dangerous loose block

[bad]

There's are 2 very loose blocks situated quite alarmingly at the top of the scramble out of White Face area Lions Head. If they come out they will almost certainly cross the main path. They are just above the last pitch of Liontide. The smaller one is about the size of a microwave and the larger one is larger is pretty big. I spray painted them red.

[Sam]

you did what?!

please tell me that is a photoshop-ed image.

[Justin]

Check date: Not April.
Check image (for 3rd time): Doesn't appear to be Photoshopped!
Oh boy, here we go.

Dear Brian,

It is considered bad form to spray paint whilst on the mountain.
I know you meant well, but you're not going to win any friends by spray painting the mountainside. Again, I know that your intentions are good, however the correct course of action would be to consult others about the loose blocks first.

Heads up: you're probably going to take flak for this
Justin

Q: Is the rock on the far left (the one sandwiched in the middle) also loose?

p.s. Never visit the Alps (or the Drakensberg for that matter!)

[Sam]

absolutely speechless!

[Deon]

Haahaahaha...

Sorry I can't help but laugh!

[Gregga]

What sam said^^^^

[pierre.joubert]

Ah man... where did you get the idea to spray paint them red? I seriously want to know. I've never seen a loose block spray painted red. I've trundled a few and moved others back from the edge, but never thought of painting them. Very original idea indeed. You should give the table a good working over. I'm sure there are many more.

No, just kidding. What. The. Frikken. Uck. Were you thinking?

[Wes]

Dude, you should have waited until the 1st of April for this one.

[Andre]

Honestly, who goes hiking outdoors with a bottle of spray paint? That's what alarms me most. Or if you went back at a later stage to spray it, why not discuss it with someone beforehand? Might have saved you the flaming you're going to receive now.

[McJagger]

Don't all climbers have red spray paint to log their "red points"?

Good intentions I am sure, but clean that up asap Brian

[smityb]

I just don't understand why you had to paint the entire block?? Lets say these blocks were bolted back onto the mountain, they would still be red. Why not just put an X on them or something?
This kind of thing where people take matters into their own hands really pisses me off.

[mikej]

Hahaha... this is a first.

But seriously, the mountains are covered in lots of stuff that could be pulled off. Not all of it needs to be trundled... or spray painted.

[Thermophage]

I think a good old bright 80's pink would have been better

[mountainmailorder]

maybe its watercolor.

[ScottS]

[Leebo]

Brian, let me know if you need a hand spray painting rocks.

I have experience. Nearly got arrested once. True story...

I was thinking it would look a little like this:

Table_Mountain_19.JPG (146.56 KiB) Viewed 3183 times

[Millizard]

[Justin]

Now that most of us have had our fun

I spoke to Brian on the phone this morning and he explained the who, how, where and what WRT to the loose blocks (and the red spray paint).
From our conversation I could ascertain that it is something that he did not do lightly or without thought, and for the record he did confer with others before hand.
The block is due to be checked out by another relevant person (by this I mean someone who has good experience with making mountains safe) and the appropriate action will be taken to make the blocks safe.

Brian will fill us in, once the block has been made safe.

On the flip side of this thread, it would be tragic if the subject was 'climber injured after 100kg block comes loose'.

[bad]

ok it's time for my response so here goes

I did this with my absolute best intentions for:-
- concern for safety (obviously) of others, particularly the hikers on the extremely busy main path of Lions Head directly below
- concern for the person(s) who might pull it off (could be the newbie ahead of you).
- I believe that this route is climbed and scrambled frequently and regularly - often the newbies first trad route - I clearly remember using these blocks over the last 3 years or so as they were SOLID. I noticed fairly recently that they had become a little unstable and then very recently I noticed that had become incredibly loose, very ready to fall off and they will in my opinion travel very far. They might land on the main path but will surely cross it.

These blocks in my very humble opinion must be trundled by the correct and appropriate professional people and until the correct solution is executed they should stay the way they are - highlighted. I went back very specifically to highlight the situation so that when the people come to resolve or plan the solution they might find the place easily. Until these blocks are actually inspected by the correct people and an adequate plan properly evaluated and executed, I stand by my actions, in the name of safety first and I will adhere any official (TMNP, SANParks, MCSA, etc) ruling regarding my actions.

