This report will be updated as time goes by. I am including tips from other locals. Feel free to add whatever you feel is important in the comment or correction sections on the left.
The article may be expanded to include other things that are relatively specific to the SG's. There are some automotive aspects as well as social issues to address (think: break-ins on R39).
This report was originally set to be a trip report for a climb on January 10th, when myself, David, and Alex set off to do some technical training up Lightning Couloir on Thunder Mountain near Mount Baldy.
During the writing, I decided to turn this into a sort of article on technical climbing and activities in the SG's, and things I have learned from such activities. I do not do much canyoneering, so I have left that activity out, for that's a whole different world, though some tips do cross over.
If you notice any strange or akward transitions, it is due to turning this from a TR into an article.
San Gabriel Mountain Range Notes
I must point out that the San Gabriels are famous for poor rock quality. Rockfall is a constant here in most conditions. I understand that in some regions, one can avoid rockfall nearly entirely by going on colder days, etc, but the SG's are a tad different. It is my own decision as a climber to head into the routes and areas I climb knowing that I will encounter rockfall whether it's 12 degrees or 120. I have been hit by rockfall dozens of times, broken my right hand, and in the case of this trip report, had extensive soft tissue damage done to my right arm (always my freaking right arm...) due to rockfall.
Bottom line is, if climbing routes similar to mine in the SG's, your safety is in your hands, and you should carry a simple first aid kit consisting of materials to make a splint, some gauze, alcohol wipes, medical tape, etc. Keep it simple and have fun. Always wear a helmet. You will get hit. If you want to avoid rockfall, go to a Lakers game or something. There are rocks in the mountains, and gravity is up there as well. You will get hit.
Account of the Lightning Couloir Climb and "Self" Rescue
This report will be rather simple and dry, discussing what happened, improvements to be made, and some author input. I've never been good with SP's page editing software, so excuse the centered big pictures and sometimes akward format of my TR's. It's what I've gotten used to. I have linked the full account of the rescue at the bottom of this trip report, so I will not include many photos in this article.
Lightning Couloir is a fun, if short, alpine route right off the road in the Baldy area. One parks near San Antonio Falls road, looks east and sees a big gully, and heads up it until they face two options: go left to easy terrain, or go right up a sweet couloir. On a good cold day, it's a great mini-alpine climb, offering the flavor of a big hard route without being far from home. Excellent training ground.
The route is mostly about 50 degrees, but has a handful of options for exit at the top, some steepening to 70 something degrees or thereabouts (I'm no mathlete), with mixed climbing on bad rock and plants, or simple exits that just drop you off onto the south ridge of Thunder Mountain.
Alex and David wanted to go do some technical training on this route, Saturday 20090110, so we headed up there. The Santa Ana winds were in full effect when we got out near San Antonio Falls Road, and continued for the full day (and days afterwards, still going as I write this on the 15th). I was not overly enthusiastic about going today, and thought of bailing at the last minute, letting them know I would stay home when they dropped by at 4 in the morning. I decided against bailing, as I'd rather be up there than down here.
It was cooler in the couloir than expected, probably due to wind chill. Heavy winds blasted down the route in gusts at irregular intervals. We saddled up near the base of the route, and Alex and David were to start belaying soon.
I was to solo alongside them the entire time. About 20 meters from the end of the route, I heard a rock falling, and subsequently yelled out "ROCK!". The rock slammed into my right arm while I was using my axes in the piolet traction position. I started to lose blood very quickly, and Alex helped me clip in and get to the side of the couloir. Alex and David brought me down safely, down 5 pitches in 4 hours or so.
We visited an EMT unit posted at the base of San Antonio Falls Road, who was assisting SAR in a mission to find a lost hiker, I believe. The dudes there splinted my arm and helped me out. We headed home, and I went to a clinic (I don't have Health/Medical insurance) where it was cleaned, X-rayed, and stitched. No broken bones, just a bad cut of sorts. What I thought was bone sticking out was actually just a piece of fat. All is well and five days later, I have most of the use of my arm back.
Tips etc
I spend a great deal of my free time in the San Gabriel Mountains doing many activities. I know what can happen up here and I take responsibility for my actions. Rockfall is just one of the many hazards one faces up here when climbing.
Here are some tips I have put together from my time up here. Please note that the majority of these tips have to do with roped travel, whether that means sport climbing, trad, whatever. Freesoloing easy rock included.
