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Ben Lomond Bolts Removed

Gerry Narkowicz

13-Apr-2007
11:43:26 PM

Just letting people know that the bolted rap stations on Frews Flutes and the Pavilion at Ben Lomond were removed today. It is the desire of some Tasmanian climbers that Ben Lomond be a completely bolt free zone. Though there are no bolted climbs on the Ben that we know of, the bolted abseil anchors were a compromise to this bolt free status and the traditional ethic that has prevailed on the mountain since 1971. The bolting ban applies to every cliff on the massif including Stacks Bluff. This was done in consultation with National Parks, whose land managment policy for the mountain declares bolts on cliffs to be illegal structures. There is provision for prosecution under their laws for anyone who places bolts on Ben Lomond. Descent from Frews Flutes can easily and safely be made via the broad gully 100m east of the top of Robins Buttress.
By Gerry Narkowicz


Phil Box

14-Apr-2007
9:28:21 AM

I wonder when they will remove the large village atop Ben Lomond and also reinstate the cliffs that the road tore up. How about taking down the ski lifts while we are at it.

Yeah, I'm trolling, it just seems to me that bolts are the least of the land managers worries. It also seems to me that wherever one or tow of the oldie baddy traddies have been they have poisoned the minds and thus infected official policy against fixed protection. Don't get me wrong though Ben Lomond would be the ideal area to remain bolt free as there are plenty of cracks to keep anyone happy for many years to come even if one were to only climb there and no where else. I love the Ben.


Garrath

14-Apr-2007
10:44:38 AM

I would've thought anything that helps control potential erosion problems would be a good thing! Apparently not.


JamesMc

14-Apr-2007
10:55:10 AM

This is really dissapointing. An absolute shame.

Sounds like a bit of environmental vandalism to me. It's a long time since I've been there, but my recollection is that the walk down gully to the east contains typical Tasmanian alpine vegetation, is moderately steep, and prone to erosion. Doubtless there's still not much erosion there yet, but just remember that the abseil bolts have been there for about 10 years, so nobody's walked down the gully since then, and in those days there was no published guide to Ben Lomond, so almost nobody climbed there.

Just look at all the work Tas Parks have done to address erosion on alpine tracks used by bushwalkers in places like the Arthur Ranges, Frenchmans Cap, Overland Track etc. Not only does it cost $$, it's an eyesore. Eventually they will have to do the same for the Frews Flutes descent gully. This could have been avoided by leaving the bolts there.

Gerry, who placed the bolts in the first place?

JamesMc


harold

14-Apr-2007
11:00:25 AM

Its a bit of a waste of time consulting parks about bolting as their policy seems to be set in stone. If its part of a commercial operation which encourage more tourism then yes. If it is for a small tight ass recreational group then a bit fat no. Self regulation is the way to go and the ben is a good example. The people who developed the area and most people who climb there agree that the Ben is a premier trad/crack climbing area and should be left in its natural state as best as possible. The walk down from the Flutes is a nice stroll doesnt suffer from any erosion problems.
Ive only climbed there once but it was one of the more memorable places I have climbed at, made all the more hilarious by the stream of Dutch swear words following me up as one of my Dutch friends attempted to add 10 grades to the climb by doing 80m of laybacking. Good times!

tastybigmac

14-Apr-2007
5:22:12 PM

there didn't used to be any erosion problems in the gullys at araps either. if abseil bolts were put in earlier
and more care taken with track location it probably wouldn't look like shit today.

rolsen

14-Apr-2007
5:39:41 PM

See this thread: http://www.thesarvo.com:8080/confluence/display/thesarvo/2007/03/05/Tasmanian+Bolting+Wars?focusedCommentId=1472#comment-1472


dino

15-Apr-2007
4:34:56 PM

Must be a guide book just around the corner perhaps?


tnd

16-Apr-2007
11:59:14 AM

On 14/04/2007 JamesMc wrote:
>...my recollection is that the walk down gully
>to the east contains typical Tasmanian alpine vegetation, is moderately
>steep, and prone to erosion.

The Trad Nazis couldn't give a rat's arse about that, all they are obsessed with is not having bolts even when they are justified.

Ronny

16-Apr-2007
12:51:30 PM

Seems like I'm one of the few, but I kind of think the idea of an area that has no bolts at all is cool. I think its cool that there's an area you can go to where you have to deal with exactly with the features nature provided, and nothing more.

There are afterall loads of areas where you can clip bolts or rap off bolts if you want.

I seem to remember lots of talus/scree there - so is the descent really that much of a problem?

James


mousey

16-Apr-2007
3:41:31 PM

On 16/04/2007 Ronny wrote:
>Seems like I'm one of the few,

maybe you should read mouseys thread, grasshopper?

