ROCKFALL - El Cap - East Ledges Descent

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ClimbingRanger

Trad climber

Yosemite, CA

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 22, 2016 - 04:34pm PT

Hey folks... here's a heads up report on a recent rockfall on the East Ledges descent on El Cap. I will post some photos as soon as I can.

Here is a write up from one of the climbing rangers.

Sometime recently, most likely during the week of March 14, 2016, a rock fall occurred down the east ledges descent of El Capitan. The rockfall appears to have originated (somewhere) high above the first rappel station, cutting the first (fixed) rope, and continuing all the way down the gully below the standard rappel route for hundreds of yards. The climbers trail below the rappels has been essentially erased until the point the trail cuts east across the creek/gully below.

Here is a first hand account from the reporting party on 3/20/2016.

“Here are the only decent photos I took of the rockfall. We first noticed some loose rocks and some scarring in the gully about 50 feet above the start of the raps. One of the two ropes to start the raps was cut by rock fall and the other had a core shot. We took the larger part of the cut rope down with us. At the base of the raps we noticed what looked like the debris from a huge rockfall. The debris extended from the base of the raps down to where the trail cuts off into the woods. The rock fall took out the trail up until the point where it crosses the riverbed and goes into the woods.”

Anyone planning on descending via the east ledges is advised to use extra caution as there may be elevated rockfall hazard here. As per usual, any team planning on using this descent should have enough rope to properly rappel without the help of fixed lines which may have been left in place by other climbers.

We will provide more details as they come in. Stand by for photos.

Climb hard, be safe

Yosemite Climbing Management
http://www.climbingyosemite.com

clinker

Trad climber

Santa Cruz, California

Mar 22, 2016 - 04:53pm PT

The debris extended from the base of the raps down to where the trail cuts off into the woods. The rock fall took out the trail up until the point where it crosses the riverbed and goes into the woods.

There is this guy, Eric, who would like totally be into making us a new trail.

Thanks for the news.

Burt

Social climber

Angelus Oaks, Ca

Mar 22, 2016 - 04:55pm PT

woot!!!

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Mar 22, 2016 - 05:32pm PT

(2009 photo - might be helpful for discussing locations)

Mountain climber

there and back again

Mar 22, 2016 - 05:51pm PT

Nice Clint,thanks

looks easy from here

climber

Ben Lomond, CA

Mar 22, 2016 - 08:48pm PT

I took this picture that caught that area the afternoon of Sunday the 20th from the top of Manure Pile Buttress. I think my cousin may be obscuring key features affected by the slide, but I figure I might as well throw it out in case it's helpful.

Matt's

climber

Mar 23, 2016 - 07:28am PT

Yes, we need new fixed lines-- how else will we toprope the salathe???

ECF

Big Wall climber

Ridgway CO

Mar 23, 2016 - 08:09am PT

Seriously?

Fixed ropes are against park policy.

Anything for a buck, eh Erik?

You disgust me.

Alpamayo

Trad climber

Davis, CA

Mar 23, 2016 - 08:14am PT

LOL...I may have had some differences with ES on the BOR thing...but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that anyone who really opposes fixed lines on the east ledges descent probably hasn't been on El Cap in a LONG time.

ECF

Big Wall climber

Ridgway CO

Mar 23, 2016 - 08:20am PT

Let's hear your justification for violating park policy.

Rapping or jugging a fixed line of unknown providence is possibly the stupidest thing you can do with a harness on.

So what if it's been ten years since I've been to the valley.
The rules haven't changed.
Just the way some people break them.

Rollover

climber

Gross Vegas

Mar 23, 2016 - 08:35am PT

"We need new ropes!"
-Sloan
Who's we? Looking for handouts for a new rope?
Get the f*#k outta here with that shit!!
Get a real f*#king job that pays actual money,
then you wouldn't have to come here and beg from
people who actually work for money.

JEleazarian

Trad climber

Fresno CA

Mar 23, 2016 - 11:02am PT

Thanks for the info. I wonder if the frequency of rockfall has any relationship to the amount of precipitation. Given the rockfall of recent years, I rather doubt it, but I'd be interested in gstock's take on this.

It's funny about our unofficial fixed ropes. Every guide I read that mentions them has all of the appropriate disclaimers about their temporary, unofficial status, but I can't argue about their convenience. I've done most of the conventional approaches and descents before any fixed ropes were in place, as well as after, and I confess that I like their convenience, even though I know using them may not be my brightest move.

John

NutAgain!

Trad climber

South Pasadena, CA

Mar 23, 2016 - 11:59am PT

I think fixed ropes on East Ledges raps is ridiculous.

I'll admit I'm not a frequent traveler there, but this was the b.s. I encountered on one trip through there, which made it difficult to use my own ropes:

couchmaster

climber

Mar 23, 2016 - 12:08pm PT

There was no rockfall B4 the internet.

Mr_T

Trad climber

Northern California

Mar 23, 2016 - 12:15pm PT

When did every climber here suddenly care about park rules?

I'd think folks would flip there lids if they learned about climbers:
* illegal camping at the base of Half Dome,
* improper food storage while illegally camping at the base of half dome,
* smoking of weed while not legally storing food while illegally camping at the base of half dome,
* sneaking into showers at Curry after they were illegally smoking weed while not storing their food properly while illegally camping at the base of half dome.

JEleazarian

Trad climber

Fresno CA

Mar 23, 2016 - 12:15pm PT

NutAgain!, That's why I carry a knife with me. Shortly after I first started climbing in the Valley, a climber died rapping from Goodrich Pinnacle when the rappel sling broke. Ever since, I've always been wary of junk left to rot in the sun.

Don't worry - I haven't used the knife for belaying - yet.

John

BruceHildenbrand

Social climber

Mountain View/Boulder

Mar 23, 2016 - 01:04pm PT

If I remember correctly, Cheyne Lempe was the last person to perform a major upgrade to the fixed ropes on the East Ledges about 2-3 years ago. He installed static line for the rappels.

Clint Cummins and I removed a bunch of fixed rope from the 'eastern' descent route in 2009. The ropes were heavily faded and core shot and are now part of the Neptune Mountaineering Museum.