I have gotten a few emails, messages informing me of a serious situation regarding hardware I used on the route Southern Smoke in the Red River Gorge. This is a serious topic and needs to be addressed.
Jon Dicky Photo of Southern Smoke.
I bolted Southern Smoke two years ago during a stay in the Red. I remembered being blown away with the aesthetics of the line during my sessions trying 50 Words For Pump. I would constantly look over and seek out holds and any sort of path. When the situation arose to actually borrow a drill and make it happen I was ecstatic! It was basically the first route I bolted that wasn’t a link-up or a variation. It felt great drilling those holes and putting those bolts in. I was pioneering a line, and a RAD line! It’s funny to look back at my rigging system which was absolutely ridiculous. I did it top-down and used a cam at the base of the cliff for a directional line to wench in with. On a 45 degree wall that is absolutely ludicrous. Hooks blew in my face and it took me HOURS over 2 days to get like 3 bolts in. Funny stuff. I actually remember running up to the cliff at night one time, because I couldn’t wait and had to finish the line so that we could climb on it. I was utterly impatient.
Petzl Bolts are great material, but can be finicky in holes and sometimes are hard to tighten.
At the time I borrowed a friends drill, hangers and bought my own bolts at Home Depot. I went in asked a sales person if they carried “expansion bolts” and he directed me to the aisle. I couldn’t believe it was that easy to obtain those bad boys at Home Depot! It was just perfect.
Anyway… Long story short, we climbed the line, had a blast doing it and during the same stint I bolted another one at the Drive By Crag with the same borrowed drill, same borrowed hangers and same bolts from Home Depot. This one I never got to climb and someone else scooped it up. My bolting bug started full force from that era in the Red River Gorge and I still have it… probably worse. I have learned some things and honed the skills that only experience and asking questions can iron out. It’s great how you get a system and even become stronger from the activity. It’s addicting as climbing.
Red Heads... MAJOR thumbs down. Avoid these bolts everyone.
During my last day in the Red River Gorge we were packing up due to junk weather and too many grey days. Kenny Barker called me over to his trailer and handed me a box of Powers bolts and a huge 1/2″ drill bit. I opened up the box and couldn’t believe how large the bolts were. They were 1/2″ and 4″ long. HUGE. He said something to me in the means of “we need you doing this right, if you are going to be doing it”. At that point I was very new to the bolting endeavor and immediately thought about what I was using. Which was 1/2″ X 3″ Red Heads. I showed Kenny and he laughed with total pitty. I then understood that the hardware I put into the rock in Red River Gorge was NOT sound and was NOT going to last long. It stressed me out and I gathered as much information about the bolts I used. Dario Ventura (who has bolted a lot in the Red) informed me as well that he seldom uses Red Heads in Southern sandstone as it corrodes quickly in the moist season and is not long lasting. For me to learn all of this it was a huge smack to the face as I had NO clue.
Standard expansion bolt. Powers is what I have been told is the best for most stone. Notice the rod is one solid piece of steel, the threads are sunk deep in the rock. THE most solid bolt to use.
My plan from them was to head back to the Red in the Spring of 2009, that never happened. Then my plan was to head back in the Fall of 2009, that never happened. And this season I am not heading back as I am wrapped up in projects here. My intentions were to get back and re-bolt those two routes with solid hardware as I use now. I have since sent out some 1/2″X4″ Powers Rawl Fasteners to Dario Ventura who assured me that these routes would be taken care of. I asked him if he could not take care of it immediately to please ask someone else who is capable. He confirmed to me that he would. I urged him with the sooner the better.
Home Depot bought Red Heads... Avoid these for bolting routes. This is the brand I used and DO NOT RECOMMEND. The are not stainless steel, the threads create weak points, the sleeve over the stud makes for the actual size of the bolt to be smaller than the size you want.
The situation is downright embarrassing, irresponsible and something that I have learned a drastic lesson over. I do not think anyone was hurt but I was told that one of the bolts “failed”. Shocking. I apologize deeply and sincerely to all of the Red River Gorge climbers. The only actions I am able to take now are to practice the safest and sound methods that I have learned from Todd Perkins, Jorge Visser, Chris Sharma, Dani Andrada, and Randy Leavitt. These are people whom I have asked hundreds questions and exchanged many emails over the topic of bolting methods, gear, hardware and stone.
Sent to Dario at Miguels. 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches long Powers.
This really is an endeavor for someone that wants to invest and learn. It is a craft and is not something I suggest for anyone who is just psyched to climb that rad line like me and Southern Smoke. There are the right ways and there are the wrong. And this can simply and ONLY be learned from someone who knows what they are doing. Apprentice someone if you have to, assist and learn the ways. Have a guide teach you…. or just take it from me… first and foremost use the proper gear, as the bolts are what is left in the stone for the next person.
Again, to the climbers of the Red River Gorge…. I am sincerely sorry.
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