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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 20, 2004 - 03:22pm PT
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I heard on the KRON morning news today that a couple of climbers were getting plucked off of El Cap this morning after the 4 day deluge. Is everyone OK?
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Matt
climber
SF
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Oct 20, 2004 - 04:24pm PT
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brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
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Bilbo
Trad climber
Truckee
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Oct 20, 2004 - 04:33pm PT
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Doesn't anyone check the weather anymore? Darwin lives!
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poop*ghost
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Oct 20, 2004 - 05:30pm PT
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check it out - rescue helicopter right off the captain.
I think some miserable shite went down on the big stone.
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David
Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 05:40pm PT
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Wow! Good eyes to catch that.
Ofcoarse, I guess it could be a bug's leg that just happened to get plastered to the web cams lens. Definitely looks like a helicopter though. I think you can just make out the rotor blades.
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ricardo
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 06:45pm PT
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i posted this in RC.com .. but might as well ask here also ..
.. any news of dave turner? -- and wether he got off tempest before the storm hit? -- by my estimates he should have been topping out last weekend
 ricardo
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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Oct 20, 2004 - 06:56pm PT
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Or Lambone? Wasn't he planning to get on a route this week?
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Ammon
Big Wall climber
The Ditch
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:16pm PT
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Scary!! I know how miserable it gets up there in a big storm.
I've made a few calls to people in the Valley to get some details but haven't heard anything, yet.
Hopefully Link will post something soon.
Yeah, last I saw Dave was halfway up (last week) and was going pretty slow. Also, Ivo and Leo Houlding were planning on being on the right side near Bad Seed.
I hope everyone gets down safe.
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maculated
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo, CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:19pm PT
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Good energy to those on the stone. :(
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Ammon
Big Wall climber
The Ditch
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:24pm PT
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I just talked to Chris Van Leuven.
He said he was pretty sure that Dave got a rescue, a Belgian party off Camp6 of the Nose and a party on Lurking Fear.
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chiranjeeb
climber
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:29pm PT
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Rescue seems to continue. Hope nobody is injured. Any updates?
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:29pm PT
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Good Juju.
Yeah, we need more energy to melt all of that damn snow. Winter sucks!
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:37pm PT
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Ok, sorry for the wait. Some of you may be frustrated – that was not intended. I have been doing fieldwork out in the desert that I had committed to before the Zodiac project (Zodiac took longer than expected, etc.). Without any Internet/phone connection and a different mental focus, the project (or results of) kinda got put on hold. I also wanted to see what would happen and preserve the adventure level for the first party that would summit. Sounds like they had fun. So, here is a little info and hopefully it will answer many questions. There will be more info, but who knows when…
Special thanks to Gabe and Ivo, who helped me make this idea a reality. Yeehaw!!!… oh what fun…
I would also like to thank all of the monkeys that helped us. Whether it was talking on the phone, talking in person, carrying loads to the base, donating food and beer to the ascent, carrying loads down from the summit, cleaning the last two pins, talking to us on the radios while on the wall, discussing ethics in the Meadow, or belting out a brilliant rant at the base to keep us psyched, many monkeys volunteered time and energy to the project. You know who you are, and you rule! THANK YOU for your help! Without it, the mission wouldn’t have gone as smoothly as it did.
-Bryan
(American Chopper)
Zodiac Data:
Bolts/Rivets:
57 bolts/rivets removed, including 37+ bolt hangers
38 bolts/rivets replaced
(note: Shortest Straw data for belays 1 and 6 is included)
Cleaning:
61+ angles, arrows, and blades
21+ rurps
5 beaks
2 cam hooks
50+ heads and deadheads
5 cable rivet hangers
1 keyhole hanger
3 1/2 cams
2 ball nuts
16+ wired nuts
4 biners
2 locking biners
1 pile of used duct tape
1 large pile of tat, webbing, and cord
1 faded Huber rope with many knots
A few rusty partial pitons (or piton pieces)
100+ bolt-holes patched
Numerous bolts/rivets, bolt/rivet parts, nuts, and washers (see above)
1 weathered Supertopo guidebook (minus the Zodiac page).......(how ironic...)
