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Arch_Angel
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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We have all had the leader pull up on the rope when not expected. At a wrong moment, the follower is pulled off balance and slips off. Simplest explanation.
And equally possible that there was unexpectedly no rope slack available for a leader move upwards and slips off.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Any evaluation of these issues in technical terms would be well served by including Rich Goldstone and Ed H.
Also, I keep reminding myself that the players own the sport. As a bit player these days it's not my call to try and dictate how other climber's behave, like some Uncle Remus providing remote wisdom that young fellers and women should best respect. Bollocks. They'll figure out what they should do, just like we all did when we were carrying the torch.
But evaluating the safety issues is a job that belongs to us all, and in that regards the larger audience might be of some value. If nothing else it gives us a sense - however illusory - of still being relevant.
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John Butler
Social climber
SLC, Utah
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1:58:07 will be the 3rd segment of Reel Rock 13... unless the record falls again, I suppose.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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YOSAR is not coming to Supertopo for advice on analyzing anything - ever. This forum, its members and the opinions expressed here hold zero creed in the Valley.
I'm pretty sure I can hear robust laughter from the great beyond at the suggestions here these 2 should have throttled back any aspect of their lives. Such a thing would suggest regret, and I'm just not seeing it.
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Sula
Trad climber
Pennsylvania
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Largo posted:
... it's not my call to try and dictate how other climber's behave ... Well, you probably shouldn't "dictate" - nor expect a high rate of compliance if you do.
But the truth is that you have accumulated both knowledge and even some wisdom over the years, and it's appropriate to offer that here. More than a few of us appreciate it when you - and others among our éminences grises - do so.
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kwagner
Big Wall climber
Tucson, AZ
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I didn’t know Tim and Jason very well. I had met them once on El Capitan and spent no more than half an hour with them, but those guys were so nice, so psyched, and so impressive that the memory of meeting them resonated with me.
I was belaying my partner, Jordan, on the crux changing corners pitch of The Nose. It would be our first summit of El Cap that evening, and we were psyched. It must have been around 9 AM because we were already a couple pitches into an early start to ensure our success. Suddenly there were voices beneath us, and before I knew it there was another climber on the ledge.
At first I was worried–I felt like we were cruising, and getting passed by a party that is only slightly faster can be a headache for everyone involved. It was immediately apparent that wasn’t the case.
I learned a lesson in efficiency as Tim said hello and shot me a friendly smile as he anchored his rope in even less time.
“Is it okay if I clip into your gear? I think your cam is in the only placement.” Tim said as he immediately began the next pitch.
“Of course, go ahead.” Most people wouldn’t even ask.
“Thanks. If I had an actual belay I would usually free this section[10c], but I prefer to have a real belay when I’m free climbing….
“Partner should be up here soon. He’s solid and won’t be in your way. I might come back down and get some water from him when he gets here.”
A few seconds passed and Tim grabbed one of Jordan’s placements (still on self-belay) and swung around the crux corner, out of sight.
Jason arrived as quickly as Tim disappeared. He was climbing the fixed rope while self belaying on two microtraxions (I appreciated the redundancy, and employ a similar setup now when I top-rope solo). The last pitch was a tough looking 11+ endurance fest. I was glad that I was aiding. This guy was psyched to be freeing it for the 100th time.
“WOOOOOOO! I’m top roping the Nose!!!” were the first words that I heard out of Jason.
They had started just about five hours earlier, and were about to stand on top in no more than an hour. We had started five days earlier, and would stand on top that evening.
“You guys are doing it the right way.” Said Jason.
“Take a week your first few times and just enjoy being up here.”
Jason continued to pull up the end of his rope so that he could belay Tim, but the rope snagged beneath.
“Guess I’ll have to go down and fix it.” Said Jason as he was already clipped in and rapping back down the fixed line. Meanwhile Tim finished the next pitch on his own, arrived at the next anchor with Jordan, and immediately began climbing again. (Jordan later remarked that it was like getting passed by the incredible hulk.)
A minute later and Jason was already back at the belay.
“The carabiner got stuck sideways in the crack. I’ve never seen that happen before. I wanted to climb that pitch again anyways! These upper pitches are so good!”
We talked a bit more, about where we lived, how long we have been climbing, and what we did for work. Jordan and I are both astronomers, which Jason was excited to learn.
“We’re sharing the wall with geniuses!” he shouted up to Tim.
I was flattered, and meanwhile I was honored to be sharing the wall with these two superhumans who were making quick time out of the biggest accomplishment of my life.
And as quickly as they arrived, they were gone. This time, simply above us and out of sight thanks to their remarkable speed, on to run down the East ledges to be relaxing in the valley before noon (or starting another run up the Salathe for all I know).
A few days ago the story, which started out for Tim and Jason as it had hundreds of times at the base, ended in a different way. Those guys chose to live their lives on the wall, as I do and so do so many of my friends and loved ones.
They had been up the wall hundreds of times before, so they had reason to feel comfortable with greater than a ninety-nine percent safety margin, and their families had reason to trust in their abilities.
We’ll never know exactly what precipitated the fall of these El Cap heroes. To make sense of it, and to try to justify our own continued climbing, the community has been vibrantly speculating what might have happened.
Was a haul bag dropped from above? Did a hold break? Did poor gear blow out of the wall? Was there even any gear in between them? Is simuclimbing unsafe? Is it time to stop focusing on speed climbing? Why are Alex and Tommy still breaking the record on the Nose just a few days after all of this?
In my short time as a climber, I’ve learned that geology is an ongoing process, and that climbers are part of the equation. I won’t speculate much on what happened, but my guess is that on a section of rock that Jason knew well, he found a moment in time in which all of the previous geologic forces (including Jason’s previous passage of the same rock, and my own) added up to change the environment in a way that he did not expect. Maybe a hold broke, maybe a block blew out of the crack, maybe Jason stepped and slipped on one of El Cap’s notoriously gooey worms.
