Madness at BP

[Stef]

Mal and I took two beginners up to BP yesterday. We arrived there and the crag was basically defiled. Some rednecks must have spent an entire night drinking up there, chucking beer bottle after beer bottle over the edge. All told, we packed out four full shopping bags of broken glass, cans, cases, tp etc... The bottom and top of the cliff were entirely covered in broken glass. You could not even find a spot to flake out a rope. We spend the better part of the morning cleaning up the bottom before starting to climb.

Later that afternoon, I was on a ledge halfway up taking pictures. There was a climber on TR and Mal was belaying on the ground. Then a helicopter shows up and does a couple of close loops around the top of the hill. On the third pass it decided to land briefly on top. I had time to yell “glass” at the climber and the group at the bottom, before curling into the fetal position on the ledge, protecting my face. The down-draft from the landing helicopter blasted us with all the broken glass from the top of the cliff. The girl climbing was cut on the arm (not serious). Another shard blew into Mal’s chalk bag, which we only found later, when one the beginners cut his fingers going for chalk. My dog was terrorized.

This was one of the most surreal days at the crag I have ever had. An example of compounding circumstances creating a dangerous situation.

For anyone going up there, bring bags and gloves, there is still a ton of glass left. It is all over the ledges and bigger holds on the climbs as well.

Stef.

[martha]

Thanks for the Update stef.

Fred and I have gone up to Bald Peak a few years the weekend just before rock school to assess the damage. We managed to find a similar situation as you, only not quite as bad. We didn't have anything to carry our glass out in so we ended up digging a pit in the woods and burying it. We also found the remains of a large fire and a blackened cliff on one end. So we dismantled the remains of that also.

It sadens me that people can treat any place with that little respect.

Thanks for your hard work Stef!!! glad everyone was okay.

Perhaps a weekend with brooms and rakes will be in order before rock school.

Cara

[Fred]

awesome! Was it Alpine bottles or Bud?

I'd like to say "we should educate the locals on how sharp glass doesn't mix with climbing ropes and safety..." but... the key word in the sentence is 'educate'

[Stef]

... the key word in the sentence is 'educate'

I think the education needs to be "old-school". Spare the rod, spoil the child....

[Andrew]

Is it even possible to get word to the people who would be making the glass mess up there? I think it's pretty obvious that they don't care and if we told them how that affects other people such as hikers and climbers they would just look at you funny and laugh because they are rednecks or punks.

I would guess what would be needed would be some long stiff brushes to get into the cracks and crevises on the cliff. Sticking your hand into a hold and getting cut on glass would suck.

Anyhow...

Damn rednecks eh?

[Stef]

Damn rednecks eh?

Damn rednecks... and damn big helicopters

[Fred]

lets get the helli to hover over the climbing part of the cliff so it will clean all the glass away

[Pierre]

That's blows...

I was thinking of heading up to BP with a few ppl who wanted to experience rock climbing outdoors for the first time. I figured it would be a good spot but thinking now I'll head else where. I was looking for a place with some good TR climbs ( Beginner tto intermediate clims ) and thought BP might be the place but now I'm up for suggestions if anyone out there has any.

[thicks]

god that makes me angry, and that isnt a natural state of being for a friday afternoon. Rakes and metal brushes it is before the rock school for sure. And now I cant help but wonder how do you keep this from happening again? It is obviously teenagers that cant drink anywhere else but the middle of the woods, safe from the rcmp and parents. It probably wont be long before we have to climb over some reallllly bad graffiti too. So how do you then get the thoughtless to change their ways?
I mean even this smoking monkey puts his butts in the trash...

[Fred]

I'm up for suggestions if anyone out there has any.

Right side of Joe's Garage and right side of Exfoliated

[Ropeguy]

DIALECTIZER TO THE RESCUE,SORRY STEF COULDN'T HELP MYSELF


Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:17 am Post subjeck: Madness at BP

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Mal an' ah took two beginners up t'BP yessuhterday. We arrived thar an' th' crag was basically defiled, cuss it all t' tarnation. Some rednecks muss haf spent an intire night six packin' up thar, chuckin' beer bottle af'er beer bottle on over th' edge. All told, we packed out four full shoppin' bags of busted glass, kins, cases, tp etc... Th' bottom an' top of th' cliff were intirely covahed in busted glass. Yo' c'd not even find a spot t'flake out a rope. We spend th' better part of th' mo'nin' cleanin' up th' bottom befo'e startin' t'climb. Well bust mah britches an' call me streaker.

Later thet af'ernoon, ah was on a ledge ha'fway up takin' pitchers. Thar was a climber on TR an' Mal was belayin' on th' groun'. Then a helicopper shows up an' does a couple of close loops aroun' th' top of th' hill, ah reckon. On th' third pass it decided t'lan' briefly on top. ah had time t'yell “glass” at th' climber an' th' group at th' bottom, befo'e curlin' into th' fetal posishun on th' ledge, proteckin' mah face. Th' down-draf' fum th' lan'in' helicopper blasted us wif all th' busted glass fum th' top of th' cliff. Th' gal climbin' was lop on th' arm (not serious). T'other shard blew into Mal’s chalk bag, which we only foun' later, when one th' beginners lop his fingers gwine fo' chalk. Shet mah mouth! Mah houn'dog was terro'ized, cuss it all t' tarnation.

This hyar was one of the dawgoned-est surreal days at th' crag ah have evah had, cuss it all t' tarnation. An example of compoun'in' circumstances creatin' a dangerous situashun.

Fo' ennyone gwine up thar, brin' bags an' gloves, thar is still a ton of glass lef'. It is all on over th' ledges an' mo' trimenjus holds on th' climbs as fine.

Stef.

[Fred]