3 O'Clock Rock rock fall

[JBourgeois]

I was at 3 O’clock Rock on Saturday with 2 friends. When we reached the North Buttress, we found fresh rock rubble and the hanger on the 1^st bolt of Silent Running was bent. As we worked our way up to the start of Total Soul, we found that the terrain was a pile of broken rock and shredded vegetation which had buried the path from the base of Silent Running up to Total Soul.

At the bottom of Total Soul the area was covered in broken rock and the vegetation was basically gone. The rubble and slab were covered in rock dust. And, we found on the way up TS the hanger of the 1^st pitch 3^rd bolt was flattened. The entire 1^st pitch of the route is in dust with some on the second.

From what we could see the rockfall seems to have come down the gully left of Total Soul and exploded when it hit the lower part of the slab. We could not see where it originated from though. And, since the dust was still on the slab and the rubble at the base, the rockfall must have occurred since the last good rain. My guess, judging from how little has been brushed off by climbers on Total Soul, it’s likely that the rockfall happened in the last few days or a week at most.

[keenwesh]

Whether you want to or not you just earned membership in Team Danger! Climbing a route that obviously just fell down is worth 50 points, the same amount that you get for continuing to solo a route you decide you want to not be soloing anymore. Keep track of your points! You might be racking them up quickly.

[Off_White]

Yeah, but upon your death your balance reverts to zero and your heirs cannot cash in your reward points.

[mountainsloth]

That place always seems so safe from rock fall but this is the second major event in a few years out there. Stay safe and wear a helmet people!

[curtveld]

Some tumbling debris apparently came out of that gully on the left earlier this summer. Thankfully it never seems to happen when climbers are around (knock on wood!).

And Jim B, I sent you a message. 

[genepires]

On 7/24/2018 at 7:15 PM, mountainsloth said:

That place always seems so safe from rock fall but this is the second major event in a few years out there. Stay safe and wear a helmet people!

I may suggest that the reason that the place is not covered in moss and dirt is cause it sheds a layer once in a while.  that and the annual snow shedding.

 

[mountainsloth]

Yea, I assumed it was the winter snows that kept the dtown rock so clean.