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Steve P
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Jul 13, 2014 - 06:54pm PT
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My name is Steve and I'm a close friend and climbing partner to Bryan who had the fatal accident at Tahquitz yesterday. Thank you for all the thoughts and condolences from the community. Bryan had only been a climber for a few years but truly connected to people through climbing. His first climb was in Joshua Tree and he was completely hooked. His favorite book was Desert Solitude by Edward Abbey and would often share stories from the book during our climbing weekends. Bryan lived in San Diego for the past decade or so and enjoyed sharing stories, drinking Jack Daniels, and running marathons. He was a multi-talented individual that dropped down to part time work so he could write a novel. He spent two and a half years on the novel and finally completed it last month. He was my daily running partner for almost two years and he never mentioned that he went to college at Princeton and it only came out when I asked him where he went to college. He was the type of guy that accomplished a lot in his life but never took himself very seriously. He will be missed. Thank you to all that were part of the rescue and recovery.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:11pm PT
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RIP Bryan.
What a shocking event for his partner, friends, family and the other climbers at Tahquitz.
For some reason, this death is rattling me. I've never climbed at the legendary Tahquitz so I don't really have any "connection" with this horror other than the brotherhood/sisterhood of the rope.
Something that's easy for us all to forget: the mountains are eroding/collapsing downwards. Inevitably everything gets looser. Boulders wedged in cracks, flakes, gravel on ledges, thank God holds, overhanging teeth, even pinnacles.
I am sobered to see the several comments on Mt Project about that "boulder".
Some time ago there was a thread on trundling. I was against it. I'm rethinking that ethic for sure.
Again, I am greatly saddened to hear of this death and the young woman who died quite some time ago.
My condolences to all.
Fred Glover
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jstan
climber
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:15pm PT
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This is another awful loss. Let me ask.
Should a half dozen people who are most familiar with Tahquitz sit down with Park people and consider our best response to this? Could be nothing. Could be something.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:22pm PT
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Steve P- Thanks for sharing and so sorry about your friend.
Climbing can grab ahold of us and just as quickly take us away.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:33pm PT
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Hi Tamberly!
Jstan.
I doubt that there's anything that could have prevented this. Tahquitz is an ALPINE! crag in now an almost urban setting.
That flake was held in place by a trigger block that has been probably injudiciously yard-ed on thousands of times with no consequence to the unsuspecting.
Other than maybe some education thru the web sites that have now replaced guidebooks, not sure what else could be done?
Sometimes there is no trigger.
Gravity just wins and mass wasting takes on a more somber meaning.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:44pm PT
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Should a half dozen people who are most familiar with Tahquitz sit down with Park people and consider our best response to this? Could be nothing. Could be something.
I climb there regularly, perhaps 20-30 days a year. Almost any route has a loose block, some several. Just last year I witnessed two huge rock falls on popular routes done weekly. It is just a dice roll, no matter how you look at it.
Suicide has great routes, incredible rock (arguably better pound-for-pound than tahquitz) and varied history with minimal loose rock. I suggest that weekend visitors at least spread out to other crags more as it appears there were climbers below. I've had a friend get hit by rock fall from another party above on Edgehogs, it's no fun. We should all exercise more caution, myself included.
It's such a damn shame. There's so much of this big beautiful world to love to leave so early and too many people who love you back. Wish I knew him, he sounds like a good guy.
Greg
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:44pm PT
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My condolences to Bryan's family and friends.
Rick
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tinker b
climber
the commonwealth
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:49pm PT
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thanks for the tribute steve. so you have any more info about bryan's novel? your brief description of your friend makes me think that it could be a good read...
my thoughts go out to both of you. i am guessing this will be one of the worst days you have ever had, well i hope that you have never have had worse, and i hopoe you will never have to endure anything like this again. be gentle on yourself and keep good people around you. make sure you eat well, and the more you share your story the more you will heal.
the mountains will still be an amazing place. i am so sorry for your loss.
peace,
j
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Jul 13, 2014 - 07:55pm PT
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For friends and family, very sorry for your loss. Always a sad day when something we all live for causes so much sadness.
Been over 20 years since I did Sahara T. and I still remember climbing the route and thinking about the woman that lost her arm and her life on it, as it was a pretty well known story going around at the time.
Lets all remember to be careful out there!
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jstn
Trad climber
monrovia, ca
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Jul 13, 2014 - 08:17pm PT
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My partner wrote the "ominous" warning on MP in September last year after we finished Sahara Terror. The location of his warning is the exact location of TGT's lower circle in his photo. Interesting that jstan considers what could have prevented this, or the next one.
After finishing Sahara Terror, my partner and I, both immensely frighted to touch the block, considered ways to do something about this. (I read another climbers similar reflections about the 1980's fatality here on supertopo.)
