20140804 Operation: Free Klaus

[Taco]

So, my buddy Eric and I went hiking on Saturday near South Mt Hawkins and had a nice view of the Crystal Lake area getting some thunderstorm action. We headed up there cause we like that kinda crap, but the storm passed before we could see any of it up close.

On Sunday, I went up to do some aid climbing at Crystal Lake Crag and hopefully get some thunderstorm action. Put my heavy pig on my back and hiked up with very light rain and dark clouds overhead. Got my anchor set up with some distant thunder. It got closer and closer, with lightning strikes 5 seconds or so away. No biggie. I was going to climb a line up a kinda loose steep gully where I could nail (hammer pitons in) without damaging good rock elsewhere. It began to rain so I took shelter under a small roof at the base of the route as I organized my rack, built my soloing anchor off a tree, and did all the usual stuff. The rain got heavier, the thunder and lightning much louder and closer, and it began to hail. The hillside you slide down to access the climbs started to slide a tiny bit with the increased waterflow. Things kept getting more and more interesting, and I began to think about bailing. I was originally thinkin' this was gonna last maybe 2 hours like a typical summer thunderstorm in the area, but this was lookin' to be much more. I slung my haulbag over a small rock, clipped my rack and kit to a cam stuck in a crummy crack, and put my phone, wallet, and keys into my usually-waterproof jacket. I waited for the next lightning strike nearby, after which I ran down the slope. Rocks had been falling down my proposed climb at this time, and the hillside was sliding a whole lot.

I booked it down the slope to the lake as fast as I could. Made it to the lake and felt safer and slowed down to catch my breath. I don't run much anymore cause I've been having issues with my heart (I have a rare heart disease which gives me annoying issues), so I took it pretty easy before breaking out into a jog. Got back to Klaus (my 87 BMW E30), chilled out for a bit, and then drove down the one way road to go to Adam's to wait the storm out, or drive down the hill back home to change into clothes that weren't soaked (I was wearing shorts as it was warm).

There's a major drainage below Crystal Lake Wall down the one way loop road which was flowing pretty decent when I reached it. I crossed one small stream carefully, as Klaus has a very low oil pan which has broken twice so far (oil pan breaks = lose all oil = no engine), and about 30ft later there's another stream to cross. This one had more rocks but looked doable. It wasn't. I backed up to the spot in between the two streams, and got out to remove some big rocks in front. It kept getting worse, so I got back in and tried to back up through the previous stream. I had no traction and that stream was getting real deep too, so I stopped. I was trapped, so I got to the driest spot, shut the engine off, and thought for a minute about what to do next. The flow kept increasing, and logs and crap were building up around the car. I couldn't open the driver's side door anymore, so I bailed out via the passenger side. Jumped to shore, went downhill a bit to where both streams met, and found a spot to jump across the now powerful flow. Thankfully it wasn't too wide. Jumped over, got back up to the road, and walked the wrong way down the one way road. Mike the Volunteer saw me and I waved him down to tell him the way was blocked. He gave me a ride back to Adam's, and we talked to some folks Arturo (super sorry if I got your name wrong! ) who works for the Forest Service was super helpful as well, and eventually Mike and I headed down the hill. Mike gave me a ride to my house, as it's on the way. Thanks again Mike!

Went up with Eric later that night to look at Klaus, and saw how hopelessly stuck it was. Went up on Monday with Chris, Eric, Brandon, Randy, David, Alden, Jeff, Steve, Mike, man I hope I didn't forget anyone! Big thanks to everyone! Obviously couldn't have done it without you guys! We dug around Klaus and Randy pulled him out backwards while Mike steered and David macked Klaus up with some tow straps so he didn't go into the big ditch off the road.

Went up again yesterday with Chris and got a AAA tow off the mountain. Now Klaus is in my driveway and today I'll be drinking beers and washing him out.

Man, what a lotta work.

Some pics:
12 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

13 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

11 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

7 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

5 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

4 by TacoDelRio, on Flickr

Album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tacodelri ... 219323301/

What a trip.

