Aunt Fanny big tree

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Messages 1 - 24 of total 24 in this topic
climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 10, 2009 - 01:35am PT
The climb at Church Bowl has now a new look. The big leaning tree with a big branch traversing the route just 30' up the start had a break down today. Unfortunately for us we were climbing the route. I was belaying Norbert on TR with Edwina sitting next to me when we started hearing some small creaking noises. We were puzzling over it when there was a very loud crack and the whole tree started rolling toward us, quite fast. I just had the time to get to my feet to scramble and try to avoid the flying shrapnel when everything stopped, the other tree just below stopped the falling one. No injuries, just a scrap on an elbow from flying wood, my hand never left the belay, but it was a bit exciting. I am very glad Norbert was past the tree and by some miracle the rope didn't get caught by it. The whole thing may still be unstable, watch out. And the branch wasn't dead, plenty of green leaves. I reported it to a ranger on my way out.
Marcos.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Aug 10, 2009 - 01:45am PT
whoa!

that was a close one.

pic of the tree?
GDavis

Trad climber
Aug 10, 2009 - 02:47am PT
waaaat??
posafred

Boulder climber
Mariposa, CA
Aug 10, 2009 - 02:50am PT
wow, really, need pics of this!!!!!
climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2009 - 11:28am PT
Edwina took a pic after the event. I ll ask her to post or let me post it.
Marcos
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Aug 10, 2009 - 12:17pm PT
That was an amazing huge tree. Wow.

Sorry to hear that

Weird too. No big wind or snow or rain...

Peace

Karl
HighTraverse

Trad climber
Bay Area
Aug 10, 2009 - 01:28pm PT
Oak trees often fall without warning, especially in the summer. Usually heart rot and then the weight of summer foliage. And perhaps the hot sap expanding.
Damn. That must have been scary. Glad you made it OK. Were you belaying from the ground?
Bullwinkle

Boulder climber
Aug 10, 2009 - 01:31pm PT
edwina and norbert? wow 23 skiddo to you too. . .
10b4me

Gym climber
Happy Boulders
Aug 10, 2009 - 04:34pm PT
did that climb over twenty years ago, and again back in 2006. I remember the thing was covered in ants
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Aug 10, 2009 - 04:35pm PT
A whole new twist to the question "Does my fanny look big in this?"
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Aug 10, 2009 - 05:16pm PT
Marcos,

I'm glad to hear you are all OK. Pretty scary - not a hazard that we are usually looking out for!
climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2009 - 07:26pm PT
Thanks Clint.
climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2009 - 08:26pm PT
I was belaying from the ground, a good thing as the ledge got hit pretty bad by branches and flying wood. I had belayed Norbert for his lead from the ledge, the tree was kind enough to wait 30mn. We put no sling on the tree and as far as I know we didn't step on it. The point where it broke is on the main trunk on the right of the climb, about 10' from the ground, it is still attached, or was when we left, with a kind of spiral fracture. Maybe still some spring force in the system. The main horizontal trunk went down about 20' from where it used to be, until it hit the other big oak.
Marcos.
Ray-J

Social climber
east L.A. vato...
Aug 10, 2009 - 08:38pm PT
Aunt Fanny's pantry strikes back...hahaaa!, glad U R OK,
The cliffs, oceans, giant sequoia, it is all alive and moving.
all things are conncected and, in truth, all things
really are "one". I say this from just sitting there, in the cradle
Of nature for 30/40 years or so...not from reading or any media
Bullsh#t...the illusion is the seperation...
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Aug 10, 2009 - 09:47pm PT
all things have a voice, if only we would listen.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Aug 10, 2009 - 11:27pm PT
hey there say, high traverse, say, i have HEARD of that kind of thing before---the heart-rot, etc...


say, climbupdivedown (hope i got that right--will have to go check, in case i need to edit)... i am very glad the two of you are okay... as if there isn't enough to take care over, even the unthought-of scenery extentions can be unstable, whewwwww....

climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 11, 2009 - 01:45pm PT
Here are the pics taken by Edwina.
Marcos.

Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Boise....
Aug 11, 2009 - 01:49pm PT
uh, maybe resize down a bit?
climbupdivedown

Trad climber
Stanford, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 11, 2009 - 01:54pm PT
That was a little big, sorry for that, I hope it's better now.
Marcos.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Aug 11, 2009 - 02:20pm PT
Thanks for the report
I added a link to this page http://www.supertopo.com/rock_climbing/route_beta.php?r=yochaunt
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Boise....
Aug 11, 2009 - 02:24pm PT
Whoa.....SNAP!
It's kinda like the lot tree that broke at Camp4.
Those oaks are kinda time-bombey.
Thanks for the pics.
Fuzzywuzzy

climber
Aug 12, 2009 - 02:18pm PT
Anybody remember the tree at the top of the Cleft?

How many slings around that when it dove into the road?

Oaks are like that.
HighTraverse

Trad climber
Bay Area
Aug 14, 2009 - 02:27pm PT
First pic: massive heart rot. The trunk is basically a tube of sound wood surrounding a rotten cavity.
It's actually amazing how long a tree like that will stand even through wind and winter. Very lucky it missed you all and didn't pull the leader off.
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Aug 14, 2009 - 02:30pm PT
There is still a spooky and substantial portion of a dead detached tree guarding the exit to the summit of the Cleft (and a minor forest of PO guarding the start).
Messages 1 - 24 of total 24 in this topic
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