Near the end of the day on Sat 11-11-12, a bunch of us were climbing in the Hanging by a Thread/ Leviathan area. When without warning, several tons of rock fell from somewhere near the top of the cliff and blasted the base near the start of Salutations. Nobody was at the base at the time and nobody was hurt, though there was several teams in the impact zone and on Salutations earlier in the day.

We tried to determine to location where the rock fall originated but could see no evidence of it's origin. By the time we were back at the cars and could view the top of the cliff it was too dark to see anything.

I suspect the recent rain fall on Friday had something to do with it.

I wonder if was related to the group of kids running around with a BB gun towards the end of the day. As we heading back to the car around sunset, I got a bit nervous when we noticed the kids had climbed up around the backside and were hanging out on top near the Left of the Roof area. Didn't hear any rockfall, though.

We saw a couple of people up on top, near the lt side of the roof area and wondered the same thing. What we saw come down was the size of a stretch limo, if those 'kids' did trundle it, it must have been barely sitting there.

Its a quarry. Tension in the rock will cause rock falls.

I used to climb there regularly but after witnessing rock falls, one event being only a few feet from me I have decided to stay clear.

Unfortunately it is only a matter of time before something really bad happens...

Really scary stuff. There have been some major events of natural rock fall, but to my knowledge most of it comes off at night?? Pretty scary for it to come off on a saturday afternoon.

I have always thought of the place as ULTRA-ALPINE.

Every second is in the DEATH ZONE

That place is SKETCH to me! This is the exact type of event that freaks me out here. The fact that it has all been BLASTED means it's all loose. Sure, the "little" stuff has been "cleaned", but the big shit is too big to for people to trundle, and thus remains for moments like this.

SOOOO glad no one got hurt. Would've suuuuuucked

I've been climbing at the quarry for a while now and have never climbed around the back to see the top of the cliff. Has any other climber been up there recently and assessed the top for further potential large rock fall? I would be interested in doing some cleaning up there or give my time/money in reinforcing any huge rock that has potential of giving out.

jan

Jan, Further assessment could certainly be important. Seeing that JM was there to witness the event, I'm assuming this is already being pushed through the proper channels. I'd be surprised if the Louie hasn't heard about this yet.

Even Glouie doesn't have enough glue to keep those big boulders from falling. Make an easy choice and stop going to the quarry before someone gets hurt.

^that was pretty funny (clever)..but the truth is the quarry has always had the reputation of being dangerous..long before the work that everyone is enjoying these days was done. It's a Quarry [shrug]

Also, it's more likely to get squashed by another car on the drive there. Or get mugged by some sketchy dude on the walk to the crag.

yes, rock fall is a part of all climbing areas. curious if anyone has an update on this incident? did anyone go up to the top and have an investigative look?

Go look at the size and shape of the rocks falling down.

Round weathered ones fall, or get pushed from the top.

Angular ones, that look like the rock we climb on, are from the face of the quarry.

These are the ones everybody sits on.... look around, you think a helmet is going to save you??????????????????

The granite will expand.... now that its not under- ground.

I treat the quarry, and I do like the climbing there, just like huge hanging glacers......if your under it and its time to fall off comes your dead.

So do your business and scram ASAP.

I like to sit just over the berm, down the hill a few yards, not right at the base.

Have fun