El Cap Rockfall

Nolan Huther wrote:

Speaks for itself...

Photo from Pete Hoang's Instagram

Wow! That is massive.  NPS site says they have closed the road out of the park and turning the south road into a two-way road.  

https://instagram.com/p/BZmpUNCnBcx/

photo from evolve a couple hours ago.

Ugh. How busy is this weekend going to be   

Geologic time is now!!!

Andrew Green wrote:

Ugh. How busy is this weekend going to be   

Someone died, and this is what you care about? Stay out of the valley kook. 

Max Rausch wrote:

Someone died, and this is what you care about? Stay out of the valley kook. 

malaria kills 3000 children every day, and you're posting on mountainproject? 

Jason Halladay wrote:

[citation needed]    Seriously, what's the scoop? 

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-el-capitan-rockfall-yosemite-20170928-story.html

Fatality and injury were a couple from Wales, Cam and Lucy Foster. Deepest condolences

Their blog: https://www.camandbearuk.com/

The source: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-el-capitan-rockfall-yosemite-20170928-story.html

Edit: Oops someone beat me to the source

roughly 7000 tons of rock based on the size they are saying.  

Holy sh!t!!!....

Adding mountain collapse to my list of irrational fears....

Big B wrote:

Holy sh!t!!!....

Jesus.

TBlom wrote:

roughly 7000 tons of rock based on the size they are saying.  

Way, way more than 7000 tons of rock. A 44' x 44' x 44' block of granite weighs 7000 tons. This rockfall appears much larger than that.

Any info on the accident that happened Friday? 

Ryan Van Dyke wrote:

Way, way more than 7000 tons of rock. A 44' x 44' x 44' block of granite weighs 7000 tons. This rockfall appears much larger than that.

Not sure, but the flake that came off was very tall, but not very thick.

From NPS Facebook

Well there ya go.....

150'w x 400'h x+/-26' thick

30,500 tons

not even close to the biggest recorded in the park(didn't even make top25)

So here is a question, might be a stupid one but as an aspiring big wall climber who dreams of El Cap this thought occurred to me.  This is the first major rock fall on an iconic big wall that has happened since I have gotten into climbing (at least that I am aware of), and while apparently its not even close to the biggest falls that have occurred it obviously altered the face and I'm assuming at least one of the routes up the wall?  I'm wondering if it is enough of a change, or how much would need to change, for it to be considered a new route with the first ascent being ripe for the taking? I'm sure it's not too different that you would have to give some credit to the original climber, but it's definitely not the same climb. I imagine some people who are far better climbers than me would be chomping at the bit to get the FA on a new line on El Cap, I sure would if I was quite a few more years/grades ahead in my climbing.

also, who got the last ascent??

Jeremy Justus wrote:

So here is a question, might be a stupid one but as an aspiring big wall climber who dreams of El Cap this thought occurred to me.  This is the first major rock fall on an iconic big wall that has happened since I have gotten into climbing (at least that I am aware of), and while apparently its not even close to the biggest falls that have occurred it obviously altered the face and I'm assuming at least one of the routes up the wall?  I'm wondering if it is enough of a change, or how much would need to change, for it to be considered a new route with the first ascent being ripe for the taking? I'm sure it's not too different that you would have to give some credit to the original climber, but it's definitely not the same climb. I imagine some people who are far better climbers than me would be chomping at the bit to get the FA on a new line on El Cap, I sure would if I was quite a few more years/grades ahead in my climbing.

also, who got the last ascent??

It changed the waterfall route. Pete from Super Taco got the last ascent. Half dome had a major rockfall a year ago. You just get some new pitches.