*Always wear a helmet! This means wearing a helmet when you know you're in an area where rockfall is possible, and where someone may be climbing above you or IS climbing above you regardless of conditions. DO NOT remove your helmet on a route unless you are beyond a shadow of a doubt protected by some large feature. Only remove your helmet if you absolutely must do so. Think of basic training in the military. How often were you allowed to walk around without your K-Pot on? The answer is no. :-) The same stiff military mentality often times fits the bill here.
*Always bring 2 pickets per climber on appropriate routes.
*Tricams (Camp or Viamont) work very well in our rock where other pieces won't work safely. Don't just buy a pinkie (.5) and call it a day. A set from .125 up to #3 should be fine in the Eastern San Gabriels.
*You can never have too many slings! Often times the best protection on any route is foliage, be it strong bushes, or trees. Sewn slings are very quick and convenient, but not as versatile as webbing. I suggest a handful of 11mm Dyneema sewn slings, say three that are 32 inches and three that are 48. Non-sewn webbing is great for threading through or past chockstones when one has to rappel down a canyon or similar feature.
*I use a locking biner each time I sling up a tree or other feature with a sewn runner. I usually have a half-dozen lockers on my rack for this reason. I greatly favor DMM Boa Quick-lok biners (not that dumb lift, then twist commie crap). I have never had an autolocking gate mechanism freeze on me in the San Gabriels.
*Aid or micro nuts are rather useful for belay anchor backups.
*A small mechanical ascender such as a Wild Country Ropeman Mk1 or Mk2 (Mk2 is more versatile, more rope choices), either alone or in a set, is VERY handy for aiding/jugging up a line to pass chockstones, and for bringing gear up. One can do this with prussiks, but the author feels the weight of a small Ropeman is vastly superior.
*As always, have your gear organised on your rack in a manner that allows you to quickly assess what piece fits, and place it quickly and safely.
*When carrying snow pickets, a chest harness is ideal. I usually have webbing on the picket, just above mid-point, with a locking biner through the top hole of the picket, clipped to a rung on the chest harness. I am taller than average, and I enjoy this method as it keeps the pickets from being rammed into my legs while climbing. If carrying 1-2 pickets, it is superior to having them on your waist or pack.
*The rock quality here is sub-par to most climbing areas. Our good rock is often still sub-par, but I love it anyway. It's the mountains, damnit. Anyway, always check your holds.
*Say you climb in a gym as your primary deal. A 5.7 up here is a dangerously loose 5.11 in a gym. Go. Routes rated with an X for danger, and/or an R for Runout are done that way for a reason.
*Keep on wearing that damn helmet.
*When climbing trad rock routes in less-traveled areas, more comfortable shoes designed for trad, or approach shoes, are the ticket.
*Mid-length ice tools are excellent for steep routes. I prefer a setup where I have a length of cord going from the head of each tool to a biner on my chest harness. I find this far better to going with leashes, and far safer than going completely leashless on alpine routes, where dropping a tool is bad. A good idea I have not tried out may be to pick up old Grivel spring leashes, or to get shock cord and put it inside the sheath of 550 (para) cord.
Simple Medical Kit
I am not a doctor, and my medical training comes from the US Army, so bear with me. A simple medical kit could consist of the following:
-Materials for a splint (Sam Splint)
-Several pieces of gauze bandage, sealed
-Gauze "tape" or webbing (help me with words, I'm retarded)
-Self-sticking roll of Guard-tex tape. This tape is great for many uses, and it can often be found at pet stores. It has the feeling of those non-slip tool rolls for toolboxes and cubbies, and it sticks to itself. While it does hold OK, I always use some climber's tape or medical tape to secure it.
-Anti-inflamatory medication. I bring 800mg tablets of Ibuprofin, as I am allergic to anything else.
-Specific meds, such as headache/migraine (Imitrex is my savior), etc.
-Have a wristband or similar easily-found method of letting someone know what you're allergic to. There are dog tags out there that have a USB "drive" in them that stores medical info about you. A normal dogtag can be printed with several lines of information regarding your medical history or requirements, etc.
*Make sure the medical kit is organized and quickly accessible in the event of an emergency. It should be brightly colored and very easily identifiable by anyone in any weather or situation.
