Just submitted the following letter to Gripped Magazine. In the event that it's not published...
Dear Gripped,
During the 1980's a wave of development and discovery hit the Welsford areas which saw many routes established on outstanding rock features in a traditional style. Bolts were often used as a last resort to unlock key passages between natural features. The hardware of the day was of mixed composition, and maritime climate has taken its toll. Many of these original bolts are now brittle with rust, and some have been reported to break under minimal effort. Reputation of sketchy bolts spreads quickly and otherwise approachable routes go unclimbed. In this part of the world, when classics go unclimbed the flora moves quickly to reclaim the land.
Over the past 3 months a surge of energy has come forward to refresh the hardware on many of NB's classic lines. Lead by a small group of three local climbers, many classics have been rebolted and anchors upgraded with modern hardware. The quality in their work is top-notch and a visiting climber would be challenged to find the remnants of the original bolts. Best yet, they've spurred some momentum in the local community to the cause. Their lead has inspired others to contribute time, sweat, and hardware to the effort. At the time of writing, more than 40 routes have refreshed.
First ascent parties often reap the glory with a classic line. Often unnoticed are the scrubbers and rebolters that keep these classics in shape. So.. in the event that future guidebook editions fail to mention this: thanks to Luc Gallant, Marty Thériault, and Dom Caron!
--
Chris Norfolk
Fredericton, N.B.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Big Aid Weekend 4
Friday Night:
Loaded Adam's car with ledges, haulbags, racks, ropes, food, & all the stuff we'd expect to need for 3 wall days. Erick met us there. In keeping with annual tradition, the bachelor was assigned with the care and well-being for Rosalita... the big wall doll for the weekend. Erick aided the arch and established a camp below Gumby's Roof for the night. The rest of us jugged to Rock Opera's anchors and set up ledges there.
With the help of the FA (providing the hardware), and Dom (providing the drill), I rebolted the old anchor for Rock Opera as well as the sole lead bolt on the slab. The rusty lead bolt was chopped but the old anchor remains. We found it useful for hanging ledges and hauling... and since we plan on doing this again soon, we decided to leave it in place. If anyone is truly offended... be my guest to go chop the old anchor.
Spent the evening trading insults with the Moncton Crew camped at Exfoliated. Aiding is awesome... Moncton sucks!
Saturday:
Woke up at nearly first light after little sleep, had breakfast, and I led through Gumby roof. A nice aid practice, it went rather easily through the roof but I managed to get stuck and only worked it out by unweightting my daisies with the kneebar free-beta. Wicked! I think I'm going to try to free this route in the future!
After hauling through Gumby we made it to the ground and started up Menage A Trois with the goal of camping on top of the detached pillar. Chris & Adam freed the first 2 pitches and set up two independent hauls. I jugged the 60m while wrangling haul bag #1. Arriving at the pitch 2 anchors, I relieved Adam of hauling, and he belayed Chris up pitch 3 after his solo-aiding hit a roadblock. The haul is getting dialed. We went quick.
The excitement came as the haul was finished and Henni was still only half way up the last pitch. Rain, thunder, and lightening rolled over us. Erick & I started thinking that camping on top of the pillar with a bunch of metal lightening rods wasn't such a great idea and thought about bailing. About 15 minutes into the storm Henni still hadn't finished his pitch and the weather started to ease up. Sticking through it paid off and we set up of the night hanging off one of the coolest spots in Welsford!
Sunday
Another early morning and it starts off with a mini-epic no-doubt. We lower the haul bags two pitches down to the Waterwalk pitch 1 ledge and then do a double rope rap off the tree behind the pillar. Despite making every effort to pick my spot... I manage to get the knot connecting the ropes stuck and they won't pull. Henni decides to be the hero and jugs up the full 60m to free the knot! Nice work bro!
Erick, Chris and I then decide to explore Eagle Rock based on rumors of aid lines there. After considerable bushwhacking we find it. This place has considerable potential. There are some nice unclimbed cracks and some overhung faces that are featured. The existing lines seem to go up the obvious treed slabs and weaknesses but there are more difficult lines there. There is also height. 2 pitches for sure.
