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Anchor testing (PV)-commercial climbing sites Vic

Access T CliffCare

19-Jul-2010
7:48:40 PM

Am in the process of uploading to Chockstone. Details and pics up shortly.

cheers,

Tracey

Access T CliffCare

19-Jul-2010
8:29:43 PM

Hi All,

Below is an excerpt from my last Access report in the July Argus that relates to the You Yangs Anchor testing and replacement:

(snip)
And while we are on the subject of the You Yangs, the anchors that serviced a
number of commercial sites there and also Staunton Vale and Werribee Gorge
have now been tested and inspected by PV. As I reported a few months ago,
whilst the Staunton Vale and Werribee anchors tested ok, there were concerns
that most of the You Yang anchors due to undergo testing would not pass and
if they did, there was a possibility that their integrity would be compromised by
the testing process. This was due to the fact that most of them were quite old
carrots with unknown history. Rather than test them, concerns by all parties,
climbing community included was a governing factor in the decision to just
replace them. The work was undertaken by Vertigo and hardware used was Petzl
Battenocks. Small plaques have been placed next to the anchors for testing/
recording purposes. Size is approx 4cm x 2cm. Photos show some of the anchors
at Urinal Wall. The following is a list of the anchors and approximate location of
them in reference to routes. This description may not be completely accurate as
the list was provided to me. As reported this was more to do with the sites that
the commercial operators use as opposed to the routes themselves.

Big Rock:(East Face) East Meets West
Big Rock:(East Face) Bouldering on the Berlin Wall
Big Rock:(East Face) The Iron Curtain
Big Rock:(East Face) View to the West
Big Rock:(West Face) From the Ritz to the Rubble
Big Rock:(West Face) Phil's Fall
Big Rock:(West Face) Key Finder
Big Rock:(West Face) Plague Nottle
Urinal Wall Busting For Relief
Urinal Wall Royal Flush
Urinal Wall Round the Bend
Royalty Wall Dead Queen in the Middle of the Road
Royalty Wall Buckingham
Gravel Pit Tor: (Main Face) Front Face
Gravel Pit Tor: (Overhang) Question of Ethics Wall
Gravel Pit Tor: (Overhang) Orpheus Arête

I am explaining this with the understanding that majority of you are aware of the
work that has been going on with the anchor testing. For anyone that may have
missed previous reports, I can let you know more – just drop me a line.
Once again I was assured by those I have been dealing with at PV, that the only
anchors they were testing were the ones at sites where they booked commercial
groups into and there was no natural protection with which to build anchors.
They weren’t interested in testing/replacing any others or any face bolts.
(snip)

(Lets hope I've uploaded the pics ok - always have to retrain myself in uploading them)

Cheers,

Tracey


Miguel75

19-Jul-2010
9:43:04 PM

Hi Tracey,

Thanks very much for putting in the hard yards so I can continue to climb at all these different locations.

You're dedication and hard work is much appreciated and has prompted me to join the VCC.

Cheers,

Mike


D.Lodge

21-Jul-2010
11:59:56 AM

Here is a close up of one set at Royalty Wall

seem too look good, if a little overkill, some of the plaques on the east side of Big Rock are missing but all the others i saw had them.


nmonteith

21-Jul-2010
12:06:37 PM

Those rings don't look very well recessed? What's wrong with slinging the giant boulder in the top photo?

gfdonc

21-Jul-2010
12:13:05 PM

On 21/07/2010 nmonteith wrote:
>Those rings don't look very well recessed? What's wrong with slinging the
>giant boulder in the top photo?

I think the latest Rock editorial covers this form of belay anchor ..


cruze

21-Jul-2010
12:29:30 PM

On 21/07/2010 gfdonc wrote:
>On 21/07/2010 nmonteith wrote:
>>Those rings don't look very well recessed? What's wrong with slinging
>the
>>giant boulder in the top photo?
>
>I think the latest Rock editorial covers this form of belay anchor ..
>
I think that's a bit macabre and off-point.


Doc

21-Jul-2010
12:39:06 PM

Hi Tracey,
Does this mean there are new anchors on the west side of Big Rock too?


nmonteith

21-Jul-2010
12:44:51 PM

On 21/07/2010 gfdonc wrote:
>I think the latest Rock editorial covers this form of belay anchor ..

I challenge you to try and move that rock Steve! It probably weighs a tonne.


ajfclark

21-Jul-2010
12:57:46 PM

On 21/07/2010 Doc wrote:
>Hi Tracey,
>Does this mean there are new anchors on the west side of Big Rock too?

Am I missing something Doc or is it covered here:

On 19/07/2010 Access T wrote:
>Big Rock:(East Face) East Meets West
>Big Rock:(East Face) Bouldering on the Berlin Wall
>Big Rock:(East Face) The Iron Curtain
>Big Rock:(East Face) View to the West
>Big Rock:(West Face) From the Ritz to the Rubble
>Big Rock:(West Face) Phil's Fall
>Big Rock:(West Face) Key Finder
>Big Rock:(West Face) Plague Nottle
>Urinal Wall Busting For Relief
>Urinal Wall Royal Flush
>Urinal Wall Round the Bend
>Royalty Wall Dead Queen in the Middle of the Road
>Royalty Wall Buckingham
>Gravel Pit Tor: (Main Face) Front Face
>Gravel Pit Tor: (Overhang) Question of Ethics Wall
>Gravel Pit Tor: (Overhang) Orpheus Arête

Access T CliffCare

21-Jul-2010
1:07:07 PM

On 21/07/2010 nmonteith wrote:
>Those rings don't look very well recessed? What's wrong with slinging the
>giant boulder in the top photo?

You would need a pretty long sling - the boulder in the top photo is Urinal Wall and the rings are at Royalty Wall.

>On2/07/2010 nmonteith wrote:
>On 21/07/2010 gfdonc wrote:
>I think the latest Rock editorial covers this form of belay anchor ..

>I challenge you to try and move that rock Steve! It probably weighs a tonne.

From the first inspection by PV, those anchors were originally on that boulder and it was decided straight off that they would be moved. There is a huge amount of erosion around that boulder. Wouldn't have been that way when it was bolted. Looking from a long term perspective - erosion will continue and as reported these are put there for the commercial groups to use and be booked into. Realistically, slinging that boulder would not be the best choice from them, from that perspective. Yep, the boulder does look pretty sturdy and we of course, can sling that boulder if we wish.

>On 21/7/2010 Doc wrote:
> Hi Tracey,
>Does this mean there are new anchors on the west side of Big Rock too?

Yep, list above in my post contains approximate locations.

gfdonc

21-Jul-2010
2:09:08 PM

On 21/07/2010 access t wrote:
>You would need a pretty long sling - the boulder in the top photo is Urinal
>Wall and the rings are at Royalty Wall.

LOL! Thanks for that Tracey.

I take Cruze's (sorry) and Neil's points (I've belayed off that boulder) but I have increasing suspicion of belaying off loose blocks 'just because everyone else has'.
That boulder is on a slope and gradually eroding. One day it'll go. Is the big boulder still at the top of Seven Acre Rock? (For those that have never been there, it was big enough to boulder on, yet rocked suspiciously when pulled in the right direction).


Doc

21-Jul-2010
3:05:45 PM

thanks ajfclark....I only have attention span to read first two lines then its all a blur!

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