SF Bay Area - Bad Bolts

This thread serves as a place to report aging fixed hardware in the San Francisco Bay Area. By gathering this information in one place, we can help to steer local volunteer re-bolting efforts to where it’s needed most.  Bay Area crags include Mt St. Helena, Mickey's Beach, Table Rock, Mt. Diablo, Castle Rock, Indian Rock, and any other rock in the SF Bay area.  

If you see a bad bolt while out climbing, please post the following information to this thread:

• Route name and area
• Location of the bolt (3rd, left anchor, etc.)
• A description of problem with the bolt
  • Ex: Rusted chain, loose hanger, missing hanger, loose bolt shaft.
• A photo of the bolt, if possible!

Thanks !

-Bay Area Climbers Coalition (BACC) - https://bayareaclimberscoalition.org/

1st anchor bolts on dry december / pine canyon. Some janky old hardware.

Ha! Bolts and hardware are not the biggest problem there. Can't do much for the stone. 

Sea crag:
While facing the ocean, there's rusty chains at the anchor to the right of the ledge for red slab. Most likely for some routes on the main rock.

Maureen Maguire wrote: Ha! Bolts and hardware are not the biggest problem there. Can't do much for the stone. 

I dont think this place is that bad, than again I like pinns

Castle Rock (Sanborn County Skyline Side): Lyme Disease Rock
Route: Pigs Feat (10a)
Problem: Bad anchor bolts ; spinning, questionable quality

Castle Rock Proper Side: Mt. Doom
Routes: Summit Route
Poor Anchors on one side of Mt. Doom, old, rusted, poor bolt quality
missing second bolt hanger on Summit route (10a).

Danny Herrera wrote: 1st anchor bolts on dry december / pine canyon. Some janky old hardware.

Bolts themselves look fine.  Nuts and chains have some surface rust, but will be strong enough for decades.

Looks like the person who placed the anchor was too cheap to pay for stainless nuts and (any) hangers - just put the chains directly on the bolts plus a washer.

Ryuta Oshikiri wrote: Sea crag:
While facing the ocean, there's rusty chains at the anchor to the right of the ledge for red slab. Most likely for some routes on the main rock.

Right - the bolts, nuts and hangers are perfect stainless,

but probably someone later added the non-galvanized quicklinks and chain.
They will not last 20 years in salty/wet location, and will make a rust streak.
Maybe best to just remove the chains and replace with stainless quicklink and single link on each bolt.

lol castle rock is full of bad bolts

Almost all the hangers on Last Temptation Cliff in Castle Rock are loose. I do recall some bad bolts as well...

1 bolt on the temptress spins, aquarian has a few leepers that seem solid

A C wrote: lol castle rock is full of bad bolts

Was at shady rock yesterday... Tall man simplex and cotton mouth need new bolts

Any thoughts on the hanger-less bolts at Goat Rock in Castle Rock State Park?

Mt. St. Helena, Hailstone Arete 5.9. Chains are rusty, in addition to a couple of the bolts.

mat wrote: Any thoughts on the hanger-less bolts at Goat Rock in Castle Rock State Park?

There were some bolts placed in the cave there (and I recall on top) in the late 1980s / early 1990s without permission from the landowners.

They were big and could be difficult to remove.  So I think the hangers were removed instead.
They are not needed, as there are natural anchors available (sometimes it involves a very long sling or a long piece of spare rope).

Clint Cummins wrote:

There were some bolts placed in the cave there (and I recall on top) in the late 1980s / early 1990s without permission from the landowners.

They were big and could be difficult to remove.  So I think the hangers were removed instead.
They are not needed, as there are natural anchors available (sometimes it involves a very long sling or a long piece of spare rope).

Thanks for the reply.

I think the bolts I have in mind are newer than the late 80s/early 90s, but my understanding of time is fuzzy at best.  I was mostly curious why they had not been removed but you've answered that.

Thank you.

Platypus. Could use some love

Danny Herrera wrote: Platypus. Could use some love

This

Surprised Chew Tooth has seen rebolting while the Waterfall Cliff still has tons of terrible bolts.

Putrefaction, first bolt.

Joe Chossberg wrote: Mt. St. Helena, Hailstone Arete 5.9. Chains are rusty, in addition to a couple of the bolts.

Today (11/12/19) I installed a new Stainless anchor/chain at the top of Hailstone Arete. The original anchor bolts were placed in the early 1990’s by a climbing partner doing some recon. A long chain was later added using those bolts. The set up was not dangerous or anywhere near failure but the old bolts were due for replacement (approx. 25 years old ) The original bolts and “rusty chain” were inspected for safety (surface rust) and left in place at the top of “Coroner” (the climb immediately left). The new anchor should hopefully serve both climbs for a couple more decades.

Sadly the approach trail to this Crag was really hammered by the Oct 2017 burnover on the slope below the climbs. New growth, erosion, and burned terrain have made the access trail very spotty and in need of serious maintenance. Make sure to pack some lopping shears if going up there and try your hand at some much needed DIY gardening and trail restoration.

Thank you, Eric.  Yes the effects of the fire are still significant.  What do you notice about the kinkaide fire..? .I heard it burned at Ida Clayton rd