Anchors: Climbing Majority Podcast

During the Spring of 2026, Drew Brodhead, Anchor Maintenance Coordinator for the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, recently sat down with the Climbing Majority Podcast to discuss what it actually looks like to maintain climbing infrastructure in the Wasatch. In the conversation, he shared insights from leading the organization’s rebolting and anchor maintenance program, and explored how teams balance safety, route character, and long-term stewardship of fixed gear in a complex alpine environment.

Brodhead explained that much of his philosophy is shaped by ideas like those of Boone Speed: if it’s scary, leave it the same; if it’s dangerous, change something. He also discussed the importance of communication and community trust in rebolting decisions, especially in areas like Logan Canyon, where individual actions can have broader implications for access and relationships with land managers. From classic alpine objectives such as the Half Dome Northwest Face to wider stewardship and advocacy efforts like the Protect America's Rock Climbing Act and conservation work in places such as Bears Ears National Monument, the conversation highlighted the ongoing tension between access, ethics, and responsibility in modern climbing management.

Listen to the episode: https://theclimbingmajority.com/podcast/117-117-drew-brodhead-slca-coordinator-anchor-maintenance-climbing-advocacy

Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRDsj9m7cQo