you try getting out in heavy rain and winds where trails are getting washed out and you cant see where you're going anymore. bring 2 ropes and 2 sets of hardware, non-waterproof clothing, and yea it can add up to over 50 pounds. my brother was the most experienced and had to guide two noobs as well. it's not even worth trying to state our case anymore, most of you guys flaming here are arrogant a-holes who can only see things one-sided. i dont care that you are such a great climber/mountaineer/wilderness survival specialist. i dont care about how you would have done things different. I dont care that you are more experienced than my brother or myself and how you would never get yourself into a situation like this bc you are so high and mighty and you know so much about this. you guys are missing the whole point. what happened happened. We were merely asking for any help, not to be ridiculed and belittled for what took place. i guess it was absolutely wrong of me to think that we are a good community of climbers who look after each other. Sorry to you all for believing that nice and understanding people exist in the climbing world. i smell trolls gathering around the village with pitchforks and flaming torches.. this is making me sick.

you try getting out in heavy rain and winds where trails are getting washed out and you cant see where you're going anymore. bring 2 ropes and 2 sets of hardware, non-waterproof clothing, and yea it can add up to over 50 pounds. my brother was the most experienced and had to guide two noobs as well. it's not even worth trying to state our case anymore, most of you guys flaming here are arrogant a-holes who can only see things one-sided. i dont care that you are such a great climber/mountaineer/wilderness survival specialist. i dont care about how you would have done things different. I dont care that you are more experienced than my brother or myself and how you would never get yourself into a situation like this bc you are so high and mighty and you know so much about this. you guys are missing the whole point. what happened happened. We were merely asking for any help, not to be ridiculed and belittled for what took place. i guess it was absolutely wrong of me to think that we are a good community of climbers who look after each other. Sorry to you all for believing that nice and understanding people exist in the climbing world. i smell trolls gathering around the village with pitchforks and flaming torches.. this is making me sick.

If I were a betting man I'd say your gear is still where you ditched it, since it sounds like you were no longer even remotely on a trail. If you want it back you're probably going to have to go find it.

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!!! That actually took longer than I thought!

Let me try to say this without flaming you. A lot of us are sick of reading about people who are utterly unprepared getting themselves in over their heads. You weren't the victim of "unfortunate circumstance", you were unprepared and irresponsible. Take 30 seconds to check the weather. Add an 8 oz rainjacket to your 50 lbs of gear.

I find it very disrespectful that so many people treat the outdoors like the mall. Then they get a ten thousand dollar helicopter rescue and write a book about their amazing survival story Respect the outdoors or stay inside. I'm not some grizzly adams, but before I ever climbed outside I made sure I could ascend a rope, lock off and/or lower an injured partner, etc. This isn't a game.

You may think we are jerks but some of us are holding your feet to the fire so you'll think next time. It's hard to feel sorry for someone or be understanding when they made their own bed. We all make mistakes but there's a difference between bad luck and irresponsibility.

I hope you take the time to learn some orienteering, emergency survival, etc. Even if you never use it, it's fun to learn. Be careful out there, you got a second chance. A slip and a broken ankle and you might not have been so lucky.

just so you all know... transattic is my brother.

please dont be a jerk and prejudge my brother or the situation before you know what's going on.

Got home from acing a final only to come across this! Today is Christmas come early. Hopefully if ya'll keep climbing you will one day see how ridiculously hilarious this is. The real victims here...the SAR team for having to go get wet on your account.
But good luck getting your gear back and hopefully this whole episode taught everyone involved to make better and more informed choices and encourages all your buddies at the gym to do the same.

Yeah, I'm sure you were really offended by that. I believe the term you all use is "man the fuck up!" Ignore and just move on to a thread where you could actually post some useful CLIMBING info instead of calling everyone trolls or ripping them for being noobs.

With the exception of Shoo, who seems to be nothing more than a worthless thief, just about anyone else here would probably return your gear if we happened upon it - regardless of how ignorant we think you and your brother are and what happened in this situation. Of course, if I returned it, I'd urge you to sell it and quit climbing.

If I were a betting man I'd say your gear is still where you ditched it, since it sounds like you were no longer even remotely on a trail. If you want it back you're probably going to have to go find it.

eh I swore off this site yesterday but couldn't help coming back...

Mintcondish I understand why you're defensive; you're getting a good ol' fashioned as s whoop'n (that you deserve) so you LEARN. The irritating part is that you are not/weren't getting the point that you f'd up big time. Good thing it was somewhere stupid like Echo.

I've actually been at Echo in the rain. Sure I read the forecast but tried anyways. We hid in the little cave and smoked a joint and then decided to try climbing some of the routes by it. One of the best, silly times I have ever had climbing!! We giggled like girls the whole time...it was FUN. Although I couldn't make it up sh t due to all the water rushing down. Fun times indeed that I'll never forget.

We decided to head the way you did just because neither of us had ever gone that way. It was hard to find our way even in daylight. We backtracked numerous times and walked thru that "riverbed" you mentioned. When we finally made it to the car we were soaked down to our boots. My point is that I agree that the way you went is confusing.

Someone is right - you didn't call the heli. Good on ya. Shame on whoever called it so early. Should have waited until the next day or at least walked down the trail themselves to look for you.

In the future, your kit should contain a headlamp, a backup light source ($10 LED) micro light, some type of light wieght jacket (3-5oz) at minium and for your sake always check the weather report...it's Socal; it's kind of consistant weather.

Go do the walk of shame and look for your stuff. If anything you'll get more familiar with the terrain.

Keep trying - we've all made mistakes. Learn locally, read books, get some instruction and/or get a mentor. Messing up somewhere real could have serious consequences.

For what it's worth - if I found a rack or anything substantial I would natrually return it. I quit surfing years ago because I hated the negative vibe I witnessed and became a climber because it truly is a band of brothers, not the nonsense that is said on this forum.

Good luck!

Secondly, I'm curious why the OP's party took the long trail out instead of the standard approach trail, which would essentially have been impossible to get lost on.

Third, believe it or not, I generally do not carry survival gear to sport crags, including Echo. Call my crazy.

Jay