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saxfiend
Feb 23, 2007, 5:02 PM
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If you're planning to climb at T-Wall this weekend, you should check the news or call the Prentice-Cooper State Forest office before going. A forest fire has been burning in the area for a couple of days now, and the crag is closed to climbing today. The Prentice-Cooper person I spoke to this morning said they don't know about the status for tomorrow at this point. I'll post any updates here as soon as they're available. JL
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tellicomtnman
Feb 23, 2007, 5:40 PM
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Let's certainly hope this isn't the result of a campfire gone bad, because that could undoubtedly be bad for [access] business, so to speak.
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saxfiend
Feb 23, 2007, 9:09 PM
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UPDATE: Per the forest service, T-Wall is closed to climbing for the entire weekend. JL
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dynamo_
Feb 25, 2007, 2:24 AM
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JL, Thanks for th info...glad no one was hurt and no homes were damaged. Is there any word for next weekend?
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saxfiend
Feb 25, 2007, 3:04 PM
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dynamo_ wrote: Is there any word for next weekend? Haven't heard anything, but I'd guess climbing will be open again by then. If I hear any official announcements, I'll post them here. By the way, word over on the SCC site is that this was arson, rather than carelessness with a campfire. JL
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sausalito
Feb 25, 2007, 3:15 PM
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Even if it was a climbing camp fire gone bad it is ridiculous to think they would close access. They would have to eliminate all human access of any sort to eliminate human mistakes... Forrests burn naturally then regrow. Thats just how it is.
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saxfiend
Feb 25, 2007, 10:29 PM
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sausalito wrote: Even if it was a climbing camp fire gone bad it is ridiculous to think they would close access. I don't think there's any worries about climber access because of this fire. The forest service people seem to have a pretty good idea how it started, and they don't appear to think climbers are to blame. For pictures and an interesting eyewitness account, check the SCC web site. JL
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alpinerockfiend
Mar 1, 2007, 2:26 AM
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Any word on this weekend?
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saxfiend
Mar 1, 2007, 4:11 AM
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It looks like T-Wall will be open to climbing this weekend. The forestry service says some trees at the top of the cliff have been damaged, so don't assume that any webbing or trees that you might use for anchors are safe without checking them carefully. I wonder what the approach trail is going to be like -- or if it's even still there! No word yet on who started the fire. JL
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dynamo_
Mar 1, 2007, 4:11 PM
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saxfiend wrote: It looks like T-Wall will be open to climbing this weekend. The forestry service says some trees at the top of the cliff have been damaged, so don't assume that any webbing or trees that you might use for anchors are safe without checking them carefully. I wonder what the approach trail is going to be like -- or if it's even still there! No word yet on who started the fire. JL Nice that's it's all clear this weekend. I plan to check and resling any climbs that I top out that need it. That approach is going to be long and uphill, no matter what...hey, beats Laurel Knob .
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alpinerockfiend
Mar 1, 2007, 4:44 PM
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You southeasterners don't realize how good you have it! The T-Wall approach, compared to most western trad crags, is like walking upstairs to your fourth floor apartment.
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wanlessrm
Mar 1, 2007, 5:08 PM
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alpinerockfiend wrote: You southeasterners don't realize how good you have it! The T-Wall approach, compared to most western trad crags, is like walking upstairs to your fourth floor apartment. True That!
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dynamo_
Mar 1, 2007, 5:51 PM
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alpinerockfiend wrote: You southeasterners don't realize how good you have it! The T-Wall approach, compared to most western trad crags, is like walking upstairs to your fourth floor apartment. Yeah, yeah.... You get most of the super long climbs...we get easy approaches and year round climbing...seems fair.
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saxfiend
Mar 1, 2007, 6:28 PM
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alpinerockfiend wrote: You southeasterners don't realize how good you have it! The T-Wall approach, compared to most western trad crags, is like walking upstairs to your fourth floor apartment. Heh heh, I used to think the T-Wall trail was tiring til my first visit to Laurel Knob (which is like walking upstairs to your 50th floor apartment)! JL
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alpinerockfiend
Mar 1, 2007, 10:27 PM
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dynamo_ wrote: You get most of the super long climbs...we get easy approaches and year round climbing...seems fair. Being in my third semester at App State, I think I can be included in the "we". And the T-Wall, pitch for pitch, is just as good as anywhere I've ever climbed, west or east.
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dynamo_
Mar 2, 2007, 2:30 PM
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alpinerockfiend wrote: dynamo_ wrote: You get most of the super long climbs...we get easy approaches and year round climbing...seems fair. Being in my third semester at App State, I think I can be included in the "we". And the T-Wall, pitch for pitch, is just as good as anywhere I've ever climbed, west or east. I haven't travelled to climb extensively in the West, but I can't imagine the 'quality' being any better then what we have in the SE. Variety is key here as well...Looking Glass granite, TWall cracks, Tallulah Gorge quartzite (whatever it is, it's just awesome), Western NC runout at Whitesides, Big Green, Laurel Knob, on and on. What I meant was that there are more long multipitch routes out West (my current jones), not that there is better 'quality'. I wouldn't trade. Congrats on the move to the sunny SE....God's country.
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sthcrag510
Mar 2, 2007, 3:01 PM
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Woo hoo.... This is going to be a good weekend!
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dynamo_
Mar 2, 2007, 3:08 PM
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Yes sir...leaving at 5 PM.
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alpinerockfiend
Mar 2, 2007, 4:50 PM
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Cool man, I think we're going to head down EARLY tomorrow morning and climb Sat/Sun.
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sthcrag510
Mar 2, 2007, 5:07 PM
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We won't get there until late tonight because we gotta wait for a buddy of mine to get off work. So we'll probably get there around 11 or 12.
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dustin2051
May 12, 2007, 4:22 AM
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The fire has alot of ash everywhere. I will add to watch out for snakes. As I was leaving about a mile down, I noticed in the headlights a real rattlesnake crossing the road. I watched it out the window with a flashlight. Sadly I had to move for a truck and the truck ran it over thinking it was dead. I guess better for safety, what a drag on finding my first rattlesnake then it being squished. Rattlesnake had 4 rattles on the tail and about 2.5 feet long. Just keep an eye out where you step.
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