[MCR] suspect bolts - Echo Canyon - Grotto Mountain

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

While climbing at Echo Canyon yesterday we experienced two potentially problematic bolt issues; one at the Lookout and one at the Hideaway.
 
At the Lookout on the route "Pale Ale" one member of our group took a fall at the sixth bolt. He then bat-manned up the rope to the bolt and when he unweighted the rope to continue climbing, the bolt noticeably popped back into the wall (movement of about 1/8 inch) and a puff of rock dust escaped from the bolt hole. As this was a concern he tried to inspect the bolt after the event, and while there didn't seem to be any obvious defects on the surface, he elected to retreat. There is currently a locking biner on this bolt and it should be treated with some suspicion.
 
At the Hideaway on the route "Buffy Against the Vampires" it was observed that the looker's left anchor bolt was loose. The nut was loose, so I tried to hand-tighten it, but upon further inspection it was quite obvious the entire bolt was loose as I was able to wiggle it back and forth sideways in the rock.
 
I am not sure of the causes for these issues. Is it perhaps frost wedging, faulty bolts, incorrect matching of drill bit size and bolt size, or something else? If anyone has any similar experiences or insight on these events, please share. Hopefully these are isolated events, but it's good to be head's up out there.
 


Jeremy Mackenzie

ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide


 		 	   		  
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