Author Topic: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today  (Read 24485 times)

Zay

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Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« on: April 03, 2018, 08:24:07 PM »
Was climbing Rock Around The Clock today and witnessed a tremendous whipper on the Flumes. I think the dude missed a bolt and blew it fairly close to the anchor,  I havent climbed this particular one yet.

The first pic was taken about 4 minutes before he fell. I thought, "Wow, what a great photo op, i hope i can share this with them later."

He climbed up at least another 5-10 feet.

Suddenly, i heard a shifting sound as i looked down to my follower and my eyes bounced up to watch this dude just drop and drop. I had all the time in the world to think, "Holy crap hes still falling. Somethings wrong. Hes going to deck. Im about to call 911."

Then he stopped. He hung there for a long time but based off thr german dialogue between him and the belayer it quickly became apparent that he was okay. After staring in disbelief for a while, I thought "shit i have to document this." so out came the phone and i took a secind shot exactly where he fell to.

I cant bring myself to acceot that this may be well over 60 feet. again, he climbed uo significantly higher than the first picture before falling.

A good time to reflect...

clink

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2018, 08:47:37 PM »
I think JC may have replaced that bolt very recently.
Causing trouble when not climbing.

Brad Young

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2018, 08:54:27 PM »

...to watch this dude just drop and drop. I had all the time in the world to think, "Holy crap hes still falling. Somethings wrong.


I held a fall like that once. 110 feet. That was my exact thought process. I don't ever want to see one again. I don't even want to read about one again. The goddamn hair's standing up on the back of my neck from reading that (still).

F4?

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2018, 09:29:40 PM »
Glad he was okay.



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lasher

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2018, 09:50:41 PM »
Shit, that's a long fall.   With a fall that long I'm surprised the belayer didn't get sucked through the first draw!

squiddo

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2018, 10:30:14 PM »
Man seems like more than a single bolt miss. Not much room left before the final crater
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Zay

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2018, 11:03:16 PM »
Looking at the topo, it appears there is supposed to be a bolt *within the water streak. Its really hard to see from these pics, but I swear his ultimate protection appeared to have been well outside the streak, rather on its left side.  I may very well be wrong in my attempt to identify his pro's location, and suggest that my guess be taken as pure speculation.

His belayer was definitely level, if not slightly higher than him by the time the fall was arrested. The second pic was taken after he had lowered himself.

The unnerving thing for me was that I had seriously just climbed Gary and Phyllis to approach Rock A.T. Clock, and I completely missed the last two bolts. Even with the topo in my hand, the glaring sun and thick lichen caused me only to climb higher and higher until I was like, "oh shit, the anchor!" I knew I was missing bolts, but downclimbing choss seemed scarier than continuing. As I was belaying the follower I was thinking "shit, a fall would have been ugly."

Another few minutes and I'm watching this crap. Sheesh.

JC w KC redux

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2018, 06:39:36 AM »

I did replace all but the last bolt on that climb. The last bolt had already been replaced and I thought it was quite a run from there to the anchor - maybe 25 or 30 feet - but the climb is 5.9 and the last run doesn't look hard. Hard to say what happened. More curious to me is the amount of people sitting at the base. I have never seen anyone on any of those climbs.
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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2018, 06:51:50 AM »

The last bolt is in the streak but it is in a depression and is impossible to see from below. You can't see it until you come up over a lip. Whoever replaced it painted it white and actually moved the location down a little making it even harder to see. The climber may have gotten off route and missed it. There is a line of holds out left that could sucker someone into going the wrong way. I posted the pics below on the rebolting suggestion thread after I finished the work.




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Zay

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2018, 07:56:26 AM »
JC, that is very valuable beta. ive been planning on climbing that face for a while. i had actually planned on climbing the left chimney after RATC but was pretty baked from the sun. also my first time seeing anyone on that side of the flumes i was amazed.

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2018, 08:04:19 AM »
JC, that is very valuable beta. ive been planning on climbing that face for a while. i had actually planned on climbing the left chimney after RATC but was pretty baked from the sun. also my first time seeing anyone on that side of the flumes i was amazed.

I still have not gotten back there to replace that chimney bolt.
I haven't had a chance to climb the other stuff either (the 5.9's) since I rebolted them.

I was trying to decide what to do today. Your post made the decision easy.
I just packed up my rebolting gear and am headed to the east side.
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mynameismud

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2018, 08:05:08 AM »
Good to hear he is ok, that is a huge fall.
Here's to sweat in your eye

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2018, 08:14:36 PM »

Zay - do you have any higher resolution images? Are those people or just stuff over in the grassy area to the right?
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Zay

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2018, 08:51:05 PM »
i dont, these are the highest rez photos i have. there was a group of at least four or five people on the grassy knoll.

mynameismud

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2018, 10:11:12 PM »
there was a group of at least four or five people on the grassy knoll.

So that is what happened
Here's to sweat in your eye

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #15 on: April 05, 2018, 06:23:11 AM »
i dont, these are the highest rez photos i have. there was a group of at least four or five people on the grassy knoll.

I thought so. KC wasn't so sure. I have to wonder if they thought they were climbing at the main Flumes - or maybe that area was busy? So many folks I talk to don't have the guidebook and are trying to work from Mtn Proj or the info the park gives them. There has been a huge increase in visitors this week with Spring Break.
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Zay

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2018, 12:26:24 PM »
I cant believe how many people i run into that try to navigate by mountainproject alone. Last year i was on The Rookie and a group of Brittish kids came down from the hill between The Sheapard and The Game Show asked us, "Hey is that the Citadel?" ...pointing at The Sheapard... "Mountain project told us to go right at the (blablabla)."

Ive met lots of people since who wander around with their phones asking, "which route is that?"

There's this really good book out there...

squiddo

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #17 on: April 05, 2018, 12:38:05 PM »
So that is what happened

 ;D lol funny one
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Brad Young

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #18 on: April 05, 2018, 12:59:32 PM »

There's this really good book out there...


But like, oh my God, it costs like as much as five Starbucks lattes!

squiddo

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Re: Gigantic Fall at the Flumes Today
« Reply #19 on: April 05, 2018, 01:07:06 PM »
But like, oh my God, it costs like as much as five Starbucks lattes!


It’s sooooo heavy too
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