I undertake to make sure that all the paint is removed if the blocks in question can be safely reattached to the mountain or else I will hunt the blocks down where they finally rest and make sure the natural side faces the sun.....

In closing I wish to apologise to all who might feel that
1) I take matters into my own hands & go out there willy nilly spray painting any loose rock,
2) God forbid I might encourage others to do the this &
3) I do not respect mountains
I have seen quite a few postings about dangerous loose blocks that appear to not get the response they deserve (other than the IV one successfully trundled recently).....so at least I did get the message out there

peace brothers & sisters
BAD

[mokganjetsi]

totally get why you did it Brian and support you taking action. a smaller red cross might have the same (or even better?) effect and would be easier to clean off. be it as it may, appreciate your commitment to have the rocks cleaned / have the paint out-of-sight.

some time last year we climbed on the clifton side and some other climbers pulled off a large boulder (the size of a pillow i guess and roundish in shape). i'm not a 100% sure but it seemed that they did it on purpose. the boulder went on crashing down the mountain side, picked up speed and cover the few hundred meters to the hikers path in no time (something I think they did not expect). it cleared the path in a mighty bounce, only a meter ahead of a lady jogging up the path - she yelled and immediately turned around - i'm pretty sure it would have killed her (culpable homicide?). the boulder eventually crashed into a tree on the slopes below the path.

be careful with dislodging rocks on TM or Lions Head guys!

[Andre]

Sounds reasonable, thanks for taking the time to explain to us in detail and planning a better long term solution. t:thumright

[Sam]

Thanks for the measured response Brian,

I don't think anyone mistook your intentions, only questioned your decision regarding the spray-paint. It is on THIS point that I think you should concede that your actions were inappropriate. I'm in the well populated camp that thinks spray paint has no place on a mountain. Consider the logical extreme: Leebo's image (and I think that's a conservative number of dots!). There are other options available (including ones that would see a swift resolution, which seems desirable in this case) and I think you would have received some useful guidance had you consulted this forum. True, there are a number of opinions out there and debates can sometimes get messy, but a general consensus usually emerges, and if not, at least you can ask to be guided to the relevant authority/landowner at whos door responsibility ultimately rests.

Chuck that can dude.
s

[Chris F]

some time last year we climbed on the clifton side and some other climbers pulled off a large boulder (the size of a pillow i guess and roundish in shape). i'm not a 100% sure but it seemed that they did it on purpose. the boulder went on crashing down the mountain side, picked up speed and cover the few hundred meters to the hikers path in no time (something I think they did not expect). it cleared the path in a mighty bounce, only a meter ahead of a lady jogging up the path - she yelled and immediately turned around - i'm pretty sure it would have killed her (culpable homicide?). the boulder eventually crashed into a tree on the slopes below the path.

be careful with dislodging rocks on TM or Lions Head guys!

Or indeed anywhere! Can go wrong so easily.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP20/newsw ... d-rockfall

[caperocks]

I have been on the receiving end of a soccer ball sized rock pulled off the mountain by a (almost) beginner trad climber who was not familiar with testing holds and figuring out what is solid and what not. This rock hurtled down the cliff then hit a protrusion. It exploded and a smaller piece, maybe one-third of it, hit me on my leg. It was a glancing blow but it was the most pain I have ever had the displeasure of suffering. If that rock had been 5 cm further to the right it would easily have broken my femur. 30 or 40 cm up and right and I would probably not be writing this post!

Loose rocks on popular climbs frequented by inexperienced people are accidents waiting to happen. I fully support the idea of making people VERY aware of the dangerous rocks, though I think I'd have got some danger tape to tie around the rocks or even peg into the ground around them. Given that this was a progressive problem it needed urgent attention. Thanks Brian for doing this - you might have saved one or more lives. You might have saved my life?

But jah, please do make sure I don;t see any red paint when I'm next up there.

LEEBO - one of your dots was in the wrong place...

[Justin]

Rockfall boulders destroy house

[joshpickering]

If only those had been spray painted red....

[mokganjetsi]

If only those had been spray painted red....

[Justin]

US Prosecutors have filed felony charges against two ex-scout leaders who toppled over an ancient rock formation at a state park last year.