My car was broken into at Tennessee Wall on Saturday January 10th, 2015

Sorry Beau. I do remember you. Thanks for remembering our story.

If you get broken into, please report it. You'll need to to collect insurance payment I'm pretty sure and also the authorities will not know the problem has started up again, how bad/frequent it is or maybe not be able to justify staking it out again if you don't report it. Thanks.

If any out of towners need a place to store their roadtrip gear while climbing at Twall, message me! I live on top of Signal Mountain (close to Twall) and i am happy to store your stuff while you climb!

Verena wrote:If any out of towners need a place to store their roadtrip gear while climbing at Twall, message me! I live on top of Signal Mountain (close to Twall) and i am happy to store your stuff while you climb!

RAD!!!

That's super nice of you! I may take you up on that! Thanks a lot!

For those of you who are building a van or truck or Navymobile to sleep in, it is worth designing a system that will be totally locked even if they get the doors open.

Sure they could break in with a crowbar since the build is plywood
but usually, that extra time deters them to an easier vehicle.

Store everything under that, locked and you'll be OK. It also has the added advantage of being out of sight and out of mind.

Wire mesh on the windows, like a contractor van, would also help.

Any update on the twall break ins?

Thomas Gilmore wrote:Any update on the twall break ins?

5 weeks later???

Hear this...
There is not now, nor will there ever be, any update.
Assume that the tweaker state of things will abide.
Take all precautions.
Now and in the future.

Just the way it is.

The Rabbit is right on this, even if there is a quell in the break-ins you risk being there the day they start back up; so plan accordingly. Leave a car at Bilo and bring an empty one out to crag or hike valuables up the hill and hide in the woods. Befriend a local and store at their house. Do not leave 3 iPads , your wallet, your granny's antique diamond, a double rack, gold bars, and wads of cash in your rig, be smart, its the basics.

I understand the basics. I live in my van which makes things a bit tricky for me at places like this. Was simply curious if anyone had heard of any more thieving or hopefully arrests...

I am a new climber - 18 months now. Lots of mega gym time to get started and build strength / skills (to the degree I've got 'em.) Trad is my pursuit but only leading sport now and that ends with 9s and soft 10s. I've not yet even been to T-Wall but it's revered amongst my mentors; looking forward to it. This is a long way of saying please feel free to kick me in the balls.

I've been climbing in a few spots around the States so far: Leda, LRC, Fosters, J Tree, Buttermilks, Happies, Bama Hills, Sierras (Whitney - East Buttress (guided by kick-ass man from AL Andrew Soleman)) and Sand Rock. It's Sand Rock that may have something to offer - from a model point of view anyway.

I understand that Sand Rock has recently (last year or two) added some supervision to its situation. I read and heard horror stories - some of which are still possible I'm sure. But the collective folk gathered round the rocks a few weeks ago all agreed this spot in Bama had progressed tremendously with a guardian. Dixie Craggers writes of meth head hillbillies gone wild but it seemed quite civilized (if a bit gymish) on my weekend. No way in hell someone busts out my windows (yes - I know T-Wall is more spread.)

I paid 5 bucks to get my car through the gate - I bet many of the old suspects wouldn't and won't. And if they do - there's a trail. Plus - a very friendly elderly person was out in the world helping folks and earning an income. If my imagination is allowed to conjure, I would have a lot or two with minimal infrastructure and variable employment - at least as a start. You guys (some at least) know better than I if the climbing numbers could support that math at least in season on 'busy days.' And what it would take to convince the powers that be...

Also game to sit in the woods with you and crack perpetrators skulls. Not so interested in C'est la vie.

Thomas Gilmore wrote:I understand the basics. I live in my van which makes things a bit tricky for me at places like this. Was simply curious if anyone had heard of any more thieving or hopefully arrests...

I'd take that nice lady up on her offer and hitchhike to The TWall.

BeauTrivers wrote:I am a new climber - 18 months now. Lots of mega gym time to get started and build strength / skills (to the degree I've got 'em.) Trad is my pursuit but only leading sport now and that ends with 9s and soft 10s. I've not yet even been to T-Wall but it's revered amongst my mentors; looking forward to it. This is a long way of saying please feel free to kick me in the balls. I've been climbing in a few spots around the States so far: Leda, LRC, Fosters, J Tree, Buttermilks, Happies, Bama Hills, Sierras (Whitney - East Buttress (guided by kick-ass man from AL Andrew Soleman)) and Sand Rock. It's Sand Rock that may have something to offer - from a model point of view anyway. I understand that Sand Rock has recently (last year or two) added some supervision to its situation. I read and heard horror stories - some of which are still possible I'm sure. But the collective folk gathered round the rocks a few weeks ago all agreed this spot in Bama had progressed tremendously with a guardian. Dixie Craggers writes of meth head hillbillies gone wild but it seemed quite civilized (if a bit gymish) on my weekend. No way in hell someone busts out my windows (yes - I know T-Wall is more spread.) I paid 5 bucks to get my car through the gate - I bet many of the old suspects wouldn't and won't. And if they do - there's a trail. Plus - a very friendly elderly person was out in the world helping folks and earning an income. If my imagination is allowed to conjure, I would have a lot or two with minimal infrastructure and variable employment - at least as a start. You guys (some at least) know better than I if the climbing numbers could support that math at least in season on 'busy days.' And what it would take to convince the powers that be... Also game to sit in the woods with you and crack perpetrators skulls. Not so interested in C'est la vie.

Sir.....
Please do not get me started on Sandrock.
Too late.

