[David J]

The state of climbing bolts at Titahi Bay can generally described at best as ‘historic’ and certainly not up to current best practice, which has evolved significatly over the last few years since NZAC first published their bolting guidelines.
So a few people have got together to start dealing with this by rebolting some of the more frequently used areas to get them up to scatch.

In the process started running into some issues imposed by the likes of health and safety, and other, regulations with what land owners are, or are not, prepared to allow to happen on their land and what level of risk and responsibility they were required to take on by law vs what climbers traditionally taken on as self responsibility. You may have seen some press recently regarding access to climbing responsibility for maintaining bolts.

A group called the “Wellington Coastal Climbers” has been formed and is working closely with GWRC (landowner) to get this first phase of bolt maintenance started.
Wellington Coastal Climbers currently has representatives from NZAC Wellington, Tararua Tramping Club (TTC) and Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering Club (WTMC).

There will be an ongoing effort to setup and maintain this group along with the relationship with GWRC, and ultimately allow continued use of Titahi Bay as a climbing destination.

The current work is currently scheduled for 12 November with fallback dates of 25/26 November.
We will primarily be working in the areas around The Slab and the area to the right of Gobey’s Nose (Limpet Groove and Plimsoll area) as well as the Gobey’s Nose belay.
The bolts will be replaced with glue-in titanium bolts which are the current international best practice for coastal areas.

Signs will be placed at the top of the access tracks and also on the bolts that have been replaced to warn climbers not to use them until the glue has achieved full strength.
Thanks to TTC for the effort in getting things going and for purchasing the bolts that make this work possible.

[Author]

Posts