Fwd: Loose Bolt at 8-Flake

[Tommy Blackwell]

Hey folks:

 

 

Were any of you planning a Tuesday trip to Reimers?

 

We need someone to quickly review all the bolts on 8 Flake.

 

The parks staff will close the climb, using yellow caution tape, so if you are going out there, let them know you are on the CTM / RRCC rebolting team and there to inspect and fix it if possible.

 

They say a loose bolt, but it may be anything from a spinning hanger to a loose nut on the head of the bolt.

 

Please respond to this email if you can go today.

 

Thanks!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mike Brewster <Mike.B...@co.travis.tx.us>
Date: Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Subject: Loose Bolt at 8-Flake
To: black...@gmail.com
Cc: Charles Hill <Charle...@co.travis.tx.us>, Christy Gallik <Christy...@co.travis.tx.us>, Sally Wolfe <Sally...@co.travis.tx.us>

Tommy,

 

Please let the RRCC know that a visitor reported to Reimers Ranch fee booth this evening that 8-Flake has a loose bolt.  I've been told it's the 5th bolt.

 

Would you like us to close that route with caution tape and inform climbers coming into the park?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Michael Brewster

Park Supervisor

Reimers Ranch / Hamilton Pool District

 

--
Tommy
(512) 431-2226

[rona distenfeld]

Hey Tommy,

I am getting all of your emails three times. Any idea why?

Hope you're not melting in the heat. 

See you in September.

Tygress

[Tommy Blackwell]

FYI
Austin Meyer are headed there this afternoon. I'll let you how it goes.

> (512) 431-2226 <tel:%28512%29%20431-2226>
>

--
Tommy
(512) 431-2226

[Tommy Blackwell]

Austin Meyer and I checked the hardware yesterday.

 

We checked in at the fee booth and let the county staff know that we were there to check on the loose bolt and asked permission to park at the fee booth and walk to the top of the wall from there, since we were taking all the necessary equipment for bolt removal and re-installation.

 

The staff agreed and we walked over to the top of 8 Flake and set a rappel there.

 

Both us rapped in and checked the hardware.

 

The #5 bolt's hanger has a a little movement in it, but the bolt is solid.

 

We then checked all the bolts on 8 Flake and Clone Call.

 

We swung over and checked the bolts and hangers on Damasiadas Cervezas and they are good, too.

 

We went back up and set up another rappel on the chains of Sugar and from there we were able to check the hardware on Bolt Talk out right and then left over Prototype to Mas Cerveza.

 

All bolts are in good condition.

--
Tommy
(512) 431-2226

[rona distenfeld]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Tommy. Glad to hear the bolts are all solid

Tygress

On Aug 10, 2011, at 8:34 AM, Tommy Blackwell wrote:

Austin Meyer and I checked the hardware yesterday.

 

We checked in at the fee booth and let the county staff know that we were there to check on the loose bolt and asked permission to park at the fee booth and walk to the top of the wall from there, since we were taking all the necessary equipment for bolt removal and re-installation.

 

The staff agreed and we walked over to the top of 8 Flake and set a rappel there.

 

Both us rapped in and checked the hardware.

 

The #5 bolt's hanger has a a little movement in it, but the bolt is solid.

 

We then checked all the bolts on 8 Flake and Clone Call.

 

We swung over and checked the bolts and hangers on Damasiadas Cervezas and they are good, too.

 

We went back up and set up another rappel on the chains of Sugar and from there we were able to check the hardware on Bolt Talk out right and then left over Prototype to Mas Cerveza.

 

All bolts are in good condition.

 

 

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 4:21 PM, Tommy Blackwell <black...@gmail.com> wrote:

--
Tommy
(512) 431-2226

[Patrick Dyson]

Hi RRCC -

Assuming that I can catch a belay, I was going to eyeball and try to remove the old bolts at House and Deflower Power (if I can find it) tomorrow after morning climbing. I'll check in with the rangers, and if this is too late of notice I'll skip it until another weekend.

Thanks for checking all of the bolts that you did, good to know they are staying tight in the heat, the ones in my backyard all needed a 1/4 turn.

Patrick Dyson
695-2681

[Tommy Blackwell]

Patrick:

 

Good Luck and thank you!

--
Tommy
(512) 431-2226

[Luke Bowman]

Patrick,

Were you able to remove them?

-Luke

[Chris Oroshiba]

Thanks for doing this Patrick.

~ Chris O.

On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 9:36 PM, Patrick Dyson <patric...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Patrick Dyson]

50/50...

The bolt on house was a stud-and-nut style, spinning its hole. With some abuse (an impact wrench and a crow bar), it loosened until I could get it to move about an inch in and out. Then it stuck hard and would come out no further. I think this is the 'great rock for the first couple inches, then softer rock behind that' placement. I debated whether to break off the bolt at the surface but decided to tap it in flush in case anyone wanted another go at it, so that one is flush.

Deflower power was more straightforward. Hex head, beautiful placement, 6"x3/8, solid all of the way down. The bolt was rusted to the cone but with a crowbar and impact wrench it loosened up and came out pretty easily. The sleeve was another story, it never moved in the operation, in or out, light pressure or hit with a sledge. I have no idea how to get that out, my guess is that it is perfectly in the bottom of the hole and flared, not coming out without a hydraulics and major rock damage. 

In both cases the remaining hardware is flush with the rock and I can cover it with something. Epoxy & dust? grout? bat shit? Opinions welcome.

Thanks to Cavason and Nate for stick clipping up to the bolts, and a crowd with 3 squids for getting the house one down.

Patrick

p.s. I thought that the experienced climbers at house would know better than to walk under power tools in use. I was wrong and almost hit one with the bolt hanger, he actually stood underneath me and looked up to ask me a question...

[Tommy Blackwell]

Wow!
Thanks Patrick !!
And Nate and Cavason, too.

[karl v]

I looked at Deflower Power and the double second bolt was removed.

[Matt Twyman]

I agree with John.

As we've discussed in some detail, reusing holes is what we should strive for.  For stuck sleeves, ASCA recommends to either use a hook (such as a screwdriver grip pick) to fish it out, or taking a nail and hammering it in along the seam in the sleeve until it rolls enough to be grabbed with needle nose pliers or picked out.

If the sleeve didn't come out, then I'm assuming the cone is still in the hole as well.

In either case, the work is obviously appreciated. 

cheers,

matt

 

On Aug 16, 2011, at 7:49 PM, John Hogge wrote:

On covering the old hardware…my first reaction is to leave it uncovered.  Years later a new hole will need to be drilled without hitting old hardware still in the wall.  Though that hardware might be totally rust, it might not.  A new placement might need to happen before that, for instance if the newest bolt loosens up and pulls out.  This suggestion isn’t as aesthetic as covering up with Sika with a fine layer of matching limestone dust, but then the removal of the old hangers is a pretty nice gain in aesthetics.

 

Patrick have you bolted?  We could use your time to restore several 5.11 routes: Ivy League (the poison ivy has been pulled) and some missing hanger(s) on You Bet Arete.  Both seemed like great climbs.

 

Regards,

--John