PSA: If you're setting up a TR, please check for and warn people beneath you.

While climbing at North Table Mountain yesterday my wife was just sitting taking a break, grabbing a snack, when out of nowhere a very sharp 3"-ish rock smashed on her things, missing her head by about 6". There was absolutely no warning, and we were not aware that there was a group setting up a TR above us until then. (Things got kinda weird after that, but I'm not here to rant about this particular situation.)

What I did want to say, however, is that if you're going to be setting up a TR when there's a possibility of people beneath you, please make an attempt to notify people of your presence. Even if you think your presence may be obvious it may not be, and ropes aren't the only thing that should be warned about. Rock fall happens to everybody, but had we known that there were people above us we could have planned accordingly: moved out of the way, put on our helmets, etc. 6" closer and we probably would have been looking at a very, very bad day.

Climb safe, people!

I hope you soloed up the route they wanted to do and drop-kicked them in the shins.

:)

I'm glad Ling didn't get brained.

This is why you avoid Table Mountain like you do herpes. I would recommend having a helmet on at the base of the crags their all the time... total choss... I hope you stashed a dog crap in their rope bag!

Those people that are preoccupied while driving, crossing the street while texting and are just generally oblivious to the fact that life is happening around them are the same people that are out rock climbing.

It's a wonder more people don't get hurt.

Sorry you had to experience that, Ian; glad both of you are okay.

And now from Captain Obvious: Anytime you're setting up a TR, you should assume there are people below you. If there weren't when you left the cliff bottom, there may well be by the time you top out. It doesn't take any more effort to yell "Rope!" - or "Rock!" You just might save somebody's life. Beats hell out of the alternative.

Gotta agree with Randy and Scott on this one.

Ian Stewart wrote:While climbing at North Table Mountain yesterday my wife was just sitting taking a break, grabbing a snack, when out of nowhere a very sharp 3"-ish rock smashed on her things, missing her head by about 6". There was absolutely no warning, and we were not aware that there was a group setting up a TR above us until then. (Things got kinda weird after that, but I'm not here to rant about this particular situation.) What I did want to say, however, is that if you're going to be setting up a TR when there's a possibility of people beneath you, please make an attempt to notify people of your presence. Even if you think your presence may be obvious it may not be, and ropes aren't the only thing that should be warned about. Rock fall happens to everybody, but had we known that there were people above us we could have planned accordingly: moved out of the way, put on our helmets, etc. 6" closer and we probably would have been looking at a very, very bad day. Climb safe, people!

Great advices,

Better yet, I avoid the base of a climbing cliff when I take a break or snack. I try to move 10-20m away from the wall.

This post violated Rule #1. It has been removed by Mountain Project.

IMHO

Not yelling "Rope" before letting it go = BAD

Eating lunch at the base of a climb you don't have locked up = BAD

I've had ropes dropped on me while leading at popular crags before. Bullshit.

Acting defensively by staying away from the cliff base sounds reasonable, but what if you intend to climb the thing. Preventing killing or injuring others by your own actions is also a very reasonable way to go.

gearwhore wrote:IMHO Not yelling "Rope" before letting it go = BAD Eating lunch at the base of a climb you don't have locked up = BAD

This all seems well and good in hindsight, but it's like saying, "you shouldn't be walking on the sidewalk when that drunk person is driving on it with their SUV."

If the approach to the crag is from below, and it's single pitch sport climbing, why should you need to EXPECT to have something coming down on top of you, and move away from the base of the wall impulsively? If they were setting the top rope from above rather than climbing the pitch from the bottom, there's really no way to know they are up there unless they let you know.

It's not alpine where shit can be knocked loose or just fall unprovoked. It's an over-climbed (basalt?) cliff. It shouldn't be necessary to walk around expecting the sky to fall on top of you; it SHOULD be necessary for people to consider the safety of someone potentially below you, where, at a climbing crag, it would hardly be a surprise to find them.

It should be up to the parties above to make sure they aren't putting anyone in danger by dropping rocks, ice, ropes or anthing else down. Leaders have the right of way.

However it's too bad there are no rules that really govern other's etiquette behavior, so it's up to ourselves to watch our behinds. There's usually a reason why they are walking around to set up top ropes.

i always warn people at the bottom when i throw rocks off the top at them.

Randy W. wrote:This is why you avoid Table Mountain like you do herpes. ... total choss...

+1, not to mention the death hike, the wind, the overwhelming amounts of people, how short and wonky the pitches are........

I want to hear the 'things got weird' part of the story....

The suggestions about sitting far back from the wall when not climbing is a good one, though you can't always get that far back. In this case, she was already sitting about as far back from the wall as she could have without sitting right on the trail. "Moving out of the way" meant that she moved closer to the climb we were on, away from the one that was (seemingly) unoccupied. Similarly, helmets are always a good idea, and in retrospect we should have had them on already. Lesson learned on our part (it was our first visit to Table Mountain).

Jon Zucco wrote: +1, not to mention the death hike, the wind, the overwhelming amounts of people, how short and wonky the pitches are........

Death hike? Are you approaching from somewhere other than the main parking lot? I thought the approach was pretty darned short and, while uphill, easy. It didn't seem like any of the handful of toddlers making the approach were having much trouble, either...

Ian Stewart wrote:The suggestions about sitting far back from the wall when not climbing is a good one, though you can't always get that far back. In this case, she was already sitting about as far back from the wall as she could have without sitting right on the trail. "Moving out of the way" meant that she moved closer to the climb we were on, away from the one that was (seemingly) unoccupied. Similarly, helmets are always a good idea, and in retrospect we should have had them on already. Lesson learned on our part (it was our first visit to Table Mountain). Death hike? Are you approaching from somewhere other than the main parking lot? I thought the approach was pretty darned short and, while uphill, easy. It didn't seem like any of the handful of toddlers making the approach were having much trouble, either...

Sorry, death march. In full sun, it sucks and none of the climbs in this area are worth it IMO.

Jon Zucco wrote: Sorry, death march. In full sun, it sucks and none of the climbs in this area are worth it IMO.

Ah, gotcha, I can definitely see that (and have heard that before). It was overcast yesterday so it was quite comfortable. The climbs are short and some weren't that great, but some others were pretty good and a less-than-average day of climbing is still better than not climbing. Anyways, back on Topic! =)

Colin Kenneth wrote: why should you need to EXPECT to have something coming down on top of you, and move away from the base of the wall impulsively?

Because:

Colin Kenneth wrote: there's really no way to know they are up there unless they let you know.

Sometimes we have the answers inside us and yet still manage to ignore them.

Because gravity. It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
And geologic time can be right now.

Weird noob action at table mountain? unheard of...

waltereo wrote: Great advices, Better yet, I avoid the base of a climbing cliff when I take a break or snack. I try to move 10-20m away from the wall.

Usually better, but not always. Look at the debris piles at the base where you're climbing. A lot of stuff that falls will strike the wall on the way down and carom off some distance away. Sometimes, it's safer to hug the wall. All depends on the geometry of the cliff, and on luck.