Drew Brodhead is the Staff Advocacy Coordinator and Anchor Maintenance Coordinator for the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, one of the most respected local climbing organizations in the country. With 18+ years of climbing experience and SPRAT Level 3 certification, Drew leads a professional anchor maintenance program that rebolts routes across the Wasatch Range April through November. This episode explores what it actually means to professionally maintain climbing infrastructure, the ethics of rebolting existing routes, and why Drew believes climbing is a privilege—not a right.
We discuss Drew's philosophy that if it's scary, leave it the same; if it's dangerous, change something—a quote from Boone Speed that guides how SLCA approaches rebolting decisions. Drew explains the difference between maintaining safety and preserving the climbing experience, why once bolts are placed they become community property, and how first ascensionists who refuse to allow rebolting create liability when climbers get hurt on deteriorating anchors.
We dig into the tension between access and advocacy, including the Logan Canyon rebolting controversy where an individual's well-intentioned work triggered land manager scrutiny because of poor communication with the climbing community. An example of how one mistake can ripple across the entire country.
🎙️Watch the full episode on YouTube OR listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.
Climbing Access | Climbing Advocacy | Rebolting | Retrobolting
#rockclimbing
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@abrodhea (the Anchor Maintenance Coordinator for the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance) texted me these photos of a really wild old bolt that he upgraded recently in the Salt Lake City area and agreed to let me share photos of it. Look at this bolt that was tightened with a flat head screwdriver! It’s my first time seeing photos of one of these. He said the bolt head popped off when trying to remove it with a tuning fork so he drilled a new hole right next to it and finagled the guts of the bolt out so he could see what was inside the hole. So cool to see this Drew! Keep up the amazing work❤️🔥
This is what happens when you look at a map and say “That could be fun!” The first time I have used my bike as an ice axe. The City of Rocks Loop! #bikepacking #bikepackingadventure #yolo #bikepacker #sawtoothnationalforest @salsacycles@bikepackingcom@revelatedesigns
