What's the modus operandi with bolting at Higgovale Quarry? Are there any persons or organisations who need to grant permission, or can anyone bolt?

No formal permission needed then? I have a line that I'd like to go bolt

Hi The Jimmy

Not sure what the procedure is with a new line. Obviously rebolting exisiting lines needs to go through ARF. I'm sure some kind of permission needs to be granted by MCSA(or whoever) to bolt a new line.

May I ask which new line in the quarry you are thinking of bolting and on which wall ?
cheers

Hi All,

An email discussion was had and the following was decided:

Strictly speaking there is no process for bolting at the Quarry (note that the Quarry is apparently part of the Park).
For the sake of not making a mess of the place, post your intentions here with a picture of the line you intend to bolt and we (your peers) will pass comment.
Generally there shouldn’t be any problems, but just in case someone knows of something you don’t (in the case of the quarry - a large loose flake!)
There may also be an environmental or ethical issues.

**Please Note:
This is for the Higgovale Quarry only and is not the case at any other area.

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Thanks Paul and Justin. I worked the line on toprope to make sure it would go, but unfortunately did not take a picture of it. Will post one in due course

Hi Again The Jimmy

I have spent a bit of time there of late. I am wondering where the line would be ? Give me a shout if you want to hook up and go check it out this weekend, maybe Friday morning. I stay less than 3km's away. Otherwise please post a pic with the new line.
cheers & thanks

I'm glad that folk are actually asking questions like this.

Just so that it's clear, in terms of the signed agreement (the Sport Climbing Management Plan) with Parks there *is* in fact a process. It's formal and quite specific, actually.

Formalities aside, the important thing is that people respect the climbing areas, bolt with ethics and safety in mind (especially relevant at the quarry, which is dangerously loose on a large scale - whole routes have fallen down) and with environmental concerns uppermost in mind.

The MCSA will probably move away from their previous role of 'policing' the climbing community. SANParks management has clearly demonstrated that they have little or no respect for the huge amount of work the MCSA has done for the park in the past.

I feel it's time that we, as part of the climbing community, go back to regulating ourselves based on a higher set of principles than mere 'Park rules'.

cheers
b

@ Paul: Cool, I sent you a pm

@ Brent: Is there maybe a written bolting policy that could be posted on this site? It would be very helpful to know who to approach and what procedures to follow for permission to bolt in the different climbing areas.

Below is a pic with a (very badly drawn) idea of the line I want to bolt at Higgovale. It's on the wall to the right of the main Polling Booth wall and runs up a slabby blank bit with thin holds. I inspected it and the rock looks good - no loose bits or dodgy refrigerator-sized flakes. It'll definitely be some fun and interesting climbing.

What say ye?

Hey TJ. Will be there Sunday a.m. If all goes to plan for you and you need a hand. Know nothing about bolting, but able to buy beer etc.

Thanks Wurgle, beer is always welcome. Mmm, this gives me an idea for a Black Label ad...

Anyway, The Powers That Be need to give me the go-ahead first though. Anybody have any objections to me bolting this route?

WRT the route position and bolting it, et al everything looks fine - no objections from me.
(what grade are you expecting this route to be?)
J

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Thats a sick line, Played on some of it before, I doubt ARF would touch it, as it has chipped holds low down but it looks like a classic slab problem. Blot it! Do a good job, make safe, enjoy!

There are a couple of cool lines on the rightish end of that whole wall, also some benevolent soul should re-equip the lines with missing hangers on the far right. Wotsup with those routes these days?

Awesome, thanks for the positive replies!

@ Justin: It should be somewhere in the mid-20's I think. Not the hardest, but some different climbing and a nice addition to the crag I think.

@ XMod: I must've missed the chipped holds, can't remember seeing them (or I thought they were natural). Isn't the whole crag one big chipped hold?! Anyways, I don't want to split hairs, maybe the ARF will take pity on the line one day.

Cheers!

I think there are chipped holds along the base which was a bouldering traverse, not sure if youre line will use them. Who knows maybe arf would bolt it, I just remember them saying they werent going to do one route there coz it was chipped? Anyhoo that line looks fun, all crimpy and cranky and stuff.

