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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 30, 2011 - 03:35pm PT
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Just now driving out... big ol' electrical storm got caught in the whitney basin. 6 or 7hours of rain/hail, lots of N fork trail destroyed by flooding. Huge rockfall just past LBS tookk out half the trail with a 5'x10' trench. Creek crossings were pretty sketch.
Lots of hikers on main trail stranded/zapped, portal road might be closed for a bit. Might be a good idea to postpone your trip a few more days.
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jstan
climber
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Jul 30, 2011 - 05:13pm PT
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PT is 10-12 miles in from horseshoe meadows. Should be OK, Big water starts only around Crabtree meadows ranger station, if I remember.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
Yosemite, CA
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Jul 30, 2011 - 06:50pm PT
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We were in this yesterday- on p8 of Keeler Needle when it hit about 11:30 and on p9 when it showed itself to be no normal thunderstorm. Spent 8 hours trying not to die in hail, rain and snow. Both me and my partner Zapped by lightening (not direct hit with strange feeling after-nit sure what you would call it). Jeff was leading when zapped and it caused a short scary ledge fall. Finished the "escape" that leaves at pitch 9.5 around 7:30. Hypothermic and soaked and very glad to be alive. Super knarly. Very close call for us. No knowledge of how the numerous other teams staged for fishhook and e butt faired. Out the Whitney trail starting at 10 pm and back tomorrow for our camp as we were pysically unable to descend mountaineers gully after our ordeal and unwilling given the large volume of fresh snow.
HB
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Jul 30, 2011 - 06:51pm PT
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wow, glad you guys are ok.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
Yosemite, CA
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Jul 30, 2011 - 06:53pm PT
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NO ONE stranded on main trail, but many did camp next to some crossings not feeling up to them after their soaking on the main trail. We did the whole thing, exhausted, from about 10 pm to 5 am today so it is totally doable. Have to get your feet wet above the ankle a few times. Raining again back there today. Normal trail is "fine" (definitely fine for climbers)but will need some trail work to make it nice again.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2011 - 07:12pm PT
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Thanks, holly. I assume the term "stranded" could be switched with "scared."
I was the guy hiking down with his mom just as you were going above UBSL. We were hoping you guys bailed off, but unfortunately it appears that being exceptionally fast. On that route bit you in the behind. Had you lagged you would have seen it early enough to bail!
Just a freak thing, it came on way early. I have pretty limited sierra experience but it seemed pretty intense.
Best of luck getting your camp, glad you made it out OK.
Any word on the trio on E face 7/28? They descend Main trail? One guy was Tony... other than those guys and the trio from CO that did E Butt all iceberg campers are accounted for. A duet @ UBSL and a group of 3 w/a guide should be descending today as well.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
Yosemite, CA
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Jul 30, 2011 - 07:19pm PT
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So cool! Your mom is AWESOME. We really enjoyed visiting with her.
HB
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
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Yes, to her you two are superheroes :)
(Taking her up whodunnit tomorrow as a consolation prize for a trip cut short...)
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apogee
climber
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:01pm PT
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The t-storms just might join you there, too- there was a pretty good soaking today in Idyllwild- it was cloudy and humid all day long, and started coming down around noon. Forecast shows a slightly increased chance for tomorrow- supposed to stay funky like this for the next couple of days.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
Yosemite, CA
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:22pm PT
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GDavis- Sent you a pm, in case it goes to junk mail.
Now DUMPING here in Lone Pine.
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Monkey-sa
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:23pm PT
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When the weatherman says "monsoon" he means "monsoon." Hope everyone is ok.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2011 - 08:27pm PT
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Thanks holly, ill check if we ever get outta this traffic...
Looks like the gym is now the plan for tomorrow.... yay.... :(( maybe a run if its not too scorching or I feel like getting up early (both unlikely...)
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:29pm PT
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wow, knew the forecast was questionable to the north, but that's some gnar Holly. glad ya made it out relatively unscathed.
don't suppose you had time for pics, so will just say good job!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:38pm PT
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This is really a fairly regular occurrence for late July /early August.
That's why we always timed our sierra trips for the third week in August, (because it never rains).
That was except for the year we were going to bag the whole group of southern "Teeners" in one go from Cottonwood to Whitney Portal. (Langley, Muir, Whitney, Russel and down over Clarion)
Every night we had a little rain and an impressive light show a few miles south. When we topped out on Muir it was in a whiteout and light snow at about 10:00 -11:00 AM. Finding our way down off the North side of Whitney was a non starter so we bailed down the trail. A short way down a woman asked where we'd come from. We replied Cottonwood and she said, "Oh, the road is washed out"
Lucky for us it was Sunday and we had FWD Rodeos at both ends of the car shuttle. Lucky it was Sunday because we just moved the barricades with no one to stop us and got back up to Cottonwood to retrieve Ed's car.
There was water all the way to Nevada on the Owens lake from that one storm.
When they say "monsoonal flow" they mean it!
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Amy Ness
climber
ND
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Jul 30, 2011 - 08:53pm PT
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Holly climber-
I work at the portal store, and after what I saw yesterday, I think it would be wise not to tell people that the main trail is "fine". You may be some bad-ass yosemite big wall climber, but you need to keep in mind that majority of the people that use the main trail are not extremely experienced with these kind of conditions. Just be mindful that when people read your post, and base a decision to go because of it, it makes you somewhat resposible for their outcome.
Im glad you guys are okay, heard about you this morning and was worried!
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2011 - 08:56pm PT
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Hiiiii amy! Make sure miles doesn't research any of my racist/sexist/bigoted posts. Let's keep all that on the D/L :)))
Hehehehe
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apogee
climber
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Jul 30, 2011 - 09:11pm PT
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"Just be mindful that when people read your post, and base a decision to go because of it, it makes you somewhat resposible for their outcome."
Umm, no.
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Amy Ness
climber
ND
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Jul 30, 2011 - 09:50pm PT
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Myles actually has read me some of your comments...pretty funny!
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corniss chopper
climber
breaking the speed of gravity
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Jul 30, 2011 - 09:58pm PT
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This storm has some intensity to it -Hwy 395 drivers watch for mud flows onto the road.
Remember a few years back that 18 wheeler that was pushed over by a sudden flash flood mud flow? South of Lone Pine?
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