Anchor Maintenance: Hardware Wall

During the week of July 14–18, 2025 the anchor crew headed north to Blacksmith Fork Canyon, located east of Hyrum in northern Utah. The team spent the week working at Hardware Wall, up the Left Hand Fork. This relatively secluded zone offers a great selection of north-facing limestone — perfect for sport climbers seeking shade, excellent stone, and a mix of short and long routes.

We received invaluable insight from the Northern Utah Climbers Alliance about bolt placements, loose rock, poor clipping stances, and prior anchor updates. Thanks to their input, the crew was able to service nearly the entire wall. Only three routes were left untouched: Native American Graffiti, Hardman, and Sandwich were not visited. On Q.C.C., only the anchors were replaced.

Highlights from the week include anchor and bolt replacements on the crimp classic Gray Matter (5.12b) and the long testpiece Voyager One (5.13-). Throughout the area, we encountered numerous issues, including stacked washers under modern lower-offs, spinning and misaligned bolts, and significant rust. On routes like Gray Hound (5.12c) and Rain Dance (5.12b/c), we adjusted bolt placements to improve clipping stances and avoid questionable rock. On Hold Your Fire (5.11c), all bolts were shifted right to follow the natural line, improve rock quality, and allow for a more logical finish at the chains.

We hope these upgrades give you the confidence to push your climbing on the new Team-Tough glue-in bolts. Climb on and enjoy!