Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
crankster
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 10:23am PT
|
The one bit of speculation I'll engage in is that most people I know who would do Ritter and/or Banner in a day - and granted, that's not many - would never dream of carrying mountaineering boots in their backpack. Gore trex trail runners or light hikers, mini gaiters and some aluminum strap-ons. Obviously I'm hesitant to project that onto Matt's mindset, but every time I looked up at the glacier below Minarets, I found myself thinking "now that looks like the sort of serious terrain I'd want real boots for".
Totally agree. By the list of climbs he'd done, I'd assume he had a good feel for what gear would be necessary for a particular climb in the Sierra. That logic leads towards an objective with steep snow/ice, not the medium angle type on Ritter/Banner. Unless that's the only boot/crampon combo he had.
I'll admit I'm grasping at straws at this point. Most Sierra snow/ice couloirs are getting climbed regularly this time of year - hopefully, someone will spot him.
|
|
10b4me
Ice climber
Wishes-He-Was-In-Arizona
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 10:33am PT
|
He seemed to be drawn to the Minarets. Maybe he climbed one of the less popular ones. Leonard Minaret has a 5.3 route on it.
|
|
10b4me
Ice climber
Wishes-He-Was-In-Arizona
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 10:47am PT
|
You know, when I was younger, I didn't mind the Sierra talus, but as I have gotten older, I have really come to dislike it.
|
|
Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 11:33am PT
|
Great job mattyj on the work and write up.
I feel better about that particular drainage now as well.
|
|
this just in
climber
north fork
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 12:11pm PT
|
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Mt-Ritter/t12084n.html
At the time of my trip I had no idea Matt was missing. This TR is not a search trip, but if any of the info is helpful, feel free to use it. That talus is some of the craziest I've encountered in the Sierra, several blocks were dislodged on our class 2 scramble. The biggest was a meter by meter big. I agree the more tired you are the more dangerous it is.
To Matt's family, no words can comfort you, but I send my best thoughts your way.
|
|
Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 12:57pm PT
|
Hell - an endless talus slope. Extraordinarily difficult to search.
|
|
tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 02:09pm PT
|
In the picture with the dog from "ritter from kieser peal' what is that the dog looking at? Crazy long shot but looks like a person in tan pants, with a blue shirt, raising both hands who is having trouble standing upright. -Ron
|
|
tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 02:22pm PT
|
on the master photo the object is in the shadows, so maybe they could not see. also maybe any calls for help were bounced off the mountains and the dog heard it. i havent been out there so i cant judge distance at all...
|
|
this just in
climber
north fork
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 02:28pm PT
|
Ron that photo was taken last year. The first few were from different ranges looking at Ritter from previous years.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 02:31pm PT
|
I see that pic posted is 1024 x 740. The original must be larger and a lot more detail could be pulled out of it. PM me with the original.
|
|
tdg119
Social climber
Northampton, PA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 02:49pm PT
|
thanks for the follow up. nice pics by the way. I never understood why matt or anyone for that matter would enjoy hiking but after all of this, now I understand. thanks everyone, you guys are truly amazing.
|
|
this just in
climber
north fork
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 03:40pm PT
|
When I get home from work, I'll post any talus and Glacier pics to this thread that aren't in my TR.
Regards,
Justin Ross
|
|
klk
Trad climber
cali
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
|
dean, i hate to say this, but that struck me as the likeliest of destinations, given the day pack/heavy boots scenario and his previous minaret experience. it was probably fairly dicey a month ago. gonna be worse now.
it was pretty sobering to see all that rockfall debris in mattyj's ritter/banner pix.
be careful.
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 04:30pm PT
|
... he gets in the zone when he's out there. He doesn't stop to look around, he is focused. His every step is precise, calculated, and intuitive. He would not appear to wonder aimlessly, or look around at the views. Unless of course he wants to stop and take in all in (usually for about 10 minutes while he eats, then it's back up and moving again). -Ron Minto
This sounds fine for relatively safe terrain, but in a technical setting, such as ice, it could get you in trouble if you are focused on going up and up, but not looking also at the consequences of a fall, or options for reversing moves etc.
|
|
michaeld
Sport climber
Sacramento
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 04:52pm PT
|
Ron-
Any follow up from the possible sighting up in Reno?
|
|
PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 04:55pm PT
|
Dean, I'd love to join you, but you know my situation currently. When do you plan on heading in?
|
|
dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 05:22pm PT
|
"I went through Matt's house"
Man that must be tough gong through your brothers stuff, sorry for your loss once again, hope you and family are doing ok.
I would be down to go and help Dean, but besides time issues someone like me would be more of a crutch than anything. I have no experience in that terrain and would only hold you back or worse. Hope one of the many competent climbers on here will have time and can help you. Would be nice to find him and at least have some closure for family and friends.
Never really though about what family/friends must feel like when they have no explanation for their loss. This thread is an eye opener and hope it has taught us all a little about things we should think about before soloing.
All the best of luck to you, stay safe out there.
Edit: sorry Tdg119, should have known you were his sister. Corrected, thanks Dean.
|
|
this just in
climber
north fork
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 08:34pm PT
|
Here's some more pics from my trip in which many aren't on the TR. The talus fields make it so hard to see any object, but feel free to use any of these pictures. All pics were taken on 8/7/13.
|
|
Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
|
|
|
Aug 20, 2013 - 09:30pm PT
|
Damb . . . looks like San Juan choss.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!