The Secret Sharer

To quote Paul Piana: "Outstanding! One of the finest Hueco climbs." Before we had bolted caves in abundance, there was The Secret Sharer. Not really a cave, but that steep with a line of huecos and then fingerbuckets at the top. Most of today's caves are not the caliber of rock found on The Secret Sharer.

I imagine that this is now easy to find because a volunteer guide is required. After crossing the dam, stay at pit level for about 1/4 mile, until past the huge Pit Roof and around a boulder. Then head into the rocks. This route is not much above pit level.

Four bolts up to a double bolt anchor. The protection bolts are old and have to catch real falls. Good risk managment might be to dog it into familiarity and then do it in headpoint/the-leader-never-falls style. I thought getting a top-rope on it was not practical. The Secret Sharer is so steep that even top-rope sessions need the protection bolts to dampen the harsh swing. So the bolts get yarded on weather you dog/flash or TR.

I can think of no other route I'd rather replace the bolts on. This fall a ranger commented about how trusting Hueco's bolts seemed crazyish. So I asked him if I could replace some this winter, thinking of Secret Sharer. He said Austin was working on a system for bolting.

The old beta was a #8 hex in a hole to protect getting to the first bolt...that's the "r" part. A Camalot would probably work much better. The third bolt is a hairy clip, better hold above. Bring the stick-clip too.