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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 5, 2006 - 12:25pm PT
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Let's hear it for this cat. Who among us hasn't read Camp 4 or appreciated a little Sierra Roper "class 4"?
Early on El Cap, early in the free game, early in the speed game and early on the word processor (or pen and paper, or stone tablets, I guess.)
What do we got?
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WBraun
climber
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Ironic isn't it?
A guy with the last name "Roper" showing up in the early beginnings of modern rock climbing in Yosemite.
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elcapfool
Big Wall climber
hiding in plain sight
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Didn't he guide Moses up Mt. Sinai?
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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2006 - 12:37pm PT
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"...I came to be perched atop Pinnacle Rock at a Sierra Club gathering, watching a flashy Jaguar roar up and park in the nearby street. 'It's Warren Harding,' someone whispered. Out stepped a handsom, devilish fellow with a young woman draped on his arm. Short and classically wiry, he strolled over to our group, a furtive gleam in his eye. At this time Harding was locally famous for his feats in Yosemite two years earlier, notable the second ascent of the notorious Lost Arrow Chimney. So I stared closely, trying to measure the man. I though I would see him swarm up our practice routes, but instead he sat down and began drinking jug wine and telling stories. A sociable chap, I thought, but why doesn't he climb? Though he wore army fatigue pants, like most of us, he had dyed his black. Looking at his black flashing eyes, his wild black hair, his jet-black pants, his sultry moll by his side, his wine, and his lack of interest in what anyone was climbing, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was fascinated, mainly because the other climbers I knew were spectacled scientists, staid folk who would never have dreamed of wheeling up to a rock with a sports car and a jug and a flashy dame."
(Roper, Camp 4, pp. 63-64.)
DMT, you gotta love the dude that wrote that, then.
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elcapfool
Big Wall climber
hiding in plain sight
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I'm with DMT, the guy that got the girl was cooler.
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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2006 - 12:42pm PT
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"Few among our group could be called neurotic, but there's no doubt we were socially backward. 'Who here has ever been to a dance?' someone once asked at a campfire. A dozen climbers--fit, not particularly ugly, mostly virginal young males--pondered the question. One of us finally ventured: 'I went to a high-school prom once, but I didn't dance.'"
(Camp 4, p. 15)
Not like that rings a bell...
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elcapfool
Big Wall climber
hiding in plain sight
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Is that what you were doing in the bathroom? Working on your handstrenght training?
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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I've always been impressed with Roper's unsung climbing accomplishments. His name is tacked onto many notable first ascents in Yosemite and beyond but he isn't given as much credit. A pure humble badass.
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Gene
climber
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What a guy!
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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Quite the man, Mr. Roper.
I got the opportunity to work with him (AND Al Steck) for many blurry evenings at his home in Berkeley, drinking copious quantities of really good wine, while we were editing an article for Ascent (the "Mechanical Advantage").
Sort of like hanging out with Vonnegut or Hemmingway, with the writ word as only the background for the occasion.
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john hansen
climber
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I have total respect for this man and his work. Have read alot of his stuff.
Just a quote from Harding thou.." If I ran into Roper I'd kick his ass" This was from an interview when Warren was in his fiftes or sixties.
Respect to both these guys ,I just enjoy the history and think some of it is kinda funny.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Steve Roper has been the voice, for me, of Yosemite Valley and the Sierra ever since I started climbing. His "Green Guide" is something I still refer to, and the front matter to that guide continues to provide insight in to the sport. Same with the Sierra guide. I suspect I will be carying those two guides in my pack for the rest of my climbing life.
His genuine interest in climbing literature produced one of the finest works describing and defining climbing, Ascent, for 30+ years along with Al Steck.
On top of that, there is Camp 4, a splendid memoir of life in the "Golden Era" of Yosemite climbing, and the followup, of sorts, Ordeal by Piton in which several important articles are reproduced which had not been available in print for decades; a real labor of love, and a recognition of the enduring value of this lost literature.
I do not know what gems Mr. Roper has stuffed in files, boxes, bookshelves, etc., but I know that he continues to wield his imagination in a dedicated mission to tell the story of climbing.
