Massive rockfall pounding Half Dome slabs approach

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Messages 21 - 36 of total 36 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
JesseM

Social climber
Yosemite
Aug 4, 2006 - 03:08pm PT
I just talked to Greg Stock, the Park Geologist, about the recent rock fall. He wants to warn climbers that the Slabs Approach should be avoided, and at all costs avoid Bushido Gully. The slabs and the base of the right side of the wall are covered with fine pulverized granite dust, and there are also dislodged boulders precariously perched throughout the area. There has not been any rain to clear anything out and we probably won't have a sizeable amount for a while. There is also still a high possibility that more rock fall will occur in the same area. It probably is not connected with the recent active zone further to the East (the fish-shaped chunk), but there is no way to totally rule that out.

The RNWF of HD was not immediately affected and climbers can approach it via the shoulder of HD below the cables by going on the hikers trail past Nevada and Vernal falls.

Thanks

Jesse

Climbing Ranger
jesse_mcgahey@nps.gov
(209) 372-0354
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
Otto, NC
Aug 12, 2006 - 11:24pm PT
Hey, let's see some pictures.

From way far away.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Aug 13, 2006 - 04:39pm PT
That's some rad footage of the Eiger's East face.
Matt Greenwood

climber
Portland, OR
Aug 21, 2006 - 06:19pm PT
Could someone please post a picture for me?
LuckyPink

Trad climber
Petaluma
Aug 22, 2006 - 03:47pm PT
anything new on this?
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Aug 25, 2018 - 08:42pm PT
Half Dome vault bump.
฿ ฮ ุ T ว H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
Aug 26, 2018 - 12:03am PT


https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/17435/why-is-almost-no-one-climbing-hard-routes-on-half-dome
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
sawatch choss
Aug 26, 2018 - 12:14pm PT
Ask RP3! Sounds like he found a new hand crack up there.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=230443&tn=20

“ The end of the pitch (formerly C2 thin) is now a 3” crack and the pitch above (formerly a 3” crack) is now 9”....

Here we go again.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Aug 26, 2018 - 07:48pm PT
Sad to say, it seems like last ascents of big routes increased of late.

John
gstock

climber
Yosemite Valley
Aug 26, 2018 - 07:58pm PT
A friend shared the following information about the Tis-sa-ack route, which I think is also highly relevant for anyone heading up the slabs approach - or for that matter being anywhere near the base - of Half Dome:


"[We] attempted to do a 1-day ascent of Tis-sa-ack yesterday after we bailed on some high country plans. While [my partner] was leading the 12th pitch (which is positioned on a giant exfoliation flake) we heard rock popping and cracking. I could hear rocks tumbling down the space between the flake and the wall. Then the whole feature began shuddering. The end of the pitch (formerly C2 thin) is now a 3” crack and the pitch above (formerly a 3” crack) is now 9”. We bailed as quickly as we could and we strongly feel the whole ~100m x ~50m x ~1m flake is about to come off.

I know people who climbed this route within the past few years and nobody has reported such conditions. This seems to be a recent development."
Stephen McCabe

Trad climber
near Santa Cruz, CA
Aug 27, 2018 - 02:48pm PT
bump for climbing safety
renzo

Trad climber
Whitefish Mt
Aug 29, 2018 - 09:05am PT
It's Just Tis-sa-ack shedding her tears at seeing what this world is coming to.
Tom Patterson

Trad climber
Seattle
Aug 29, 2018 - 09:41am PT
Dang! Scary stuff!

Also wondering how often the RNWF is being done these days since the big sluff.
WBraun

climber
Aug 29, 2018 - 10:17am PT
The end of the pitch (formerly C2 thin) is now a 3” crack and the pitch above (formerly a 3” crack) is now 9”

I witnessed the rockfall event to the right of the footstool (El Cap) in real time that occurred years ago where the same kind of expansion happened.

Crack from knife blade size to over 4 inches within a couple of hours and then that whole expansion area exploded off the wall.

A party on the NA felt the expansion vibrations 4 pitches up while they were climbing.

One guy retreated as he was so scared after the rockfall happened.
mastadon

Trad climber
crack addict
Aug 29, 2018 - 12:52pm PT
I remember hearing that story from Dale, Werner. He described you as running for your life down the talus in a cloud of dust with your arms windmilling in front of you. I may just be making s#it up but I vaguely remember him saying that....
Tom Patterson

Trad climber
Seattle
Aug 29, 2018 - 12:57pm PT
One guy retreated as he was so scared after the rockfall happened.

That's so wrong. The sequence is: change your pants, then bail.
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