Old-School Climber Pushes Back on Snake Dike Bolting Surge
TL;DR
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.
- First Ascentionist Pushes Back on Heavy Retrobolting of Snake Dike Gripped Climbing Magazine
- A Wild Bolt War Is Brewing on Yosemite’s Half Dome. We Spoke to the One Climber Who Can Stop It. Climbing Magazine
- Yosemite’s Famous Snake Dike is Getting More Bolts Gripped Climbing Magazine
- Start of Snake Dike Gripped Climbing Magazine
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