Guest Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 So I am one of the "idiots" from seattle that was climbing at index today after the quake. Question? How is that any different from going back into the building you were working in today when the quake hit? You have to be somewhere, why not climbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 Well Duh! Last time I looked my office building wasn't several hundred feet tall and loaded with large chunks of loose rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucK Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 Mine was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 me tired....go climbing now! bye [This message has been edited by erik (edited 03-01-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 You know, I hear a lot of people talking about windex and how dirty it is. i can't figure that out. You clean stuff with Windex! Actually I have never been there without it raining. One time it was sunny at Stevens Pass and at Sultan and it was raining so hard you couldn't even see Bigfoot when we went thru there. What gives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 orographic precipitation...same story as North Bend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 What does your pornographic predisposition have to do with the rain at index? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallstein Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 What does rain have to do with you not using your brain? I was climbing at index when the quake happened. My partner and I had to do a lot of rock dodging. So what is the difference between going back to work and going climbing? Nothing! So you had to be somewhere huh? How about taking a hike through the forest or sitting by the river thanking god that you are still alive. I guess you must be immune to rockfall or your large head will pretect you. Well, I sure didn't feel safe at the base of the wall after hear rocks flying down much after the earthquake. But those would probably just bounce right off your ego. Index and climbing are goin't to vanish but your life can. Their are going to be another 100 days to climb at index this year and I don't understand how people could justify climbing for a half day to do routes they probably have already done. I grew out of the invincible stage when I was about 18 but we all must mature at different rates. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 Mike, et. al. No question index was unsafe during the quake. Several hours later though, after the USGS had said no aftershocks had been recorded or were likely, I don't see how index is suddenly more unsafe than normal. Especially after we surveyed the route looking for anything unusual post-quake before we started to climb. I think many of you who posted a reply have taken far greater risks in the face of objective danger. We did not see a single rock fall the rest of the day. I shouldn't have posted in the first place, as this is all a matter of opinion, but I took some offense to the idea that we were crazy idiots who deserved to be kicked in the head. As always, one should evaluate the rockfall potential of any route, including those at index, but to say that the cliffs there are suddenly loaded guns waiting for the unwary may be overstating it abit. I encourage anyone heading there to assess their route for signs of instability as we did. I hardly think it takes a huge ego or a large head for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallstein Posted March 1, 2001 Share Posted March 1, 2001 So Dr. Spock how did you asses the instability of the route? Did you just look at the base of the climbs and didn't notice any change? Unless you hiked above the cliff and looked around I doubt you assesed where the rock fall was coming from and what still might come down. I didn't think parts of Godzilla were going to fall down but I was worried about the numerous small rocks perched on top of the lower wall. And yes I would consider Index to be a little more dangerous for the next couple of days. And wasn't there two aftershocks reported and I have heard there still could be more. Granted these might not be big but it doesn't take much for the rock to start falling. I looked at index like I would an avalanche area. I wouldn't go there after a big snow dump like I wouldn't climb at index after a big rock fall. I believe it would be impossible to see signs of instability by looking around the base of the lower wall. And just because you didn't see anymore rockfall doesn't mean there still isn't rocks to fall. I heard rock fall hours after the quake. And yes I have taken greater risks than climbing at index after a quake. (Hell I just lead cunning stunt without the stupid bolts) But these risks I took were needed to get me to the top of a big climb. I don't take risks to just go cragging. Maybe thats the difference in opinion. I would be a little upset with myself if I had lived through rockfall on El Cap, in Alaska and the Cascades to get taken out while top roping some route at index. I just don't understand why you just couldn't give it a day to settle. Was it that important that you climbed a couple pitches? It sounds like you had planned on being at work anyways. I drove up there from Tacoma to go climbing and I was very disapointed that I didn't get to do more climbing but not nearly as disapointed as I would of been if one of us would of been hurt. The point of this board is hear other people's opinion and try to understand why they have these opinions. Just like I am trying to understand your actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 As Wallstein said, the point of this board is to hear the opinions of others. However, there is no need to call Spock's Brain a crazy idiot, or someone who deserves to get kicked in the head. Everyone accepts risks when they go cliimbing, and everyone has a point where the risks outweigh the fun for them - that point is different for everyone. I don't think that I would have acted the same way as Spock's Brain, but there is no reason to get pissed off at him/her just because they have different ethics than you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 me tired...go climbing now. bye [This message has been edited by erik (edited 03-01-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 I don't know if Dan Smith remembers, but we were at Index once when a pretty serious "rockfall event" occured while we were heading over to Steel Monkey. Shit the size of bowling balls was moving at terminal velocity down and accross the scree slope between lower wall and country. Its was very frightening, even from a safe vantage (cowering behind large talus and later the Steel Monkey cliff band). Makes me never want to be near the Lower Wall during a seismic event in the future... Â ------------------ Wimp Climber http://www.mountainwerks.com/alexk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Alex: Shit the size of bowling balls was moving at terminal velocity down and accross the scree slope Shit the size of bowling balls? Ow! I recommend a higher fibre diet, or making those above you carry a poop tube. [This message has been edited by Dru (edited 03-01-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumby Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 SPRAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_e Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 Think about it, rock fall can occur at any time on the cliffs and in the mountains. I am sure the earthquake helped remove pieces of rock that were just about ready to fall, but also dislodged pieces that will now be more likely to come off. I don't think it would be any more dangerous to climb after an earthquake unless there was a significant threat from aftershocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayborbon Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 <Smart ass comment don't take seriously> Anyone wishing to climb under falling rock let me know so I can accomodate you. I know of the ultimate trundle block below the E Peak of Mt Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlpineK Posted March 2, 2001 Share Posted March 2, 2001 The human population on earth is too big and growing, and people living in 1st world countries consume an excessive amount of the worlds resources. Therfore, I'm all for people climbing after or even during earthquakes. Thumbs up on any other dangerous activities you can come up with Spock's Brain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted March 3, 2001 Share Posted March 3, 2001 Yeah if you think climbing after an earthquake on scary looseness is "tame" and "Not Extreme Enough" you could always take up walking into taverns down in Redmond or Pendleton and asking cowboys what their sheep prefer, oral or anal? "Extreme Cowboy Taunting", oh yeah! A real man's death sport! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2001 Share Posted March 3, 2001 Man, rough crowd here. Will any of you be climbing this weekend? Perhaps. Aren't you worried about the potential for loose rock? Of course you are. Will you evaluate your route for these dangers? You bet. If you deem it safe and go ahead and climb, does that make you an egomaniac with a death wish that should be kicked in the head? I don't think so. Does it make you hypocritical if you made negative comments on this post? Yes it does. I didn't climb at index as some kind of a stunt. It wasn't scary loose. I love climbing there, and after assessing the hazards, I deemed it safe. It was safe where I climbed, in fact. I had a great time. I hope you all do the same this weekend. One more thing... I think we've lost sight of the bigger issue - there were several people climbing during the time of the quake, when the real danger existed. I know we're all thankful they are okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayborbon Posted March 3, 2001 Share Posted March 3, 2001 Spock, You kick ass and don't take any of my stuff seriously I am no hard man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
512dude Posted March 3, 2001 Share Posted March 3, 2001 After being away for a month climbing on old rusty bolts I'm glad to see that these forums are still spewing the same sewage!! Miss'd ya boys Smooooch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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