In collaboration with the German Alpine Club (DAV), the UIAA Safety Commission (SafeCom) has supported the translation and publication of a new bolting guide.
The document titled ‘Bolts: A guide to installing and replacing bolts on climbing routes’ was originally published in German by the DAV. During the recent UIAA SafeCom meetings in Chamonix, France – which marked 50 years of the Commission’s history – the English language version of the guide was officially published.
The document forms part of the UIAA’s commitment to providing a wealth of information related to bolting and ties in with the federation’s longstanding development of rock anchors standards and notably research in the areas of corrosion and stress cracking failure. Please see the dedicated website page for more information.
About the Guide
Bolts have been used for over 50 years in climbing and mountaineering. Especially in the past, bolts have often been a point of contention in passionate discussions about climbing ethics, because bolts make it possible to climb routes that would be impossible to protect without leaving a scar in the rock. This accessibility made possible by bolting accelerated the rapid development of modern sport climbing with routes up to the highest levels of difficulty. The sport of climbing thus changed from the exotic hobby of a few individuals to a popular sport thanks to the safety provided by bolts.
Again and again, accidents with failed and damaged bolts have been reported to the German Alpine Club (DAV); these bolts have been collected and evaluated by DAV Safety Research Department. The resulting knowledge has already been incorporated into the publication “More safety in mountaineering“ in 1995, and in 2009 the first “Bolt Brochure“ (Bohrhakenbroschüre) was published as a guide to bolt installation. Much has happened since then: bonding agents tested at the time for glue-in bolts are no longer available on the market; the standard for bolts has been repeatedly revised; some bolt systems have become accepted; others are no longer used; bolt failures have been analyzed; questionable bolt systems have been reviewed. With this new edition of the bolt brochure, the UIAA and the DAV Safety Research Department summarise the current state of bolting.
Through this brochure and other measures, the UIAA and the DAV strive to provide information and guidance to increase awareness and improve safety.
Chapters in the Guide
Topics covered in the guide include:
- Overview of bolt types/history of bolts
- Glue-in bolts
- Mechanical bolts
- Bolt corrosion
- Types of rock
- Advantages and disadvantages of the bolt systems
- Placing bolts
- Conservation aspects
- Climbing ethical aspects
Download the document here.
