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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:12pm PT
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From Will Stanhope's blog in Oct. 2010:
http://willstanhope.blogspot.com/2010/10/california.html
Jason Kruk and I tried to free the Waterfall route a couple years ago, but turned around in the face of loose rock. A week ago, a giant rockfall obliterated the line we were trying. Often I wonder if the fear I am feeling on routes is justified, or just nervous hocus-pocus. This section of wall is really sketchy, and I think we made the right decision a couple years back.
Will posted this photo:
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Heavy on the J
climber
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:15pm PT
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@hiker11, to add to nathanael's comment above, there are TONS of other routes in Yosemite that aren't even anywhere close to El Capitan, and many of them would be great routes for someone that's building up towards big wall climbing. She is probably climbing on a totally different rock formation and might not even be aware the the rockfall occurred. Plus cell phone reception is spotty, so she may not get a chance to call until the end of her trip. Lastly, aside from the couple from Great Britain, NPS is reporting all others safely accounted for (can't say for sure how they know that). I'm sure the wait is agonizing for a parent, but just know that the chances of her being in the vicinity are MUCH smaller than what you might assume.
Sincere condolences to the friends and family of the deceased and all involved.
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Mei
Trad climber
mxi2000.net
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:20pm PT
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It is very unfortunate that this rock fall has caused casualty and injuries. My sincere condolences to all who are involved.
About the daughter, if you still have not heard from her try contacting the climbing ranger. He will be the most likely to know who she was climbing with, or who to ask about where she was climbimg. I honestly doubt that climbing rangers are aware of the whereabouts or whoiswhos of 90+% of the climbers in the park, unless you are 1) famous, 2) actively engaged with a local crew, or 3) on El Cap which is being monitored by many lenses such as Tom's. So, do not let panic set in if the rangers don't know anything about an individual. I leave my phone on AirPlane mode when I'm in the park because I know reception is extremely spotty and I don't have a compelling reason to be reachable. So, to the dad, I can understand your worries. I hope your daughter will be able to make contact soon.
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j-tree
Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:21pm PT
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Haven't seen one yet, so here's this
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:23pm PT
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Pete was climbing on El Cap, high on a big wall, and didn't ask to see this event, to see people die. It has to be traumatic. As well as, Pete still had to get to the top, and climbing has to be a bit scary after seeing a piece of El Cap that big come off next to you.
My condolences to the families of the victims of this tragedy.
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7SacredPools
Trad climber
Ontario, Canada
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:30pm PT
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"a bit scary?" I'd be terrified!
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Grant Horner
Trad climber
Castaic, CA
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Sep 28, 2017 - 12:47pm PT
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Wow. Just did Lurking Fear on Sunday with Tim Klein. Walking up to the base of the Western side of El Capitan in the dark I remarked how glad I was to be hiking on that side—that spooky rock on the far East side looked like it could just cut loose anytime and always gave me the jitters, me being in no way a bigwall hardman.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:00pm PT
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Wow, scary. Condolences to all involved.
I bailed of Eagle's Way several years ago largely because the looseness on that side of the wall gave me the creeps. I'm sure just about everyone on this forum has walked through the impact zone on their way to the East Buttress.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:00pm PT
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hey there say.... (just saw a few post, about pete's interview)...
as to things that someone may say, or wonder about, on an interview...
also, please understand... just as a kind note...
1-- we all have different brain patterns... some folks naturally
share, by adding WHAT led up to the event-- it keep it in context,
as they explain, who, what, why, 'they are there' and thus,
how the 'what happened' affected them...
i have seen this many times, when helping others that have seen
something awful...
