sh47 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 climbing at Ozone yesterday and heard a loud crash- turns out a lead climber pulled off a big flake that hit him in the head and then fell down on the lower trail. i don't know this area too well, but i heard someone say the route was snake face or snake bite or something like that. it was one of the western most routes there. the climber was not wearing a helmet and left with a big bandage on his forehead that was soaked through with blood. he seemed OK when he was leaving- anyone know the outcome? is he OK? how many stitches? i gotta say, we were only there for a few hrs and we saw that rock fall incident, and then another when someone kicked a rock loose and it fell near the belayer. so many reasons to always wear a helmet!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 just because there's bolts everywhere don't mean you can be a sporto-freak w/ impunity there'll be plenty more big blocks to come crashing down out there - go climb meth rage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrgo Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 i gotta say, we were only there for a few hrs and we saw that rock fall incident, and then another when someone kicked a rock loose and it fell near the belayer. Go back for more than a few hours and you'll see even more rockfall. Lots of holds, flakes, etc. ready to go. In particular, a key hold on the Left Shield Wall route, is loose and would definately ruin the belayer's day (and then the belayee's about half a second later) if it broke. Also, it would make the route the areas newest 5.12 and by that I mean 5.11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 - go climb meth rage! No shit. Ozone is still being cleaned by the climbers that climb there. You should have seen it in 2005. It was down right scary. Wear your helmet. In 2006 Pink_Chalk knocked a rock down on my head. I was not wearing my helmet and a block the size of a brick hit my head. I ended up getting two staples in my head. Wear your helmet. See you all at the guide book party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 - go climb meth rage! No shit. Ozone is still being cleaned by the climbers that climb there. You should have seen it in 2005. It was down right scary. Wear your helmet. In 2006 Pink_Chalk knocked a rock down on my head. I was not wearing my helmet and a block the size of a brick hit my head. I ended up getting two staples in my head. Cue the Peanut Gallery Kevbone comments in 3....2....1... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_leclerc Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 What kind of rock is 'ozone' made of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 What kind of rock is 'ozone' made of? Basalt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Also, it would make the route the areas newest 5.12 and by that I mean 5.11. true dat! course, it makes me FEEL much better all winter to think i'm a solid 5.10 climber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denalidave Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 What kind of rock is 'ozone' made of? The loose kind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 it's a decaying world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I understand, first hand, how much hard, dirty work it takes to clean a route on a chossy cliff, and I respect your efforts. Congrats on the new area! That said, and this will probably not be well-received, I certainly wouldn't send the general public out to climb routes I'd developed if I thought they might get badly hurt or killed because I didn't finish cleaning out the dangerous choss. If people are well aware of the risks then that's another story. Hopefully the guidebook has a LARGE warning about potential hazards, perhaps route by route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I just hope no one was seriously injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 That said, and this will probably not be well-received, I certainly wouldn't send the general public out to climb routes I'd developed if I thought they might get badly hurt or killed because I didn't finish cleaning out the dangerous choss. If people are well aware of the risks then that's another story. Hopefully the guidebook has a LARGE warning about potential hazards, perhaps route by route. what guidebook doesn't have such a warning? you know how choss goes - when it's bad, you can pull out all you want and there'll still be more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crimper Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 What Ivan said is pretty right on. The routes were cleaned as well as possible, but mother nature has ensured that some - though not all - of the routes at Ozone will always be works in progress. The guidebook makes this clear (again, as all guidebooks do) We can all name plenty of Smith Rock routes that fall into the same category, with key nubbins and flakes disappearing and making the routes feel harder (or easier) than the original rating. and speaking of ratings, what 5-12 at ozone feels 5-11? just curious, because there are only 3 at the whole crag, and all 3 are at the far end in "the cave." (that question is for you, Farrgo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephH Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Ozone, by and large, is comprised of highly fractured basalt and it only takes a momentary glance at it to establish that fact. Any expectations that routes there (or anywhere) should be solid and 'well constructed' are entirely misplaced and naive. The warning shouldn't come from a guide, but rather arrive as some form of [instant] recognition around the reality of what you are looking at when you walk down there. Anyone incapable of such a basic evaluation of rock (and belaying accordingly) probably doesn't belong out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Ozone, by and large, is comprised of highly fractured basalt and it only takes a momentary glance at it to establish that fact. Any expectations that routes there (or anywhere) should be solid and 'well constructed' are entirely misplaced and naive. The warning shouldn't come from a guide, but rather arrive as some form of [instant] recognition around the reality of what you are looking at when you walk down there. Anyone incapable of such a basic evaluation of rock (and belaying accordingly) probably doesn't belong out there. And yet they continue to go there anyway:-) Anyone want to play "spy the loose rock?" Folks around here have to make due, so they try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denalidave Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Ozone, by and large, is comprised of highly fractured basalt and it only takes a momentary glance at it to establish that fact. Any expectations that routes there (or anywhere) should be solid and 'well constructed' are entirely misplaced and naive. The warning shouldn't come from a guide, but rather arrive as some form of [instant] recognition around the reality of what you are looking at when you walk down there. Anyone incapable of such a basic evaluation of rock (and belaying accordingly) probably doesn't belong out there. And yet they continue to go there anyway:-) Anyone want to play "spy the loose rock?" Folks around here have to make due, so they try. That one. Yeah, all of em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hey you're pretty good. Must be all the practice you get at Beacon? See that wide spot top chimney center-left on the loose rock photo you copied? Match it up - this is P2. To the left of that. Far left, behind the tree, in fact, you can see the shadow of that tree here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I've had a good time every time I've been there, but yeah, it's probably too loose for most of you, better stay away. Buy a guide though, it's for a good cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 There is a big difference between key nubbins that pop and make routes harder and large belayer slayers that can ruin your day/life. I guess you climb what you've got. Have fun and be careful and keep posting cool pics for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrgo Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 and speaking of ratings, what 5-12 at ozone feels 5-11? just curious, because there are only 3 at the whole crag, and all 3 are at the far end in "the cave." (that question is for you, Farrgo How about the Crumbling. There probably isn't one move on that harder than 11-. I can think of a 10a at Beacon that is more difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_leclerc Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 IMO that crag looks a little sketchy/dirty... But it could be good, just not quite the splitter granite like Squamish and Harrison. If you guys think u have soft grades come clibm in Suamish, if you climb 5.6 in the alpine you can prolly flash a 5.11 in Squish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crimper Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 since we're spraying, farrgo, i questioned whether the crumbling should get a 12a because i agree it's pretty much a 5-11 climb with a boulder problem start. but it wasn't my route and i didn't get to give it the 'official" grade. that said, i haven't been on it in 2 years, so who knows if we have even climbed the same route? (the route name seemed pretty accurate to me) and so is that the only 12 you've been on at ozone? (and based on on that one route you've decided that all 12s at ozone must be 11s?) and what 10a at beacon? blownout? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 route 66 is fucking hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 also, as a continuing spray contribution, at least the grading at ozone is useful in comparing climbs - they might be inflated grades, but they are consistinetly inflated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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