Rumney Rockfall?

M Sprague wrote:I would rather see a person with no helmet who is aware of their surroundings than a helmet clad one who seems to think wearing one will protect them from being out of it.

Good point(s).

I was thinking about some of the invincible sport climbers that visit Rumney and who seem kinda fanatical about not wearing helmets.

Those who don't wear a helmet may want to read this:
cruxcrush.com/2014/05/20/th…

In my 30 years of climbing I've been beaned on the head by quite a few rocks most times with a helmet but sometimes without. Haven't gotten hit by a two ton block yet. ;-) There is no valid argument against wearing helmets just personal choice.

I know Sarah a little. I remember seeing her across the gym after she had recovered some and before I knew she had had an accident, and thinking she was looking pretty cool, in a punk sort of way.

I am not making an argument that people shouldn't wear helmets, but the statement "There is no valid argument against wearing helmets just personal choice" could equally be applied to driving or riding in a car, working on a ladder, playing tennis, dancing while drunk etc.

M Sprague wrote: the statement "There is no valid argument against wearing helmets just personal choice" could equally be applied to driving or riding in a car, working on a ladder, playing tennis, dancing while drunk etc.

and

"A helmet is not going to do anything if a two ton block lands on your head."

yes

Brian wrote: Haven't gotten hit by a two ton block yet. ;-)

I have, several times. From watching cartoons early on though, I have learned to deal with it.
youtu.be/hz65AOjabtM

M Sprague wrote:I am not making an argument that people shouldn't wear helmets, but the statement "There is no valid argument against wearing helmets just personal choice" could equally be applied to driving or riding in a car, working on a ladder, playing tennis, dancing while drunk etc.

Of course, but (at least for your first two examples) there are obvious safety-improving choices you could make.

J Meagher wrote: So going back to what the thread was about, I climbed there on May 10 and it seemed fine, but I don't know if there's been rockfall since then

I haven't heard any reports on rockfall since then. The area seems to have settled down, although I wouldn't call it "safe" insofar as it's still an outdoor cliff made of crumbly stuff.

I am no geologist, nor a rockfall prediction expert, but it does seem like the rockfall happens primarily when there is 1) freeze / thaw or 2) heavy rain. Freeze / thaw is over for the season, but rain isn't.

If you feel like it's too risky, you can stay away from the right end of the cliff. No guarantees, but the areas from Venus Wall all the way to Ali Babbler have not shown recent signs of instability.

On the note of Rumney Rockfall... I know Jolt/Dolt are still off limits due to rockfall from a year ago and have dutifully avoided them and warned other climbers. What needs to happen to verify that the Hinterlands are "safe" to climb at again? Send some people up to trundle and look for rotten chunks? Just curious, and willing to help if I can.

M Bageant wrote:On the note of Rumney Rockfall... I know Jolt/Dolt are still off limits due to rockfall from a year ago and have dutifully avoided them and warned other climbers. What needs to happen to verify that the Hinterlands are "safe" to climb at again? Send some people up to trundle and look for rotten chunks? Just curious, and willing to help if I can.

Somebody has to rap with a 200 foot static rope and poke around with a four foot pry bar.

Hard to say it is going to happen soon, at least by me, given the negative feedback from trundling on the weekend. I am a stay at home dad with a two year old, so weekends is all I have, if that.

It will probably be hiking up end of day after climbing, rapping in and gingerly having a look to see what is involved and then coming back pre-dawn with lookouts and giving things a poke. Being up on a steep hillside with other crags and trails below it has not been simple to coordinate safely around our intermittent weekend warrior status, weather and actually wanting to get a little climbing done. I have managed to get my static rope nearby. Now I just need Dave to bring his big bar back and I will be able to pounce when the time is right to do it safely. I might even wear my helmet in case I whack my head with the bar.

I saw a massive block (sized between a microwave and a minifridge) fall off of Main Cliff earlier this spring. It might have been Sunday, April 6, 2014, but I don't remember. It was freaking scary.

MP member with a solid pro-helmet case.

mountainproject.com/v/my-he…