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sfclimber
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 25, 2004 - 10:14pm PT
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Anyone have any beta on whether or not it is currently safe to climb the base of El Cap (e.g. first pitches of Salathe Wall) without fear of ice fall? Assuming that the weather is clear for the weekend, has recent snow fall made it too dangerous?
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Gene
Social climber
Two hours away
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Feb 25, 2004 - 10:45pm PT
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I think the worst time to do the first pitches of the Salathe is now. There has been a lot of recent precipitation, some of which drips off during the day. But if PM temps go below freezing, all that mid-day drip freezes at night and is just waiting for sunlight to let go. Not to mention the heavy stuff on top of EC.
I climbed LaCosita in winter way back when. We dodged ice cubes all day long. One sliced my calf like a knife. I'd only try the first part of the Salathe in the afternoon after watching the wall or after a few days when temps don't go below freezing. The advantage of the first 2 pitches of the Salathe is that you are in an alcove. The disadvantage is that you never know where those ice cubes are going to land.
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Brian
Big Wall climber
Fresno
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Feb 26, 2004 - 02:05am PT
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I've climbed Freeblast in April and was still pelted by falling ice. There's no dodging them either. Those chunks of ice come rocketing down so fast that by the time you hear 'em, they're gone. And when they hit you it seriously hurts. One left a nasty bruise on my right shoulder and another hit my helmet so hard I saw stars.........
Brian
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WBraun
climber
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Feb 26, 2004 - 02:19am PT
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Sfclimber
Right now it's dumping big time outside. It's snowing hard on the rim and pouring on the Valley floor. They had Badger Pass closed today due to this storm (The plows can't keep up). This weekend will definately not be Salathe time.
Werner
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Feb 26, 2004 - 07:32am PT
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shit we're even getting dumped on down here in HellA. I imagine the Valley is even worse then what Werner just posted. This couild be a very wet Spring time.
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Nor Cal
Trad climber
San Mateo
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Feb 26, 2004 - 10:16am PT
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I climbed the first few pitches in early January, there was no ice fall, but I have also been there when ice was falling (last year) and it was not the place to be. We could hear the larger chunks breaking on the wall above us and we were pelted by the broken remains. We did not stay there very long. With the recent major storms I think you'll be lucky to find a lot of dry climbing and there will certainly be ice on the top of El Cap.
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Matt
Trad climber
SF Bay Area
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Feb 26, 2004 - 12:30pm PT
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climbed freeblast in feb. last year, pretty much had the place to ourselves (go figure). there were lots of cool fluttering snow-flake like ice things, half fluttering and half falling, passing by all day.
one nice sized snow/ice-ball just missed me off to the side right before i fell on one of the slab pitches.
check this link-
http://www.yosemite.org/vryos/index.htm
for the current condition of the build-up of snow above the route.
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sfclimber
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2004 - 02:18pm PT
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Bummer. Pretty much what I expected to hear. Thanks for the info everyone.
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