Canadian Trad Legend Talks About Retro-Bolting

Legendary Canadian trad and big wall climber Steve De Maio recently touched base with us about one of his climbs at Devil’s Glen in Ontario that was bolted. It was called Boulevard Circus, a 20-metre 5.10c climb without any fixed gear, but was renamed Prom Queen after being cleaned and having seven bolts added.

The climbers who retro-bolted the route added a description on Mountain Project that reads: “Formerly Boulevard Circus in previous guides, though I’m told Steve De Maio does not have recollection of this FA. In any case this deathtrap was cleaned and bolted in Winter 2020. Nice enjoyable climbing leads to distinct crux midway. Keep your wits about you for the final fun a the end.” This was updated on Mountain Project on Jan. 22 of this year.

Boulevard Circus appears in David Smart’s 1985 guidebook Climbing on the Niagara Escarpment with the description reading, “Poorly protected. Climb thin cracks in the wall 10m right of previous route. FA Steve De Maio, Rick Susgin.” And in the 2016 guidebook Ontario Climbing: Vol 2, The Northern Escarpment by Gus Alexandropoulos and Justin Dwyer, the route is described as a 5.10cR and said to be, “An example of reckless youth with an insatiable desire for a notion of purity. Thin poorly protected cracks 5m left of Elzinga’s Corner.”

De Maio, who’s never weighed in about climbing on internet forums or social media, told us that changed when he saw “an old route of mine that I put up in 1984 at Devil’s Glen – Boulevard Circus 5.10c – when I was 19 years old, which was bolted into a sport climb.”

Back in 1982, 1983 and 1984, De Maio had walked under the line probably 15 or 20 times before he finally felt that he had the “psychological and physical skill, courage and sangfroid to attempt it on that spring day in 1984.” He said that he “had no idea how hard it was going to be, and like later on in the Rockies, I was prepared mentally to downclimb at any point if it became too difficult to attempt with very minimal protection – no protection for a long way off the ground.”

He added that he felt “the rock was fantastic.” He said he felt strong so continued climbing. “Those skills and tactics were to keep me alive not too far into the future from that point. As you know, it was all very deliberate, thoughtful, purposeful. We viewed it as an art form in those days, perhaps like a martial art. I talk with my kids about the ‘samurai sports’ where death is a possibility if you make a mistake.”

The comment that De Maio left on the Mountain Project route description for Prom Queen reads: I am delighted to hear that you liked the line. In fact, I remember the route very well (no one has ever asked me about it — and I may have a photo of Rick Susgin seconding it on the First Ascent somewhere). Susgin and I climbed it in the spring of 1984. In those days, we considered it an artistic and adventurous challenge to climb such routes without bolts. We viewed the rock as a “canvas” and, for such routes, we first had to vision the creation of it, then had to summon all our skill and courage to climb them. This was all done ground up, and on-sight — cleaning on lead as we climbed. I recall very clearly the moves I made even now, almost 38 years later, over the rock up to the difficult section. The rock was very good — it inspired confidence.

I must say, though, that I am disappointed to hear that this route was bolted. While I do a lot of sport climbing these days and love it, I do feel that we don’t need to make all the routes “vanilla” if you get me. We should leave some of the old routes in their original state for those that want to taste a style that has gone out of favor. The route could have been easily top roped if someone wanted to try it without risk or consequence. That would have left the “adventure element” for anyone that wanted to lead the route in its original state as it was originally climbed. As I said, I remember this route very well, the texture of the rock on my fingertips, the feeling of those moves — in part because of the level of intense concentration and skill it required to climb it ground up, on sight, without bolts. Now, no one will get to experience the adventure that I did. It’s too bad, really. I’m not mad about the bolts, I merely feel like I am in attendance at a funeral, so to speak — one more wild place, however small, has succumbed to the drill and stainless steel bolts. 

The discussion about retro-bolting, replacing hardware and retro-cleaning old trad routes is ongoing in many circles and has been taking place at coffee shops, crags and pubs for decades.

De Maio cut his teeth on the limestone along the Niagara Escarpment in the late 1970s and early 1980s before moving to the Canadian Rockies where he, and various partners, mostly Jeff Marshall, established a string of bold big-wall free and aid climbs that are still considered test-pieces. A few include East End Boys IV 5.12, Astro Yam IV 5.11+ and Highlander IV 5.11 (which De Maio rope-soloed for the first ascent) on Yamnuska, The Warrior (an unrepeated 550-metre 5.10a) on the north face of Mount Lougheed, The Boulevard IV 5.10a (which De Maio rope-soloed for the first ascent), and Iron Butterfly a 450-metre 5.11 A4 on the north face of Windtower.

These routes, to this day, involve complex route-finding, loose rock, run-out trad gear and a strong team. They are reserved for climbers feeling strong and experienced on sketchy stone. De Maio is also the author of The Rage: Reflections on Risk and Suicide Wall.

Note: This article has generated reactions on social media from both sides of the conversation about to-bolt or not-to-bolt. We at Gripped will publish any climber’s opinion about climbing-related issues. At the end of the day, the most important thing is maintaining access to these routes, so be sure to support your local access groups.