2-- it helps keep facts straight, in their mind, as they are
still actively processing it...
then again:
1--some folks that have another way of brain processing, will fix
in entirely ON the event, and nearly not even think as to 'who they are'
or what is going on, in comparing to WHAT they just saw... it is
such a shock, and they zero in on that instead...
everyone here, knows, at least those that KNOW these folks in person,
well, everyone knows, the utter pain and devastation of the precious
LIFE that all HOLD in there in hands, while climbing...
of course, pete would NOT BE 'enjoying a moment of fame' in such
a wrong way...
i'd think, he rose to the serious occasion of keeping things as straight
as he SAW them, and tell the NEWS (which clearly had quite often misrepresented climbers, in terms, and all the things you folks have
mentinoed here, as to PAST reports-- and thus mentally must have tried to
show what position he was in (first), as a climber, to PORTRAY 'why' he
understood, and was sharing the 'size and fall, and how rare it was to see this' etc,etc,
wheww... i'd have hated to be in his shoes, to do that, and KNOWING all the while that perhaps i have just seen precious human life die...
well, just trying to help make a better 'playing field' here for
everyone, as, it is a very hard things...
we are all different, but-- we all care...
my condolences to the family and loved ones, from this terrible event...
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Express
Mountain climber
Vacaville, CA
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:11pm PT
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Not sure if this adds to the info or not, but here's a photo I took of the rock fall area just a few months back (June 3,'17). Pretty sure the area that fell is in this shot:
If anyone wants to borrow or mark up the photo, feel free. Condolences to the injured and deceased.
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nathanael
climber
CA
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:31pm PT
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If you'd like to look at the the rockfall area in pretty high resolution and pseudo-3D check out Google Earth, this link will bring you pretty much to the spot:
https://earth.google.com/web/@37.73111196,-119.62731216,1653.81446518a,383.44109501d,35y,22.8580864h,80.64120534t,0r
Click and drag to move around, shift-click to rotate the camera, and alt-click to zoom.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:35pm PT
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My math is often suspect but a large dump truck holds 14 cubic yards.
The big belly dumpers you see hauling around construction sites hold 9 cubic yards. So that's about 66 truckloads of granite.
I can't imagine hiking and looking up to see that headed my way.
RIP
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10b4me
Mountain climber
Retired
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:52pm PT
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Also above ,Anita posted a photo from Tom Evans. I checked his website and it does not look like he has his Sept 27 report up. Not sure if he still does one everyday or not..
He doesn't.
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crberg
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
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Sep 28, 2017 - 01:53pm PT
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What Im curious to see is where Pete and his party are located in some of these pictures. Obviously too tiny to be seen but just the location from where his pictures and video were shot relative to the new scarring.
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zBrown
Ice climber
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Sep 28, 2017 - 02:05pm PT
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just comparing
https://earth.google.com/web/@37.73074499,-119.63222097,1412.34088943a,2083.22525179d,35y,22.8489296h,30.62903631t,-0r
https://earth.google.com/web/@37.73111196,-119.62731216,1653.81446518a,383.44109501d,35y,22.8580864h,80.64120534t,0r
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Child
Mountain climber
S.L.UT
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Sep 28, 2017 - 02:20pm PT
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Please do share with us all where exactly it is that you pay to pray. My tithing is ready, I want to join! I'm tired of this helmet!
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Lambone
Big Wall climber
Ashland, Or
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Sep 28, 2017 - 02:24pm PT
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Not to hate on Pete, but I've known him for over 20 years, he's a shameless self promoter and it's obvious he used the medias interest in this tragic rockfall to spout on national news about how many nights he's spent on El Cap and how many routes he climbed.
Sure he's in a unique Birdseye perspective of the event to be able to do so...but I can't help rolling my eyes at his commentary. Though surely anyone who has spent even a brief amount of time with him couldn't be surprised by it.
I was once interviewed in the Camp 4 parking lot by the San Fransisco news channel back in 98 I think when a climber was killed by the big rockfall off Glacier Point. I was just a kid back then and when she asked me, "How do you justify the risks of climbing when you could get killed by rockfall?"
I recall saying something like "We all take risks getting in our cars and diving down the highway everyday. I'd rather be climbing then driving."
I meant it at the time but in hindsight after watching myself on TV it felt a bit callous and insensitive to the deceased climber, and I regretted doing the interview at all.
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SuperTopo on the Web
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East Buttress of El Cap - the normal approach trail goes through the fresh rockfall.
Let us know!