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nick d
Trad climber
nm
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:44am PT
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I feel bad for whoever took the big ride, but I say let people take their chances. Perhaps posting a list at the bottom of people who have been killed attempting it might induce a little more sobriety in the masses,
michael
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
real eyes realize real life
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:46am PT
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it's not a ROUTE. when will people learn that just cuz they climb they're not more badass than everyone else??? what would you do if you got in a climbing accident or a car accident and got paralyzed for the rest of your life??? how would you define yourself then???
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john hansen
climber
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:46am PT
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That's a much better idea Nick.
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10b4me
Trad climber
Hell A
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:49am PT
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it's not a ROUTE
you are correct SS/TR, but it might be if not for the cables
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
real eyes realize real life
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:53am PT
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tenB, i feel you bro. but i strongly disagree that even tho it's been available to everyone else for DECADES, and legendary all around the country, and probly other countries too, that it should now be taken away and limited only to those with specialized knowledge instead of just fitness.
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Jude Bischoff
Ice climber
Palm Springs
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Jun 18, 2007 - 12:58am PT
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People like to walk outside the cables to avoid the slow pokes. That is where many of the accidents happen. There seems to be more this year than ever before.
I agree with Ken M. on the respect of personal responsibility.
Yosemite Mountaineering could get an income stream from guiding tourists up the cables for a fee and renting the proper clip in Via Ferrata system. Post guides and gear at the base of the cables.
It's a blessing people have to earn their way to the top and they have not touristed it out with a tram and restaurant.
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Chaz
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:01am PT
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Thousands and thousands of people make it up and down The Cables each year and maybe two or three have accidents.
The one-tenth-of-one-percent who have problems should not dictate how everybody else does things.
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
look around look around, tell me what you've found
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:03am PT
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oh for crying out loud. yea, let's make it something only the ones who can pay for guiding and all that crap (mainly middle class white folks) can afford.
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ricardo
Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:06am PT
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this is lame ..
.. no need to move the cables .. no need for more safety .. this has just been a bad year for the cables ..
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stinky
climber
Santa Cruz. CA
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:09am PT
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should we make it wheel chair accessible while we're at it?
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:22am PT
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I was told that no one ever perished on the cables simply due to falling (i.e. no medical or severe weather issues) till about a year ago. Is this correct?
The cables are a route. In fact, they (in modified form), are one of the first big rock routes in Yosemite.
From Roper:
"The first ascent of the dome was made by George Anderson in October 1875. By drilling holes for ludicrously large iron spikes, he was able to work his way up the 46 degree slope of the east face. Today an excellent trail winds its way eight miles to the base of this face; cables then lead to the summit. The face can be climbed without using the cables (class 5)."
When you climb the cables, you are in that moment a climber, IMO. It's a big deal for a lot of people to take on both the physical and mental challenge of it.
If you want "regular people" to respect our choices to rope up or not as climbers, maybe we need to respect their choices on the cables too.
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
look around look around, tell me what you've found
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:27am PT
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"The cables are a route. In fact, they (in modified form), are one of the first big rock routes in Yosemite."
oh. i stand corected. thank you : )
and yea, i agree on the respect thang...
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 18, 2007 - 01:28am PT
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edited the typo on the date.
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climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
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Jun 18, 2007 - 03:13am PT
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How is Half Dome different from any other mountain which is a little difficult to get to the top of, but lots of people try anyways? Sure, in this case, something which is not naturally there has been added to make it easier. But such "improvements" have been placed all over the mountains. Heck, we even have roads and trails, not naturally there, to make it easier to get to the tops of mountains.
There are inherent dangers associated with every step of travelling to the top of a mountain and back. Of course, when a person chooses to engage in an activity with potential danger, he takes on the risk. Accidents such this are rare, but very normal. We should not be surprised by them. In fact, everyone should expect them; we just don't know exactly when and to whom they will happen.
We tend to place ourselves, as "climbers", at an elite level, above all the regular people out there. We think that we are more worthy of attempting a goal in the mountains than someone without our training and experiences. But those "regular" people's goals are just as valid as ours. Unfortunatly, sometimes they just make fatal errors, often due to failure to properly prepare for and properly comprehend, their task at hand. But if one were to look at the overall numbers, even with the the occasional death, the whole idea of getting up on top of some prominent feature out there is relatively "safe". I see no need to change anything.
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jstan
climber
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Jun 18, 2007 - 10:13am PT
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I am with Ed on this. Really happy I don't have to make the decision. I'll say right up front I have not seen the cables.
The idea of making shock absorbing lanyards available sounds good, though anyone supplying them will face liability concerns. If I were making myself one I would use two or three parallel strands of the rubber tie-downs truckers use to fasten down their tarps. I did this once to take the weight of a jack hammer off me. They work really well. In this case they would obviously need to be backed up with the right length of 1" webbing.
Another off-the-wall idea. I have used wire rope encased in tygon, a soft plastic tubing. I know small diameter wire rope can be hard to hold onto. Maybe the gripping surface of the cables could be improved with something that also stands up to UV?
However this all plays out I don't envy the people who have to deal with it.
I have spent a little time on via ferrata. Hard to see how they will not be increasingly in our future.
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Jun 18, 2007 - 10:35am PT
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I've only been on the cables once (descending), after climbing Snake Dike last September. I was actually more scared on the cables than leading the 5.7 friction traverse (crux of the route). I'm surprised more people don't fall off that mess.
I've only seen pics of Euro-style via ferrata - the main difference looks like participants have ladder-like rungs to walk on, though I'm sure the cables are fitted differently as well.
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Anastasia
Trad climber
California
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Jun 18, 2007 - 10:54am PT
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I think if we just "highly advise" people to clip in with at least a sling around their waist would be good enough. Then we won't need someone to monitor people, yet we still encourage those that are aware of their own clumsiness that there is a better way.
Personally, I see people getting on the cables because they think it must be safe enough because the rangers have them up. You can see by their faces of their insecurity. If we gave them a chance to protect themselves, I have a feeling that their will be less accidents.
Just my two cents.
AF
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Jun 18, 2007 - 11:52am PT
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panweilin: great pics, but a tragic story.
However, your post that links to my post with the caption "Someone posted a photo online showing the man's falling" is incorrect (or maybe I am misunderstanding) - the pic I posted is from last September, after we had descended the cables.
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