230+ items total
Tools Used:
4 “Funkness” devices
1 “Butterknife”
3 sharp chopping chisels
2 sharp, chisel-tipped punches
1 dull mega chisel
4 wall hammers
1 4-lb., 16" Estwing mini-sledge
1 pair, vice-grips
8 tuning forks
1 bolt kit (1/4” & 3/8”)
1 patching kit
1 bolt sleeve hook
LOTS – elbow grease
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:47pm PT
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What the fuk is going on. I tried to edit, my earlier post on the plight of some climbers and it attaches Minerals Zodiac post. Chris something weird is going on with the forum
Ok I just heard the most recent update, at least for me, about the climbers. News said it was two Japanese climbers.
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Oct 20, 2004 - 07:59pm PT
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Huh?????? Nuke it!
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highminded
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:05pm PT
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I just heard a radio report (KCBS out of San Fran) from a non-Link park ranger who said the two Japanese climbers (the ones without a portaledge) are considered dead because they haven't moved all day. Rescue efforts are focusing on 3 other climbers; the remaining climbers on the wall have been assessed as OK and will be finishing their climbs.
The rescue operations will not focus on the Japanese climbers today -- they will be "retrieved" tomorrow.
Additonally, there are 10 missing hikers in the high Sierra who, evidently, got thrown for a loop by the storm. All are SF Bay Area locals.
Let's have good thoughts for all involved.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:06pm PT
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Minerals I just tried to delete it again and all it did was cycle me to the home page..sheesh
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2004 - 08:15pm PT
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Ammon,
Leo and partners were down on Sunday. I doubt they headed back up. ;-)
I heard through a friend that Dave was still on the route yesterday. Good to hear that he's off! I hope he's OK.
That's horrendous about the Japanese team though. I hope it's an error, and that they survive this storm.
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chris v
climber
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:22pm PT
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To respond to Ammon:
I really don't know who got rescued. Dave was or was not. What I do know is that he was up there during the storm, and called SAR on his radio to say that he was not requesting a rescue, but would accept one if they were giving them out. However the weather got much worse after he called.
As far as Lurking Fear, 2 belguims were up there (Nico and Sean) but I hope they bailed before it got so bad. SAR said that there were two guys on Lurking Fear at midheight, so it could be them.
My condonlances to the families for the team on the Nose.
The weather was really bad yesterday and last night. I have never seen rain come down so hard on HWY 140 (I could only drive 2 MPH at times)- must've been really cold on the wall since it was snowing in the Valley. It started raining on Saturday night, and the storm escalated until today. That is all I know.
-Chris
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:29pm PT
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Just saw Dave Turner on the evening news. He got rescued and looks fine. (in that totally worked, just got spanked, kinda way)
The news said the Japanese guys didn't make it.
Pain, Pain, Pain and the forcast calls for more suffering. Josh, Moab, everyplace is getting wet.
My best wishes and hopes for those having their epics.
Peace
karl
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Demented
climber
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:50pm PT
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almost 20 years ago to the day when the infamous Japanese party of two got caught and frozen on the Nose summit headwall
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highminded
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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Oct 20, 2004 - 08:54pm PT
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...just heard an update. YOSAR is still working on rescuing 2 more (live) climbers (the third is down -- sounds like that might have been Dave). They are fighting some serious winds and coming night-fall.
On top of that, the park service has their hands full with fallen trees, mud/rock slides and tourons wrecking their cars on the icy roads.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Oct 20, 2004 - 09:09pm PT
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The two folks getting rescued tomorrow are reportedly on Never, Never land.
Props and gratitude to the SAR and the NPS folks risking their necks and freezing their asses to help our climber homies!
peace
Karl
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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Oct 20, 2004 - 09:39pm PT
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Major props to YOSAR. I can imagine their efforts have been heroic in these conditions.
Anyone know if Matt (Lambone) headed up NA on 10/15 like he has planned?
Any thoughts as to who was on Never Never Land?
Ed
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highminded
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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Oct 20, 2004 - 09:59pm PT
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Yep, I heard a rescue team left yesterday to try to help the El Cap climbers. They headed out in 50 MPH winds, 3-ft. deep snow and intermittent white-out conditions, for that 11 mile hike up to the top.
Not my idea of fun. They've got my total respect.
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willingh
Social climber
Los Angeles, California
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Oct 20, 2004 - 10:03pm PT
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hi there. Does anyone have any info on the Japanese climbers? were they very experienced?
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funkness
climber
So,Ca.
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Oct 20, 2004 - 10:51pm PT
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"Props and gratitude to the SAR and the NPS folks risking their necks and freezing their asses to help our climber homies!"
Absolutely!!!!!
And good luck to whoever's still out/up there.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 20, 2004 - 10:54pm PT
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Wed Oct 20 Just a breif update........
