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chalkpaw
Nov 21, 2005, 4:48 PM
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Registered: May 10, 2003
Posts: 19
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An older posse of northlanders made the journey to the fabled Mendoza Canyon this weekend. Celebrating Larry's 50th birthday! Nobody but us out that direction and by Sunday I'd have to agree with my slightly cynical but super experienced (a nice way to say OLD) climbing buddy that like many of the Tucson generated multi-pitch granite, that Mendoza canyon sure could use a local generated facelift. I mean, it ought to join the 21st centuy. We climbed on table dome, and both wily javalina and table for two. What a foul start on both. Why risk life and limb to reach the first bolt some 30+ off the deck? Then why are so many of the SMC hangers pounded nearly flat? Were the first ascensionists both silly and uncoordinated? I mean here is how you climb a coyote slab. First, run it out some thirty feet, then do a crux move, then clip the bolt. Repeat often. And ahh, those 5/16 and 1/4 " buttonheads are so desirable.
Now envision a much safer climb. Climb up a reasonable distance clip a 3/8 rawl or fixe bolt and modern hanger, then do a crux move. If you fall, your protection is there, and you are not risking a broken limb (or worse) if you are near a ledge or the ground. Now all of this is not to say that the fixed protection should be every six feet, but it well thought out in terms of safety and the enjoyment. Nor are these climbs a testiment of boldness. So, any Southern Arizona climbers out there into making the old climbs into really good ones?
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mesomorf
Nov 21, 2005, 4:54 PM
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Registered: Feb 3, 2002
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There are plenty of well-bolted modern routes in the Stronghold.
If you want to put up NEW safe routes in Mendoza Canyon, I'll be among the first second ascentionists.
Leave the old ones be, unless you want to simply upgrade the quality of the bolts. See safeclimbing.org for techniques on this.
Later edit:
See this thread for an enlightening argument.
IF you could get all members of the FA to agree to the retrobolts, or retrobolt it themselves, they MIGHT last.
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cking0156
Jan 9, 2006, 8:51 PM
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Registered: Jul 21, 2002
Posts: 17
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Thirteen of the bottonheads on Wily Javalina have been replaced with 3/8" bolts with the first ascensionists approval.
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