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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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Aug 15, 2018 - 12:41pm PT
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While this kind of sucks for access right now it will be great for the river. This kind of flow will wash all the silt out and dig nice deep holes. The fishing will be better for it.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Aug 15, 2018 - 01:10pm PT
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That's nuts! Yeah, what about the bridges? I want to know more about this mysterious kayaker and his descent.
BAd
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Eric Beck
Sport climber
Bishop, California
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Aug 15, 2018 - 01:47pm PT
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How is it that that DWP is able to inject the water at the Middle Gorge Power Plant? I don't get this at all.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Aug 15, 2018 - 05:31pm PT
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That's a question maybe for Bob H. to clarify - I assume they have several bi-pass tubes that can be adjusted for specific flows since they seem to be able to divert and increase/decrease water at any section along the Gorge skipping sections they don't want to flood. They recently buried a new one under the road right at Pub Wall.
Edit: Here's a couple more pictures:
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Aug 16, 2018 - 06:37am PT
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Boy, with these flows, you can see the value of all then new riprap along the channel near Banana Belt. Intense.
BAd
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bit'er ol' guy
climber
the past
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Aug 17, 2018 - 11:21am PT
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drain the swamp
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The Vulcan
Social climber
bishop ca
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Aug 17, 2018 - 03:40pm PT
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Are the bridges to China Wall and Social Platform above water?
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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Aug 17, 2018 - 09:09pm PT
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Don't drain the swamp. Scour it clean with a high power water canon!
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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UPDATE: All bridges below Warning Signs are damaged or gone!
Went down this morning to check on things - didn't get to Warning Signs, so that is an unknown, but here's the pics I got:
Rockfall and dirt has been cleared on the hill side all the way to the Middle Pwer Plant
The high bridge to the Big Tower/Pink Wall areas got knocked loose, but I was able to cross & reset it. Still needs to be re-fastened
The low-water crossing to the Diamond Face is missing 1/2 of it's span
And the worst damage was to the Diamondback crossing. Something big hit the bridge or the water flow eroded the boulder, releasing the road-side end of the bridge. Luckily, the other side held - but some rebuilding and re-setting is going to be needed - as well as finding another crossing nearby...
Here's the pile of debris below Big Tower- pretty substantial increase to the mass
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Happy Friday thanks for the up date, going to the lower gorge next week to climb so this up date is helpful, thanks again happy climbing Mike A.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Damn, Arique! Heavy doody bridge carnage. Count me in for the work party to fix 'em up.
BAd
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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Damn, Arique!
That's "AEriq" - the old english a/e where the legs on the E are part of the... do I have to draw it for you?
Does nobody care about language anymore?
*sigh*
I'm kidding, of course...
;^)
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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Sep 28, 2018 - 05:47am PT
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Went down on Wednesday to finish the survey.
The Warning Signs access bridge is toast, the tree that held the hand-rope is gone, and the anchor boulder moved.
Access is pretty easy - the level is really low due to the DWP diverting the water past the power plant from the Banana Belt:
We climbed at Warning Signs, but the jet of water coming out of the pipe made it really hard to hear each other - possibly because the water noise is at a higher elevation?
The Blocky Top crossing I built is still intact, but needs some "pruning" - notice the water level on the boulder:
Time to re-think the "permanent high-water" crossings...
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Sep 28, 2018 - 08:02am PT
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The "Diamondback bridge" gave access to the Diamond Face/ Diamondback areas in the Lower Gorge just upstream from Pink Face. There's a slew of new routes there.
The new climbs on the left side of Warning Signs are directly above that new outflow pipe- so it was loud. No biggie- just not used to having to yell stuff. Water is super low right now but if they increase the output that will be a dangerous crossing without a new bridge.
The new bridge you guys put in at Gorgeous Towers should be fine ( although we didn't inspect it) since the big water release happened below that.
We are pow- wowing this week with Marty about repairs. Like to get it done in the next month before the season starts if possible
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Sep 28, 2018 - 11:10am PT
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How is it that that DWP is able to inject the water at the Middle Gorge Power Plant? I don't get this at all.
The water that spins the turbine in the power plant comes down through those two huge pipes (penstocks) which drop down behind the wall with DWP and Flash Flood on the frontside. I would expect that is the source of the added water.
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Sep 28, 2018 - 05:42pm PT
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With the water as low as it is, everything on the north end is good to go - easy crossings. Just a couple of weeks ago the Flavin crossings weren't even possible. Trivial now. The Gorgeous bridge sits so high that I think it's pretty safe even with big flow. The short log span just after, not so much so. But if approaching from the north with high water, good luck at Flavin.
I've been from the central to the north parking recently. Again, with the low water, trivial. Even multiple places to cross at the old bridge footings at the mouth of the narrows. Good thing, because with the growth at the Crystal bridge one couldn't even see it, much less get to it to access the narrows from that side (trees/brush have been initially cleared.)
The main trail is acceptably clear now (but no work done on sub-trails accessing individual walls - yer on your own...) What a chore hacking through fields of stinging nettle and tumbleweeds to open it back up, especially below Flavin and Trinity. Days later and I think I still itch in spite of gloves, long shirt & pants.
Yeah, opening day is just around the corner.
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Aeriq
Social climber
Location: It's a MisterE
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Lower Gorge update:
Today, Skip and I leveled, repaired & re-anchored the Big Tower crossing, replaced the missing low water crossing board to the Diamond Face/Diamondback area - as well as some pruning of the Blocky Top crossing.
More stuff in the works, but the basics are back in place for the areas in the Lower Gorge.
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