Yosar and 30 load bearers left at 4:00am to the top at aprox 1 mile per hour rate due to inclimate conditions. Dave was given a rope to jug at tempest. Japanese most likely died yesterday due to hyperthermia and extreme exposure. They are still on the wall. Tommorow Yosar will retreve the japanese. Yosar is now bivied at the top. Two more parties are on El Cap as of now. Link and two Yosar team members left Tues afternoon to flag the trail from Tamrack Flat to El Cap. This is their second night out. Lots of questions are being asked, wait till everyone is back and Link or someone else will give a full report.
Best wishes, Werner
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tokyo bill
Trad climber
tokyo
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Oct 21, 2004 - 12:11am PT
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Anyone have names yet on the Japanese?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Oct 21, 2004 - 12:26am PT
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Greetings from El Cap Meadows, where I spent most of the afternoon along with all the news crews and TV cameras. I'm afraid I can't add much more than what you read above.
Dave Turner was rescued from the penultimate belay of Tempest, a route which he had been soloing for something in the order of 18 days! It has been raining here since it began early Saturday morning. The heli jocks told me Dave was fine, though his hands were cool. He was plucked off sometime this afternoon.
Two Japanese climbers are believed to have perished just above Camp 6 of The Nose. I was told today that a friend of their's communicated with them from the Meadows yesterday via bullhorn, but rescuers were unable to reach them yesterday because of the bad flying weather. Today the skies cleared - a beautiful day to be alive if you happen to be as fortunate as me. The Japanese did not respond to calls, and could be seen entangled amongst their gear. It's pretty grim.
Eric Ericson and Tommy Thompson look to be OK up on Octopussy, which is close to Never Never Land. They were drying their sleeping bags out in the late afternoon sun. The rescuers told me that one team declined rescue, and that the other team wanted one. Not sure which is which - the other team was below The Roof on Salathe Wall, about a pitch above The Block.
Apart from them, I didn't see anyone else up there. Ivo Ninov, Jason Pickles and Leo Houlding bailed from their attempted free route starting in the Eagle's Way area, the same time as I bailed from my attempted solo of Born Under A Bad Sign. My gear is about 350' up the wall sitting under a waterfall. It's supposed to be dry tomorrow, so I reckon I'll have to pretend I'm caving, duct-tape the sleeves of my raincoat shut, and shut up and jug.
Wish me luck. More news when I get it.
Prayers and condolences to the family and friends of the dead climbers.
In sadness,
Pete
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Oct 21, 2004 - 01:08am PT
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Thanks for the update.
I've heard the block is one of the worst places on El Cap to be in the rain.
Seems like everything came a month early this year. Falls went dry a month early, Fall was early, Rain was early, and so on.
Peace
karl
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poop*ghost
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Oct 21, 2004 - 02:21am PT
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I have a pretty good idea that I met the japanese climbers at the cookie. I don't recall the names - they were in a group of about 6.
I'm so saddened by the idea that the happy and friendly people that I was struggling to communicate with...
oh man, what a horrible mess.
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susan peplow
climber
area 29
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Oct 21, 2004 - 03:07am PT
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All this seems so familar. Those fall storms bring epic and death to those on the big stone. It's absolutely awful, and as climbers....something that none of us want to experience.
View the link for a blast from the past article from of a September, 1991 storm and subsequent rescue.
http://www.fishproducts.com/topos/nativeTR/latimes.pdf
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nature
climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:13am PT
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I'm very sad to hear this news. Thank you all for the updates.
I noted that in that LA times article Eric Ericson was rescued with Fish. No wonder he refused the rescue off of octopussy! I hear they double your bill the second time around.
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Southern Man
climber
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:49am PT
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I doubt they'll be charged for this one.
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Demented
climber
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:50am PT
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I would be willing to bet Eric has far better foul weather gear this time around
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10b4me
Trad climber
Where Fair Oaks meets Altadena
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Oct 21, 2004 - 01:14pm PT
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any word on Lambone?
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2004 - 01:33pm PT
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If there are two parties up there right now, and one is definately not Lambone, and the other is a party on the Salathe (and I think that he's soloing), he's probably OK.
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2004 - 02:44pm PT
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Here's the current pic from the El Cap Cam...You can see the helicopter. Thank goodness that it looks like the folks up there are getting good weather now to either finish their climbs or their rescues, and most sadly the recovery. :-(
[img]http://www.iamthewallress.com/turtleback1[2].jpeg[/img]
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Oct 21, 2004 - 05:15pm PT
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I think E would rather slit his wrists then get plucked again. The one with the Fish left an...errr..indelible memory.