You see progress.
I see a once-cool, pristine, serene area that has been dumbed down to gym level, been trampled, and abused.
A neat natural anomaly, bolted to death.
First came the rednecks on 4wheelers....
Then sport climbers...RE: The Duke of Sandrock.
Now...masses....with hammocks, boom boxes, and stupid ethics.
Sandrock is the poster child for EXACTLY THE SORT OF PRACTICES that will ruin crags in the future.
How many cars can y'all pack in that parking lot?

The TWall is in danger....
Leda, Yellow Bluff, Sandrock, Foster's, and several other spots are the epitome of the problem.
There is little to no regional oversight and local organizations may go so far as to promote these practices.
Sad, but true.
I appreciate your having been around.
But do not proselytize Sandrock as the Southern MODEL.

Visit Jamestown, Steele, Sunset, Big South Fork, or Western NC to see the sort of ethic that should be promoted.

"A model point of view" ???
Gee whiz.

+1 to everything Br'er has said. Once you've had the Mexican lynch mob wake you up at 5:00 am screaming incantations and witchcraft you wonder why you even put yourself in that situation in the first place. But hey, if you like it then stay there. More for the rest of us.

Br'er Rabbit wrote: I'd take that nice lady up on her offer and hitchhike to The TWall. Sir..... Please do not get me started on Sandrock. Too late. You see progress. I see a once-cool, pristine, serene area that has been dumbed down to gym level, been trampled, and abused. A neat natural anomaly, bolted to death. First came the rednecks on 4wheelers.... Then sport climbers...RE: The Duke of Sandrock. Now...masses....with hammocks, boom boxes, and stupid ethics. Sandrock is the poster child for EXACTLY THE SORT OF PRACTICES that will ruin crags in the future. How many cars can y'all pack in that parking lot? The TWall is in danger.... Leda, Yellow Bluff, Sandrock, Foster's, and several other spots are the epitome of the problem. There is little to no regional oversight and local organizations may go so far as to promote these practices. Sad, but true. I appreciate your having been around. But do not proselytize Sandrock as the Southern MODEL. Visit Jamestown, Steele, Sunset, Big South Fork, or Western NC to see the sort of ethic that should be promoted. "A model point of view" ??? Gee whiz.

keep it rad and trad and full of smashed out car glass is what I read.

seems to me a gate and or daily fee and a weekend host could be an answer, I seriously doubt that could lead to more sport climbs/gym climbers on the T-wall. who owns the main parking area anyways?

Miike wrote: keep it rad and trad and full of smashed out car glass is what I read. seems to me a gate and or daily fee and a weekend host could be an answer, I seriously doubt that could lead to more sport climbs/gym climbers on the T-wall. who owns the main parking area anyways?

Yeah you did.
I don't have a lot of time to address this, but here goes a snippet...

A weekend host?
Well, Prentice Cooper owns the parking lot.
The SCC is the reigning org down here.
The two don't interact.
Who shall fund this weekend host?

The SCC likes to fund permadraws and has a 'bolt committee', but doesn't seem too concerned about the issues at the TWall....
The rampant bolting at the places I mentioned earlier...
Or education of the Sandrockians, as a user group.

In the deep South, things are getting twisted for the future of climbable locales.

There is no solution here other than to disperse some.
Fortunately, most of y'all like to congregate at the easiest to access spots.
TWall, Sandrock, Leda, Yellow Bluff....
Like Davis says, more for the rest of us.
It's just sort of a shame, really, that there are so many folks who don't get it.

Rad and Trad?
How about common sense?

...yankee.

Roll tide.

Go Dawgs.

Right on Br'er! This isn't the Gunks Miike. It is BFE Tennessee. The cheapest security would probably be some cameras or a bunch of signs saying you're on camera or something.

I haven't been back to Sand Rock since they implemented the fee. It was declining then. I was hoping that the fee would filter the riff raff and possibly stop poor behavior, but it is Alabama after all. It certainly stopped me, but that is because I never thought it was worth paying to climb there. The retro bolting is mostly being done by one old dude. Seems like there is an easy fix. A wise person once told me "bolts come out as easy as they go in".

One thing you can do, if you have a sedan is either cut or disconnect the trunk pop leaver that's in the front of the car so it's key entry only. That way even if they get into the main part of the car, they can't pop the trunk to get the stuff in there. If your seats pull down, cover the hole with plywood.

Br'er Rabbit wrote: Yeah you did. I don't have a lot of time to address this, but here goes a snippet... A weekend host? Well, Prentice Cooper owns the parking lot. The SCC is the reigning org down here. The two don't interact. Who shall fund this weekend host? The SCC likes to fund permadraws and has a 'bolt committee', but doesn't seem too concerned about the issues at the TWall.... The rampant bolting at the places I mentioned earlier... Or education of the Sandrockians, as a user group. In the deep South, things are getting twisted for the future of climbable locales. There is no solution here other than to disperse some. Fortunately, most of y'all like to congregate at the easiest to access spots. TWall, Sandrock, Leda, Yellow Bluff.... Like Davis says, more for the rest of us. It's just sort of a shame, really, that there are so many folks who don't get it. Rad and Trad? How about common sense? ...yankee.

I dont get how dispersing is going to stop the break-ins y'all.

game cameras could work but I'd imagine after a few bullets go through them they dont work so well.

I know 2 folks (bible thumping rebels go figure) that have been broken into there , have read the warnings in one of the guides, have seen the glass on the ground and have seen numerous postings about the problem on the intarnet but have yet to hear of someone getting caught. Are the hillbilly meth/pill addicts that hard to outsmart or is everyone just kinda slow down there? ;)