Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 19, 2012 - 11:34am PT
|
I want to do the Zodiac on ElCap next week and want to know what to wear to keep me dry if it rains and snows. thanks for your suggestions. I say some previous threads on this subject but they are all at least 5 years old so thot there might be something new.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:40am PT
|
keep me dry if it rains and snows
This is the only thing that's sure fire bomber and has actually been used by someone on a Winter ascent.
He said it saved his ass when icy water runoff was pouring all over him as he was topping out.
|
|
johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2012 - 11:51am PT
|
WBraun: That is probably perfect if it were pouring rain or if I were in a waterfall (I know those situations are possible but we will use avoidance as much as possible to protect us from those situations) I was looking for something that would be more versatile.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:57am PT
|
if it were pouring rain or if I were in a waterfall
You ever been up there in a storm?
|
|
johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 19, 2012 - 12:14pm PT
|
No I haven't. Are you serious about that body suit? Where do I get one. I am going with a climber that has done the nose in less than 4 hours so avoidance might be more of a possibility than with a normal climber. (we can probably rap in short order)
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 12:19pm PT
|
No I'm not serious.
What I'm serious about is you better understand the full nature about the beast when the sh!t hits the fan up there at this time of the year.
You better be fully prepared.
People have died not taken this seriously.
If you are even thinking of YOSAR as a backup then you have already failed .....
|
|
splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 12:31pm PT
|
Board shorts!!
|
|
Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 12:42pm PT
|
Werner is right. At a minimum I would go with a kayak style top, one that has a neoprene neck cuff and wrist cuffs. Last time I was in a storm up there nailing away in regular rain gear the ice water was going in my sleeves and fire-hosing out my pant legs.
The only thing that will really keep you dry up there is steepness. Once you start futzing around in the rain or water or anything else, you are probably in a heap of sh#t. Stay dry at all costs.
Oh... and YER GONNA DIE!!!
to add: go up fat. During my "event" I started the wall weighing about 180 lbs. When I got down I weighed 162. I'm glad I had a lot of ass to burn and needed it all.
|
|
mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 10:44pm PT
|
I am going with a climber that has done the nose in less than 4 hours
I would just ask your super-climber what he is going to use during your ascent.
Or get a Kagool...
|
|
Stewart Johnson
climber
lake forest
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:01pm PT
|
check the weather dumbass
|
|
xtrmecat
Big Wall climber
Kalispell, Montanagonia
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:05pm PT
|
Johnr9q, I just returned home at 1200 miles and some change, after two days of humping loads to Zodiac. Seven days invested door to door. Total trip expenses were $1250. Why leave the valley without doing the Zodiac?
I do walls solo most of the time. Most of my climbing is winter. Zodiac is well within my ability. I already have the proper gear and experience.
Answer, the forcast just was not right, and as stated above, YOSAR is not part of any plans. My forcast was only wet with more wet. A storm would likely end all wall climbing forever. Worth the risk. Not in my book.
I would really wish everone would rethink things as such this. But then the trip reports would be mediocre, and not epic after epic. See the thread about rappelling the nose. Stuff happens on it's own, starting with a probable problem built into the plan. Epic at best case.
Burly Bob
|
|
Captain...or Skully
climber
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:12pm PT
|
You can get hammered up there. I bailed out of a Winter storm once. It sucked a lot.
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
sawatch choss
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:16pm PT
|
Dry top. Rubber rain pants. neoprene hood. and gloves. That's just what you should have this time of year.
|
|
splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:18pm PT
|
You might take into consideration your feet also (not sure if anyone has covered that). I know of one person that I climbed with who got severe frostbite on his feet. Hampered his climbing for some time. Not sure if he fully recovered. That took place high on the NA wall. Standing and belaying his partner in an icy waterfall. Not sure what type of covering you could use in that type of situation.
edit: maybe that suit that WB posted.
He couldn't freeclimb at all for awhile. And he lived in the Valley full time and generally did it almost everydy. Worked for the guide school. Had to slowly ease back into climbing and leading relatvely easy free climbs since he had no, or little feeling in his feet. So, it can get real serious up there (like someone already said).
|
|
Lambone
Big Wall climber
Ashland, Or
|
|
|
Nov 19, 2012 - 11:51pm PT
|
(we can probably rap in short order)
Jose died rapping off Zodiac in a winter storm. Froze to death less then 100ft off the deck...
:( RIP
Edit:
http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/elcapd.txt
19. Joseph E. Crowe, 12/28/2002. He was fixing to pitch 4 on Zodiac
when a sudden snowstorm blew in. He called for help at 7:30pm,
but when the rescuers arrived at 11pm, he had died, probably
from hypothermia. He was at the end of a rope, 25' off the
ground when the rescue party found him.
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2012 - 12:04am PT
|
Being able to hunker down in a freezing waterfall seems like something you would want your ledge to be able to handle. Sure it's dumb to go up with a bad forecast but even a good forecast can prove unreliable.
What ledge/fly combo would folks recommend?
|
|
Fogarty
climber
BITD
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2012 - 12:11am PT
|
I always packed a Big 5 poncho, thank GOD I never needed one.
|
|
mctwisted
Trad climber
e.p.
|
|
|
Nov 20, 2012 - 12:25am PT
|
i like that one piece suit in werners first post, i have the same suit (but thank god it has the pee zipper!) thats only if it gets really bad. ive also used my drytop, and rainpants, but my fav was semi drytop with latex wrist gaskets and you put the rack on. then optional big raincoat over that
only reason i tried all is i had these items from my kayaking gear, and was hell bent on going up in alpine conditions.
it can get real nasty up there, real fast.
part of being prepared might be to read the accidents that have happened up there in the past, i know there have been two teams that were frozen solid to the wall, werner and i were on the recovery team on both(wish i could forget that)
and then there are the many rescues that have saved lives up there, which is educational reading(is it mountaineering accidents of north america?)
and you definately want to read russ wallings wall writeups on the fish website
enough preaching, hope it all works out well and you have fun and stay safe
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!