El Cap rescue trivia question: (and if this seems too irrevrent I appologize up front)
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2004 - 06:53pm PT
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Unless some of those 30 load barers that Werner mentioned were horses and donkeys, there are probably a lot more folks than just SAR who are going above and beyond for this rescue.
As for how expected or unexpected the storm was...I can only speak for myself. When I left for the Valley on Friday, I thought that it might rain on Sunday, but maybe not till Sunday night and the rain would almost certainly be there by Monday. Earlier in the week the forcast was adjusted to not call for rain until Monday. I brought a rain suit in case it was raining on Sunday (to hike), but I also picked out climbs that might be good for sunday (condsidering iffy weather). I climbed in a tee-shirt till dark on Saturday. The storm came really fast on Saturday night. I had no idea how severe it would be, and neither did the several people that I know of who had to drive the very long way home due to the closing of 120.
It sounds like the Japanese team perished about 3 pitches from the summit, and I can't help but wonder if they thought that they'd be off on Saturday night, and with the nice weather during the day on Saturday, they went for it. That they would be so close and loose the fight is so incredibly sad to me. One of the other rescued climbers was also spitting distance from the summit, but he'd been climbing longer than any forcast would be useful and was very committed at that point.
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highminded
Mountain climber
Berkeley
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Oct 21, 2004 - 06:57pm PT
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I don't think the storm was a surprise, but I think it's severity was. Some folks on Whitney got 5-feet of snow dumped on them, trapping them in their tent (5-feet in mid-October is pretty unusual).
NPS doesn't charge for rescues if they determine that the people they rescued weren't negligent. I can't imagine that not being able to predict such a freakishly bad snow storm could be considered negligence. Hopefully, all will be absolved of their rescue costs. It only seems fair.
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Changuito
Trad climber
East BAy, CA
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Oct 21, 2004 - 07:30pm PT
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So...were the japanese climbers going for "one push" on the nose? Has anyone heard any more details of the incident? If they were so close to the summit, why could they not be rescued earlier? Fill me in please.
-Thanx
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2004 - 07:57pm PT
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This is from the SFGate...There are some errors further down, so there may be a few with "the facts" too. My heart is not only with the families of the folks who perished, but also with the rangers who had to do this grim rescue.
Since it does imply that climbers on other formations were also rescued, I guess it raises the question again...Is Lambone OK?
Rangers make dramatic rescue on El Capitan; two climbers killed
BEN MARGOT, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, October 21, 2004
(10-21) 16:19 PDT YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) --
Rangers rappelled down El Capitan Thursday and then carefully climbed back up the sheer 3,200-foot face of the mountain, rescuing two climbers and carrying the bodies of two others on their backs.
The dramatic rescue on Yosemite's most forbidding peak came as other teams of park rangers airlifted out nearly two dozen other hikers and climbers stranded by the early winter storm, which brought white-out conditions and 50 mph wind gusts as it dumped several feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada.
Two teams of rangers were dropped off by a helicopter and spent the night in deep snow on the top of El Capitan before beginning their rescue and recovery effort Thursday morning, after the weather finally cleared.
One group rappelled down to recover the bodies of a Japanese man and woman. They were already dead when a helicopter crew managed to fly close enough late Wednesday to spot their bodies, blue and dripping with icicles, as they dangled from their ropes about two-thirds of the way up the precipice.
The Japanese climbers had been ill-prepared for the weather, a ranger said.
Each body was strapped in a harness and carried hundreds of feet up on the back of a ranger.
The other team rescued a pair of climbers who had been told to stay put overnight on a portable ledge secured high above the valley floor. "They're cold and they're tired but they're in fine condition," said Jen Nersesian, a park spokeswoman.
A helicopter crew was preparing to airlift them all down to the valley floor late Thursday afternoon.
Another climber had been rescued off the mountain on Wednesday, and two more men who initially said they could finish their climb themselves may have had a change of heart Thursday afternoon. "They may spend the night on the wall. If they want a rescue we'll do everything we can do to get them down," Nersesian said.
A half-mile high and a mile wide, El Cap casts an imposing shadow over the glacier-sculpted Yosemite Valley. The first successful ascent took 45 days. Today, most climbers need three or four days to make it to the top, clinging to barely visible outcroppings and prying their way up cracks invisible from the valley floor.