I go to aid the Great Roof and Erick solo-aids Diurnal Pegs. Erick get's nowhere fast when the rusted, quarter inch bolt placed in 1977 by the FA party shears off just as he's getting off the ground. It's now gone. Exploding bolts. Nice. I should have taken a picture of it before he ripped it. The Great Roof goes better for me and it's a fun aid-boulder problem followed by 60 feet of slabby blueberries to a tree anchor. With another easy looking pitch above us that rounds an arete to a nice view of the valley the three of us top out Eagle Rock and soak in a great view of Cochrane lane. We find at the summit a prospectors claim stake and drill hole, and stumble onto a funny geo-cache which we sign the log-book for. Silly geo-cachers!
A great weekend.
Loaded Adam's car with ledges, haulbags, racks, ropes, food, & all the stuff we'd expect to need for 3 wall days. Erick met us there. In keeping with annual tradition, the bachelor was assigned with the care and well-being for Rosalita... the big wall doll for the weekend. Erick aided the arch and established a camp below Gumby's Roof for the night. The rest of us jugged to Rock Opera's anchors and set up ledges there.
With the help of the FA (providing the hardware), and Dom (providing the drill), I rebolted the old anchor for Rock Opera as well as the sole lead bolt on the slab. The rusty lead bolt was chopped but the old anchor remains. We found it useful for hanging ledges and hauling... and since we plan on doing this again soon, we decided to leave it in place. If anyone is truly offended... be my guest to go chop the old anchor.
Spent the evening trading insults with the Moncton Crew camped at Exfoliated. Aiding is awesome... Moncton sucks!
Saturday:
Woke up at nearly first light after little sleep, had breakfast, and I led through Gumby roof. A nice aid practice, it went rather easily through the roof but I managed to get stuck and only worked it out by unweightting my daisies with the kneebar free-beta. Wicked! I think I'm going to try to free this route in the future!
After hauling through Gumby we made it to the ground and started up Menage A Trois with the goal of camping on top of the detached pillar. Chris & Adam freed the first 2 pitches and set up two independent hauls. I jugged the 60m while wrangling haul bag #1. Arriving at the pitch 2 anchors, I relieved Adam of hauling, and he belayed Chris up pitch 3 after his solo-aiding hit a roadblock. The haul is getting dialed. We went quick.
The excitement came as the haul was finished and Henni was still only half way up the last pitch. Rain, thunder, and lightening rolled over us. Erick & I started thinking that camping on top of the pillar with a bunch of metal lightening rods wasn't such a great idea and thought about bailing. About 15 minutes into the storm Henni still hadn't finished his pitch and the weather started to ease up. Sticking through it paid off and we set up of the night hanging off one of the coolest spots in Welsford!
Sunday
Another early morning and it starts off with a mini-epic no-doubt. We lower the haul bags two pitches down to the Waterwalk pitch 1 ledge and then do a double rope rap off the tree behind the pillar. Despite making every effort to pick my spot... I manage to get the knot connecting the ropes stuck and they won't pull. Henni decides to be the hero and jugs up the full 60m to free the knot! Nice work bro!
Erick, Chris and I then decide to explore Eagle Rock based on rumors of aid lines there. After considerable bushwhacking we find it. This place has considerable potential. There are some nice unclimbed cracks and some overhung faces that are featured. The existing lines seem to go up the obvious treed slabs and weaknesses but there are more difficult lines there. There is also height. 2 pitches for sure.
I go to aid the Great Roof and Erick solo-aids Diurnal Pegs. Erick get's nowhere fast when the rusted, quarter inch bolt placed in 1977 by the FA party shears off just as he's getting off the ground. It's now gone. Exploding bolts. Nice. I should have taken a picture of it before he ripped it. The Great Roof goes better for me and it's a fun aid-boulder problem followed by 60 feet of slabby blueberries to a tree anchor. With another easy looking pitch above us that rounds an arete to a nice view of the valley the three of us top out Eagle Rock and soak in a great view of Cochrane lane. We find at the summit a prospectors claim stake and drill hole, and stumble onto a funny geo-cache which we sign the log-book for. Silly geo-cachers!
A great weekend.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Cochrane Lane Trailmap
Given that a number of climbers have been going out of their way to make Cochrane Lane a nicer place, I thought of a way I might be able to contribute. Today at lunch I developed an updated trail map with the intent that the painted version at the sign-in box might be replaced. This version is somewhat inspired by the style of a classic Colin Bell sketch map of the area but is made to scale, with modern names assigned to areas. I could plot and laminate a large version to post... but before going to that expense, I thought I'd post this draft for comment first. Hope it's of some value.
And... the data behind it:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)