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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 4, 2011 - 09:58pm PT
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Great Pumpkin with Mr Kamps and McClinsky 1971
There exists little doubt as to the remarkable contribution of Bob Kamps to the history and heritage of American climbing. Few individuals were as instrumental in pioneering the standards, ethics and style of our generation as Kamps. Bob purely and simply loved to climb. His ability to share this adventure with an untold number of partners over the years was a testament to his generosity and spirit. Simply put it was a joy to climb with Mr Kamps.
Between 1955 and 2005, when Bob passed away, he recorded no less than 3100 climbs. Concerning partners, it would probably be easier to list who didn’t climb with Bob.
When I think of Kamps, the names of Rearick, Powell and Higgins seem synonymous. With these partners Bob would achieve some of his greatest first ascents. Then again we can add Sacherer, Robbins, Fitchen, Pratt, Roper, Herbert and a slew of other well known pioneering souls.
Kamps was particularly fond of Fairview Dome. In 1962, He missed out on the FFA of the Regular Route when Mort haphazardly grabbed a pin. Kamps went on the establish the Great Pumpkin with Ivan Couch in July of 1969 and Lucky Streak with Higgins in July 1970. Both classic routes are illustrative of the traditional style and quality of climbing in that era. Couch and Higgins, both prodigies of Bob, excelled in difficult, high-angle face climbing.
The Great Pumpkin was one of Kamp’s favourite routes and he would climb it no less than 15 times over the ensuing years. The following is one of those ascents, probably the 2nd? when McClinsky, aka Russ McLean, and moi spent an enjoyable afternoon on the Pumpkin with Bob.
Record of Kamp’s ascents of the Great Pumpkin:
“Remembering Bob This August on the Great Pumpkin,” short note from Tom Higgins on Kamps from bobkamps.com which is an excellent site to peruse his climbs and partners over the years.
Bachar note on Great Pumpkin:
Kudos to Haan for all his help in cleaning up these old, moldy, water damaged rat turd infected slides. You get the idea.
Steve Grossman is distributing the wonderful DVD that Bonnie Kamps and Dave Rearick put together on the First Ascent of the Diamond on Long’s Peak in 1960. This is a classic that should be in eveyone’s collection.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1437198/Announcing-Longs-Peak-Diamond-FA-DVD-Kamps-Rearick-1960
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Mimi
climber
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That is some TR, guido.
Thanks to you too, Peter!
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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More stellar schit from Guido !!
This is why you're my favorite pioneer, debaucherum, sailor, pirate, climber-dude. Keep it up Joe!!
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Great post Guido.
GP is a really stellar route, Looks kind of unlikely from the ground, has some good-value runouts and has a nice mix of face climbing, cracks and flakes.
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Wonderful reading and viewing this TR. Loved it! Susan
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Joe’s project to commence the resurrection of his monster image collection began modestly. There were only 300 slides at first, some of them even “half-size” ones shot with a sort-of spy camera sized unit. They pretty much looked horrible, most of them. After all it had been more than fifties years. He was plainly doubtful the task would result in much success and had already tendered the notion that storied youth was, in fact, lost as feared but still being as brave as he could be. He sent hi-res files to me via DVDs from New Zealand. They came in humble volleys.
But at least in the case of this batch last year, all but a couple images were made useful and in many instances completely normal. I loved the adventure and to work on historic climbing stuff was incredibly fun. And Joe and I go back more than four decades. I felt at times, no matter how deluded, that I was erasing the years and the wrinkles and all would be better soon! For me it was cathartic. Joe has a staggering amount more, too; some of it really stunning and worthy of publication. To see those however, you’ll have to beg!
Bonnie’s DVD that Steve Grossman is distributing it really really excellent. Extremely well made, kind, complete, and fascinating, I cannot recommend highly enough!! Very high quality work! Get one from Steve!!
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tom Carter
Social climber
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Dr. Woo!
Nice.
Lets round up Russ and do it again this summer?!!
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Swami Jr.
Trad climber
Bath, NY
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thanks for this!
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Guidos photos and Peter's Photoshopping - what a wonderful partnership!
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Whoa, nice!
Now here's a route that don't take no fancy modern photo whiz-bang trickster-y, stilt-wobblin', wide-lenzin', tilt-skylinin', faux-flexin', Disney-Land-scapin'... Nope, here even butt shots manage to convey the epic quality of a Kamps line.
Just brush off the odd rat turd, stand back while Guido succinctly sets the long-ago stage (including Word from Mr. Long-Ago hisself), and let the Golden Light of memory shine on the Age of Kamps.
Thanks, Guido and Peter.
So cool!
...but I swear that so-called "McClinsky" dude is really one of the Furry Freak Brothers...
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Guido: Thanks for more history and Peter: thanks for helping restore those old pics.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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a total bad ass was Kamps..
anyone who has climbed in the meadows needs to pay tribute to a master..
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Never done it. Looks cool.
Maybe this year.
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Guido, man, your posts are the best.
Thanks, and keep it up- I look forward to more!
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Immediate edit bump:
16 posts?
WTF?
We're talkin about Kamps!
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FTOR
Sport climber
CA
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even bachar seemed impressed when i told told him i soloed this. old school 5.8. probably one of the scariest things i ever did.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Feck, I believe it!
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Classic. Hard to believe that Kamps ever looked that, well...not young, just less gray. Still weird not seeing him out at Stoney these days.
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tom Carter
Social climber
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One of Flanders favorite rts. Typically done in his beater 5.10 approach shoes!
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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Another Great Post Guido! And thanks, Peter, for your help in bringing those images even more to life than they had!
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