Trundling at Seneca Rocks? Who to contact?

Anyone that has climbed Banana knows the notorious flexing of the death block at the top. I think it’s long overdue for a trundle, considering it could very well kill someone in the near future. I was wondering who do I contact about doing so? Or do I just take it upon myself to do it?

Olek Chmurawrote:

I was wondering who do I contact about doing so? 

The people below you.

Tom Cecil would be a good contact to see if it's a good idea based on local opinion.  If so then contacting the climbing ranger for Seneca would be the next step, with many tourists around wandering the base of the cliffs,  taking things into your own hands could be a bad idea.  

People ask before they trundle now?  News to me.  If I had a dollar for every time someone sent something from medicine ball to pebble size past my head there, I could at least buy drinks for everyone at the end of a day climbing there.  Agree with Rockso- Depending on what you're on there, it's very iffy that you'd be able to responsibly trundle anything and be certain of A) the path it's going to take and B) that no one is in that path.  Especially when the foliage is in.  The geography is very 3D there.

If that flake ever comes off of there, it will certainly be the climb formerly known as Banana.....I'm surprised that it's still holding on there. It's been that way for as long as I've been climbing out there (20+ years) and it already had a well earned reputation for being loose back then. 

Also you probably shouldn't look at the terrifying loose block on Critter Crusher  

If we are gathering opinions as to what to do about Banana, I’ll offer mine as a semi-local.  
I believe the flexing flake on Banana should be left alone. It may get pulled off by a climber tomorrow or it may last another century. Either way, the belayer can easily avoid the fall zone as the route trends left significantly. I will say, however, that opportunities for solid pro at and above the flake are sparse to nonexistent, and I put forth (respectfully to generations of climbers that have successfully led this climb on gear) that a single bolt placed above and just right of the loose flake will reasonably protect the top quarter of the climb and will likely save a life when the flake finally does blow. Thoughts?

Trundling at Seneca is a slippery slope, because where does one stop? Lol. Historically, that's been the winter work of the local guides, or who ever happens to pull it off the mountain that day in the heat of the moment.

The entire Pleasant Overhangs roof will fall off one day, just like the Gendarme and Thais Face before it (and those are just massive exfoliations that have happened in the age of rock climbing.) There was a sign at the entrance of Hellhole (an awesome local cave near Seneca) that read " Make Peace With God" which is equally applicable for Seneca. 

Geologic time includes the present. Just hike up the east face to get into the Gunsight Notch and let banana freeze-thaw its way into oblivion in peace. West Face to Gunsight is fun too. I'm way more concerned about tourist hucking rocks from the North Peak\ climbers on ledges above than I am yanking anything off personally. Wear helmets, think about where the belayer should be in case of catastrophe, yada-yada, dont use active pro ( or any) behind death flakes etc etc

Climb the Nuttal Sandstone for peace of mind, climb the Tuscarora to expand your mind. ;) 

Nathan Flaimwrote:

If we are gathering opinions as to what to do about Banana, I’ll offer mine as a semi-local.  
I believe the flexing flake on Banana should be left alone. It may get pulled off by a climber tomorrow or it may last another century. Either way, the belayer can easily avoid the fall zone as the route trends left significantly. I will say, however, that opportunities for solid pro at and above the flake are sparse to nonexistent, and I put forth (respectfully to generations of climbers that have successfully led this climb on gear) that a single bolt placed above and just right of the loose flake will reasonably protect the top quarter of the climb and will likely save a life when the flake finally does blow. Thoughts?

I think a bolt is a solid idea. I had no idea that the flake was flexing for so long. I just don’t want to see anyone maimed by it, and a climbers death be the result of ‘leaving the rock as is’ instead of being proactive about it.

That should not be trundled. It's not simply perched there but wedged in and would require some force to pull it out. Be able to assess rock quality and climb around poor quality areas. Please don't go trundling on that route. Rise to Seneca's level, don't make it lower to yours. There is a safer route on the backside people can climb to access the notch if banana is too spicy. Seneca is a tough place to climb and dangerous routes exist. 

Choss Wranglerwrote:

Rise to Seneca's level, don't make it lower to yours.

Amen to that.

Entitled White Twenty Something Man wrote:

Entitled white twenty-something male climbing for no more than two years wants to irreversibly change a popular route at a very popular venue that sees hundreds of safe ascents a year because it made him a tad bit uncomfortable...did I miss anything?

Seems to me the OP asked a legit question about a route with a well-known death flake, initiating a productive discussion and a good suggestion of adding a bolt to keep a future leader from decking while their belayer gets crushed by 3 tons of Tuscarora quartzite.  

Entitled White Twenty Something Man wrote:

Entitled white twenty-something male climbing for no more than two years wants to irreversibly change a popular route at a very popular venue that sees hundreds of safe ascents a year because it made him a tad bit uncomfortable...did I miss anything?

0/10, come back with some fresh material.