Springtime, when the days are long and the weather is often perfect for weeks at a time, is the best time to attempt an ascent. By June, the wall can be an inferno due to high temperatures. By September, the days are too short and the nights can be chilly. By October, there's always the risk of early snowfalls.
This time, a blizzard struck, with so much wind and snow that even helicopters couldn't approach the mountain until the weather began to break.
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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Oct 21, 2004 - 08:09pm PT
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Fast-moving weather can be very hard to handle. It probably has happened to all of us in our mountaineering careers. Nonetheless, at this time of year, esp with a storm on the way, I would think that a fully-charged cell phone that works in the Valley would be a prime candidate for your survival kit. On my last wall, I checked in each night with my wife, who could tell us what the latest weather forecast was.
John Dill's article is a must-read for any wall climber. http://www.bluebison.net/yosar/alive.htm
Once the ropes freeze, you cannot move up or down, and if you are wet, you are dead. We don't have to personally make all the mistakes: virtually all of them have already been made before.
"Mother Nature can be an awful teacher: she often starts with the exam."
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Changuito
Trad climber
East BAy, CA
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Oct 21, 2004 - 08:12pm PT
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Thanks for the info Melissa.
It is sad and tragic news.
:(
I wonder if an emergency blanket, or 2, would have made a difference? or a pocket rocket?
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Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
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Oct 21, 2004 - 08:15pm PT
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"I've heard the block is one of the worst places on El Cap to be in the rain."
1982 Eric Pearlman and I got hit by a late September rainstorm starting the evening we arived at the Block. (It was still storming after we walked down from the top.) Every 5 minutes or so, the wind would bring the waterfall across the ledge for a minute or two. I remember spending most of that night standing in the haul bag back near the wall on the Block.
One of the longest nights I ever spent in the mountains.
Sad news about the Japanese climbers.
Brutus
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Melissa
Big Wall climber
oakland, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2004 - 08:16pm PT
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An emergency blanket isn't much help in a waterfall. Sadly, a bivy sack might not have been enough on Camp 6.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 21, 2004 - 08:40pm PT
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We got Ericson and partner from Octopussy today along with japanese on the nose. Tommorow we go again and get 2 guys on the Salathe Wall. Big media frenzy in El Cap meddow. CNN flew by in 551 while we were retreving todays parties. Must be all over the news network by now.
Werner
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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Oct 21, 2004 - 09:12pm PT
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It looks as if Mother Nature is painting the Captain with blood:
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Grant Horner
Trad climber
Castaic, CA
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Oct 21, 2004 - 09:25pm PT
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Good to hear Eric's OK! That guy's a beast, but I was worried. That storm absolutely *dumped* on LA -- 5 inches of rain in my yard in far Northern end of the county -- I can't imagine what it was like in the Sierra.
Sad to hear about the Japanese climbers...
gh
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funkness
climber
So,Ca.
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Oct 21, 2004 - 09:26pm PT
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Thanks for the update Werner. Glad to hear Erik and Tommy are down safe. Just saw Lober on the TV, yeah the networks are milking this story.
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funkness
climber
So,Ca.
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Oct 21, 2004 - 09:30pm PT
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hey Brick..hit delete and re-post, somekinda glitch going on here.
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nature
climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:03pm PT
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Ok, so I tried for just a little bit of humor in an otherwise rather depressing post. I tried to keep it generic. I know they won't be charged for rescue. About a dozen years ago my first wall partner was rescued from Zod - his partner took a 100 footer onto his backup knot while jugging - he was silly enough to grab the rope during the ride - 3rd degree on the fingers =ouch. Later that summer same partner along climbing with Plunket were on Zenith. On pitch 10 a circle head blew and said partner dislocated his shoulder (was holding on to the piece right below the circle head) =ouch again. They somehow managed to rap the entire route (overhanging the whole way). Finally at the base SAR came in with a single skid landing and plucket Fred. They joked on the ride out that this was his second rescue (of the summer!) and that he'd be charged. He wasn't. There - the history of my missed humor.
All that said, I can only imagine what SAR is dealing with right now (snow, bodies, cold, work, no sleep).
Proud.
Thank You.
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Holdplease2
Trad climber
All over
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:32pm PT
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Thank you, SAR folks and load-carriers. I hope that your work is twice as rewarding as it is grueling and that all of you stay safe.
Condolences to the friends and family of the team on the nose.
-Kate.
