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apogee
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 5, 2010 - 08:08pm PT
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No, this thread isn't about depressed rescue equipment. Or a bunch of really bummed out puppies.
I was up at Suicide today for this first time this season, and was surprised to find the litters there had suffered some serious damage over the winter:
This is the litter that has been a the base of the Weeping Wall for many years- usually used by RMRU &/or Idyllwild Fire Dept.
The litter on the right was donated and placed there by myself & Kenji Haroutunian. It was moved about 100 feet down the trail by someone.
Closeup of damage to RMRU litter.
At first glance, I figured that they had been hit by rock or treefall sometime over the winter, but there was really no evidence of this around the tree where the litters are placed. Inspecting them closely, there really isn't any evidence of having been hit by anything, either. My best guess is that the greater-than-usual snowpack in Idyllwild this year (esp. at the base of Suicide, where it can be especially deep) simply compressed and destroyed them. Impressive!
There are no litters at the base of Suicide right now- the Idyllwild Fire Department often has them stashed at their firehouse after rescues until someone gets around to replacing them. If you'd like to do a good climber-deed, and plan on being up there very soon, you might consider dragging one back up the hill.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Snow creep has tremendous force, and may be responsible for at least some of the damage. Think of it as a very slow-moving but irresistible avalanche. If the items were compressed against the various trees and rocks, that would explain much of it. Although the total downslope movement you mention seems unusual for snow creep, it could be a result of faster surface movement.
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apogee
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 6, 2010 - 02:10am PT
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Hey!
This is a climbing-related thread! WTF!!??
Bump!
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dogtown
Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
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Photo of some local dude. LOL.
Nice to see someone is climbing there again. The best stone in SOCAL. Maybe the world.
Dogtown.
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TripL7
Trad climber
san diego
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Spent many a day/season, summers and winters included there, but it's been a long time. Just the short hike up to the rock was an adventure...so beautiful/pleasant.
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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12d face in Fires ... damn...
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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thx apogee for donating the litter.
my first trip up there I saw those and it really brought home that climber's were self aware and responsible for taking care of other climbers.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Are you sure it is not a result of the growing obesity problem in the United States?
Damn! We need a fund raiser for litters! Now, what would those shirts look like...
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microcam
Trad climber
San Juan Capistrano. California
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A couple of questions? What is the snow level like at the base (I'm sure the north side still has a ton)? We might be heading up there this weekend and would be glad to haul up a litter. Apogee, you say they are available at the fire station? I know a guy who works at the station perhaps he will help us out.
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LDunn
Trad climber
Idyllwild, CA
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is there still a litter on the north face of suicide the one thats tied to a tree?
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apogee
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2010 - 02:22am PT
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I was up at Suicide today- yes, LDunn, there is a litter near the N Face, at the base of Flower.
There are also two litters at the base of the Weeping Wall, in the usual location- Clark Jacobs said that Sean (? last name) hauled them up there recently. After chatting with him, we agreed that it would make sense to move one of them over to the base of the Pirate/Capt. Hook area.
Tahquitz, meanwhile, is kinda hurtin' for litters. The traditional locations- Lunch Rock, and the top of the Friction Slabs descent; haven't had litters there for some time. The SCMA (So Cal Mtnrs Assoc) have a couple of litters below Lunch Rock- they place them there each year, primarily for their outings/trips. Not sure how they would feel about them being used for general public uses.
If you are interested in doing a little climber-community-service in the next week or so, you might consider hauling one of the Suicide/Weeping Wall litters over towards the Pirate area. Or, drop by the Idyllwild Fire Dept. and tell them you'd like to help out by hauling one up to Tahquitz (Lunch Rock is a good start)- Jack Peckham is a good contact there.
It's really not as difficult as it seems (I've done it a few times myself), and climbers benefit from it regularly. With the summer season officially starting next weekend, someone just might appreciate your efforts...
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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May 22, 2010 - 02:29am PT
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Yeah apogee those litters are looking bad...Good on you for getting some attention to this! They were always in good condition when I was guiding there...Tells you how long ago that was...:)
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LDunn
Trad climber
Idyllwild, CA
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May 25, 2010 - 01:48pm PT
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Sean Owen brought them up
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Nov 14, 2012 - 11:08am PT
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The SCMA (So Cal Mtnrs Assoc) have a couple of litters below Lunch Rock- they place them there each year, primarily for their outings/trips. Not sure how they would feel about them being used for general public uses.
The SCMA places those litters as a public service. Mike J. drags those up each year. No one wants to ever see them used, of course, but they are not exclusively for the club by any means.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2012 - 11:12am PT
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"The SCMA places those litters as a public service."
Every time I've seen them, they've had a chain around them, locked to a tree. Not sure how that's a 'public service'.
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Nov 14, 2012 - 03:51pm PT
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Really? I've never seen them chained. Let me try to find out what's up.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2012 - 04:21pm PT
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The litters that are commonly in place at Tahquitz & Suicide are a mish-mash of various older-style litters, of varying manufacturing origins. When a rescue/evac occurs, they usually wind up at the Fire Department, placed on top of a metal storage container, until some enterprising individual(s) cart them back up.
The SCMA gear I've seen is usually tarped just below Lunch Rock (and chained, at least the last few times I've looked). It is placed seasonally, and is probably gone by now. I've seen several types of equipment there over the years- my guess is the litter & wheel was theirs.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Nov 14, 2012 - 04:48pm PT
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hey there say, apogee...
great post...
thanks for bringing this to attention... and getting stuff done...
:)
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Gary
Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
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Nov 19, 2012 - 11:56am PT
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Every time I've seen them, they've had a chain around them, locked to a tree. Not sure how that's a 'public service'.
Here's the word from the guy that handles that. He drags the litter up to Lunch Rock each year. He's never locked it. The litter and wheel that was wrapped and locked is no longer there. It was locked over concern of liability and theft. It's gone. So it's just the litter at Lunch Rock.
IIRC, there was another litter maintained by the Friction Descent, which is gone. Apparently there are a bunch of litters stowed at the fire department in Idyllwild, they just need volunteers to drag them up to the rock.
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| Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic |
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