Old-School Climber Pushes Back on Snake Dike Bolting Surge

Eric Beck, a member of the 1965 Snake Dike first ascent on Half Dome, pushes back on the recent wave of retrobolting by Eric Sloan, arguing that the route’s protection was intentionally minimal; Sloan reportedly added about 13 bolts across pitches 1–3, far more than the original two protection bolts and a mid‑way anchor, prompting Beck to warn that the changes may exceed the route’s historical intent and that any bolt removal should be done by someone skilled at rock repair.