Okay so there is now only one chain at the anchors on shortcut to mushrooms at Chosspile. Not quite sure what exactly happened but I lowered off the chains which looked fine if a little brown but I thought nothing of it. And as we pulled our rope through we heard a metalic sound like gear falling from the sky only to find that it was the chain from the left bolt at the anchor. Pretty scary since I was just lowered off it. The other chain should still be up there. Far as we could see the other bolt is still in the rock face. We suspect the bolt somehow popped off? But we couldn't find it or the washer which presumably took the fall too. Anyway this route is unclimbable till it has new chains. I'd be happy to replace them but I've never bolted a route so obviously I'm not an authority on these things. Assuming the bolts are still good we should just be able to get new nuts, washers and chains?

Spread the word. I don't want anyone getting hurt.

That's scary!
The fact that the bolt 'popped' off only when you pulled the rope is interesting too

One assumes that the lower off anchors are the same type as the bolts that are protecting the route?
In an ISO world, one would probably shut down the entire crag until an investigation into all the bolts at the crag has been done.

To me this is something that needs to be investigated further. I recommend contacting your local MCSA for their input/help and that a temporary freeze be put on climbing at this crag until then.
Finding the bolt, washer & chain that came off the route is important, so they can be analysed and the cause of the failure determined.


FYI: The Anchor Replacement Fund was started after bolt failures in the Western Cape.

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Please can someone investigate this and get some close-up pics for me. My email andyDOTDaviesATeskomDOTcoDOTza.

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AndyDavies

Nearly the Chains at Chospile are old (>15 years?) and are of old rusted skinny cheap hardware chain. For a while we have thought them dodgy. We will replace them, I will speak to Mark Millar (JHB MSCA bolting) and replace all of them with shiny new anchors; Mark has just ordered a load I think. Will keep u posted on progress. Andrew.

Hi Andrew. Glad to hear that some one with real experience is going to be looking in to this. I'm afraid I couldn't get pics as none of us had a camera. I put the chain at the base of the route and we searched in vain for the nut and washer (they could still be there but we couldn't find them).

And Justin while I agree it's pretty weird that it only pulled after I hit the ground I'm not sure this is reason to believe the whole crag is compromised. But then I'm prone to being overly optimistic about stuff. I spoke to an MCSA guy who was at the crag (Ant, I've never known his surname but I've met him on a few occasions). Glad to hear there is someone in charge of bolting at present from an MCSA Joburg (although it suddenly occurs to me that this falls under the Magaliesberg section) standpoint as I was under the false impression that no one was on that account.

I still would like to know what happened so, Andrew, if you do get pics and figure out what happened I'd like to see them.

Thanks guys.
Benjamin.

Q: Did the nut work loose from the bolt (with the chain & nut falling down)
or
Did the bolt break?

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Has there been any other reported anchor failures at Chossplie

There is a plan afoot to head out there on Saturday to investigate the cause of the failure and take the necessary steps to rectify the problem. I believe it is a case of the nut working loose while the rope was being pulled (vibration of the rope through the anchors while the rope was being pulled). If I'm not mistaken this has happened on this route before and the nut/chain was replaced by Joff (a good couple of years ago). So, I'll take some nut-lock with me on Saturday to sort that out if that is the only issue. I'll also be taking a drill and some new anchors along if the anchors need to be replaced, but before we all jump to conclusions lets have a proper look at the anchors and make a decision then.

Anyone keen to help out with carrying kit up to the crag PM me and we can make a plan.

Chrz
Mark Millar

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Open hand, open mind...

I would love to come help but i am sick as a dog. If i am feeling better by saturday. I will send you a message

Well, after all the fuss, it turns out that it was just that the nut had come loose and had obviously rattled loose when pulling the rope. THIS WAS NOT A BOLT FAILURE!! The nut must have been loose (and the chain able to move) when you threaded the chains so give them a check from now on. Also consider buying yourself a size 17 spanner so that you can tighten up loose nuts that you come across . Just keep in mind that you only have to make them snug, you don't have to apply as must force as you can.

The chain has been restored and some 'NutLock' has been applied (to both anchor bolts) to help prevent this happenig again in the future.

I also checked a couple of the bolts that 'look' rusty but they are all still in good shape.

Chrz
Mark

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Open hand, open mind...

Good to hear, thanks for the update.

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Glad to hear its been fixed. I started carrying a leatherman to sport crags for exactly this reason (seems more useful than a spanner, also I never did the research to find out what size spanner I needed). Will be checking anchors more carefully in future. Would've liked to have helped but only saw this post now so thanks Mark. I thought it looked like the bolt was still in the rock face, weird that his route has done this before. I'm hoping to go out there and have another go on that route this weekend it was messy last time cause I was buggered from the 25 a couple routes right of it. You feel a little weak struggling up a 21 next to some guy working a 33 (seriously and not looking too shabby either). Thanks again everyone.