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mikemachineco
Apr 2, 2004, 3:11 PM
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I just got back from spending ten days in Zion. On Friday, March 19th my buddy and I were racking up at the Great White Throne Viewpoint to climb Organasm (what a sweet roof!) when we heard the distinct ring of iron being hammered. You could tell the sound was coming from Touchstone Wall and I was shocked that someone would be practicing nailing on a classic Zion clean route. The sound ended soon after but we saw two groups on the climb, one high up and moving fast and another climbing the second pitch. We ended up talking to a girl in the parking lot who was waiting and watching for a couple of climbers on Touchstone. She said she was waiting for a couple of guys who were climbing Touchstone and that this was their second day on the route because they had difficulty with the second pitch, which is rated C2. She told us that they were (I'll never forget her words) "fixing it" by putting in some bolts. She said the route was really screwed up but that we should go climb it now that her friends were "fixing it." I was flabergasted to say the least that someone would add bolts to a classic route to bring it down to their level. Later that week a couple of friends climbed Touchstone and told me there are three new drilled angles. Two of them are located under the roof in the traverse, thereby allowing you to skip the RURP and some of the aid moves in the pods. The third is above the roof and it makes it so you don't have to high step or anything to clip the fixed pin above the roof. I hope I've adequately described the location of the new drilled angles. I thought some local would have chopped them within days but I don't think there was a lot of traffic on Touchstone after they put the angles in. I think my friends were some of the first people to climb it after the new angles and anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed the difference. So, just thought I would post this to see what people thought because Touchstone is such a classic and popular route in Zion, and surely one that many people on rc.com have climbed. Personally, I kind of hate to see such a fun route be "dumbed down." The C2 isn't very hard and now it's even easier with the new drilled angles. That's all.
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vegastradguy
Apr 2, 2004, 3:16 PM
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That's messed up. It'd be one thing if the RURP blew out and something needed to be fixed there (although, i'm not sure about the solution to that, either....), but to place 3 new pins just because you dont like the move? that's just...well...pathetic and messed up.
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tedc
Apr 2, 2004, 3:46 PM
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I imagine it will be "fixed" back to the way it was VERY soon.
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funk29
Apr 20, 2004, 9:18 PM
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The word is that Ron placed them.
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brianinslc
Apr 20, 2004, 9:22 PM
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In reply to: The word is that Ron placed them. 'Bout the only one down there who still places drilled angles instead of bolts. His old stock of SMC baby angles are starting to break...word to the wise...(saw half of one a feller body weight busted from Spaceshot last fall). Me likey the ASCA job on Moonlight...! Stainless fatties. Yummy. Brian in SLC
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mother_sheep
Apr 20, 2004, 9:26 PM
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And the route became classic just the way it was. If they were having that much trouble on P2, they should have considered another route and perhaps brushing up on their aid skills instead. Idiots! Do you have to get permission to do that in a National Park?
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brianinslc
Apr 20, 2004, 9:35 PM
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In reply to: And the route became classic just the way it was. If they were having that much trouble on P2, they should have considered another route and perhaps brushing up on their aid skills instead. Idiots! You mean, with old railroad spikes instead of pitons and/or a bolt ladder (ie the crack over to the right)? Ha ha... That rurp was a timebomb and fixed and glued and refixed... HAFWAN... Perhaps you don't realize that its been suggested the person adding the drilled angles did the original FA of the route, solo....and routinely maintains "his" routes as he sees fit? Er something.
In reply to: Do you have to get permission to do that in a National Park To do what? Climb? Or add fixed anchors? In the case of Zion, nope. Cheers! Brian in SLC
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mikemachineco
Apr 20, 2004, 9:41 PM
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I don't think it was Ron, the FA, because they looked like a couple of young guys and it was pretty clear to us that the reason they were drilling the new angles was because they were having a hard time with the aid on P2. The RURP is still there and the new drilled angles are immediately after the RURP so that you can make a long reach to skip the RURP.
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dsafanda
Apr 20, 2004, 10:32 PM
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Registered: Mar 6, 2002
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Something in this story doesn't make sense. I'm having a hard time believing that someone who has the knowledge to competently place drilled angles is in fact some first time aid climber who is scared of C2.
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chitlinsconcarne
Apr 21, 2004, 6:23 AM
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Registered: Jun 16, 2003
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I'm having a hard time believing that someone believes that there are any c2 pitches on touchstone.
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