Bravo Steve Roper,
and thank you.
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Ed I am glad you mentioned "Ordeal By Piton" because Roper not only is the best climbing historian and author so far, he is also the best at recognizing the importance of other well written articles that depict the essence of what climbing is all about.
I don't know how many times his guidebook scared the heck out of me. He always seemed to know exactly what my mood was or would be with his written description of the next bit of climbing, especially when it was my lead. It was as if he was there with me as a partner shouting encouragement.
Ken
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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“Routes were vague back in the old days,” he says, “and by using vague words we guidebook writers could ensure that climbers would get just as lost as we did.”
I guess he still works for Supertopo.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Roper's corrections in Alpinist are hilarious...
-Brian in SLC
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Gateway to Adventure:
This copy is almost 30 years old.
Thanks Mr Roper.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
one pass away from the big ditch
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Over a chance meeting and a bottle of wine in Josh one year, Brad Young and I tried to convince Roper to write another book about the climbing community.
I for one am glad he contributes to Supertopo. The climbing literature feeds the worm.
Cheers,
Munge
My heros are human, and are elevated for it.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Feb 10, 2010 - 06:13pm PT
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I thought it would be fun to open this Thread again. Roper really is one of the hero's of our generation. Shy, funny, licentious, talented and speedy climber with untold ascents in Yosemite and beyond and literary spokesmen for many, I think it could be both fun and enlightening to get him involved on the ST forum. He did make a guest appearance only last week, so there is hope.
POWELL /ROPER-NW FACE HALF DOME 1962
I am pretty sure this was 1962 because it was the same summer the three of us had climbed Castle Rock Spire,
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1066638/Castle_Rock_Spire_with_Roper_and_Powell-1962
I also believe this was their second attempt at this route and on an earlier excursion they had bailed out to the top of Ahwiyah Point Buttress?
It certainly was one of the early ascent of the route by two of the fastest climbers of the era.
Roper had a love-hate relationship with the Dome. On an earlier winter excursion in 1961, with the naive Sacherer they had attempted to climb the ice covered slabs above Mirror Lake. Roper in his hubris refused to bring along a rope in fear that the “inexperienced” Sacherer would fall and pull him off.
“I’ll go first and show you how it is done,” He said, having strapped on crampons about six times in his life-but six times more than Sacherer.
“Well ….okay,” he said, frowning. “But we’re taking a rope, aren’t we? It looks slippery up there.”
“A rope!” He screamed. “Jesus, on that little slope? You think Buhl would want a rope? No rope! Besides , if you fall off, you’ll drag me down with you!”
Irony was that Roper peeled off and took a 600 ft fall on the ice crusted slab and with Sacherer’s assistance was able to make it to the Valley hospital for a 13 day visit.
In May, 1966 Roper and Jeff Foott made the first one day ascent of this route, a long day that involved the placing and removing of over 250 pitons. I was on top to meet them but failed to bring along a camera.
Later this summer, in July, Eric Beck in two and one half days made the first solo ascent.
Again, thanks to Haan for converting basically unreadable slides to a viewable format.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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Feb 10, 2010 - 07:08pm PT
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I have been in contact with Steve in the last year or so. He was very close friends with my father, Mike Borghoff, and sent me a bunch of letters and pictures, completely trusting me to take care of and return them - which I did. Thanks for being so helpful, Steve!
Also, best of luck on the history project - can't wait to see the results of those contributing...
Erik Wolfe (Borghoff)
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Feb 10, 2010 - 09:20pm PT
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Roper had a love-hate relationship with the Dome. On an earlier winter excursion in 1961, with the naive Sacherer they had attempted to climb the ice covered slabs above Mirror Lake. Roper in his hubris refused to bring along a rope in fear that the “inexperienced” Sacherer would fall and pull him off.
Irony was that Roper peeled off and took a 600 ft fall on the ice crusted slab and with Sacherer’s assistance was able to make it to the Valley hospital for a 13 day visit.
If I'm not mistaken this was the fall on which Roper called out as he sailed by Frank (impressing him hugely), "I'm having it".
Frank was always hoping to have a similar mystical insight and witty quip while falling, but never did.
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