Anchors: : LCC - Intensive Care Slab Area

During the week of May 4–8, 2026, the anchor crew headed to the far corners of the Gate Buttress area, focusing efforts on the Intensive Care and Gargoyle areas. Despite fickle weather early in the week and the long approach, the crew replaced 50 bolts and maintained 17 additional bolts.

The Intensive Care area sits high above Gargoyle Gully, offering quality slab climbing punctuated by occasional chicken heads and cracks. Routes on the main Intensive Care slab — including Burn Unit, Intensive Care, and Shock Trauma — have now been updated, replaced, or maintained by the SLCA and other parties. Any hardware replaced by the SLCA was upgraded to 1/2” stainless steel sleeve bolts with gray hangers. During this visit, the crew also added an anchor to the top of the 1965 Ralph Tingey and Rick Ream route, CDFT Route, eliminating the need to descend via slung bushes after climbing the second chimney pitch.

While in the area, the team also visited the Gargoyle area and updated the anchors on its namesake route, Gargoyle. Quite possibly the best 5.11c crack climb in the canyon, the first set of anchors — including the slung horn extension on the first pitch — were upgraded with 5-piece bolts. Cloister’s single button head bolt was replaced as well. These classic crack climbs are now better equipped for future generations of climbers.