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turbo
Trad climber
santa cruz
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Oct 21, 2004 - 11:43pm PT
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Glad to hear dave and others are safe. condolences to the families and friends of the climbers who perished. Thanks to SAR and others for all the hard work. Looks like winter hit sooner than expected.
miss all you guys in the valley.
susie says hi...she's almost in mexico!
Awesome job on zodiac...the restoration is appreciated. Thanks for the pizza Bryan. Ankle's healing up finally.
~Amee
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Calif
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Oct 22, 2004 - 12:30am PT
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I'm sure the storm must've been pretty severe for Erik & Tommy to consent for a rescue. I know E learned from previous experience to bring good storm gear & warm clothes but the general low angle nature of Octopussy must have lent a waterfall-like nature to the route. Good to hear that the lads made it down OK.
Mucho props to YOSAR & the Heli crews for their tremendous efforts.
Condolences goes out to the families & friends of the two deceased climbers from the Nose.
Peace Out
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Oct 22, 2004 - 01:35am PT
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Good news over on the right side of the Captain. Leo Houlding and Ivo Ninov managed to get all their gear down from their attempted free line in the Eagle's Way area at the same time as I was pulling all my stuff down. We saw the sun, and went for it!
It was a bit freaky when I jugged to my anchors in the middle of a sustained aid pitch - two of the pins I had used in my anchor had pulled, presumably from the action of the water on them! However I had built in plenty of redundancy, at the expense of a bunch of crabs, slings and pins. So there's a bit of booty on B.U.B.S. for the next party...
Fortunately there wasn't too much water falling on either of our routes -- I managed to keep dry enough in my goretex jacket and rain pants. The warm sunshine certainly helped matters.
Huge thanks to Yorkshiremen Dunc' and Dave who helped me schlep down my rack and more-than-a-little heavy ropes, and also to Brazil Nick who assisted Ivo and Leo. Jason managed to beg off for the day - the crafty bugger - allegedly to entertain his girlfriend. Also thanks to the other chap who helped us out and whose name I didn't catch.
Concur re. Melissa above - Ivo told me on Saturday that a bit of rain might come on Monday, but then we got clobbered unexpectedly that night, and much worse than forecast.
I didn't see anyone on Mescalito.
The heli jocks told me the dudes on Salathe called for a rescue too late today, and that they would go fetch them tomorrow. I was not aware the Octopussy crew got rescued.
Dean Potter and Heinz Zack et al went up to Freerider today to take some pix. And there was at least one party low on The Nose. I also saw someone climbing today, it appeared, between Camp 4 and Camp 5 of The Nose. I don't think it had anything to do with the rescue, though.
Looks like one more day of decent weather, then more crrrrrrrap. Me? I'm goin' fishin' back in "Can-ee-dar," as they call it in Yorkshire.
Yesterday was one of the most beautiful days I have ever enjoyed in The Valley - sunshine breaking through the clouds, snow carpeting the summits and dripping through the coloured leaves - superb.
Au revoir until next spring.....
Pete [aka Frankenankle]
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Michelle
Gym climber
Marklar
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Oct 22, 2004 - 02:07am PT
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Is Pete actually in the Valley right now or is he trolling?
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Link
Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
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Oct 22, 2004 - 03:14am PT
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Hey guys, sorry for the lack of info recently, obviously we've had our hands full the last few days. This is just a quick post to follow Werner's. We (park service) are headed back up to the top of El Cap tomorrow morning to rescue a party off Salathe, at which point everyone will be down off the wall.
We pulled Dave off Wednesday, Tom and Eric today, and recovered the bodies of the Japanese party off the Nose this afternoon.
I'll post much more soon, it's been an intense few days with some of the worst weather I've seen on the Captain.
More soon,
-Link
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ricardo
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Oct 22, 2004 - 05:27am PT
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I pulled this article from the website www.yosemitefun.com .. it quotes dave and lober ..
--------------------- (From www.yosemitefun.com)
Two Japanese climbers die on El Cap.
Two climbers died of exposure Wednesday during the recent raging storm. Their bodies will be recovered today.
From the Fresno Bee (10/21/04): "The Yosemite deaths occurred on El Capitan, the park's most famous granite. Keith Lober, the park's search and rescue manager, had been keeping a wary eye on the two climbers since the storms began. After two days of not moving, he saw they began to climb. "It told me they were desperate to move in this weather. We started rescue operations."
In torrential rain Tuesday, rescuers set up a loudspeaker system in a meadow facing El Capitan and tried to contact climbers on the wall. The Japanese team didn't answer. Others were in need of rescue.
