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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 10, 2010 - 08:15pm PT
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I visit here often and have enjoyed reading many stories of climbing epics. Well, after one too many drinks, and time on my hands, I thought some of you would enjoy reading about my epic on the Prow, in Yosemite back around 1970-71
I had returned from Vietnam, one year prior and had partially recovered from a serious injury to my ankle which happened on my last day over there. I was hot to get on a big wall, but the weather sucked. One storm after the other was hitting the valley. I was from Boston and new to the valley and had been hanging out with the locals at the time, John Dill, Phil Gleason, Jim Donini, George Myers etc. I couldn't get anyone to join me on a big wall. The weather sucked and I was a newcomer. I really was frustrated, so I decided to solo the Prow.
As far I knew, it hadn't had a second ascent and it was considered a pretty hard aid route, rated (5.9 A4). I started in good weather. I had never soloed a route, so I decided to tie a knot in the rope every so often, as I proceeded upward. There were a few memorable memories of this climb, which stick in my mind, 40 years later.
I remember an aid pitch, on a dead vertical wall, which slanted from left to right. Well, I had the bright idea of tying my hall bag to a fifi hook. I thought, after cleaning the pitch- I would just pull the bag off the anchor and haul the bag up. Upon trying this-the bag would not release. I pulled like hell and all of a sudden-the rope pulled free from the bag and I was looking down at the bag hanging there all by it's lonesome-way off to the side, on this vertical wall. What a Fu---up! Well, I lowered myself off and after many tries swinging on the rope- I finally grabbed the bag. I rested on the bag awhile and finally cut loose with the bag, for a wild swing across the wall.
It was a long time ago, but I remember about halfway up the wall, there was this long A4 pitch, ( which I'm sure is A2 now). Every placement involved stacked tips of lost arrow etc. I tied them off with nylon shoestrings which I thought was pretty cool. Well, at the end of the pitch, Robbins warned of an expanding flake. I was careless and tired and started to drive in a pin behind the flake. The pin I was standing in shifted for just a second and I tried to react, but I was not quick enough. I zippered the entire pitch. I must have fallen over a 100 feet. I still remember the placements pulling out, some with hardly a tug, others with a little more resistance. I had time to think about my parents on the way down. I felt sorry for them. I thought this was it. John Dill had been watching me from the Valley floor with a spotting scope, (long before he was involved with Yosar), and he said later that I completely went out of his view). Suddenly the rope came tight, with one hell of jerk! I was lucky. I hadn't lost my hammer or jumars and was unhurt. I didn't make the same mistake twice!. After going up again-I placed a nut behind the flake. (I remember that I had one hell of a time untying that rope after I reached the top). The long fall had practically welded the knot together.
On the third day, the weather was turning bad. It was getting dark, and I had to make this belly crawl along this ledge into a corner, which I hoped would protect me from the impending storm. I made it just in time, before the lightning storm hit. I was cozy and dry all night and the valley was getting hit hard. I had these pain killers with me that the VA doctor had given me for my Vietnam injury and I was feeling pretty good. My ego was flying high, knowing I would be off next morning and everyone in the valley was getting soaked. Well, next morning was another day and it wasn't over yet.
I was free climbing up the final pitches when this horrendous lightning-hail storm hit. The strikes were hitting real close and I remember hail going down my armpits as I was making it to the top. Then, as I reached the top, the sky cleared and it was sunny! A few days later, George Myers asked me if I wanted to do the Nose. We got hit by a storm on that too. Jim Donini followed with the Salathe-the weather sucked on that too! Those are the times you don't forget. I'm still climbing with a lot more aches and pains and loving it! Cheers!
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 10, 2010 - 08:22pm PT
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back around 1971
It hadn't had a second ascent and at the time, it was the hardest aid route in the valley, (5.9 A4).
Are you sure? We did it in spring 71 and it already had several ascents.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 10, 2010 - 08:22pm PT
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I zippered the entire pitch. over a 100 foot fall. Thanks, Steve - a memorable story. Got any more?
Some of your friends from that time occasionally appear here, including Jim, Werner, Phil, and Peter.
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scuffy b
climber
Where only the cracks are dry
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Mar 10, 2010 - 08:23pm PT
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Man O Man
Show some patience with the Taco, and SHAZAM, amazing content just appears
out of NOWHERE. Hey, I don't mean to imply that you're Nobody, Steve,
it's just that, really, who could have expected this?
