Bolts on Broad Stand

[The Navigator]

Maybe its time that people attempting the BG alow the extra few minutes to go via Foxes Tarn/Lords Rake as every year ropes get left in place.

On my BG I was going to climb it without ropes but it was too wet so went via Lords Rake, no big deal.

Agree entirely Bill.
If you need a rope to get up, or its too wet on the day you should go round.

[Nee Bother]

Maybe its time that people attempting the BG alow the extra few minutes to go via Foxes Tarn/Lords Rake as every year ropes get left in place.

On my BG I was going to climb it without ropes but it was too wet so went via Lords Rake, no big deal.

Lords Rake for me anyway, I think its just as quick as messing about, i'm not a climber tho'

Think they should be (carefully) taken out by some-one who knows how to,
and possibly a word in the next fellrunner mag.

[XRunner]

Here is a set of pictures showing how to bolt up Broad Stand without using any bolts!

[Donkarlo]

Last Tuesday the 26th I noticed a bolt in place with a mailon attached I had heard that some ropes were in situ, although this was not so, although there were two ropes coiled at the bottom that looked as though they had been cut. Definitely a bad show.

[Bobert]

On Monday 25th may i could see from the MR rescue box a black line running out left from the top of fat mans agony around the step and then going up into the corner. Two other ropes were hanging down the tricky corner. I decided to go up that way and after leaving fat man's, there was a bolt set back in the corner. A brand new black rope was attached to this bolt and then ran out left and up and over the tricky corner. At various intervals a loop had been made in the rope to assist whoever had passed this way. I made the move up the corner (sans rope) but didn't bother to investigate what it was attached to at the top. Having been a rock climber in another life i was surprised to see a bolt. I'm used to seeing bolts on welsh slate or on the continent, but not on a Lakeland crag where there is an abundance of natural features (cracks, flakes) to attach ones gear to. In my opinion this rope had been in place that weekend and that weekend only. So possibly placed for a BG attempt. The bolt however looked like it had been there for some time. If this is by a BG'er then they must also have some rock climbing credentials to have knowledge of bolts and placing them. They are probably also fully aware of the ethics of British Trad climbing and that it is a big NO! I'm going that way again on saturday so will have another look with my pair of Inov8 bolt cutters.

[IanDarkpeak]

Last Tuesday the 26th I noticed a bolt in place with a mailon attached I had heard that some ropes were in situ, although this was not so, although there were two ropes coiled at the bottom that looked as though they had been cut. Definitely a bad show.

Interesting as Mailons are not really used by climbers as part of their normal kit but cavers do use them!!

Not casting aspertions but they should also know better and tend to be climbers also. Fat mans agony has a caving feel to it

[Pudgy]

And black abseil rope gets used by the Army, who I've also seen chucking recruits up Broad Stand (although I don't think the instructors like using ropes, as they enjoy seeing their charges quiver)

[Bob]

It would be interesting to see some pictures of the actual bolts to see what has been placed. It is also of use in what kit to take up to remove them. The use of a maillon is probably indicates that the hanger is of a "plate" type ( http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Detailed/2270.html) rather than the bolt being held in by resin (http://www.rockclimbing.com/gear/Detailed/2269.html ) and capable of having a rope threaded through the eye.

[Lola]

I climbed a fair bit in my long gone teenage years and you would have been lynched with your own rope for even knowing how to place a bolt; pegs were for washing and Climber and Rambler was full of discussion about mechanical cams.

If the pre-war lads could get up a route with rope and nailed boots, artificial aid should NEVER be used; if you can't crack a route, train until you can.

I have very much lost my head for heights these days and refuse to use a top rope (personal choice, not a dig at anybody) so for a BG attempt I will loose time. Perhaps on another thread to avoid distraction from THAT BOLT, what do we reckon is the least painful/time wasting alternative?

[elliptic]

Note on terminology for those less familiar with climbing kit:-

"Bolt" means an expansion bolt for which a hole has been drilled. Very, very bad as explained above.

A "peg" or "piton" is hammered into a pre-existing crack. Slightly less bad but still unacceptable here.

In this case (I saw them on Saturday morning):-

There are two bolts, one at the exit to easy ground above the corner and one down below, and a peg a few feet lower than the top bolt.

The bolt are typical petzl-style with stainless hangers, and appear to be well placed.

The peg is slightly archaic looking and has two maillons attached, both rusty. It's quite poorly placed (sticks out a lot) and looks more like a "guide" placement than a main anchor (I wouldn't trust it).

There are some lengths of tatty looking rope in the deep crack behind the lower platform, where you emerge from Fat Mans Agony. Didn't look like black static line though, just ordinary climbing rope - probably abandoned by someone else having an epic.