Loose block - Salt & Pepper

[Shawn B]

There's a loose block at the top of Salt & Pepper. It used to be fairly wedged in but is now very loose. Was too many people around to trundle it Sunday.

[theriault]

This winter seem to have been hard on CL, there's a few rocks/boulder that need to come down soon! I would be willing to head there after work and do a trundling session. I would need help anyone up for it?

Stuff that needs to come down

-Salt and Pepper
-Dash of fall memory
-Route not taken (watermelon size blocks at the rap station)

Anyone else knows about something that needs to come down?

[sam]

I'm always up for some clean-up work.

[austinconrad]

I would also be down for an after work clean up session preferably on a Monday

[theriault]

Shawn and I made it up there tonight, cleared the block on Salt and Pepper, took out a bunch of other medium sized blocks in the area and gave one hell of go at the huge block on Dash!!! But its still there and very dangerous! We are gonna go back early next week with a car jack to bring the monster down. Also we are gonna add 2 bolted anchors ( top of Salt and Pepper and one on top of 5.8 for style) this will keep people off of a few other huge blocks.

[Dom]

Good work!

[Caldsy]

way to go..

[Stacey]

thanks! Great to have those done! Be safe!

[theriault]

I'm going back up there today, be aware that the right side of Minkey and Pyramid will be closed from roughly 4pm-8pm... I will have some sing's up to advise people. The trail will also be a very dangerous place when the block will come down....

thanks for understanding that this is for the safty of all who uses CL

[*Chris*]

Nice! Have fun Marty!

[Dom]

We'll put signs up.

[Dom]

I will have some sing's up to advise people.

Haha just realized Marty had already written this..

[theriault]

I will have some sing's up to advise people.

Haha just realized Marty had already written this..

[Stacey]

I will have some sing's up to advise people.

Haha just realized Marty had already written this..

Dang - I was hoping you were going to be singing out (les chansons) for warnings

[Shawn B]

Sorry Marty can't make it this week. Would love to be there though...I'm sure that baby isn't going to disappoint.

[theriault]

So Dom and I gave the block an other crazy go yesterday... took my truck jack and moved the block at least 8''.... still didn't go and we broke my jack... gonna get a new one and finish the job this evening!

thanks for everyone's patience!

[Dom]

Yesterday

[Adam]

"very loose", eh?

[Shawn B]

"very loose", eh?

The "very loose" one referred to in my initial post was NOT this block. The very loose one came out with a pull from one hand and in the direction a climber would have pulled on it. It was a few hundred pounds and landed exactly where your belayer would have been. In future you might want to get all the info before breaking out the smiley faces.

The block on top of Dash which broke the car jack is obviously better attached than we thought. We were able to move it with a pry bar so I'm surprised it broke the jack. Thought it would have come down easy.

[Dom]

Welsford's Finger of Fate.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, check out the ultra classic route Moby Grape in NH.

[cory]

The block on top of Dash which broke the car jack is obviously better attached than we thought. We were able to move it with a pry bar so I'm surprised it broke the jack. Thought it would have come down easy.

"very loose", eh?

With a block that heavy you're pretty much resolved to applying force in one direction from one location. Readjusting yourself and the jack(s) can put you in a crush position (Aaron Raslton). Normally, as the block moves on the surface it's sitting on, especially since neither is a uniform shape, the balance and pivot points change. With something smaller, you can rock and twist the block in the direction of least resistance and even use it's momentum. Here, you're resigned to push through a relatively stable position, rather than give a gente push from another angle. Trust me: I know how the pyramids were built. Either the torque produced at this point exceeded the capacity of the jack, or the block shifted off axis a bit which applied a lateral (shear) force to the jack, as would happen if you tried to change a tire on a hill with the car in neutral and no brake applied.

With elements and climber applying smaller forces in multiple directions, and soil under the block eroding away, it's quite likely this block will come down rather suddenly under minor load with catastrophic results. Good work guys. Please keep trying. And I'm really sorry it's costing you a jack to do this, theriault.

[Dom]

With a block that heavy you're pretty much resolved to applying force in one direction from one location. Readjusting yourself and the jack(s) can put you in a crush position (Aaron Raslton). Normally, as the block moves on the surface it's sitting on, especially since neither is a uniform shape, the balance and pivot points change. With something smaller, you can rock and twist the block in the direction of least resistance and even use it's momentum. Here, you're resigned to push through a relatively stable position, rather than give a gente push from another angle. Trust me: I know how the pyramids were built. Either the torque produced at this point exceeded the capacity of the jack, or the block shifted off axis a bit which applied a lateral (shear) force to the jack, as would happen if you tried to change a tire on a hill with the car in neutral and no brake applied.

Hey Goodman, what are you doing tonight?
We could definitely use your knowledge!!
We could even try to build a Pyramid at Pyramid after

OK last statement was sarcastic but not the first one.

If you're interested give me a call.

[theriault]

for the record this block is more scary and dangerous than it looks in the pictures, unless you have seen it from the top its hard to tell... Dom and Shawn can vouch for this....its going DOWN tonight!!!!! I can feel it! got a new better jack during my lunch break! hahah

[Dom]

Just to reiterate:

be aware that the right side of Minkey and Pyramid will be closed from roughly 4pm-8pm

We will post signs up again with caution tape to close off the trail between these areas.
If you're going to or coming back from Joe's it is highly recommended to take the bottom trail to Exfoliated. If not, please yell as loud as you can when going through the closed off area. We will do our due diligence to warn any possible climbers when we think the rock will go but it's very hard to say.

[theriault]

Block came down!!!!! Lots of work but we got it! The two routes (Dash and Lady Die) are out for the season, we will revisite the stability of the wall next spring. Dom got it on video!!!!

[Caldsy]

Good work boys! Now Dom...post that Vid on Youtube so we can watch it!

[Dom]

Haha I have a very very busy day today but will work on editing today on the drive to Rumney later and will post it tomorrow or when I get access to internet in NH.

[cory]

Thank you guys. I wish I could have joined you.

What do you mean they are "out"?

The two routes (Dash and Lady Die) are out for the season, we will revisite the stability of the wall next spring.

Out of trouble, or out of bounds?

[theriault]

What do you mean they are "out"?

They are out because the stability of the wall is still questionable, the 2 death blocks are down but we would still need to go up there with crow bars and hammers and yank on everything... better wait till the next freeze cycle since there's a good chance it might still be active… I don't think its going to hurt the community to close these 2 climbs for a season. Also, theres a lot of dirt thats gonna be coming down during the next few weeks, it will need a few good downpores to clean it all.

[*Chris*]

Ironically, I'm wondering about the route Trundle Flakes. Do you think the stability issue extends there based on what you've seen?