Star Wars wall dubious

This topic has 6 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by Dena.

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2 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8501 Reply
Emil
Normally I would be the first to offer a pshaw at suggestion that cliffs are unsafe and climbers should stay away.

However I have been keeping an eye on the Star Wars wall over the last year or so and have been noticing a developing crack in the bottom section that forms the first roof of Skywalker. This section of the wall does not have rock-bolts going through it to anchor it as does the rest of the wall. Also the stacked blocks that make the start of Star Wars are shifting to the point that some have rotated a good 15 degrees.

Today I met a DEC dude out at the quarry who was replacing the annoying orange fence. The conversation led me to believe that DEC have been keeping a photo-log of the wall showing obvious subsidence. Pending advice from a Geo-Tec it sounds like their short term solution is to blast the whole wall off, including the face with Running With the Bulls.

Not into scaremongering but I would rather say something than hear somebody has been squashed.
3 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8502 Reply
Louise
I had a similar conversation with a DEC guy about 2 years ago. The blast plan was mentioned then too. So they don’t seem to be moving too fast on the issue.
5 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8503 Reply
steve.k
holy shizen houzen. would be a shame to see it go but can i watch ?
5 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8504 Reply
Graeme
Thanks Emil

Would be a shame to loose Urban and PP as well but if its a safety issue maybe we had better stay clear of it
6 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8505 Reply
Dena
I’ll talk to DEC and see what the plan is.
6 December 2010 at 12:00 AM #8506 Reply
BlastIt
I’ve got an explosives licence. I’m happy to help out. Mmmm… lots of new climbs….
18 January 2011 at 12:00 AM #8507 Reply
Dena
Today Phillip and I met with a DEC rep and a man from the company commissioned to conduct a geotech survey that was originally scheduled for 2007.

There was discussion about the points Emil has raised and in comparison to the survey photos from 2003 there appears to be very little rotation of the blocks but the crack, which had only just made an appearance at that time, has obviously developed. Unfortunately there will not be a formal report available until around the end of March 2011 but DEC have promised to keep me informed.

There won’t be any blasting as it will create more cracks in the wall behind. It is quite likely they will not do anything about the developing crack but will look at levering off the block that is rotated outward below the roof.
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