Anchor Work in Colorado's Flatirons - July 2009

On July 11, I upgraded all 8 protection bolts and anchor bolts with Anchor Replacement Initiative hardware on the old-school 5.11d sport route Whipping Post, on the Slab, Fern Canyon, Flatirons, Colorado. The anchors now have stainless-steel ring-and-chain set-ups. All bolts are 1/2" by 2.75" stainless. Old bolts removed and holes camo'ed.

It was a hot-ass day, but we got up there in the shade (100 million thanks to Kristin for helping lug the kit and running support) and got to work on a quiet morning. I moved the anchor about four feet right, away from the onion-skin rock it was in. The old anchor was "adequate" but when I drilled a new one next to it, the outer plate of rock cracked - sketch. I’d been working off that new anchor all morning before discovering it was bad, when brushing some rock dust away. I’m glad it didn’t fail while I was jugging.

I dropped a draw and a biner from high up and had to rush out of there, so forgot to pick them up. If anyone finds a Wild Country ultralight (red-and-white draw) in the woods and some sorta wiregate, I'd sure love them back - good karma will return to you!

Matt Samet, Boulder, Colorado