Creativity and stewardship don’t always look the same. Jay Anderson, the maker behind Will Sew For Bolts, is a perfect example of how they can come together in a meaningful way. What began as a personal project sewing with retired climbing ropes has grown into a unique, community-driven fundraising effort that channels creativity directly into safer climbing hardware.
Jay’s model is refreshingly simple: supporters make a donation directly to the ASCA, and in return he sends a handmade item - covering the cost of materials and shipping himself. Through his social media presence, he shares available pieces, custom requests, and examples of past work, creating a connection between donors and the impact of their support.
The goods themselves are as varied as the ropes they come from. Jay has created belts, gear slings, various bags, neckties, coasters, baskets, and more - each one built from retired ropes that have already lived a full life on the rock. Every item carries a bit of that history forward, transformed into something functional, durable, and entirely unique.
Jay also encourages climbers to think more broadly about what happens to their ropes at the end of their lifespan. Rather than sending them to the landfill, he advocates for reuse and local upcycling whenever possible. With more makers than ever, many climbers can now find a local crafter or a rope collection option, such as a Sterling recycling bin, to keep materials in use. He specifically discourages shipping old ropes long distances due to the cost, weight, and added carbon footprint. This highlights that sustainability is not just about reuse, but how we approach it.
To date, Jay has raised more than $23,000 in support of the ASCA through this effort! It’s a powerful example of how individual creativity, paired with a strong sense of stewardship, can make a lasting impact - keeping old ropes out of the landfill while supporting safe bolts and anchors at crags across the country.
Thank you Jay!
#americansafeclimbingassociation #climbingstewards #willsewforbolts
@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❤️🔥
Anna Brown’s path into rebolting began with a moment many climbers can relate to: uncertainty at a critical point on the wall. As she describes it, “The first time I remember questioning climbing bolts was on a trad route in the Sandia Mountains named Excitable Boys. I arrived at a small belay ledge with two old rusted buttonheads for the anchor and I felt so uneasy trusting those bolts with our lives 200 feet up the wall. Ultimately, it was that moment of vulnerability that started me down the path of bolt replacement work.”
Since then, Anna has become a driving force in climbing stewardship across New Mexico, contributing an immense amount of time and effort to replacing aging hardware. Her work to date includes 231 hangers, 226 bolts, 455 quicklinks, 35 rap rings, and 391 lower-offs placed. These numbers represent not just improved safety, but a sustained commitment to the long-term care of the climbing areas her community depends on.
Anna is active with the New Mexico Mountain Club, where she regularly organizes climbing outings and coordinates participation in stewardship projects. She enjoys mentoring new climbers, helping them build confidence, develop safe practices, and feel welcomed into the community. Her commitment to mentorship also extends to organizing local rebolting projects and sharing her knowledge with others.
Equally important is the collaborative spirit behind her work. Anna is quick to recognize the community that made it possible: “I truly couldn’t have figured out how to complete these projects without so many people in the climbing community making time to answer my questions and sharing their knowledge, techniques and pro tips. And a sincere thank you to so many of my fellow New Mexico climbers who continue to show up to carry heavy packs and get the actual replacement work done.”
Her efforts reflect both individual dedication and the collective strength of a community invested in protecting and maintaining its climbing resources. Thank you Anna!
🔩 The SNCC Rebolting Program is on a roll!
After the success of the Cannibal Crag rebolting weekend, where volunteers replaced an incredible 110 bolts in just 3 days, we said "let's go bigger" and set a goal of 200 bolts in a single weekend. The next goal? Panty Wall and The Hamlet, two of Red Rock's busiest crags that are literally packed with ropes on every route during the spring season.
Originally planned for fall 2025, the event was rained out but we made the most of it with a well-received educational clinic instead. We regrouped and came back stronger for April 10–12, 2026!
We were thrilled to welcome expert rebolt instructors Peter Thomas and Alex Mandrilla to lead the charge. Friday kicked things off with anchor replacements, the trickiest part of the process, giving volunteers a safe foundation to work from. Saturday morning, Peter ran an enthusiastic crew through a hands-on rebolting clinic before everyone joined forces at the crag. And Sunday? We had an incredible volunteer turnout and finished every single route at Panty Wall and The Hamlet just before the rain rolled in! 🙌
And as if the universe wanted to congratulate us, we were treated to a spectacular DOUBLE rainbow 🌈🌈 to close out the weekend.
Thank you to every volunteer who made it happen! We cannot do this without the support from our donors and members. 🥹 🧗♀️❤️ Let's do it again!
Sam Lightner, Jr. has been a quiet but powerful force in climbing stewardship for decades, blending bold exploration with a deep commitment to maintaining the infrastructure that climbers rely on. He began replacing bolts as early as the late 1980s after encountering aging, unreliable hardware, simply recognizing that the work needed to be done and taking responsibility for it himself. What started as a personal response to unsafe anchors grew into a lifelong effort that has impacted climbing areas across the desert Southwest, the Tetons, sport crags in the Lander area, and many more.
His impact extends well beyond North America, Sam helped drive early rebolting efforts in Thailand, contributing to what became the “Thaitanium Project,” which replaces rapidly corroding bolts with long-lasting titanium hardware. This work has been critical to preserving safety and access, benefiting thousands of climbers each year.
Alongside this stewardship, Sam has made significant contributions as a route developer. From long routes in Wyoming’s Wind River Range to classic single pitch limestone climbs and desert towers, his work reflects a balance of adventure, craftsmanship, and respect for the landscape. He has helped establish routes across a wide range of styles and environments, often pairing new route development with careful attention to anchor quality and long-term sustainability.
More recently, Sam has focused his energy on building the Golden Rule Ranch in Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon. Envisioned as a thoughtfully managed climbing destination, the ranch combines new route development with well planned infrastructure like trails, via ferrata, and controlled access systems designed to minimize environmental impact while welcoming climbers.
Across decades of climbing, Sam’s impact is not defined by a single area or achievement, but by a consistent pattern of stewardship. Whether replacing anchors on remote desert towers, developing new routes, or building a sustainable climbing destination from the ground up, his work has helped shape safer and more enduring climbing experiences for the community.
Read our 2025 Annual Report: safeclimbing.org
#safeclimbing
Crusty is fine but rusty is no bueno.
Thanks to @asca_bolt_replacement for the hardware, this is on Invisible Seam, a classic 11d that is not as tricky as the name suggests especially if you have thin crack technique.
#theclimbingzine #climbing #rockclimbing
No sharp edges yet on this lowering hook but we replaced it anyway since we had new hardware with us. This anchor is at the top of the first pitch of Hell Boy (5.8+) at Diablo Canyon near Santa Fe, NM. Consider sending a donation to the American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) to support replacement of the hardware that you trust your life with when you climb. 👉👉👉 safeclimbing.org 💰💰💰 #wornhardware #climbinghardware #hardwarereplacement #nmclimbing
It was worth dealing with rain just to pull this old rusted bolt from an anchor at Below The Old New Place. It fought back a bit but I think it’s because I didn’t have the puller as level as I should have. I’ve pulled other bolts just like this one on anchors at Gallows Edge and they came out very easily. #oldclimbinghardware #oldbolts #boltreplacement
Mad props to Sam and Lani for their massive effort on rebolting Time Wave Zero this week. What an undertaking that so many climbers will benefit from.
A pleasure to finally meet Sam today, and to get to know Lani a little better. We talked about doing a @dirtbagstateofmindpodcast in the future all about bolt replacement and new routing in EPC.
@chossdiaries@goatsonropes@asca_bolt_replacement
#potrerochico #sportclimbing #bigwallclimbing
