This newsletter is the Presidents Report on Needles Fixed Anchor and Bolt Replacement Work Day in the Far Downs area on October 1, 2005.

Big thanks to everyone who showed up for the Needles Work Day: Rich Barry, Ron Yahne, Brent Kertzman, Ron Williams, Roger Arnold, Lyle Clapp, Daryl Stisser, Cheryl Mayer and Bruce Junek.

We had a very productive day putting in chain anchors and replacing 1/4 inch button heads with stainless steel 3/8 inch bolts and hangers. Prior to the workday Bruce called Pete deLannoy who was partner with Paul Muehl to the first ascent on many of the routes in the area.  Pete encouraged the BHCC to put in anchors at our own judgement in order to make all the routes safe and practical to get off.  Pete said he and Paul ran out of bolts the summer they put many of the routes up, and by-passed some bolt and anchor placements they might have made if they had the hardware. 

Pete asked that no retro bolting be done on the routes without his consent.  This information has been compiled to inform Pete, Paul Piana (who was on the first ascent of Quartz It Goes) and everyone else in the climbing community what we found, what we did, and our recommendations after climbing and examining the routes.

All of the workers were excited about the possibilities for climbing in the Far Downs.  These are high quality routes that have seen virtually no use for many years.  Of the ten routes we worked on, three in particular, Bard, Quartz It Goes, and Left Wing of Smaug could become classics that would be widely used by climbers of all levels with the addition of a just a few bolts. The recommendations for these three routes would “open up” the area for leaders who can climb proficiently at the route’s grade, yet still keep the routes spicy in the Needles tradition. Right Wing of Smaug -- 5.11 – Add lap links and chains to existing new anchor bolts and hangers.  Ran out of time to replace bolts on the route.

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Name?– 5.9 or 10a?  (first route left of Right Wing of Smaug) – First bolt 10 ft replaced, 2nd bolt 18 ft replaced, crack then chimney, 3rd bolt replaced, more crack & chimney.  Put in vertical chain and cold shut anchors on summit.

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Name?– 5.9 or 10a?  (first route left of Right Wing of Smaug) – First bolt 10 ft replaced, 2nd bolt 18 ft replaced, crack then chimney, 3rd bolt replaced, more crack & chimney.  Put in vertical chain and cold shut anchors on summit.
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Name? -- 5.11a (first route right of Bard) – RPs possible at 10 ft, little bulge at 12 ft, first bolt at 24 ft replaced.  Bulge overhang with possible gear at 30 ft. Can use anchors on Bard if you go up and left.
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Bard – 5.8a -- First bolt at 20 ft replaced, 2nd bolt at 32 ft replaced, 3rd bolt at 40 ft replaced, put in vertical chain and cold shut anchors at 65 ft on ridge line.  Recommendation:  Put in bolt at 12 ft, and another at 50 ft.  This could be a very popular route.
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Bards Arrow – 5.10a -- First pin (ring) angles 20 degrees downward at 12 ft, hammered in further but loosens when tapped, no gear placement available. 
First bolt at 16 ft replaced, 2nd bolt 20 foot replaced, 3rd bolt 23 ft replaced, 2nd pin at 33 foot angles 45 degrees downward in very bad crumbing rock, was
bottomed out yet hammered in over 1/2 inch, still loose when tapped, no gear placement available,  3rd pin (knife blade) 40 ft, appears to be solid but did not test,
gear placements available, continue straight up crack and flakes to summit or go 12 feet left to face and 4th bolt 60 ft (5.9?), crack with reasonable pro available
beginning at 75 feet. Put in vertical chain and cold shut anchors on summit. Recommendation:  Remove first pin or leave it in, who knows it might hold, access to first
bolt is okay sporty in Needles style, remove 2nd pin and replace 1- 2 ft to left in good rock.  Leave upper face on left “very” sporty in Needles style or add one bolt
at bulge at 50 ft.  Interesting climbing.
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Bards Bowstring – 5.9? First bolt at 20 ft replaced.  Pin at 22 foot lightly tapped then pulled out with fingers.  2nd bolt at 30 ft replaced, off-width crack
starts at 40 ft.   No anchors at present but can set up belay in trough, and then use Bards Arrow (tricky) or Bard anchors to rappel.
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Never Laugh at Live Dragons – 5.9 -- First bolt at 20 ft replaced, 2nd bolt at 30 ft replaced, off-width crack starts at 40 ft, summit 110 ft, put in vertical chain and cold
shut anchors. Recommendation: Put in bolt at 12 ft.
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Quartz It Goes – 5.6 --First bolt 40 ft replaced, 2nd bolt at 50 ft replaced, 3rd bolt at 70 ft replaced, summit at 110 ft. can get gear near summit if you leave the quartz
line 10 ft to the right. Recommendation: Put in bolt at 20 ft, 30 ft, 60 ft and 80 ft.  Probably still a little run-out for average 5.6 leader but would make it within range of
solid 5.7 – 5.8 climber.  Bolt at 60 ft could be placed to protect 5.8 direct line through quartz crystals.  This could be a very popular and classic climb on giant quartz crystals.
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Left Wing of Smaug – 5.7 --First bolt 30 ft replaced, first pin 38 ft in bad position with ring levering outward against rock, 2nd bolt 45 ft replaced, at 65 ft lots of gear in chimney. Recommendation: Put bolt at 12 ft, bolt at 20 ft, remove pin and place bolt at 38 ft, and bolt at 55 ft to make the route still sporty but accessible for average
5.7 – 5.8 climber.  The Poorpersons guidebook says this route has four bolts yet we only found two.  With additional bolts this could also be a very popular route.
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Shelob – 5.10a -- Left “weak” bolt at 10 ft, replaced 2nd bolt at 12 ft, and then three more bolts above all replaced.  A classic climb. If you are interested in
commenting on the recommendations, please come to the next meeting or call or email Bruce with your suggestions.
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Climb hard, and climb safe.