PROJECT::
During 1989, 1990 and 1991, AMGA Certified Rock & USMGA Endorsed Rock Guide Andy Petefish of Tower Guides donated over 300 hours of volunteer time replacing 1/4 inch spinner and home made bolt hangers with cold shuts on Devils Tower. This project was supported by the Board and President Mark Hesse of the American Mountain Foundation, Michael Jimmerson on behalf of the Access Fund, Black Hills Climbing Coalition, and others.
The cost in time and materials to replace one bolt with a high quality Petzl Eye Bolt was about $100 to $200. Andy voluntarily worked to complete this project. If you get around the Tower, you will see his safety work everywhere. Often times right next to an old, often wobbly, and shallowly placed NPS Cabled Lead Anchor Eye Bolt that was bent under heat from cold rolled steel, welded in a local's shop, not heat treated, and then died by hand to fit the shallow lead anchor. No one has any idea how strong these wobbly bolts are since they were not heat treated, x-rayed, and tested, not to mention the fact they were not manufactured by a reputable climbing equipment company for the specific purpose of being used as community technical rock climbing anchors.
Furthermore, many of these bolts have a load applied on a lever as far away as 3" from the fulcrum and at a minimum of 0.75". On the recommendation of the experts at Petzl, Andy took the extra time to carefully counter sink most of the Petzl Eye Bolts so the lever from the fulcrum was between 0.25" to 0.5".
The beautiful, incredibly strong, and expensive 5/8" Petzl Eye Bolts where chosen in agreement by the American Mountain Foundation, Chief Ranger at the time of the NPS & Devils Tower Handbook Author Dick Guilmette, and Andy with the specific idea in mind that multiple parties could use them at the same time on the same stance since one bolt is rated to 4,800 kgs or 10,600 lbs in strength. Two of these bolts were used on each stance where they were placed for a total combined strength of 21,200 lbs. These bolts were designed by Petzl for the French Government for use in their public climbing areas for this very reason. These bolts were also chosen for their minimal visual impact and the fact that a 10.5mm rappel rope could be pulled through the eye of them while a carabiner is attached so one group could be using them for rappelling while another might be clipped into them while waiting to rappel or for belaying.
"We are confident in Andy Petefish's ability to do this project in an environmentally-sensitive manner. All fixed anchors will be camouflaged or painted to match the color of the surrounding rock."
"I understand that other climbing organizations, including the American Mountain Foundation, have endorsed this project. This is appropriate and the Access Fund is likewise committed to this project. We urge you to move this project ahead with all deliberate speed!"
"Moreover, Mr. Petefish is volunteering his time to do this project....."
Michael Jimmerson - President of the Access Fund
"Everyone was impressed with your project and we look forward to helping you with it!"
"We do view Andy's project as addressing a maintenance need and as a distinctly separate issue from that of the placement of hardware on yet to be established or new routes."
"We have reviewed Mr. Petefish's proposal very carefully, and we find Andy's plan to be well organized and in agreement with what is currently thought to be the best and safest method for bolt and anchor replacement given the type of rock in question."
"Given Andy's experience we are certain that he will do an excellent job."
"Best of luck this summer and thanks for your interest the Tower. Believe me, there will be a lot of grateful people!"
Mark Hesse, President of the American Mountain Foundation
The photo shows Andy in 1989 working on replacing a substandard and high profile anchor on Devils Tower's West Face. Andy spent hundreds of hours putting the project together and replacing bolts. These high quality glue in 5/8" Petzl Eye Bolts are time consuming and difficult to put in properly, but provide an extremely strong and visually low impacting community anchor system resource for rock climbers at Devils Tower.
Share & Enjoy the bolts. Plus thank the American Mountain Foundation, Access Fund, Black Hills Climbing Coalition, and Andy Petefish for their creation.