Some guy, whose name and description is not being released as he is thought to be suicidal, camped out on south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge last night. He was apparently spotted climbing the cabling yesterday evening around 6:15 p.m., but thwarted authorities by disappearing into the fog all night.

When last night's thick, wet, misty thing started to clear this morning around 8:30 (and by the way, thanks for that, nature), CHP closed the bridge for 10 minutes while officers searched the north tower. They didn't manage to find anything on the first pass, but an hour later they closed the bridge again to search the south tower. A couple of cops took an elevator to the top, where it sounds like they actually spotted him pretty quick.

As for why they couldn't have just done that even in the fog, a CHP spokeswoman said police had been watching him for two hours last night as he threatened to kill himself. Negotiators who spoke with him thought it best not to try and drag him out. That was just before he vanished into the pea soup.

Anyhow, the Chronicle has a photo gallery of bikers looking vaguely pissed about the traffic
closures, but let's get to the real story here: This guy spent the night (and a particularly chilly August one to boot), at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, so that pretty much makes him the biggest badass in San Francisco right now. Can this guy be San Francisco's own Larry Walters?

[Chron]
[BCN/Appeal]