What a great story.
Thanks for posting up.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Mar 10, 2010 - 08:26pm PT
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Good stuff.
Use paragraphs though and spaces to break it up. Makes for easier reading on a computer.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2010 - 08:29pm PT
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Hey Wernar
I hope I didn't post an error. I thought it was a second ascent. You could check with John Dill, as I know he is right there, a few hundred yards away from you. My memory is pretty crappy these days. Sorry, if I made a mistake in this. Regards, Steve
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 10, 2010 - 08:35pm PT
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I don't know either Steve. I have Alzheimers. I need a GPS to find my way home now a dazes.
Hey Steve, remember your helicopter ride down from Half Dome and then when we landed you asked if anyone has seen me around the Valley?
I was sitting right next to you the whole time in the ship during the flight down.
I was laughing my ass off, hahahah
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2010 - 08:39pm PT
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Holy crap
Your kidding me! You were sitting next to me! I must have been out of it! I remember you standing there as I got off. I don't get it? Were both getting old! I love it.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2010 - 09:02pm PT
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Thanks- that is much better.!
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Mar 10, 2010 - 09:03pm PT
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Paragraphs help but really great story!
Thanks for the share...
Wonder about the solo experience and the 'nam experience...
I would imagine for some depending on the experience a solo would be fairly healing...
And for what it's worth-thanks for your efforts in the military!
Cheers,
DD
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schwortz
Social climber
"close to everything = not at anything", ca
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Mar 10, 2010 - 09:12pm PT
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thanks for the story
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noshoesnoshirt
climber
Arkansas, I suppose
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Mar 10, 2010 - 09:47pm PT
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Nice read, thanks for a bit of inspiration.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:02pm PT
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Hi Steve-
Welcome to the Taco, where most of the meat is aging, the veggies are wilting and the humor (like mine, in this instance) is a bit cheesy...still, it's an odly flavorful place, and now made tastier by you posting up!
You and I never met but I remember reading some of your stories, I think including one about the Prow that you wrote back then. This current piece is just right in the way it evokes memories of those times. How the hell did so much time go by? In one way it seems it was just yesterday, and in another way it seems like excavating in some ancient burial ground of a reality that once was but can never be again.
Thanks for adding to our collective memory.
-Jello
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:06pm PT
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Great story.
I did the Prow in '76 or so. The book said A3; and that's my story so I'm sticking to it. Truth be told I've never done other A3s so I wouldn't know - but I do remember a long string of tied-off stacked pins. Maybe that was your lost arrow pitch, but by the time I got to it it was stacked angles. ha
Picked up my partner in Camp 4. By the end we weren't speaking to each other - and he kept (by accident?) dropping my sh#t as he rummaged through the haul bag. Lost my vest and my prized #11 hex as I recall. Maybe the only time I remember having had a bad experience with a pick-up climbing partner.
Oh yea, then there were the bivies without ledges. I had a bat hammock and partner slept with one cheek on sloping ledges. ha Not sure who had the more uncomfortable night - but come to think of it, maybe that's why we weren't speaking. lol
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:10pm PT
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Great story Steve!
I have had a couple beautiful rides up the Prow myself, but my first one wasn't until 78....I'm a youngster.
I love a good yarn!
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:11pm PT
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hey great read! thanks a bunch, it's good to hear about the epics of others to get your own balls up and do something rad!
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:46pm PT
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Nice share from the way back machine.
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Buju
Trad climber
the range of light
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Mar 10, 2010 - 10:48pm PT
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Really cool....still one of my favorite routes. Ive climbed it 4 frekin times.
Thanks for the story!
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Mar 10, 2010 - 11:14pm PT
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Thanks Steve, great story. By the way, those pitches all go clean now. You might get a kick out of the Supertopo™ for the route.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Mar 10, 2010 - 11:14pm PT
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Steve,
Klemens and I were watching you when you fell. We were over in that tourist camp nearer to Glacier Point Apron; the camp they had us all in that year; there was some problem with Camp Four. Peterson was around then too. trying to take his Tis-sa-ack experience further. I think it was maybe 1970 actually; it was Spring and was a really crappy Spring too. Klemens had been watching you carefully forever and came screaming up to us all when you dumped. Very interesting little moment, for sure.
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