Fish Boy

16-Apr-2007
7:06:54 PM

I thought the bolts were handy as the walk down looked pretty bad and my climbing partener said it was. On the rap the ropes got stuck once and they took about 20 mins to free....but it was handy all the same!


nmonteith

16-Apr-2007
7:10:19 PM

I agree with your actions Gerry. The bolted rap stations were a contradiction to the strict no-bolt policy of
the Ben. Having no bolts means there is NO EXCUSE for adding lead bolts to this special cliff.


Vertigo

16-Apr-2007
7:44:02 PM

Im with Neil,Gerry etc.
Sport and bolting go together,Trad and long runouts,high exposure,adventurous lines, long slippery decent gullys and an extreme level of mental clarity/strength are part of traditional climbing.If there is a way off the rock/mountain other than using a rap then we all have a duty to use it.If an absail is the only way,this is when i feel rap bolts are justified.Climbing is not about conveinience ,easy acces etc if you want bolt clipping then quite simply DONT climb at Trad areas.


n00bpwn3r

16-Apr-2007
8:26:54 PM

On 16/04/2007 Vertigo wrote:
>Sport and bolting go together

Don't agree. Maybe overseas, but Australia has a long tradition of "mixed" routes, that is to say bolts would only be placed if there was no other option. This was a truely unique ethic that was developed due to the development of routes/areas by people with little or no experience of climbing overseas. "Sport" climbing only really began to appear in early to mid 90's. If you look at some of the routes put up in the 80's, say like at Turtle or Shinx Rock in Giraween, they are hardly "Sport" routes because the only protection is bolts. The routes could be described as sporty due to the consequences of falling before clipping the first bolt or the 40 odd foot whip topping out onto the last bolt (these examples are face routes, not slabs and were not rehearsed before first ascent). Arapiles is the same, anybody who describes it as a "Traditional" climbing area has probably only climbed in the sub grade 20 bracket.
Basically what I'm saying is, good luck on the no bolting policy (bolting is illegal in all National Parks, not just Tassie) but if I went there and felt that I had to really do a new route and it needed a bolt, I would put it in and not give a rat's arse what other people have told me what I could and couldn't do.
Sqweak (sp?, 'cause be buggered if I can speel Stychesquie??) tried the same at View Point buttress, any bolts there?

garry

16-Apr-2007
8:27:42 PM

You were right Gerry
After much thinking im glad that they have been removed. Now we have one of the biggest and best bolt free areas in australia! After all there are few remaining areas left in the world now a days. I now look forward to pushing the standard with my friends up there
all the best
garry phillips
after all if i want to bolt climb i can go to many other places.

TLockwood

16-Apr-2007
8:32:46 PM

I whole heartedly agree with your comments Gerry, Neil and Heath.

On 16/04/2007 n00bpwn3r wrote:

>if I went there and felt that I had to really do a new route and it needed a bolt, I would
>put it in and not give a rat's arse what other people have told me

well considering your profile says u dont climb trad, its a good thing u wont climb there and ruin the traditional aspect of a cliff i've heard so much about and want to go to one day.


n00bpwn3r

16-Apr-2007
8:38:56 PM

On 16/04/2007 TLockwood wrote:
>
>well considering your profile says u dont climb trad,

If you feel the need to put people into boxes then go right ahead, but I wouldn't believe everthing you read.

Why should one individual impose their values on another? Just because I don't agree with you doesn't make it wrong.


Vertigo

16-Apr-2007
8:47:10 PM

So ,Correct me if im wrong----
The term "sport" when used in climbing,directly relates to the TYPE of climbing ,which is defined by the type of protection used,for example sport is FIXED,permenant,unremoveable pro,
where as Trad is NON-permenant,removable pro,placed as little or as oftem as the (any) climber feels, Incl the descent?

Mixed is a combo of both.

To my knowledge the area this thread is refering to is a Traditional area?

thoughts appreciated Heath


n00bpwn3r

16-Apr-2007
8:54:28 PM

On 16/04/2007 Vertigo wrote:
>So ,Correct me if im wrong----
>The term "sport" when used in climbing,directly relates to the TYPE of
>climbing ,which is defined by the type of protection used,for example sport
>is FIXED,permenant,unremoveable pro,
>where as Trad is NON-permenant,removable pro,placed as little or as oftem
>as the (any) climber feels
Or can!
>, Incl the descent?
>
>Mixed is a combo of both.
>
>To my knowledge the area this thread is refering to is a Traditional area?
>
>thoughts appreciated Heath

Simplistically yes, however the notion of a no fixed protection area is both alien and intrusive to "Traditional" Australian ethics.

There are 114 messages in this topic.