Oudtshoorn bolt breaks

[Keith]

The third hanger on Seven was sideways, so I loosened the nut, adjusted the hanger, then tightened the nut. Without much torque, the bolt snapped. You can see in the attached photo that it was quite rusted.

So don't be too trusting of older bolts---especially at Oudtshoorn

seven_bolt.jpg (43.53 KiB) Viewed 7296 times

(Jimbo has subsequently replaced the third bolt, but I certainly don't trust the other bolts on the route.)

[XMod]

Hi Keith, do you guys still have the broken stud? If so and it has not been handled by everyone by now send it in to the CSRI for analysis, they will be able to ascertain if the failure is SCC related or not. If you come across this sort of thing bag the stud without touching the broken end so that it can be checked, unfortunately touching it contaminates the sample so hence the bagging. Scary stuff, glad no-one was hurt!

[Andy Davies]

Looks like classic "Stress Corrosion Cracking" to me (nice shiny bolt from outside, but breaks with ragged corroded surface inside hole). I will have a look at it. I was hoping Oudtshoorn was not susceptible to this, but I think the limestone is doing something naughty. Expect more.........

[Sam]

Wouldn't it be great if bolts were stamped with a placement date?

This is why I prefer trad climbing.

[Warren G]

HECTIC!

on the topic of main crag i pulled of the hold that Sean glued back on, the one at the chains of Fin Fang Fly. its here in cape town if anyone wants to glue it back on.

[Oakley]

hold that Sean glued back on

Wow. glueing holds back?!?!

I'm with Sam on the Trad.

[Warren G]

I don't question the ethos of the first ascentionist, or those that maintain routes but i willl defend the glueing in this case as other holds on the route are glued on, or at least reinforced. if they came off it would be impossible, however this one is not crucial.

A more interesting topic regarding oudt main crag is "when does consensus tell us to stop bolting there?" and "are we happy to treat our only limestone crag like a gym?"

[XMod]

If the hold is non crucial then leave it off, in fact throw it away so it cant be glued back, unless of course the glue left behind looks terrible and it would just be aesthetically better to put it back.

A gym? Whats the matter Warren? Are there too many bolts tnere for your tastes? I suppose its better to treat a crag like a climbing gym than a public beach???

The bolt does look a bit like SCC yet with deeper corrosion than the others We've seen which is why I think it should be analysed, hopefully its not some nasty chemical in the limestone instead?

[Andy Davies]

Greg I think the point Warren is making is the crag has been grid bolted and it looks like a bit of a scrap heap at the moment. Have you been there lately? Some beautiful lines have been tarnished due to the cluster of bolts in close proximity (I believe Mr Pedley made the same observation)

[Forket]

you could start from seven and finish on the oppisite side of the crag ontop at the chains of paws or something without leading out i think, looks crap

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funny when u hit a bolt, on one of the most climbed routes in boven, once with a hammer and it pops:P

[XMod]

Greg I think the point Warren is making is the crag has been grid bolted and it looks like a bit of a scrap heap at the moment. Have you been there lately? Some beautiful lines have been tarnished due to the cluster of bolts in close proximity (I believe Mr Pedley made the same observation)

Is it? Bummer, you mean you guys didnt keep any lines for me?

[pierre.joubert]

Hijack: Ebert, which route (in Boven) was that?

[Warren G]

I just think that in spite of our best intentions we risk being the frog in a pot of cold water: happy to swim around while the water is slowly raised until it is too late. Rock is a resource that we destroy by bolting. To add new (contrived?) line simply becasue it is our only resource of one type of rock is tarnishing the crag (and the name of those first ascentionists names') forever.

I think it would be more honourable for those budding first ascentionists to find a new crag to open-whether it be limestone or otherwise. If, in fact Oudtshoorn proves to only offer the crags that we have opened then we must resign ourselves to this fact: content ourselves with the good routes we have and not kill the goose that laid the golden egg. What is interesting that its not young guns opening stuff there, but those that mentor them, lets hope they are teaching the right lessons.

As for my report on the hold that I fulled off: I posted this as an option for the First Ascentionist or those that have been maintaining the crag to consider, but as I was able to climb the route afterwards I can't see why the next person should demand this hold

[Marshall1]

I like all the new routes, just wish I had spotted some of the lines. No sour grapes though. If you snooze you loose.

[Andy Davies]

So below is how the bolt would have looked when we were all cranking off it (lekker hey!)