Dave Turner, 22, had been on the wall for 17 days. A year-round Yosemite climber, he was well-prepared and in radio contact. For three days as the storm pounded, he said "no" when friends asked whether he needed rescue. He was 100 feet from the top of a 3,000-foot climb on a route only four other people have completed.
But when the young Japanese climbers he'd met earlier didn't answer calls, his resolve broke.
"I was soaked. I wasn't going to make it much longer," he said.
Yosemite rescue workers hiked 11 miles in driving snow Tuesday to the top of El Capitan to lower themselves on ropes to reach Turner and pull him to the summit. When the storm cleared enough, a helicopter brought him down.
On Wednesday, he walked off the helicopter. His hands were damp and cold. A rescue worker handed him a plastic cup of hot chocolate that he held with reverence. He said it was only the thought of a hot shower that had kept him hopeful.
"I'm luckier than some," Turner said. "I got off the wall."
Lober flew close enough to the Japanese team to see their bodies were stiff and covered with ice.
About 30 rescuers were camping on the top of El Capitan on Wednesday night. Today, they plan to rescue another team of climbers and recover the bodies of the climbers who died.
No further details were available about the identities of the remaining stranded"
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Mei
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Oct 22, 2004 - 11:28am PT
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The caption of the photo in this CNN article reads "An emergency worker assists in the rescue of a hiker stranded on the face of El Capitan."
Condolences to the friends and family of the Japanese couple. Could they be the same couple I met at Cookie on Oct 9th? Regardless, it was a very sad tragedy.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 22, 2004 - 09:51pm PT
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All Salathe parties are now down and one party was rescued today, friday, from the Salathe headwall.
Werner
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The Wolf
Trad climber
East SF Bay Area
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Oct 22, 2004 - 10:46pm PT
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Climb along side a Japanese couple for two days Oct 4-6 on South Face of Wash Column. Shared water and a few belays. Nice folks. I think his name was Hiro and hers something like Mirika. Anyone know the names of the deceased on El Cap. I'm guessng it was my "friends", they seemed very determined to do walls.
Wolf
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 25, 2004 - 04:50pm PT
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Wolf, it's likely could have been your friends. I heard the Nose was their second wall and SFWC was their first.
I was in the meadow with the YOSAR team when the bull horn was first used. I could hear them scream for help.
Unfortunately it was to late...
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dougs510
Trad climber
Nashville, TN.
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Oct 25, 2004 - 06:02pm PT
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It's a hostile place up there. I remember sitting in the meadow, and thinking the cap would go "easy". RIGHT. It's like being on another planet (at least it was for me) on a fine day in the valley. I can only imagine how trecherous it must be up there in whiteout conditions.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Oct 26, 2004 - 12:43am PT
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I was unaware of the deaths of the Japanese climbers until told so by the TV dude during an interview - I was amazed and shocked to say the least! They were only a few pitches from the top - why didn't anyone go save them?!
When he learned of this later, Leo said to me with great sadness,
"If we had only known they were up there, a few of us could have jugged up the East Ledges and dropped 'em a rope...."
Please don't misunderstand me - I am not saying anything negative about the rescuers who stick their necks not only on but well over the line, but can someone like Werner or Link please explain to us why nobody was up there sooner to save those poor buggers? The weather was likely to poor to fly the helicopter, but couldn't some YOSAR guys have gotten up there somehow? Jugging the East Ledges? Hiking the Falls Trail? Coming in from Tamarack Flat?
Thoughts?
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burp
Trad climber
Salt Lake City
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Oct 26, 2004 - 02:27pm PT
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Howdy,
My heartfelt condolensces go out to the families and friends of the victims. ganbatte kudasai.
On a happier note, pleased that everyone else made it off safely. An answer to many prayers I'm sure.
Kudos to all the hard work and training that YOSAR was able to put to good use.
I was in the valley until tuesday (10/19) afternoon. Decided to head home due to the rain/snow and the huge detour I would need to take to get home to Utah. Maybe I should have hung around a couple of days longer ... sounds like I could have had the priveledge of meeting many of you.
