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General Climbing Discussion

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Bolting a bridge

Mr.X

27-Jun-2013
4:06:36 PM

Hi there,

We live in Victoria (dont want to be to specific here) and am looking at the idea of bolting a railway overpass bridge. Its about 15m high with bluestone supports.
Were really just looking for anyone who has had any experience doing something like this (guerrilla bolting?) and who might have some pointers of things to look out for. Understandably drilling bolts into a railway bridge would probably not be looked to happily upon by the authorities but we are thinking this project might have some real merit to it if we can pull it off.

Throw us some ideas.

ajfclark

27-Jun-2013
4:21:15 PM

I'm sure this question has been asked before...

[edit: here's a previous thread: http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=Display&ForumID=1&MessageID=110777&Replies=39 ]

Mr.X

27-Jun-2013
4:30:39 PM

Thanks mate!

The good Dr

27-Jun-2013
5:06:46 PM

As the other thread points out, many of these bridges have heritage listing.

Mr.X

27-Jun-2013
5:14:36 PM

Yeah we have checked on the Heritage Victoria website, many thanks though =)

E. Wells

27-Jun-2013
6:53:14 PM

Look out for trains, do it with someone else (one drills/cleans holes, other glues) at the same time so you only have to be at the top once. Find a whole bunch of crushed bluestone and glue it to your clothing so that you are camoflagued or alternatively go hi-vis (probably safer) ....this is a long winded way of saying I have no advice...except to look out for trains. Place a finger on the track before you walk on them, you can feel them before the tracks start making piercing noise.

Ben_E

27-Jun-2013
7:12:41 PM

^^^
Shouldn't matter if you can do it ground up!

More seriously, I'd think twice and then maybe three times before sinking in the hardware. There are a number of bridges with slowly decaying bolts around where I live, and I've only ever seen someone TR one of the routes once, and never seen anyone lead any of them. I suspect any you bolt will ultimately be similarly under-utilized.

Snacks

27-Jun-2013
7:27:05 PM

On 27/06/2013 Mr.X wrote:
>Hi there,
>
>We live in Victoria (dont want to be to specific here) and am looking
>at the idea of bolting a railway overpass bridge. Its about 15m high with
>bluestone supports.
>Were really just looking for anyone who has had any experience doing something
>like this (guerrilla bolting?) and who might have some pointers of things
>to look out for. Understandably drilling bolts into a railway bridge would
>probably not be looked to happily upon by the authorities but we are thinking
>this project might have some real merit to it if we can pull it off.
>
>Throw us some ideas.

There's a few obvious reasons why this is a bad idea...

1. Permanently "damaging" a long-term 50-100 year piece of infrastructure (though, this could be quite minor depending on the bridge and where you are drilling)
2. Falling object (or potentially a climber that fukcs up) risk to whatever is passing under the bridge (cars / other train line)
3. Stopping / slowing the movement of train vehicles if network control is alerted (either while climbing in the future or during bolting)
4. Create a lot of unnecessary bad publicity for the climbing community and potentially make access to more (in my opinion) worthwhile climbing areas difficult

Seems like the primary risk you have identified is punishment to yourself, which is often genuinely the case with a lot of banned outdoor (natural) climbing areas.

That said...

A significantly less risky alternative is to find a bridge that is not an "overpass" (like in a flood plain) and bolt that.

Less likely to spotted by the absence of traffic below
No falling object risk

But you still cause minor damage to the bridge, which will leave future maintainers scratching their heads in bewilderment.

crackalackin!

27-Jun-2013
8:20:52 PM

Are there really so many bridge-inclined climbers out there that there are multiple forum threads on this issue? Seems weird........

Also, if you get so keen to bolt something that bolting a railway bridge looks better than going climbing, then you need help.

nmonteith

27-Jun-2013
8:35:41 PM

On 27/06/2013 crackalackin! wrote:
>Are there really so many bridge-inclined climbers out there that there
>are multiple forum threads on this issue? Seems weird........

You're not from Melbourne are you? The bridges are the best climbing within an hour of the city!

Ben_E

27-Jun-2013
9:55:53 PM

On 27/06/2013 nmonteith wrote:

>You're not from Melbourne are you? The bridges are the best climbing within
>an hour of the city!

Depending, of course, where in the city you are relative to Werribbee Gorge or Mt Macedon and whether you rate the climbing there as more or less appealing than climbing or bouldering under a pee-stained, graffitied bluestone bridge, usually over foul smelling brown sludge masquerading as water. While cyclists actively try to run you down. In the cold.

I've got to admit it's pretty desperate here...

Duang Daunk

28-Jun-2013
8:55:33 AM

On 27/06/2013 Ben_E wrote:
>bouldering under a pee-stained, graffitied
>bluestone bridge, usually over foul smelling brown sludge masquerading
>as water. While cyclists actively try to run you down. In the cold.
>
>I've got to admit it's pretty desperate here...

Sums up Melb bouldering perfectly, and no wonder the Gramps is so popular.
If Damo is going to encourage a tax on the sporties in the blueys by having portaledges set on popular routes, I will have to get the big M75 to set up a portaledge on the western highway to collect the gramps desperates toll.
It shouldn't be long before we have collected enough for the Chocky Dream Team to have a party with a suitable number of strippers invited, and M75 can buy some more gear with his commish.

Jayford4321

29-Jun-2013
9:45:50 AM

why bolt it?
why not highball it or go buildering instead? i am glad i am in canberra as i think that not being able to see your tick marks for graffitti would suck , though it s increasing round here too.

ashfall tuff

29-Jun-2013
6:51:13 PM

Yeah Snacks I think your right on this. there must be some buildering traverse options around.

Jayford4321

30-Jun-2013
5:48:08 PM

On 29/06/2013 ratherbeclimbinv9 wrote:
>^^ diiiiiiiiiiickhead ;)

Get a life you imaginative poster to chocky.#

(# Read between the lines ratherV9, as I can do without being hassled by the chock mods).

Cool Hand Lock

30-Jun-2013
7:29:19 PM

On 27/06/2013 E. Wells wrote:
>Look out for trains, do it with someone else (one drills/cleans holes,
>other glues)

it's blue stone, why would you glue?

Are you from NSW Mr E Wells?

dalai

30-Jun-2013
8:05:48 PM

On 30/06/2013 Cool Hand Lock wrote:
>On 27/06/2013 E. Wells wrote:
>>Look out for trains, do it with someone else (one drills/cleans holes,
>>other glues)
>
>it's blue stone, why would you glue?
>
>Are you from NSW Mr E Wells?

Glue in the bolts...

ajfclark

30-Jun-2013
8:20:04 PM

I think he was asking why not use expansions.

dalai

30-Jun-2013
8:29:39 PM

Thanks ajfclark. I read it as since NSW is the location of the Glue Mountains...

E. Wells

1-Jul-2013
2:26:15 PM

yep, Im from Glue Mountains, still watch out for the trains though..

There are 20 messages in this topic.