Local Anchor Upgrades

By Mike Schneiter

You know the scenario. You get to the anchor of a pitch of sport climbing at a popular crag, and the lowering ‘biners are heinously worn thin. Your inner dialogue runs through your head, “I’m sure I’ll be okay lowering. I’ll bring some new ones tomorrow.” Time and time again people make the same decision to lower off anchors that are well on their way out and pushing the limits of their strength.

This spring, we began replacing the aluminum carabiners at the top of many of the climbs at Thompson Creek, a popular local sport crag, with steel ones that will have a much longer life span. Thanks to the monetary support of a number of local climbers (who donated between $20 and $100 each) we were able to buy 30 Fixe steel ‘biners, which we then cammoed with a good layer of tan paint.

There’s more work still to be done at Thompson Creek and other local crags to ensure that our anchors are safe and secure. If you’re interested in donating money to additional efforts, leave a comment below and we’ll be in touch.