Advice: consider using 90mm bolts (should use them anyway) if the rock seems at all soft or crumbly, watch out for flakes with the dreaded green algae underneath, they fall off! Toprope the line a few times first to make sure its sound, nothing worse than putting the pins in only to have your toy break! Been there - sux!

maybe the ARF will take pity on the line one day = do nothing ....Kiff, as expected

, thought you were lifting the game.

As far as I know the line is getting bolted tomorrow. It's going to get climbed regardless of the ARF rebolting in 20 years time or not.

Last thing...
What bolts will you be using?

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Howdy Gents

Autocratic scum & Marshall1, don't be too harsh gents. When last were you at the quarry ? Perhaps you guys are not from CPT so no worries.

The ARF in fact rebolted the 8 best (most popular) lines at the quarry in October 2008 and did a superb job of it. They then returned about 6 weeks ago to finish off another route. The quarry is now a much safer place to climb thanks to their efforts.
I think their policy was to not rebolt the chipped routes which you cannot disagree with and no, I'm not a member of the MCSA.
Cheers

Ja easy on Derek old bean, I think what was meant was hopefully one day the ARF will rebolt when needed regardless of the chipped holds (if the line even uses any!). I reckon if the bolter did not do the chipping (those holds were chipped yonks ago) then its all above board, it is a quarry after all.

Justins question is super valid tho, if you guys hit any really soft rock (the drill just sinks quickly in with little or no effort) then rather call on one of the ARF certified guys and put a glue in in. Some of the rock in that quarry is not cool. Anyway hope it goes well guys!

So after bolting and opening the line as per the posts above (now named 20% for Woodwork, 25, and a nice addition to the crag ) I've spied some more face climbs at the quarry that I'd like to bolt. I'm really itching to sink some bolts into one brickhard line in particular that I've checked on toprope...

Can I go ahead? All the normal preqautions wrt safety, rock quality, etc etc. will of course be taken. There is scope for a few more quality (and really hard) lines at Higgovale that I'd like to equip in the future.

No responses yet, so maybe a little more info...:

The line I'm really interested in bolting goes straight up the middle of the big blank-looking face to the right of Another Nefarious Crack.

Does anyone have any objections to me bolting it?

Isnt that what you bolted already???? There are three possible lines on that face, the thin face immediately right of the crack and another two just right of that again going up through some pockets/holes in a bulge. There are some other possibilities on the clean grey face 20m right of this near the two newer routes there. Also what has happened to the arete and and other route on the extreme right (right of the entrance - looking North), these had hangers removed by the FA as he wanted to use the equipment elsewhere, the arete looks quite good, maybe re-equip those with hangers before opening more stuff?? - Or do both.

Surely you go through the normal channels of contacting the MCSA rock subcom before bolting. Contact Brent Jennings (posted on previous page) for details.

Hi XMod, no, the line I bolted previously is way more over to the right. (See the photo). I don't think I 'll be bolting or equiping anything on or near the aretes, but anyone else is welcome to. I'm more interested in the faces.

Just to clear things up, below is a pic of the line I want to bolt. Thanks for the advice, I'll contact Brent. But if anyone else on this forum have the authority to give the go-ahead, I'd really appreciate it!

[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_EIs-bYDV5tc/SiOyKwk-xXE/AAAAAAAAACc/z4i2rW2ToPE/s144-.jpg[/img]

I keep getting asked about 'policy' regarding who to contact when wishing to bolt a route.

Officially: if it's part of the TMNPark (as Higgovale is), then they need to grant permission. This can be done via the MCSA Sport Climbing subcom. Just contact Mark Johnstone, or Andy Davies, Douw Steyn, Alison Hughes or myself.

The MCSA is doing a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure we can still go climbing in areas where the authorities aren't exactly enthusiastic about having us there. So please respect the mountain environment (even if it IS a scruffy quarry) - for our own sake and that of the crags themselves.

cheers
~b

Hi Brent, I sent you a pm.