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chopped anchors at seneca...a PSA

Original Post
Kilroywashere! London · · Harrisonburg, Virginia · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 280

guys, just got word today that some anchors were chopped at seneca, so i thought i'd put out a PSA as i know there are quite a few people who climb there...so anyways, the anchors that have been affected as far as i've been told are
conns west
summit(i think the east face, not the keyhole, not sure though)
Old Ladys
Traffic jam

Not sure who did it, dont wanna get into a discussion about it, just wanted to let people know so they can be prepared

personally i think whoever did it can go fuck themselves, as this costs the entire area money, but thats just me. be prepared out there everybody, and stay safe

GonnaBe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 135

Hey Kilroy,
Been hearing rumors about this flying around all day today as well. Can you confirm your source?

Wannabe

Kilroywashere! London · · Harrisonburg, Virginia · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 280

I've heard it from some of the guys at SRMG.

I'll dip down to seneca and confirm everything for real tomorrow. if its true it really sucks, the anchors on traffic jam were pretty damn good, especailly the massive petzls at the top of the second rappell at traffic jam.

like i said, i'll go talk to everybody down at the gendarme and SRMG tomorrow and let you know the details

Mark O'Neal · · Nicholson, GA · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,323

I was there on Tues when we found the rap anchors missing. Conn's West - cut, Old Lady's - chopped, Traffic Jam - chopped. West Pole glue ins were still there. There is "new" webbing on the trees at Conns and Traffic Jam, but you should plan on having stuff to leave behind until the situation sorts itself out. It seemingly happened either late Sunday or early Tuesday as it rained on Monday. No word as to the perps.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

I've only climbed there a handful of time...are there other ways off of these climbs? Are they redundant rap anchors that go down well traveled routes? Just trying to think of a reason someone would try and justify this.

GonnaBe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 135
Mark O'Neal wrote:I was there on Tues when we found the rap anchors missing. Conn's West - cut, Old Lady's - chopped, Traffic Jam - chopped.
Please tell me the person who did this at least knew how to do what they were doing. This wasn't one of those *take a hammer or axe and scar the sh!t out of the rock* kinda jobs was it?!
Mark'Indy' Kochte · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 80

I have been in touch with both Tom Cecil and Diane & Ack of the Gendarme about this situation. Yes, there have been a number of rap station anchors that have been chopped or removed. The list includes, but is not be limited to: Traffic Jam, the new rap station for Old Ladies, Arrested Mental Development (apparently the 2nd time this year those have been chopped), the new station atop of Frosted Flake, and a number of the superslings (such as around Humphreys Head and Conn's East). It is believed this happened Tuesday. No one knows who, no one knows why. As of yesterday I was advised the Traffic Jam rap station has been restored. Most of the others have not yet and it will take some time to do. In the mean time, please carry extra webbing and rings to establish temp rap stations where you might have expected to have found the bolted rap stations (note: do NOT use the old rap tree at the top of Old Ladies as it is no longer safe; find another exit from that end).

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

1/2 inch eye bolt glue-ins...

chicagohardware.com/catalog…

Wondering if some CT folk didn't move down to Seneca. . .

GonnaBe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 135

Just noticed that the route Seneca Daze has had its name changed to, "Acksaw and the Balless Boltchoppers" or something like that. Did this route also get chopped?

Mark'Indy' Kochte · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 80

Interesting. I've an inquiry out about that. Probably won't have an answer, though, before people head to Seneca for the weekend.

Ken Noyce · · Layton, UT · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2,648
CaptainMo wrote:1/2 inch eye bolt glue-ins... chicagohardware.com/catalog… Wondering if some CT folk didn't move down to Seneca. . .
Please use stainless, especially if you're using glue-ins. That is all I have to say.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
John Wilder wrote: please dont use these, ever. they're not even close to being rated for climbing. Years ago, some schmuck placed 27 of these things using liquid nails at Atman and Yin and Yang in Red Rock. Thankfully they were easily removed before someone got hurt.
Uh oh...totally opened a can of worms on this one. True, about the stainless... also I would recommend you not climb at this place called Rumney, in NH.