Mike
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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Oct 26, 2004 - 07:05pm PT
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Someone above(nameless unless you want to look)commented "Darwin" about the Japanese climbers who died. Not very appropriate on this thread, given the lack of info and the possibility that loved ones might read. While much is speculation, some is not. I am sure you all have read Tommy Thompson's excellent TR on this site. He states:
"The storm packed unrelenting fury for nearly 4 continuous days. I felt like we were in a row boat in the middle of north Atlantic hurricane. We had the best ledge money could buy ,a A5 cliff cabana with a 4 season fly. The fly is more of a tent that encompasses the whole ledge. Even though I truly believe that this system attributed to our survival, more than once Erik and I thought the winds were going shred it apart right in front of our eyes. We had not a single dry item to our name."
We do not know what equipment the Japanese climbers had, and are all eagerly awaiting Link's or Werner's comments and insights. But we do know that the weather was atrocious and any one of us would have been in serious condition after several days, so let's be easy on the climbers until we get more data.
It seems that the best beta to come of this is have good equipment and the ability to communicate with those on the ground. Given its importance, it needs to be backed up. Each of you should have a cell phone and/or walkie talkie.
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Holdplease2
Trad climber
All over
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Oct 26, 2004 - 07:18pm PT
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Regarding cell phone: AT&T digital/analog (NOT GSRM) seems to be the best on EC, according to consensus.
However, folks who have contracts with other carriers may not want to break their contract/switch services/pay for a second contract.
AT&T now has "prepaid" phones, where you can buy minutes and use them as needed. The phone/charger/earphone and $10 of minutes costs $100. You can add minutes using the phone. The minutes aren't cheap, but they are cheaper than a year-long contract on a phone which is used for emergency only. No free evenings and weekends.
Additionally, for those with AT&T digi/analog phones...using the analog tower in the valley will really drain your battery fast when talking...much faster than you are used to.
Rather than having to purchase a spare battery ($50+), you can go to Radio Shack and get whats called "cell boost" which will give you 60 minutes of talk time under normal circumstances, less on ec due to analog service. These are only $8-$10 each and are more cost effective than a spare battery in the long run.
Anyway, just another communication device to consider, though 2 way radios may be the best/cheapest alternative if you have a "ground crew" who will be checking on you.
-Kate.
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ricardo
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Oct 26, 2004 - 07:28pm PT
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The NPS Daily Report has released the names of the deceased ..
Quoted from the Daily Report --
"The two deceased Japanese climbers were taken off the rock on Thursday. They were taken to the Mariposa County Coroner's Office, where they were identified as Mariko Ryugo, 27, and Ryoichi Yamanoto, 26. The cause of death was deemed hypothermia. Ryugo and her climbing partner Yamanoto were from Hyogo, Japan, and were visiting Yosemite with two friends."
ricardo
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 26, 2004 - 07:50pm PT
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David, I talked with friends of the Japanesse. On Tuesday I hung out with the fella (no idea how to spell his name) who helped them prepare for the Nose, while he called up to them with the megaphone.
It was their first grade VI. Earlier on their trip they had done the SF of WC. They had Sleeping Bags, Bivi Sacs and a stove, but no portaledge.
They didn't have any way to communicate, but we heard their cries for help on Tuesday. (the artical posted by ricardo is wrong, I heard her along with several YOSAR members.)
I heard they had been on the route for 4 or 5 days before the storm came.
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Tokyo-komachi
Trad climber
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Oct 26, 2004 - 08:08pm PT
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If you wish to send your prayers and condolences to the familes of Ryoichi Yamamoto and Mariko Ryugo, this address may do it - mail@yamakaze.net. Ryoichi Yamamoto established his outdoor school called "Yamakaze" only six month ago, and through his website, he talked how excited he was about the upcoming Yosemite trip and the Big Wall, and, they were going to have a Yosemite slideshow in November to share their expeience ..., I don't know them personally, but, cannot stop thinking why their trip had to end like this.
Since they stayed in the Valley from 9/24, many of you might have met them out there......
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burp
Trad climber
Salt Lake City
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Oct 27, 2004 - 03:01pm PT
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Howdy,
Since Tokyo-komachi added the e-mail for friends and family of the two victims ... I thought I would add a couple of links from the Yamakaze website to help us all get an idea who these folks were:
Ryoichi - http://yamakaze.net/reohome/reotopFrameset.html
(click on the the link next to "Link" for a fun slideshow. Looks like this if supertopos and your computer shows Japanese characters スライドショー（復活！！）)
Mariko - http://yamakaze.net/yamakaze/nonffame/spstaff.html
(The staff member with the three pictures on the left is Mariko - backcountry skiing, climbing, helping little girl with harness)
Anyway, it's nice to have something more to go along with the names.
--Mike
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