|
|
|
|
sallyj
Oct 26, 2007, 8:09 AM
Post #1 of 79
(16177 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 26, 2007
Posts: 18
|
Yesterday afternoon, I was at Cape Hauy ( Location of the now world famous Totem Pole ) . Two young Californians, Peter Drummond & Casey Giles , were standing on the big belay ledge at the top of the first pitch, when I heard a LOUD !!! cracking sound. I turn around just as the top 40 odd metres of the Totem Pole began to fall over and crash spectacularly into the chasm , between Cape Hauy and the Candle Stick . From my view point on top of the cape , I saw a mass of sea spray and pulverised rock dust billowing evertwhere. I thought the two guys must be dead for sure . However , before long, I was much relieved to hear my two new friends yelling that they were OK . Amazingly, their trail rope was still intact, between the cape and the ledge, since the top half of the Tote had fallen/collapsed towards the south, and not against the cape. After finally retreating to my position on the cape , we all survey the chaos below !!! A stub of rock sticking up about 20 metres above the kelp is all that remains !!! Feeling lucky to be alive, and being towards the end of their world climbing tour, anyway, Peter and Casey decided to fly out to the States ASAP , to appreciate family and friends again , before heading over to Hawii to watch the Pipeline Masters in December. R.I.P. The Totem Pole !!! Sally Jamison.
|
|
|
|
|
sbaclimber
Oct 26, 2007, 8:13 AM
Post #2 of 79
(16170 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 22, 2004
Posts: 3118
|
.......... hmmmm, troll.......???? time will tell....
(This post was edited by sbaclimber on Oct 27, 2007, 12:42 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
sallyj
Oct 26, 2007, 8:31 AM
Post #3 of 79
(16154 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 26, 2007
Posts: 18
|
I have my mum's Canon SLR, so I can post some pics once I scan the slides.
|
|
|
|
|
sbaclimber
Oct 26, 2007, 8:34 AM
Post #4 of 79
(16144 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 22, 2004
Posts: 3118
|
sallyj wrote: I have my mum's Canon SLR, so I can post some pics once I scan the slides. That would be sweet!
|
|
|
|
|
jonoj
Oct 26, 2007, 9:15 AM
Post #5 of 79
(16123 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 4, 2002
Posts: 140
|
That must have been a spectacular sight!!! Amazed, and glad to hear that the guys weren't harmed at all!
|
|
|
|
|
dtew
Oct 26, 2007, 9:18 AM
Post #6 of 79
(16120 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 20, 2006
Posts: 44
|
|
|
|
|
|
sallyj
Oct 26, 2007, 9:50 AM
Post #7 of 79
(16104 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 26, 2007
Posts: 18
|
Yes. The Free Route, 25/5.11d, 1995, USE TO !! go up the left arete (above them) and the original , aid M6/A3+ , 1960's, went up the right arete.
|
|
|
|
|
truello
Oct 26, 2007, 12:42 PM
Post #8 of 79
(15990 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 1, 2006
Posts: 737
|
That is kinda sad... the Totem Pole is one of those formations that inspired me to climb. I was hoping to get on it some day
|
|
|
|
|
overlord
Oct 26, 2007, 1:43 PM
Post #9 of 79
(15899 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 14120
|
wow. im glad they werent hurt.
|
|
|
|
|
thorne
Deleted
Oct 26, 2007, 1:45 PM
Post #10 of 79
(15897 views)
Shortcut
Registered:
Posts:
|
WOW Thanks for posting this, Sally. Glad to hear Peter and Casey are okay. Talk about dodging a bullet.
|
|
|
|
|
j_ung
Oct 26, 2007, 1:46 PM
Post #11 of 79
(15895 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 18690
|
I have no reason to think this isn't for real, but... is this for real?
|
|
|
|
|
rhythm164
Oct 26, 2007, 2:08 PM
Post #13 of 79
(15839 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 28, 2005
Posts: 964
|
Damn, that's amazing, and Dean Potter didn't even free solo it . In all seriousness, glad to hear your friends are ok, looking forward to seeing the post-collapse pics. Too bad though, it was a pretty iconic formation.