To safely trundle the block would be quite the coordinated effort, which could certainly be done. (At dusk/nightfall, rappelling down, 3 or 4 ... or more people clearing the impact zone, and standing clear themselves.) But, not without great risk to the trundling party and any undetected passers by. In addition, it may or may not make matters better and it may create new loose debris. Anyhow, we , like most who consider this, went home after a great day of climbing.
My dearest condolences to the friends and family of Bryan
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jstan
climber
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Jul 13, 2014 - 08:42pm PT
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The devil in it is after you trundle a block for all you know you have left something that will in time pose an even greater danger. And if guides point out all the questionable rocks, who's to say something not on that list will be the one that goes.
We try to keep a comprehensive record of rock falls in Yosemite. Do we have an activity like this for Tahquitz?
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Jul 13, 2014 - 08:48pm PT
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Not a bad idea. Not one yet.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:00pm PT
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This is horrible news, thank you to all who took part in the recovery and I pray his partner is surrounded by friends right now.
Tahquitz has always held a ominous vibe for me. I have never climbed there but have climbed at Suicide for 30 years always looking across at Tahquitz and would kind of get a knot in my gut. I think part of my not ever climbing at Tahquitz stems from climbing at Suicide the day the woman was killed after getting her arm chopped, after that I just had little interest and stuck to climbing at Suicide. I take that back, I did the first pitch of the Vampire before being run off by a thunderstorm. I have climbed loose rock all over the Sierra but just cant bring myself to climb at Tahquitz, stupid, I know.
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Steve P
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:00pm PT
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@ Tinker B--I don't have much information about his novel. He sent it out to a few people after he finished the book. I was one of the few that got the opportunity to preview the book. He sent it to me the day after we returned from doing Sahara Terror(2 weeks ago) and I've only had time to read ~30 pages and they are mostly setting the stage and writing the background of the characters. It was great to see him integrate personal stories into the text. I read a passage in his book and instantly remembered how he told me the story sitting atop Hemingway buttress in J-Tree. It was like finding an Easter egg or getting an inside joke. When we were returning from Tahquitz a few weeks ago, he was telling me how he was starting to look for a publisher and was working with an agent. I asked him, "What if you don't get it published?" He immediately responded, "I don't care. The story has been in my head for years. I had to release it."
I do hope the book still gets published and his legacy continues. I'm sure that his wife, daughter and friends will do everything we can to make it so.
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:01pm PT
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Nice tribute Steve P. Condolences for you and the family of Bryan.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:21pm PT
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Steve, please give our condolences to friends and family. Very sad indeed.
I understand that Sahara Terror has always had some loose blocks, and that the north side is looser than other parts of the crag. However, I've climbed at Tahquitz since the late 70s and have witnessed only a single instance of rockfall, not surprisingly over by Sahara Terror. Now, it just seems to be more common (along with a lot more rescues). Is it just more climbers and hence more hands tugging on stuff, or more people just tugging on stuff that others knew better to avoid or tread gingerly? I wish I knew. Perhaps jstan's suggestion is one to consider. If it lessens the chances of serious injury or death, why not help Mother Nature accelerate the exfoliation process?
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:30pm PT
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We watched the leader ride a large block before he flipped. This block (roughly 5 FEET long, 6-7 inches thick, 3-4 FEET wide, proceeded to bounce and break into many huge rocks directly overhead missing us only by inches. It is possible the leader climbed on or near a known loose block next to a bolt (the bolt was placed so climbers would not use this block) Brutal, but I appreciate the candor.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
West Los Angeles, CA/Joshua Tree
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Jul 13, 2014 - 09:59pm PT
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Steve, thank you for that write up. I know that must have been hard and emotional to do.
Bryan sounded like an amazing person. Just the love of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire made me a little misty cause he sounds like someone I would have loved to know. That's one of my favorite books of all time so I can relate to him. I'm so sorry for our loss of him.
Very tragic and always sad to lose one of our own.
Condolences to his friends and family. And kudos and thanks to all of you who helped in the rescue and have helped piece together how this accident took place.
Beth
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jstan
climber
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Jul 13, 2014 - 10:08pm PT
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If there is to be an activity tracking rock fall it would be a cooperative effort between climbers and the Park personnel.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 13, 2014 - 10:22pm PT
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So yesterday this route claims another with major rockfall. And sincerely all of us as a group, a tribe as it is, are shocked and try to empathize with those close to the fallen.
But I have an idea. If you are looking for death defying stunts on loose rock with a track record of killing and maiming people, go to the Canadian Rockies, or the Devil's Crags in the Sierra; someplace where you know what the game is and you take your chances with your eyes wide open.
All this talk about Sahara Terror being such a great moderate route is hogwash. A climb like this at a local crag should be avoided like poison.
And I have trouble calling Tahquitz an alpine crag. A short approach and no bivies (unless you don't belong up there in the first place). Sections of it are just a dangerous loose pile, other parts are fantastic. Pick and choose...
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