MISSING: Rack from near the top of Washington Column

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Messages 21 - 38 of total 38 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
glytch

Trad climber
Oakland, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 26, 2016 - 08:05am PT
Great news! Someone dropped me a line, has the rack, and is sending it my way. Faith restored in the climbing community. I don't know if the person who grabbed the rack wants to be identified, but here's part of the note they sent: "I was really wondering how someone would have lost a whole rack. There were climbers walking off in front of me, so I thought maybe they had clipped it in the tree to make it more visible, but I thought it would be more helpful for me to take it down."

Not that gear doesn't get stolen in Yosemite, but I'm pretty happy that in this case there were no two-legged-bears or shady morning transactions in Camp 4, just someone thinking gear had been dropped.

But regardless, next time I'll tuck any gear well out of sight :)
Delhi Dog

climber
Good Question...
May 26, 2016 - 08:09am PT
f*ck yeah!
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
May 26, 2016 - 08:28am PT
I remember a time when I left my rack hanging in a tree in Camp 4 when I went swimming in the Merced for the day.

Then people started jugging fixed ropes on El Cap to steal racks.

Maybe we're coming around again?
Alpamayo

Trad climber
Davis, CA
May 26, 2016 - 08:34am PT
Glad you got it back! I have to admit, if I came across a rack up there, I might wonder if a person just put it down and then walked off without it. I'm not sure it would have crossed my mind that it was left intentionally while you did ND.

I might have done something similar years and years ago when I found a rope at Chasm View on Long's peak. THinking it had been accidentally dropped or left behind I took it down. I left it at the Ranger's and never heard what happened to it (pre-internet days). I started wondering later if someone had intentionally stashed it there for some reason and how pissed they might have been to hike all the way up there to find it gone.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 26, 2016 - 08:38am PT
Nice to know there are still some good people out there.

I had $10K worth of gear stolen from my car. Ranger said 15 other cars were broken into that day.
High Fructose Corn Spirit

Gym climber
May 26, 2016 - 08:51am PT
Awesome!
johntp

Trad climber
socal
May 26, 2016 - 09:07am PT
Good to hear this gear will soon be back home.
phylp

Trad climber
Upland, CA
May 26, 2016 - 09:23am PT
Great news!
Yeah, I think most people would assume the rack had been left by accident, if it was just hanging there, and would naturally want to bring it down to try to find the owner. I would have done the same thing.
brotherbbock

climber
Alta Loma, CA
May 26, 2016 - 09:41am PT
Congrats!!
willm

Social climber
Oakland
May 26, 2016 - 09:56am PT
Hey Glytch -- how wet was RA and the slabby traverse to the rim at the end of RA? Seems the water is the real crux of the RA/CJ linkup this time of year. I'm planning to head out there mid-next week.
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
May 26, 2016 - 11:36am PT
Excellent news, Glytch!

willm, you can often get a decent read on the water content of Royal Arches from the Ahwahnee Meadows web cam linked on the ST column marked "climbing areas." I haven't been up that way this year, but base don previous years, there will still be some water on the route, but not enough to make a material difference on the upper slabs.

John
glytch

Trad climber
Oakland, CA
Topic Author's Reply - May 26, 2016 - 12:00pm PT
Will, the route was comically wet last Saturday. The gully on the first few pitches was a waterfall, the rope swing traverse was sopping, and when we were near the top (morning after a day of rain) there was still significant water on the final slab. We threaded the quicklink on the bolt to avoid any unpleasant watersliding falls. The 3rd/4th class slab after the end of the roped climbing, well, ended up being another bit of roped climbing for us. Low angle and easy, but flowing with water and covered in moss.

That said, while Arches took much more time than we were expecting due to all of the water, there was still ample time for the CJ linkup.
willm

Social climber
Oakland
May 26, 2016 - 01:34pm PT
Thanks for the reply. Hopefully these few days of sun will make for a drier experience up there. Glad you got your rack back!
squishy

Mountain climber
May 26, 2016 - 01:34pm PT
next time pick up yer own trash, lol
Moof

Big Wall climber
Orygun
May 26, 2016 - 02:01pm PT
Cool beans!

I have long been in the habit of hiding stuff when stashing gear, even when only climbers will see it. Best not to tempt fate.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
May 26, 2016 - 02:04pm PT
Great news!
S.Leeper

Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
May 26, 2016 - 02:15pm PT
Yeah! Faith in humanity restored(for now)
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
May 26, 2016 - 07:06pm PT
Awesome! I could feel your pain blaming yourself for the decision made. We all learnt something from this experience. Kudos to the person returning the gear.
Messages 21 - 38 of total 38 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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