|
|
|
|
|
mheyman
Oct 26, 2007, 2:24 PM
Post #14 of 79
(15800 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 25, 2002
Posts: 607
|
I agree with all the comments here! Glad every one is OK. It's a shame too have lost such a climbing icon. Also it's a shame we have to ask is this for real. It's not April 1st.
|
|
|
|
|
macherry
Oct 26, 2007, 3:27 PM
Post #15 of 79
(15676 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 10, 2003
Posts: 15848
|
please post pics
|
|
|
|
|
marc801
Oct 26, 2007, 3:42 PM
Post #16 of 79
(15637 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 1, 2005
Posts: 2806
|
mheyman wrote: Also it's a shame we have to ask is this for real. It's not April 1st. It may not be April 1st, but the UKClimbing forum seems to think it's a troll: http://www.ukc2.com/forums/t.php?n=268243 From the first post in that thread: We dumped the Totem Pole thread down the chat room if you want to view it and we banned the person who started it. Topic - BULLSHIT: Tasmania's Totem Pole collapses into sea. Thank you for everyone's help to cut this one in the bud.
|
|
|
|
|
dominic7
Oct 26, 2007, 4:44 PM
Post #18 of 79
(15514 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 7, 2005
Posts: 18646
|
Bravo! T6 The "loud cracking sound" was a bit over-cooked but I thought on the whole it had a nice air of legitimacy.
|
|
|
|
|
midwestishell
Oct 26, 2007, 4:54 PM
Post #19 of 79
(15480 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 147
|
So is this really crap or is there a thread of truth to it? Who the hell is this Sally SOB and where has the he-she gone now that this discussion is coming up? I good troll would have kept the discussion going with some photo-shopped pics or something. If Sally doesn't show lets ban her too just like the Brits did! Th
|
|
|
|
|
xtremst80
Oct 26, 2007, 4:59 PM
Post #20 of 79
(15454 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 24, 2006
Posts: 306
|
I just called a buddy in Australia, and he has heard nothing about it.....You would think something like that would of been on the local news???
|
|
|
|
|
sallyj
Oct 26, 2007, 5:12 PM
Post #21 of 79
(15407 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 26, 2007
Posts: 18
|
It's not a troll !!! http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=472262 Those poms on UKClimbing are such cynics !!! No wonder the yanks had to save them in two world wars !!!
(This post was edited by sallyj on Oct 26, 2007, 5:14 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
Azure
Oct 26, 2007, 5:13 PM
Post #22 of 79
(15398 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 28
|
truello wrote: That is kinda sad... the Totem Pole is one of those formations that inspired me to climb. I was hoping to get on it some day Go get on it!!!
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Oct 26, 2007, 5:18 PM
Post #23 of 79
(15383 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
xtremst80 wrote: I just called a buddy in Australia, and he has heard nothing about it.....You would think something like that would of been on the local news??? Why would the collapse of a rock formation make the news? Especially somewhere as remote as Tasmania? Is the totem pole considered a major tourist attraction for non-climbers?
|
|
|
|
|
sallyj
Oct 26, 2007, 5:18 PM
Post #24 of 79
(15383 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 26, 2007
Posts: 18
|
You CAN go get on it !!! The 1st pitch is still intact . Take your scuba gear for the 2nd pitch ...
|
|
|
|
|
xtremst80
Oct 26, 2007, 5:27 PM
Post #25 of 79
(15342 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 24, 2006
Posts: 306
|
knieveltech wrote: xtremst80 wrote: I just called a buddy in Australia, and he has heard nothing about it.....You would think something like that would of been on the local news??? Why would the collapse of a rock formation make the news? Especially somewhere as remote as Tasmania? Is the totem pole considered a major tourist attraction for non-climbers? Yes it is a big tourist attraction.
|
|
|
|
|
|