We went to Stone Mountain NC to see the famous friction slab climbing there the weekend before last. I didn’t really like it much. Unlike the friction work at Enchanted Rock, the climbs at Stone are pretty much like going up stairs – each step is basically the same as the one before it. There is little variation in the stone – so if you can keep your heels down and your fear under tight reign, you can climb most things there without too much trouble. The fear part is because someone somewhere decided that long runouts are called for on slabs. Personally, I’d rather take a long fall on a vertical climb where I won’t hit anything but air. Fall on slab and you will cheese grate against the granite all the way down, ouch! At least I can say I’ve climbed there now.
While we were there a tourist/hiker entered the Darwin sweepstakes by ignoring the warning signs, climbing over a guard rail. and trying to wade across the stream bed above the 100′ waterfall. We were high up the cliff side and wondered what why all the emergency vehicles showed up down below the cliff.
Here is a clipped news story about it:
Monday, March 24, 2008
Man Falls to His Death in Stone Mountain State Park Officials
continue their investigation into how a 28-year-old man fell to his
death this weekend at a Stone Mountain State Park waterfall.
Authorities have identidified the man who died as Jimmy Shane Wilkinson
of Mount Airy. Park superintendent Edward Farr said that Wilkinson
climbed up about 100 feet next to the waterfall Saturday before
falling.
Wilkinson was hiking with his family at the park. The
waterfall is about 1½ miles from the parking lot for the Stone Mountain
Trail. Wooden steps are on one side of the waterfall that goes all the
way up to the top. But Wilkinson went to the bottom of the waterfall,
crossed to the other side, where there are no steps, and climbed up
about 100 feet, according to Farr. He hit at least two ledges before
landing in the shallow water. Wilkinson died at the scene, and his body
was taken to the medical examiner’s office in Wilkes County. Farr said
that investigators have determined that it was an accident but that the
investigation into the man’s death will continue through next week.
Here is a picture of the ambulances down below.
Here I am on the very easy but famous climb The Great Arch. I’m glad to have climbed it, but won’t be going back. There is much better climbing all over NC.
Here is a picture of Ivy responding in kind to the urbane wit of her fellow climbers.
GroupWBench 
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