All that we know with certainty is that they fell from a section that they were capable of traversing as easily as the front stairs to their home, so it seems that something weird happened. At least, to preserve the memory of our friends and heroes we hope that something weird happened. We also selfishly hope that something weird happened so that we can justify our own climbing, and ignore the potential cold reality that the families of Jason and Tim are feeling right now.
For now, when I think of climbing I can only think of Tim and Jason. I try to start a workout, but just stop. They are all that I can think about. Was it worth it for them all of the times that they worked out in pursuit of their remarkable climbing fitness? Did it simply drive them to their end? If they were here now, would they encourage their friends to give up climbing and spend time with their families?
I think they wouldn’t. Climbing is what made those guys whole, as it makes me whole. Such a heavy loss is hard to bear, but it also reminds us of how beautiful and remarkable it was to share the experiences with them that we have.
I would give up climbing in a heartbeat if Jason could meet his soon to be born child, or if Tim could spend one more day with his wife and kids, but I can’t turn back the clock. The least that I can do is to preserve the one memory that I have of them, before it fades with time.
I think we can find a sort of peace in knowing that our community is stronger thanks to Tim and Jason. I only spent twenty minutes with them, and the encounter charged the past two years of my life with psych and inspiration. I can only begin to imagine the collective effects that they have left among us.
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Bethesda
Trad climber
Bethesda
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Lovely thoughts, KWagner
Chances are good we will never know the explanation. But if a haulbag was dropped at that spot at that time, a strong supposition could be made.
Notably, radio silence on the haulbag issue since the first day. Those who know -- was a haulbag dropped or not -- aren't talking. Presumably at the (justified) request of the authorities. Who don't want any witnesses' recollections tainted by something they heard or read.
Patience, I suppose, is in order.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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kwagner
Thank you for your eloquent post.
This was above all, the terrible loss of two dedicated human beings who have left grieving families and friends.
We can ask questions as to how this may have happened and what lessons may be learned without passing judgement.
Like many who have posted here, I could have been a similar casualty many times over.
Condolences and respect,
PB
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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great post kwagner.
So nice to have a visual of what it may have been like to be on the big stone next to them. And as you mentioned they made a big memorable impression in that brief encounter. So cool.
I especially liked: “WOOOOOOO! I’m top roping the Nose!!!” were the first words that I heard out of Jason.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Bethesda. several witnesses have come out and said that a haul bag was not dropped.
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JohnnyG
climber
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nice post KWagner.
It's really nice to read personal stories about Tim and Jason
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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^^^Ditto that. Really well said.
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Grant Horner
Trad climber
Castaic, CA
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JohnnyG--
Tim was a friend and we have climbed El Cap together. We had another climb planned for early June (SWIAD or NIAD), but I scored a series of Whitney permits where I am training some young guns. So I did not make the planned early June climb of EC with him; we would have done it in the next few weeks. I am 54 and never was anywhere near as good as he was so as usual he would have been dragging me along for charity.
Right now I am just processing the pain and shock and maybe will post something personal about climbing with Tim later. He was truly a wonderful man. But I just can't right now. It is too soon.
I'm not much of an internet poster anyways; I think I have maybe 5 posts total here over ten years...I'd rather be outside and without wifi, personally...
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Longstick
Social climber
Seattle, WA
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This has been a golden thread. Precious.
The quality of writing and thoughtful discussion has caused me to return, to read and re-read. I am humbled by the serious reflections that have been shared.
My heart goes out to the men’s family and dear loved ones. I appreciate the faith in Jesus expressed there.
“A good name (that is, the legacy of a life well lived) is better than precious ointment (a sweet smell is hollow w/o a good name….rich men were buried w/precious ointment to mask their smell of death), and the day of death (better…because at these times you will have opportunity to weigh what is a life well lived and consider life’s deepest issues) than the day of birth (a day to only celebrate, not contemplate). It is better to go to the house of mourning (where you will find wisdom and those issues discussed) than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” Eccles 7:1-2
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Grant Horner
Trad climber
Castaic, CA
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I know, Longstick. Tim and I learned in the car on the way to do Lurking Fear one afternoon that we were both Christian brothers. Makes the already tight bond of the climbing partner brotherhood even sweeter, and death easier to handle, though still grievous.
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yosemite 5.9
climber
santa cruz
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I agree with Longstick that this is a golden thread. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts.
I didn't know climbers Jason Wells or Time Klein or of their exploits. I understand that they were ages 46 and 42 respectively. This is well old enough and they were obviously more than experienced enough to assess and accept the risks of their actions. I will not critique their possible style or the results.
I will offer that the Call of the Wild as described by Jack London and the Call of the Mountains as described by John Muir are more important to me than this screen that I am looking at.
It is perhaps better to die in the wild doing what you love than in bed at an old age, well past an active lifestyle.
I will return to Yosemite this summer for the 35th time. I may only hike up Mt. Dana as my main aerobic event. But most likely I will get in just a few 5.10 moves on some climbing route. I am not as good as I once was and you are all probably much better than I. But the mountains call me as they do to most of you I expect. I will go, as will you, in your own style.
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Bethesda. several witnesses have come out and said that a haul bag was not dropped. Who? I have seen several folks say that they themselves did not drop a haul bag. I have seen the report of the widow and an eyewitness report suggesting there was a haulbag dropped. The two other climbers on the wall that saw some of the action were in a spot they wouldn't have seen it.
I'm not saying there was one. Just that I haven't seen anyone definitively say there wasn't. I may have missed it however.
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