One more reason not to bail

[willstrickland]

Big Wall Climbers Arrested in Yosemite for 'Illegal Air Delivery' November 12, 2001

Two big wall climbers were arrested last week for tossing a haul bag off of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. According to the Park Service, on the afternoon of November 3rd, rangers received a report of a BASE jumper hitting the wall near the East Buttress of El Capitan. The reporting persons said that they had seen a white parachute and a person clad in a red jumpsuit hit the wall four times before disappearing from sight.

Rangers investigated and just before nightfall were able to spot a white parachute attached to a red climbing haul bag stuck on a ledge on the cliff about 500 feet above the base of the wall. Park Rangers contacted two climbers at the base of the route who had just retreated off the wall. The climbers initially denied any knowledge of the incident, but one of them eventually admitted to throwing the haul bag with a parachute made from a porta-ledge rainfly before they rappelled off.

One of the climbers was arrested for making a false report, illegal air delivery, and creating a hazardous condition. The other was cited for creating a hazardous condition and released to appear in court at a later date.