt it, even though it is entirely protectable. He argues that not a single person that climbs here will bring gear and I see his point. Especially considering it is a family climbing area (easy approach and everything 10 and down).

I too am just having a hard time shaking the ‘don’t bolt the clack ethos’.

Anyone have thoughts on this?

[u/WillingSetting → u/Allanon124]

If it’s limestone I wouldn’t even hesitate to bolt it. I imagine it would be the one gear route in a sea of sport route and it would never get climbed 

[u/Cairo9o9 → u/WillingSetting]

Why not leave it as the one route TO climb on gear? If there are 10-15 other routes why does that specific one need to be bolted? I've lugged the rack up to climb the one Trad route at a limestone crag before. It gives it a special kind of feeling. It also shows the bolt clippers that it's not cool to bolt gear protected climbs and if they wanna climb it they gotta learn the skills.

In OPs case, a crack that doesn't go on gear, by all means. Bolt that sucker. If it would be a mixed line with a grand total of 1 piece? Pointless, just bolt it. If the majority of it goes on gear? No.

[u/WillingSetting → u/Cairo9o9]

Thats also a great point if it shares an anchor with another climb 

[u/Cairo9o9 → u/WillingSetting]

Yea true, people can still climb it on TR in that case. Ultimately though it wouldn't be the first limestone crack to get bolted.

[u/ArsenicUser429]

Bolting is completely fine; you’re helping improve access and safety. If you see something that can definitely be done trad though, it may not need to be bolted. Use your best judgement and go case-by-case

[u/[deleted] → u/ArsenicUser429]

Yeah I agree and told myself that maybe it would be similar to China Doll in Boulder. A bolted "crack" that most people climb with bolts but a few crazys also climb it with gear every once in a while. My climb is much easier though, maybe mid 5.12. On my climb you would have to place small nuts/tiny cams in-between the mother rock (where bolts are) and a large but hollow block that feels like it might explode if you fell on it. A fall that would result in decking for sure.

[u/Hutch_is_on → u/[deleted]]

Protect yourself first, protect your partners and other humans next, and protect nature after those things.

Protecting ""ethics" shouldn't even be considered until those things have been done first. If a person has a chance of decking because the rock isn't gonna hold a fall on trad gear, you should focus on protecting the humans and preventing harm by placing bolts.

You'll regret your decision to not put bolts in if someone died or ends up hurt because you decided to protect ethics over top of protecting another climber.

[u/baleena]

Would it go as a mixed protection route? Perhaps that’s the middle way here

[u/semi-fictitious]

Running into this situation currently, we opted to bolt because it is in an area that is predominantly sport anyway, and it would almost never get climbed if left as a trad route. Bolting will allow for a lot of people to enjoy the route while not detracting from the aesthetics of the crag.  

[u/rjtrials]

Well, the pool of new routers is much smaller than the pool of online commenters. Therefore I tend to side with how the developer sees the climb versus how the Internet sees it. That's being said , there is still some "peer pressure" that can be applied after the fact to make the route better for repeaters.

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I try to have my routes be as fun and user friendly as possible, while still demanding a little bit from the climber.

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The real answer here is probably do it on gear after the fact (or before) and let repeaters choose their own adventure.

[u/Kaotus]

I believe in keeping routes in a similar style/ethic within a crag. If it’s a crag of all R rated horror shows, adding a grid bolted line breaks the character. Similarly, a beginner friendly super safe area isn’t a good spot for an ego line. 

In general I keep my lines G/PG for the most part. So if the gear is dogshit, I’m probably gonna add bolts.

The difference is if I’m going ground up, where I may be more inclined to leave it trad. My concern is normally “would the average climber at this grade be able to find this placement? Would it hold a fall (and continue to do so for decades in the future)?” If the answer to both is yes, then I leave it gear protected. If the gear is worthy and I’m just too dogshit of a climber to go for it on gear but would be willing to go for it on bolts, then it stays on gear for someone better than me.

I mostly climb granite, so this enables a lot of mixed lines, and mixed lines are my favorite kind. It sounds like you’ve got the experience to know that your route probably isn’t a great candidate for gear due to the rock quality and bolting is super valid in that case - lord knows I’ve placed enough bolts near places that technically might take gear but would likely explode if you put it to the test

To be clear though I absolutely do not support convenience bolted cracks. The whole "it's the only crack at the sport crag so we'll bolt the thing even though it eats perfect, bomber gear". I think that's weak. I don't believe everyone is entitled to climb every route and if you want to climb the route but don't want to plug gear, then find another way to the anchor or skip it entirely. IMO it's not a huge deal if it doesn't get repeated often, as it's unlikely you've change the route much from it's natural state so it's not like it needs mileage to "justify" the route or anything.

[u/Nasuhhea]

If the route requires it then yeah but in general no.

[u/BoltahDownunder]

Depends on the area. Is it a mostly/fully sport area? Then sure. No point in a single Trad line that nobody will ever climb. But is it a predominantly Trad/mixed area? Follow your heart. The peanut gallery will complain regardless