Genius Loci 

It seems like the FHRC that made the decision to remove those bolts was more interested in preserving the character of Eldo than it was in making the climbing easier. Granted that Genius Loci is a good line, but it's not a good route. The bolts are offensive to many people who do Jules Verne too. It's not the first time Nelson's bolts have been removed-how about Joshua Tree? What about Yosemite? Maybe It's a big conspiracy!! It wouldn't take a "genius" to see that this route is just squeezed in, but that point appears to be lost on Nelson. I prefer to remain anonymous when dealing with people of his ilk.

I've done the edge a number of times, and enjoyed the route (genius loci) as something different from the original edge start. I thought it was fun arete and face climbing in a spectacular postion. As to the controversy, I probably wasn't even rock climbing yet when it occured.

I wish this route had never been bolted. The moves are pretty fun, but having a line of bolts within a single arm's reach of one of the best lines in the country is a bummer. This route should have remained a top rope.

I too wish the route had never been bolted and am glad that the upper bolts were removed. Prior to the bolts' removal, I remember hearing a lot of criticism from Lene's Dream climbers as to the proximity of the now removed bolts as well.

If the remaining part of the route has good climbing and isn't too offensive to the Naked Edge/Jule's Verne crew, why doesn't the first ascentionist apply to have a lower off anchor just left of the arete, about the same height of the Naked Edge pitch 1 anchor, but a little lower(so long as it isn't anywhere near Jule's Verne)?

This would eliminate having to climb right around the sharp edge to the anchors on the Edge and maybe give some closure to the route, which does just sort of go nowhere. A compromise would hopefully keep Nelson from having to "work to change the system" in an effort to rebolt the upper half of the route.

p.s. This is just a suggested compromise. You wouldn't catch me placing bolts between the two proudest routes on the planet!

I was on the FHRC and at that meeting to vote on the bolt removal. In the previous month I had climbed Jules Verne to Lene's Dream and had pretty bummed that someone had placed some bolts that were clippable from Lene's. I felt like the soul had been stolen from Lene's. A few days later I climbed Genus Loci and the Edge because I knew I was going to have to vote on the removal proposal and wanted fresh beta. Genus Loci was really good climbing but for 2 reasons I voted for removal anyway: 1) the upper part of GL covered and bolted terrain that already had a route on it; Lene's Dream, and 2) the nature and type of climbing on GL split dramatically at the top of P1 of the Edge. The lower half of GL is steep, edgy and dramatic. Although it shares the arete edge with the NE they offer distinctly different climbing and are visually isolated from each other. At the break, however, things got all mixed up. The easiest and most natural way for me to climb this part of GL was to palm my way up the break, reaching left to clip. Now maybe Alan didn't intend for this to be the way to climb it, but that's what felt natural to me. I climbed it on lap 2 all on the left face and the climbing was better and harder but I felt I was walking on Lene's grave here. The combo of these two issues are what caused me to vote for the removal. This was the toughest vote I made in 6 years on the FHRC. Most votes were easy but this one caused a lot of angst. Considering the removal or modification of someone else's creation was unfamiliar ground for me and was terrain on which I felt I had little business treading. However, because the upper part of the route literally crossed and violated the line of Lene's Dream, I felt that removal was justified.

Aside from the upper part that was removed, and it definitely should have been. I think this is one sweet climb! When it was put up, it was both a visionary climb and a travesty. It has amazing climbing up the arete and the position is just incredible! It attracted a lot of nay sayers because of the squeeze job on the upper half, but as it is now I don't find it obtrusive to either the Edge or to Jules Verne. A great way to add more hard climbing to the Edge. Run this thru to the top of the second pitch of the Edge proper. I've done a lot of pitches in Eldo and in my opinion this ranks as one of the coolest in Eldo.