Monster Wall

Monster Wall ? I don't know, I am sensing a little copyright battle (ours is dated-Dec 2006)! Cease and desist!

:-) I think it's OK--both walls boast only hard routes with cool names. Truce brother?

New route left of Grendal. Any info? Took a big whipper between the third and fourth bolts as I found myself in a position without a free hand while staring at the bolt. The third bolt was lose to begin with but it held the fall. We encountered several other bolts of the same quality that seem loose beyond just a loose nut. What kind of bolts are being used on these new lines, studs or rawl?

The climb left of Grendal is a fairly new climb Josh put up this summer, probably in the lower 5.10 range. Sorry to hear about the loose bolts- that surprises me, and scares me a little bit.

I can definitely speak for the bolts I've put in and am quite sure the other routes have the same type of bolts--mostly 3 inch wedge (not five piece sleeve) bolts that are 3/8". I've noticed a particular issue that seems to be prevalent at UEF...the surface of the rock is quite gritty and if the area where the bolt is placed isn't first cleaned of the surface grit at time of installation, the grit breaks down and the hanger/nuts loosen pretty quickly. The hangers require a "break-in" period. Josh and I have been taking a wrench with us when we go to climb to re-tighten loose nuts after this break-in period.

I have not, however, noticed any loose studs which would indeed be a safety issue. I'll take a look at the bolts on this route next time I'm up there.

The route left of Grendal has 3.5" Powers SS wedge bolts. I'm sorry to hear that two of the nuts were loose--as Jason said, we've been trying to check and re-tighten nuts because it does seem to be a bit of a pattern out there. I've yet to see a stud that seems loose, and I have seen the same hanger issue with a Powers (Rawl) 5 piece, so I don't think it's the bolts (I sure hope it's not, though if it is, we need to know). I've also not seen anything loose after I re-tightened, but I haven't been up there as much this summer as last year.

Let's keep the thread going, and if folks notice other anomalies or patterns, we'll need to decide if something should be done. In the mean time, Jason and I will continue to check and re-tighten when we're out there.

Seemed loose as I wiggled it around but I may have been shaking at that point. It is a worthy line (two stars) but I hope harder than 10....at least 11a or I am really getting weak.

If it's the route I'm thinking of (arete-ish left of Grendal), I thought it was 5.10 but I remember falling too so I feel your pain.

Wow I must have been blown after excrementally weighted as I thought it was harder than that, will have to try it again. Very sustained 10b as I made several dynamic slaps through the second bolt then encountered difficult arete move to the forth. I am getting anxious to try again fresh. Josh this is a wortwhile addition!

Ken, George and I went up and climbed the route again last night (It's better than I remembered, which is always a nice surprise). I checked all the bolts, and the loose hanger was the fault of my poor choice of placement. It was resting on a sharp point of rock, which must have busted at some point (maybe when you fell). I tightened it and that may not happen again, but I really need to go back with a hammer and flatten the rock behind the hanger so it seats properly against the rock. I'll do that next week. All the others were fine. There are some hidden jugs (one just below the second bolt, and others on the face to the right of the arete), so I bet you just missed those. A little traffic will make it more obvious.