Newhalem Rockfall

[glassgowkiss]

At some point in the past few months there was a massive rock fall from the cliff to the climbers left, near the developed cliff. It broke trees, and effectively vaporized the access trail. Also right behind a parking lot there is a whole pillar, now on the ground, with boulder as large as a tour bus.

There seems to be some new route activity. However leaving a fixed line with a bunch of draws might not be such a good idea.

Even new route development is legal at the moment, leaving a whole bunch of gear hanging might not "fly" with the park service. I know for fact, that a few rangers go climbing there on occasion.

Here is the link to the agreement:http://www.nps.gov/noca/parkmgmt/upload/Interim%20Agreement_Climbing%20Management1.pdf

 

 

Edited April 22, 2009 by glassgowkiss

[genepires]

good post Bob. The agreement states that all bolts should be chamouflaged (which leaving draws is not) and that no ropes will be left overnight (which fixed ropes are not). I hope that those things "disappear" soon.

 

How is the climbing over there? (besides falling down)

 

 

[Pete_H]

The climbing there is good, with lots of potential. I hope access issues don't disrupt future development.

[glassgowkiss]

good post Bob. The agreement states that all bolts should be chamouflaged (which leaving draws is not) and that no ropes will be left overnight (which fixed ropes are not). I hope that those things "disappear" soon.

 

How is the climbing over there? (besides falling down)

 

Actually the rock fall and subsequent tree cleaning is a good thing- more sun. I predict some of the moss will naturally disappear. As usual there are some sections seeping here and there, but over all last Monday was really nice.

BTW also the bolts used there were not painted, so I hope someone soon will straighten out their "abortion" (or I will)

[ivan]

newhalem's the zombie apocalyse town right before the big dam, right? cool looking walls there - i always wondered if those were going to be developed by folks unlike meself who don't have to drive for 5 hours to get there

[KaskadskyjKozak]

newhalem's the zombie apocalyse town right before the big dam, right?

 

 

I always thought it looked like a "model town" for a 50's nuclear test site.

 

The rockfall I know about is the one on the left side of the freeway headed east from Newhalem. It happened a few years ago and was absolutely huge. It took a long time for them to clear it out.

[glassgowkiss]

your rope and qd's are at the base. please pick it up.

[jonah]

Noticing that this post has gone off topic a bit, I thought I would interject. I and numerous other people worked with organizations, including the Access Fund and Washington Climbers Coalition, for years to get the Newhalem agreement finalized and to get new routes reopened. The National Park Service has been a wonderful partner in this, and helped, along with the Washington Trails Association, the Wilderness Society and the Vertical World Climbing Team, build a new trail to a new wall last year (just up the road from the existing wall).

 

Thanks for respecting the agreement and helping keep the wall clear of fixed lines. But please keep in mind that most of the routes pre-dated the agreement - going back to camouflage hangers with paint (if that's what I understood your post to mean) at this point would likely cause more access trouble and resource impacts than simply leaving them as they are. The rangers that do climb there are very cool and understand this.

 

Great to hear people are getting out there to "Ryan's Wall", and make sure to check out the new wall to the east and put up some good new routes! Tons of potential.

[patrick69]

Hi folks, I would agree there shouldn't be fixed lines hanging around. I know who's rope that is and have let them know we need to get out there to retrieve it. Me and several others have developed a bunch of stellar new lines out there within the last year or 2. I am glad to hear folks are going out there and climbing. I have been developing a new Topo for Ryan's Wall that lists all the routes including the new routes and projects. I would post it up here somewhere if that is possible. Thanks for the headsup Glassgowkiss hope to see you out there very soon!

 

-Patrick