Living Astroglide 5.14c/d with glue in 1/2"ers in water streak. Best climbers in the world trust them here... I think they use the term, bomber, to describe them.
Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

I learned to climb at Seneca a long time ago. Any ideas on why someone felt the need to chop?

zHoltzman · · Vermont · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 20

Hey, let's be ethical and ruin struggling hemlocks! Did Mr. Nichols take a road trip south?

Ken Noyce · · Layton, UT · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2,648
CaptainMo wrote: Uh oh...totally opened a can of worms on this one. True, about the stainless... also I would recommend you not climb at this place called Rumney, in NH. Living Astroglide 5.14c/d with glue in 1/2"ers in water streak. Best climbers in the world trust them here... I think they use the term, bomber to describe them.
Yeah, a 1/2" forged eye-bolt is going to be plenty strong for any climbing scenario. Personally I think it is very irresponsible to place any glue-in that is not stainless, and your link was for galvanized eye bolts. I am aware that there are non-stainless eye-bolts placed all over rumney, but just because something has been done in the past doesn't make it right. For an inexpensive stainless glue in check out the wave bolt.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
kennoyce wrote: Yeah, a 1/2" forged eye-bolt is going to be plenty strong for any climbing scenario. Personally I think it is very irresponsible to place any glue-in that is not stainless, and your link was for galvanized eye bolts. I am aware that there are non-stainless eye-bolts placed all over rumney, but just because something has been done in the past doesn't make it right. For an inexpensive stainless glue in check out the wave bolt.
I agree about the stainless...think I stated that above too.

Better link: suncorstainless.com/sites/d… ;-)

I'd be interested to know though, at that gauge and galvanized, what the lifespan is vs. the SS... It's got to be at least two decades. I don't know of any worn out or rusting out ones at Rumney. Not to say it hasn't happened though... Sprague would know though... and I know he places SS these days and not those ;-)
Ken Noyce · · Layton, UT · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2,648
CaptainMo wrote: I agree about the stainless...think I stated that above too. Better link: suncorstainless.com/sites/d… ;-) I'd be interested to know though, at that gauge and galvanized, what the lifespan is vs. the SS... It's got to be at least two decades. I don't know of any worn out or rusting out ones at Rumney. Not to say it hasn't happened though... Sprague would know though... and I know he places SS these days and not those ;-)
Sorry, I wasn't saying that I still thought you disagreed with me, I was just giving my rational for my initial statement. You're probably right that the galvanized eye-bolts will last a good 20 years or so, but 20 years ends up going by pretty quickly, by going with stainless, they won't have to be relpaced in our lifetimes.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
kennoyce wrote: Sorry, I wasn't saying that I still thought you disagreed with me, I was just giving my rational for my initial statement. You're probably right that the galvanized eye-bolts will last a good 20 years or so, but 20 years ends up going by pretty quickly, by going with stainless, they won't have to be replaced in our lifetimes.
Agreed!!! Crazy thought eh?
ben jammin · · Moab, UT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 852

Maybe the perp in Seneca didn't like you using 1/4" stainless blabbety blah threaded hooky things and instead wanted 2" non-stainless glavinized, mercury core, titanium shielded, elmer glue in's?

Ever think of that?

Mark'Indy' Kochte · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 80

Never saw the rap station bolts at Seneca, have you MIYG?

quicksilver · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 0

We climbed well into the night at Seneca on Tuesday and rappeled from the tree above (Conns West 2)around midnight. There was 1 black tubular webbing sling and I left a sewn sling or two with a locking biner. I am old, beat up and slow but was climbing with two good young, strong climbers. It was a great adventure as we took all day and into the dark getting to the top. On the way Seth (who we knew from Bloomington, IN.)told us he got word about the chopping. The young Lady climbing with us had never rappeled before so she got to do her first raps in the dark off the trees - actually was a lot of fun. I forgot my helmet at the second rap tree (we had 2 70m ropres) so it is the tree 70 ft from the ground. If you happen to find it and are inclined to send it to me let me know and I will send you money for shipping and enough to buy a Pizza at The Front Porch. Thanks.
P.S. Can someone start a shuttle service to and from the base of the rock, I had to sit on my butt and descend the Stairmaster in that manner - very tireing and funny in a way. Probably the last time I will climb there as my knees are gone but Seneca is still my favorite place ever to climb.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern States
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