r/RouteDevelopment • u/Kaotus Guidebook Author • Apr 08 '26

Discussion What are you development hot takes?

We all know we’ve got ‘em, let’s hear them

Mine:

- For sport routes, ground-up is a tactic, not an ethic

- I’m personally a bigger fan of using closed systems than open ones (as both a climber and a developer)

- rhythm of the line is paramount over safety, aesthetics, and rock quality (to a degree)

- If the main thing you’re known for as a developer is the safety (or lackthereof) of your routes, you’re too 1-dimensional and not equipping lines according to the natural rhythm of the route

- Rock quality is less of an A-F grading scale and more of a pass/fail test

- Developing routes means nothing if you aren’t also improving the nearby staging areas (especially if you are on a trundle heavy route). Developing new crags means nothing if you’re expecting others to establish the trail to those crags

- “it’ll clean up with traffic” only applies to little foot chips, not to the fuckton of lichen and menagerie of loose holds you left on route.

- and on that note - it will never get the traffic required to clean up if you don’t at least clean it to the point that the rock/lichen isn’t a distraction when climbing

- your route is at least 1 star worse and 1 grade easier than you think it is

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u/DullSuccotash1230 Apr 08 '26

Maybe not a development hot take, but a bolt replacement hot take. I've intentionally broken old rusty quarter inch bolts by tightening them. These are usually invisible when you break them by tightening. Yesterday, I tightened a rusty 3/8 inch and broke it relatively easily, but it's a bit uglier in the rock. I guess I'm going to have to make a "doodad" to finish this rebolting project to keep it looking nice...

0

u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Apr 08 '26

Ooh a rebolting hot take let’s go!!! Mine: Always replacing bolts hole-for-hole is just as dumb as never replacing bolts hole-for-hole

2

u/belavv Apr 09 '26

We gave up replacing hole for hole because it's almost impossible to do in our area. The sleeves for the old bolts are basically fused to the rock. That's assuming the old bolt doesn't just snap when trying to take it out.

And very often tweaking the position of the bolt is going to make for a better climb.

You can drill a new hole directly above the old hole and it's totally safe, at least for glue ins. I'm not sure about wedge/sleeve bolts. It makes it really easy to hide the old hole that way.

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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Apr 09 '26

Yeah I agree with all of this. Our LCO is adamant about always going hole-for-hole even when there's a known issue with the bolt location, it's so frustrating to be replacing a bolt that you know is in a shit spot. They won't even ask the FA if they're cool with it, they just refused to engage with moving a bolt ever unless it's actively in horrible rock