Seven bolt3 exterior SMALL.jpg (75.03 KiB) Viewed 6598 times

And this is how it looks after it broke The grey surface is all the material that would have been left to hold a fall. The rest is SCC (stress corrosion cracking). Anybody keen for some whippers?

Seven bolt3 surface1 SMALL.jpg (72.17 KiB) Viewed 6598 times

And if you have eyes as good as mine (still under 40!!) you will see the bolt has been machined. The little dot on the end is not a stamp, but rather evidence of the machining process. So I am willing to bet big bucks its another UPAT bolt.

[brianweaver]

I completely agree! Stop with the grid bolting!!! Extensions are fine but there are really enough lines side by side for the majority of the main wall. What is the point of adding yet another line when you are using the same holds as previous lines. An example of this is the first half of the Quickening. One climbs half of sid vicious and the first part of Up for Grabs in the process. It is unnecessary to continue cluttering up the crag and decorating it like a Christmas tree. There are not many places in the country that are this overbolted, I can name one but I'll skip it. I'm sure a few other people who know me would know the answer anyway.

[Stu]

Man that's scary stuff It looks brand new from the outside..

[Hann]

Rock is a resource that we destroy by bolting.

Perhaps not the best tread to add this, but Warren has a point.

Think about it next time you complain about loo paper or cigarette stompies left at a sport crag.
By bolting we are scarring the rock forever.

[Justin]

Rock is a resource that we destroy by bolting.

This is so true, what will the rock look like in 100 years!?

The best thing we can do right now is use the best quality bolts available to us so that they last longer.
So... hands up of those who would be happy to climb Seven without new bolts being put in!?

[Marshall1]

Rock is a resource that we destroy by bolting...

Destroy? Its not like its blown up, crushed & turned into cement.

Clearly it matters more to the bolters who are committing time, effort & money; than to the folks who sit back & after the fact squeal about what has been done.

[Hann]

Perhaps you are missing the philosophical argument Marshall.

If a 100 year old Yellowwood tree is obscuring the view from your stoep, is it your right to chop it down so you may see a better sunset?

[kyle]

It would be good to know if any other routes might be affected by this aside from Seven? Probably possible if we work out who bolted it and what other routes may have been bolted at the same time? Kinda makes me nervous to get onto anything at Oudtshoorn from that era. Looking at the route guide it seems that all the original routes were bolted within a year of each other in 1996/7?

[Hann]

Can anybody confirm if the following is true?
This is what was taught at the Ntaba rock bolting course years ago:

"Expansion bolt = Lifetime of 10 years"
"Glue in bolt = Lifetime of 20 years"

That makes the bolt in question about 15 years old.
Potentially all routes bolted before 2001 with expansion bolts should then be seen as suspect.

[Andy Davies]

Hann - It would be very foolish for anyone to forecast when SCC [stress corrosion cracking] will result in a failure. It is dependent on many issues such as:

- material
- machining method
- cleaning chemicals
- handling / contamination during transport
- residual stresses
- applied stresses (ie torqueing)
- environmental factors (salty air, damp, shady, rain washing etc)

Personally I would treat all UPAT anchors with suspicion. Hence my irritation when some of my dear friends are still using the old UPAT anchors (heads are right up their bums). If you want to TRY and identify a UPAT anchor, the end of the stud will have no stamp. If you would like me to help with any inspection, I would be VERY happy to help anyone.

For now I suggest one of the Oudtshoorn regulars takes the initiative and gets a plan together for rebolting Oudtshoorn.

[Justin]

a plan together for rebolting Oudtshoorn.

Would that be with glue-in's or mechanical anchors?

[proze]

Would it be alarmist to say one shouldn't climb at Oudtshoorn until it's been rebolted?

[Marshall1]

If a 100 year old Yellowwood tree is obscuring the view from your stoep, is it your right to chop it down so you may see a better sunset?

Yes, but who would want to. You could sit-back-under-it & enjoy or enhance it to suit somebody(normaly the person doing the effort)... attach your washing line, build a tree house in it, hang a hammock & 101 non-destructive uses... to suit somebody (but not everyone).

Nodody has chopped down/destroyed any crags. They are still all there, just adapted to suit the people that it matters most too.

[Hann]

Nodody has chopped down/destroyed any crags. They are still all there, just adapted to suit the people that it matters most too.

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.......

[Marshall1]

Ja. I missed intellectual & philosophical argument bus

I caught the effort/just-do & I-can...how-will-you-stop-me bus.

[Hann]

.. touchè.

And that is the other point you put so well:

"Who's gonna be policeman?"