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JesseM
Social climber
Yosemite
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Oct 11, 2010 - 10:43pm PT
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Thanks Chris for posting this,
I'm not sure exactly what routes go through the rockfall area, but I'm pretty sure it is close to the Water Fall Route. Tom will be posting shortly I'm sure and will include photos--and EC Report link of course.
No climbers were effected by the rockfall--other than potentially the need for a change of under garments. Sky and Andy were real close on ?. Must have been absolutely terrifying...can't believe they didn't bail. Hard men. Although maybe they are safer going up.
I posted signs about the fall at both the Devil's Elbow/Zodiac Talus approach, and the Standard (Nose, etc.) approach. We also posted signs at Camp 4 and the Mt. Shop. We are advising climbers that the area had a significant rockfall and appears to still be active, and to avoid the approach to East Buttress and other routes in the Horse Tail Fall area.
The East Buttress route itself was not effected by this fall, and climbers wanting to link Moratorium with the route could continue as planned as long as their bail plans didn't involve the rockfall zone.
Hopefully Greg Stock, our Park Geologist, will also be reading this thread and be available for questions.
Be Safe,
Jesse M.
Yos. Climbing Ranger
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gstock
climber
Yosemite Valley
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Oct 11, 2010 - 11:33pm PT
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There were three rock falls from this area today, the first around 11:30 am. This was a relatively small rock fall, but was followed about three minutes later by a much larger rock fall. A party two pitches up the Nose got some nice profile views and photos of this second fall.
A third smaller rock fall occurred at around 1 pm.
Comparison of photos taken before (xRez), during (Tom Evans), and after (G. Stock) the rock falls clearly show the source area. Below is a comparison showing the cliff before any of the recent rock falls on the left, and after on the right, with the source area circled in yellow - note that the photo locations and lighting are not exactly the same. About 20% of the total difference between these photos occurred during the intense rain last week (this was the rock fall alluded to in the thread on Sky and Andy's adventure in the waterfall), with the remaining 80% due to the rock falls today.
We were able to scan the cliff with a laser (LiDAR mapping) this evening, so I should be able to at least have accurate dimensions of the rock scar soon, but no doubt it was a large rock fall, probably the largest this year.
Greg
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Oct 11, 2010 - 11:51pm PT
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Damn.
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JesseM
Social climber
Yosemite
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Oct 12, 2010 - 12:27am PT
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Sorry Klaus, I got interrupted mid-post, and didn't read yours before I posted. Thanks for the good info, answers my questions.
Jesse
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Oct 12, 2010 - 12:29am PT
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i rapped in there and found a bunch of wires, a transmitter battery, and a couple of stress gauges stuck in a crack, weird, spooked me out, then i based into the meadow and got the best taze of my life,
hey, we like to kid around on the ST from time to time,
plus, i bought two copies of the g stock book,
hey, when was the loma prieta earthquake?
cuz this weather is weird,
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 12, 2010 - 12:33am PT
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Does it seem suspcious to anyone else that the rockfall occurred on the 11th, and that on the 12th there will be a talk about rockfall? The conspiracy theories around here are beyond absurd, but this is a situation where the "correlation does not equate to causation" mantra bears mention.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Oct 12, 2010 - 12:34am PT
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i think we better call in klimmer for this one,
calling all klimmers, calling all klimmers,
come in, klimmers,
for the record, (not the conspiricy show on kfjc with dave emory), for the record, the LP earthquake was oct 17,
so get yo power bars ready,
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 12, 2010 - 02:32am PT
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I can't imagine how scary that must have been up there.
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JOEY.F
Social climber
sebastopol
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Oct 12, 2010 - 03:23am PT
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^^^
Truely, the sound and vibration, must have been wicked.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Oct 12, 2010 - 01:13pm PT
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Jeremy got to see the big thing from the base, WOO HOO!!
eKat they're headed up on Space first I believe.
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Slakkey
Big Wall climber
From Back to Big Wall Baby
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Oct 12, 2010 - 01:18pm PT
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I think Skully is hanging with Gagner this week not sure if that is still the case but he sure was being covert as to what he was planning to climb. Andy H and partner are truly in the running for Hardcore Yosemite Climbers of the Year I think. If you recall they were getting hammered by the waterfall not that long ago. In this case Ahh whats a little rock fall they keep climbing. Bad to The Bone for sure.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Oct 12, 2010 - 01:25pm PT
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You should be there humping loads and you know it.
eKatBigStoneOldDadzDemeritPoints........
I don't know about Skully, but Jeremy is definitely there with Paul.
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Slakkey
Big Wall climber
From Back to Big Wall Baby
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Oct 12, 2010 - 01:37pm PT
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Yep Skully is there just not sure who or what he is climbing. He did mention at one time he might meet up with Paul but like I said not sure if that is still the case.
eKat yeah I missed him by a couple of weeks. That responsible Homeowner / business thing caught up with me as well. He really was / is excited about being back in The Valley
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McKenzie Long
climber
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Oct 12, 2010 - 03:01pm PT
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I was climbing on Middle Cathedral during the rockfall yesterday, and got this picture of the tail end of it.
I hope no one was climbing on the slabs below!
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
climber
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Oct 12, 2010 - 03:15pm PT
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McKenzie,
i hope you sold that to the fresno bee ---- nice shot!
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 13, 2010 - 05:23am PT
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crazy klaus
I hope no one was climbing on the slabs below!
crazy thing is I've watched people spend all day climbing those super low angle slabs, and then saw rockfall right afterward.
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Luke Lydiard
Ice climber
CA
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Oct 13, 2010 - 09:24pm PT
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Another photo from Middle Cathedral.
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Oct 18, 2010 - 08:58pm PT
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Here are a few photos from last Thursday (10/14), before it rained. We were walking the base to look at rock types but decided to have a look at the rockfall area as well.
Greg Stock, heading towards the fresh talus
The rock scar from the base
Looking up at the rock scar from directly below
Fresh talus and mangled trees
Looking down the fresh talus slope, towards the Devil’s Elbow and El Cap Bridge
There was a layer of fresh sand that had accumulated right at the base of the wall. It appeared as though the sand had been blown loose by wind and then settled down the wall/slab
Looking towards the Nose from the fresh talus field
Another photo of the rock scar, as viewed from El Cap Bridge
The entire area was covered in rock dust although it has probably been washed away by now with the recent rain. While I was standing in the talus, we all heard a “POP” from above and I was running before I knew it! But only a few small rocks came down. Glad that those who were in the area when it cut loose are OK!
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Oct 27, 2010 - 04:22pm PT
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Mr. Rockfall, assessing a fresh mini-crater at the base of the NA Wall, 10/14/10
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