Made possible in part by a $5,000 grant from Ford’s Bronco Wild Fund, The Teton Climbers’ Coalition’s Climbing Area Modernization (CAM) Program continued its dedicated efforts throughout 2023, focusing extensively on the Blacktail Butte and Rodeo Wall areas.
The CAM Project is an ongoing initiative to ensure the safety of Jackson Hole climbers by replacing suspect hardware—a top priority of the Teton climbing community. In 2022 alone, the CAM Project replaced nearly 100 bolts and anchors on nine routes on the Crackin’ the Cherry and Rock Candy Nugget walls at Blacktail Butte.
In 2023, a team of dedicated community members finished the Crackin’ the Cherry and Rock Candy Nugget walls at Blacktail Butte. State-of-the-art hardware, including the installation of mussy hook drop-in anchors, has replaced lead bolts and top anchors across multiple routes, significantly enhancing safety measures.
At Rodeo Wall, volunteers from the CAM Project successfully installed mussy hook drop-in anchors on approximately half of the routes, further elevating safety standards at this popular climbing area.
“Almost half the routes we replaced had rusted quarter-inch bolts,” shared Garrick Hart, TCC board member, and CAM Project coordinator. “Some chain link anchors had bolts extending only an inch into the rock when they should have been three inches.”
Looking ahead to 2024, the TCC aims to continue its efforts by completing drop-in anchor installations for the remaining routes at Rodeo Wall. Additionally, plans include anchor replacements at the Hoback Shield and finalizing the Upper Blacktail Butte hardware replacement on the Wild at Heart wall in autumn 2024.
The Climbing Area Modernization Project remains an ongoing initiative prioritizing the safety and well-being of climbers in Jackson Hole. The generous support from Ford’s Bronco Wild Fund underscores a shared commitment to the climbing community’s safety and the preservation of Jackson Hole’s cherished climbing areas.