Access Bridges Destroyed in Lower Owens River Gorge

A couple of years back, Marty, Tai, Darrell, Scott, Tom, Skip, myself and others built several access bridges to some of the areas with newer routes. The crossings provided easy access to: Big Tower, Pink Face, Diamond Face, The Diamondback Area, and Blocky Top.

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There have been huge amounts of water moving through the Lower Gorge in the past few months - high enough to lap at, and even cover the highest bridges. We based the height of the bridges on previous flows to the best of our abilities and crossing options, but the water level was unprecedented this year.

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I went down this morning after about a month of no visits, and the water level has gone back down to a normal flow.
However, the crossings to Blocky Top, The Diamondback area and others have been either damaged or destroyed:

 Diamondback crossing with eroded/fallen boulder.

Big Tower crossing anchoring destroyed, both sides.

The fall/winter season is coming up, and we need to fix the bridges. It appears we are going to have to do longer, higher spans. 20' is not enough. This will require piecing together sections to get the additional feet required, as well as suspension and bracing beyond slapping some planks together.

If you climb at the Owens River Gorge, please consider helping with these projects, either with labor of a financial contribution.

Anything helps - we will be starting work later this month when it cools down a bit more.

Feel free to contact me at wolfebox@gmail.com, for questions, contributions or availability.



This Message is Approved by Marty Lewis.

Thanks, Erik