[miso soup]

You're high up on a sport route and get to a move you can't do.  You call for the clip stick.  Standard practice seems to be to clip a sling into the bolt you're at then lower the rope down so your belayer can put the stick on it for you to haul up.  My inner guide tells me this is a bit sub-kosher because you're only on one point.  A possible alternative would be to have a sling long enough that you can hang off the bolt you're at down to the level of the previous bolt and then clove hitch the rope to that one, but then you'd probably want to pull back up to do the clipping.  And I've never seen anyone actually do this.  What do people do in this situation?

[WilliCrater]

I usually lower to the bolt below, clove hitch rope into harness (thus attaching me to bolt above) and use a sling or QD to attach myself to current bolt.  Lower a loop of rope to partner so I can haul up the clip stick, then reclimb (or haul) back up to bolt above.

[Muenchener]

I do (a), but my inner guide agrees with yours about it.

Otoh we have single bolt lower-offs in the Frankenjura & most people seem to be fine with those.

[ghisino]

Otoh we have single bolt lower-offs in the Frankenjura & most people seem to be fine with those.

Bolting wise i remember a few things in the fj which were on the fine line between acceptable and dangerous. The highlight being a close to the ground, crux-protecting bolt sticking one inch out, very loose nut and hanger. It looked like it may pop out just by aiding it. And it was on a popular route (king lui 8+/9-). Lowering off a single good bolt didn't shock me in comparison.

[lagerstarfish]

I usually lower to the bolt below, clove hitch rope into harness (thus attaching me to bolt above) and use a sling or QD to attach myself to current bolt.  Lower a loop of rope to partner so I can haul up the clip stick, then reclimb (or haul) back up to bolt above.

 

[dave]

I have always just clipped into the bolt and dropped a bight of rope. At the end of the day if you're expecting the bolts to fail then why are you even on the route?

[Muenchener]

Bolting wise i remember a few things in the fj which were on the fine line between acceptable and dangerous.

Same concern for me on a route I’m looking at at the moment. There’s a bolt that had a very loose hanger  – I tightened the nut up, but I don’t know enough about types of bolt to know whether that means it’s now ok again. There are hard moves above and to the right of the bolt, I wonder if swinging falls might be unscrewing it? Otoh I don’t think it’s a route that sees much traffic.

The route has cool moves and I’d quite like to do it. But the (maybe) dodgy bolt is the first and fairly high; if it fails you’re unlikely to die but you’d get hurt for sure. I’m not sure whether it’s worth it.

Sorry miso for the OT – but it’s not that OT, it’s still about judgement of safety margins in sport climbing.

[creedence]

Bolting wise i remember a few things in the fj which were on the fine line between acceptable and dangerous.

Same concern for me on a route I’m looking at at the moment. There’s a bolt that had a very loose hanger  – I tightened the nut up, but I don’t know enough about types of bolt to know whether that means it’s now ok again. There are hard moves above and to the right of the bolt, I wonder if swinging falls might be unscrewing it? Otoh I don’t think it’s a route that sees much traffic.

The route has cool moves and I’d quite like to do it. But the (maybe) dodgy bolt is the first and fairly high; if it fails you’re unlikely to die but you’d get hurt for sure. I’m not sure whether it’s worth it.

Sorry miso for the OT – but it’s not that OT, it’s still about judgement of safety margins in sport climbing.

How far above the dodgy one is the next bolt?
I have heard of people running a long sling down from the bolt above to the lower quickdraw to back up the dodgy bolt.  If you see what I mean.

[Muenchener]

Good idea. Would have to be a pretty long sling though.

[petejh]

Muench - next time you go check to see if there's a washer behind the nut on the bolt. If not the nut will repeatedly work loose no matter how often people re-tighten it. If you're going to put a washer on get a stainless one, as a galv one will react and corrode.

Stick clipping, I've always hung off just the one bolt. I wouldn't recommend it though.

[Muenchener]

Thanks. Flat or spring washer?

[Bonjoy]

 Even with a washer some nuts will repeatedly work loose if prone to being loaded in different directions. I prefer to replace these ones wih nyloc nuts

[petejh]

Flat. This also ^^

[SA Chris]

Just climb up to the next bolt and clip into that for safety?

[Muenchener]

That's generally what motivates me to keep going

[miso soup]

Thanks hive mind, I shall adopt the Willicrater/Lagerstarfish method.