[outwhere]

Dang Taco - that's some harrowing shit !! Forgive if I'm way off, but your report seems relatively calm compared to those pictures you posted.

I know you're a million times tougher than I never will be but you also seem a lot more, let's say, less dramatic too...

Sure there wasn't more you could have done... but it's good to see how you handle things with such stride..... 'toasting' your car with a cold one picture, that's a good attitude that I wish I had...

Overall, did anyone really hear/read/know that this storm was going to be this strong?

Usually we know when winter storms are going to pack a punch, so are thunderstorms that less predictable ???

From the news and weather reports I was seeing, I woulda never guessed what happened at Baldy Village, Forest Falls and Crystal Lake was gonna be that rough...

I know it's messed up Taco and I wish your car didn't take a hit like that but compared to some other situations from that weekend, considered yourself lucky or blessed or however else you care to see your outcome...

Lots of things are precious but there's no doubt there is an order to that...

[davantalus]

Taco didn't mention how fun it was to dig Klaus free with a bunch of folks. I've pulled some folks outa the mud, but that had nothing on this... this party!

Hopefully I'll never need this particular favor returned.

[OutdoorAbstract]

Glad you're okay. Radical weather is awesome and I like it but...

[David R]

All the spots that got hit this time have been hit before when the monsoonal weather comes through. This one was more widespread and more intense then usual. Forest Falls has been hit pretty hard before as well, it is a perfect spot for heavy downpours to occur.

I am frankly surprised that any experienced hikers would be out that weekend. I had plans for hiking the San Gorgonio area on Sunday and had cancelled by Thursday. The rain on Friday night and then the gathering of clouds on Saturday afternoon made the decision a no-brainer. I've been caught once in a monsoonal downpour with lightning strikes over Baldy about four years ago and it was one of the few times that I really felt I was in a dangerous spot. If I see the weather forecast with definite thunderstorms in the summer in the mountains I'm out.

[Taco]

outwhere, probably just how I wrote it. Sometimes I write well, and sometimes (like this time), I'm tired and I just want to write down what I recall.

I wasn't too scared until I kept imagining the tall healthy tree in the exposed gully next to me getting hit by lightning. My imagination gets me in trouble. It's probably unlikely that it would be hit, considering all other contacts on the ground for the charge to propagate from or whatever fancy terms you smart folks who can spel gud know. I was afraid I'd get hit by falling rocks on my run down, as I've been hit by falling rocks many times and genuinely fear getting hit again. The sound of rockfall is an instant trigger to me, and puts me into fight or flight mode, makes me move real quick from cover to cover like I'm getting shot at or something.

David, normally I'm the same. The spot I picked looked to be safe from lightning strikes. I had originally planned to climb something up on San Jacinto, but we cancelled well in advance as well as the storm would make life very difficult up there. My familiarity with the Crystal Lake area as well as my desire to toughen my mind/readjust my imagination regarding electrical storms motivated me to do this trip. Had I not gotten Klaus stuck in the one spot that got debris/flooded/etc, all would've been fine. Manageable, if a bit close, but that's also part of it for this particular training event thing. Had I been in a vehicle with decent ground clearance, maybe 4WD/AWD, and an oil pan that isn't extremely vulnerable, I would've just been wet but otherwise fine. I was in high spirits the entire time.

I find I am in high spirits/focused during things like this, as well as during/after car crashes and other situations where you're at a heightened level of awareness. I enjoy having to think in these situations. With consequences such as these (not all that serious), it was a nice step up for what I have in my near future, which will be more serious (depending on how things work out. Quite fine with taking it easy!).

The Redbull and Keystone Light helped a lot!

Cheers

[AW~]

Hows the car? Starts and all?

[Taco]

Not yet. Gotta clean out the exhaust, shovel more mud outta the interior, and put in a new air filter.

Klaus has evolved into SWAMP KLAUS.

[tekewin]

Dude, that was bad luck but it sucks. I hope Klaus makes a full recovery. You are definitely handling it better and being cooler than I could under the best of circumstances.

[Taco]

Not having enough $$$ to make different choices always makes it easier.