B. Proposal To ADD NEW FIXED HARDWARE
I propose to add a new rappel anchor on the large ledge on
the
Figure 1 - Proposed anchor location and other, existing anchors
The proposed bolt anchor is located approximately 10 feet to climber’s right and 10 feet above an existing rappel anchor currently located at the tree indicated in Figure 1 (“Current tree anchor”). A photo of the current tree anchor is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 - Existing rappel anchor, tree with slings
Currently, parties rappelling with one 50 or 60m rope from the bolt anchors at the top of Pitch 2 of the routes Reggae, The Bomb, West Overhang, and Bouler Direct (“Existing bolt anchor” in Figure 1) must complete an exposed scramble from the bottom of the first rappel to the tree in order to execute a second rappel to the base of the route. The tree does not currently show significant wear or damage, but has been observed to move slightly when body weight is applied to the existing rappel slings.
The proposed anchor is located approximately 70 feet to the right of the existing 2-bolt anchor at the top of P1 of the route Calypso (“Calypso bolt anchor” in Figure 1).
One of two potential bolt locations are proposed. These locations are shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, the roof of West Overhang is above and to the right of the climber’s head. The tree on the right in the photo is not the current rappel tree; it is the smaller, shrubby tree located to the right of the rappel tree and is located near the top of P1 of the route “Recon.”
Either location would replace the existing tree anchor and result in a rappel of approximately 75 – 80 feet to reach a position along the ledge at the bottom of the pitch. Neither proposed location is in direct line with an existing route. The nearest existing routes are The Bomb and Recon, and the proposed anchor site is located between these two routes.
The proposed anchor is in line with the existing bolted rappel anchor at the top of P2 of Reggae/The Bomb/Boulder Direct/West Overhang.
The proposed anchor would use a standard Fixe’ 2-bolt w/ chain rappel station equalized in the vertical direction. The hangers and chain would be painted to match the color of the rock as closely as possible.
Figure 3 - 2 Options for Proposed Rappel Anchor
The potential pro’s and con’s for each location are listed below:
Higher Location:
Pros:
- The bolts can be reached while staying on rappel with a 50 or 60m rope
-
The bolts can be reached from a secure position on the
large intermediate ledge on the
- Some climbers have expressed concern that new bolts in this location would attract top-roping climbers to the first pitch of these multi-pitch routes. This location would mitigate this concern as the viable direction for rappelling and pulling ropes is fairly limited and not in line with existing routes.
- This location provides a better stance for initiating a rappel.
Cons
- The friction involved in pulling at this location may be somewhat high and result in some rope sheath abrasion.
- The resulting rappel would be longer by approximately 8 feet (total of approx. 18 feet longer than existing tree rappel) and may not reach all locations along the ledge at the base of these climbs with a 50m rope.
Lower Location:
Pros:
- This location would provide for significantly easier pulling of ropes
- A secure stance on the base ledge could easily be reached with a 50m rope.
Cons:
- While still a viable location for setting up and initiating a rappel, the stance is less convenient and secure than the higher location.
- This location may be difficult to reach while staying on rappel with a 60m rope and would require a short un-anchored scramble if using a 50m rope.
- Due to a wider range of viable rappel and rope pulling angles, some parties may find this anchor location attractive for top-roping.
Information from FHRC
Overview
The current tree rappel is used by parties climbing the
first pitches of The Bomb, Recon and West Overhang, on the
1) Does the proposed anchor replace a tree anchor?
The tree at this location, just below the midway ledge on the Wind Tower West
Face, has historically been used as a rappel anchor. This tree is not mentioned
as a rappel point in Rossiter's guidebook The routes
in this vicinity are intended to be multi-pitch summit routes. However, many
parties rappel rather than deal with the loose and precarious scramble to gain
the
it should be noted that the proposed new anchor is located
about 6–8 feet up and right from the existing tree.
2) Does the proposed anchor replace an unsightly wad of webbing?
Yes, at present (August 2006) the tree has slings around it.
3) Is the proposed anchor in the middle
of a pitch?
No, the anchor is not
interfering with any pitch. It is located immediately below the large midway
ledge.
4) How long is the proposed rappel?
The lower rappel option is 93 feet to the starting ledge at the base of Recon.
The higher option is about seven feet higher, and thus involves a full 100-foot
rappel to the same ledge.
It should be noted
that the rappel from the existing higher two-bolt rappel anchor to the proposed
new anchor is about 88 feet to the higher location, and 95 feet to the lower
location.
5) Does FHRC have a
recommendation as to which of the two locations is better?
There are two locations suggested by the applicant. Of these, the higher one
involves a rope pull over the edge of a ledge, and it is likely that rappel
knots will catch on this edge. This is a concern particularly as this rappel
would mainly be used by less-experienced climbers, who might be unaware of the
hazards of rappel knots and edges. In addition, the higher location would
involve a full 100-foot rappel, so that the rope ends would need to be exactly
equal.
The recommendation of the FHRC is that the lower location is the preferred option.