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TomLambert
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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The fire is still smoldering but mostly out. Helicopter came by a few minutes ago, took a look and moved on. I think they'll just let this one burn out.
I went for my morning run and went out around to Royal Arches. I was surprised not to see a closure notice (more on that), so I climbed the chimney pitch and went on up to next "step". Didn' see any sign of fire, so the large fire I saw below tree line was on the next big ledge up.
Downclimbed to the base and saw some balls of newspaper with some type that looks like Thai. I'm guessing that this just came out of the shoes of some climber who packed their shoes for travel and decided that the base of Royal Arches was as good a place as any to throw their garbage. Good job guys.
When I continued on my run heading east, I did come to yellow tape and a closure. I think I didn't see one at the other end because I was coming from Sugar Pine bridge and cut up at the creek so as to avoid getting my precious feet wet. I suspect that if I had come in from the Ahwahnee I would have seen a closure there. I'm guessing they won't lift the closure until the fire stops smouldering.
And Russ, I found no evidence that either of these crimes (the fire or the litter) were perpetrated by rap bolters, but I'll keep looking. I think the Thai print is suggestive, but I'm still looking for signs of the tell-tale human sacrifice often left behind by rap bolters.
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TomLambert
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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>>So today's is Wednesday and the fire started today.
Maybe. Last night we were talking to a couple of guys in Stoneman's Meadow who said that they had been looking up there for several days watching people rappel and such and onMonday night they noticed what looked like a campfire, pretty much where the first smoke came from.
So perhaps someone bivied there Monday night, put the fire out Tuesday, but not well, it smouldered but didnt' catch. When the winds came up and the temps rose on Wed, it finally caught.
That seems more likely than a lightning strike that gave off no smoke all day Monday, happened to burst into flame without much smoke on Monday night, happened burned itself out by Tuesday morning, and then happened to catch again on Wednesday.
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L
climber
The salty ocean blue and deep
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You're confusing Cigarette Smokers with rap bolters there...a huge mistake.
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TomLambert
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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>>an emergency of some sort
"Uh, mister ranger dude, we were, like, really chilly because it was, like, 45 degrees and..."
Come on! Barring rain and getting wet, I've bivied without gear in much colder temps than that didn't need to light a fire. I suspect the only thing at risk was their comfort and a couple hours of sleep lost while shivering.
>>You're confusing Cigarette Smokers with rap bolters there...
My mistake. I thought cigarette smokers were the ones who ate babies and rap bolters were the human sacrifice folks. I'm always getting that mixed up.
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WBraun
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 8, 2008 - 12:25pm PT
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Kahnom
There's been several cases of climbers making biviouac fires on top of climbs and NOT extinguishing the fires properly before leaving and having them turn into similar type scenarios such as this one in the past.
Once, free soloing the Northeast Buttress of Higher, years ago such a fire started up while I was in the upper dihedral. The fire chopper came and unloaded a crew and started dumping water on the spot fire.
Then they noticed me and hovered alongside hollering whoops and such.
It was cool .....
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L
climber
The salty ocean blue and deep
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"I thought cigarette smokers were the ones who ate babies and rap bolters were the human sacrifice folks."
No Tom, you've got it right. At least the first part anyway.:-)
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Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
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i wonder if the tree that you climb through about one pitch above the long ledge after the pendulum, and for that matter the tree on that long ledge, will be gone? (hmmm, could a fire actually change the rating of the climb? we'll see)
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Lightning fires can creep around for a long time (much longer than 3 days) before coming out of the closet, though the evidence suggests climbers on this one. Glad I was not trying to top out into the raging inferno.
Obviously, climbers should make sure their fires are put out, but I don't see the big deal with making one if you can on a night out. It's just burning some sticks and brush.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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where was Coz' last night? that's pretty close to half dome!
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Forest
Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
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Obviously, climbers should make sure their fires are put out, but I don't see the big deal with making one if you can on a night out. It's just burning some sticks and brush.
Given that climbers almost certainly don't have enough water with them to properly douse the fire, how can they possible make sure it's all the way out?
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Edie Howe
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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Tom, you're still wrong. Us smokers sacrifice kittens and puppies. We don't eat babies. It's the dope smokers who eat babies!
Edie
Was nowhere near the top of Royal Arches, EVAR.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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It's easy to put out fires with out water. In fact, overuse of water often leads to reburns.
Just like Smokey says, use a shovel (or approximation thereof) and dirt, mix it up, and make sure it's cool to the touch. You can then continue your epic without any nagging worries regarding forest fires.
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TomLambert
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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There is no damage to the route as I mentioned earlier.
Edie - kittens and dogs - that's terrible. I thought it was just babies.
>>use a shovel
Yup, I always keep one in my chalk bag in case I get stuck out on an all-night bivy and need to make sure the fire is out the next day. Definitely solves the problem of not having enough water with me to properly douse a fire.
>> Maybe someone ran a torch to the top...
I doubt it. I was listening to NPR all day and there were no stories about protesters, so I think that theory can be counted out.
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TomLambert
Social climber
Yosemite, CA
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PS Edie - watch out. First you start posting at Supertopo. Next thing you know you're snorting chalk. Then you're selling kittens, puppies and babies off to medical research to pay for you habit. Stop now!
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Cave-men didn't have home-depot shovels and were able to figure out something to use when they needed one. Get in touch with your cro-magnon self and save the weight of that shovel on your next climb!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Forest,
> Given that climbers almost certainly don't have enough water with them to properly douse the fire, how can they possible make sure it's all the way out?
There is a huge stream in the springtime about 200' west of the Royal Arches topout - plenty of water.
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Domingo
Trad climber
El Portal, CA
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"There is a huge stream in the springtime about 200' west of the Royal Arches topout - plenty of water"
It feeds Devil's Bathtub, correct? It's definitely still going strong. There's a closer waterfall that usually goes straight down the arches, but it died pretty recently. Last I knew (five days ago), there were still pools at the top from the source of this fall.
I was climbing at the base of the Arches yesterday when the fire started (between the regular Arches route and Washington Column). I assumed people were getting rescued off of North Dome Gully when I saw the chopper. It was pretty breezy even without the helicopter... I don't know if that had anything to do with the fire spreading. Apparently it was only a half-acre burned as of this morning.
Werner, do you know whether it's out yet?
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WBraun
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 8, 2008 - 05:16pm PT
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Just got back from a multi-casualty incident where two school buses full of kids just below Reeds Pinnacle colided. Huge mess 120 closed for over 3 hours.
From Chapel straight smoke is still billowing from the RA fire as of 2:15 pm.
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