Trad Ethics Vs Common Sense (if such a think exists...)

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 Holdtickler 28 Aug 2022

A few years ago, whilst on a training course on Stanage, the trainer drew the group's attention to a particularly dangerous anchor that had been the cause of a tragic fatality in the past. IIRC it was above the very popular Heaven Crack. The issue is that there is a large egg shaped boulder, which is oriented so that the pointy end faces away from the edge. If the boulder is slung as a spike over the pointy end (rather than around it's base), and loaded, there is/was enough leverage for the boulder to rock all the way forwards and release the sling. The rock looks big and heavy enough that some may (unwisely) decide that it could be suitable as a single point anchor.

There was someone belaying on the route at the time, with the anchor arranged in the exact dangerous way described above but thankfully the 2nd was just topping out. This left me thinking, if there is a hidden danger like this at the top of a classic lower grade route, why on earth don't we just reorientate the boulder, or jam it into a crack/depression where we know it won't budge so we can be sure that there won't be a repeat of this tragic event. I know it's not generally accepted to move boulders from the spot that nature plonked them but in cases like this, I can't see anyone minding, caring or even noticing if one of the 1000s of boulders on top of Stanage was slightly rearranged.

I'm not suggesting we sanitise all climbing, eliminate all risks along with the adventure, thin end of the wedge... but I think it might be worth exploring whether there are some specific situations like this where our ethics should yield to a bit of common sense. Thoughts..?

edit: typo

Post edited at 11:22
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 The Pylon King 28 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

Just do it. A storm may have moved it in the night.

2
OP Holdtickler 28 Aug 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

Cheers, I would if my legs could carry me that far!

 robert-hutton 28 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

Trainers are paid to talk, its up to you to sieve the wheat from the chaff.

3
 Iamgregp 28 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

Seems like common sense to me.  

If there’s something benign looking at the top of an easy route, that’s potentially fatal it’s only a matter of time before tragedy happens again.

If I was a friend or family member of the deceased I’d have rolled the f’ing thing off the edge.

Ethics are important but not as important as not dying. And this is a very, very specific situation so I don’t see it as a “thin end of the wedge”.

 deepsoup 28 Aug 2022
In reply to The Pylon King:

> A storm may have moved it in the night.

There have been a few storms since that particular boulder was discussed at some length on here <checks notes> a little over 12 years ago.  But sure, could happen any day now.

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/rock_talk/loose_boulder_at_stanage_heaven...

 Michael Hood 28 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

I thought the boulder in question had been re-aligned so that it couldn't rock - I can remember unsuccessfully trying to rock it after the aforementioned thread (*) but that may have just been me not loading it in the right (sic) way.

If it hasn't been suitably re-aligned then it is indeed still potentially dangerous because it gave absolutely no indication of its dynamic capabilities.

Edit: Yea gods was that really 12 years ago - someone please tell me there was another thread on the same subject in the meantime ☹

Post edited at 21:18
OP Holdtickler 29 Aug 2022
In reply to Michael Hood:

It looks like there's more history to this boulder than I thought. I didn't realised it had originally been an opening thread. My course was 2 years ago and at that time I think the boulder in question was standing alone. It sounds like there could still be a potential for it to rock and release the sling though if slung the wrong way if my trainer was correct about it. Because it was in use at the time and we were a group, I didn't get chance to get close and have a good look unfortunately. 

 ExiledScot 29 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

Stuff like this is best done without saying a word, or starting threads, otherwise those void of common sense see it as a green light to cleanse every crag.

PS. Just go up at night or in the worst weather imaginable to resolve the matter. 

 Michael Hood 29 Aug 2022
In reply to Holdtickler:

I'm pretty sure my "examination" was more than 2 years ago, maybe that boulder's never had a totally stable orientation.

I think (but not strong enough memories to be certain) that I've seen that boulder when it was "open" and when it was threadable - but since I usually solo Heaven Crack (VD) (why is it only 30' long), I don't tend to look at the belays.


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