Bombs Over Tokyo

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Messages 1 - 42 of total 42 in this topic

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Original Post - May 23, 2007 - 11:54am PT

I was just looking at 'Bombs Over Tokyo' in the New Reid-Falkenstein Tuolumne Guide.
They have the original line listed as "aid" - which is not the case. I freed this in 1985 (or so). They also list me as having freed the so called "free variation" (5.13a) below the original line on the third pitch (which follows bolts placed below the horizontal crack by Clevenger and Fiddler after they aided the original line). This is also incorrect as I have never even attempted this variation. Vern and Claude were unsuccessful at free climbing either of these pitches.

Question is: Has anyone done this free variation? ('Bombs Under Tokyo' ???)

Also: Has anyone repeated the original horizontal crack (5.12d)? Wolfgang Gullich was unsuccessful when he tried it in the late '80's and I've never heard of anyone else even trying it.

Just curious, jb

Free climbing the original horizontal in 1985 (or so)...Photo: Phil Bard

climber

A small kayak on a very big ocean

May 23, 2007 - 12:07pm PT

That is such a classic photo of you, John! Glad to see you haven't changed much.

WBraun

climber

May 23, 2007 - 12:14pm PT

I free soloed it last year in my flip flops.

James

climber

A tent in the redwoods

May 23, 2007 - 12:15pm PT

John,
You know Charlie Barrett? If he's not in too much trouble these days, he might know. He's been up there.

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2007 - 12:15pm PT

Congratulations Werner....did you use chalk?

James - thanks for the tip!

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 01:11pm PT

bump...

Meaty

climber

May 23, 2007 - 01:11pm PT

Wolfgang said he did that pitch, since he is no longer around I must come to his defense. Accusations that he didn't free that pitch are in really bad taste from you John considering he told you that he did, I was there when he told you. Are you calling Wolfgang a liar? How pathetic! Wolfgang never had any reason to lie, always a very humble person. It is your opinion that he didn't climb that pitch and it is beyond pathetic to claim he failed. Maybe if you had shown up earlier when you went sneaking around the base of Daff Dome you would've seen him free the climb. Instead what you saw, and still after all these years claim was a failure, was Wolfgang going back up to retrieve his gear after letting his partner give the pitch a go, you missed his ascent. He explained that to you and I was there when he did so, calling him a liar after all these years just shows absolutely no respect. I have a lot of respect for the honesty that Wolgang always displayed, he told you the truth when he said he freed the pitch and I believed him and have no reason to think he was lying.

scooter

climber

B loop site 15

May 23, 2007 - 01:20pm PT

Meaty-
First time I have seen a post from you. I will be back in CA in a little more than a week. Gonna get the the crew together for a tri tip and beer fest. Hope you can hang. Not on the rope of course. That is for me to do.

Pat

Meaty

climber

May 23, 2007 - 01:21pm PT

Hi Pat! Sounds good, I will see you soon.

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 01:35pm PT

Dude,
I have a personal relationship with John. I know his faults and lying is not one of them. In fact, his greatest fault is telling the truth even when he should be more politically correct. (Trust me when I say that we have had a few very uncomfortable moments because of this.)

Even when the truth is going to make things hard for him, he still always tells it. So the idea that he would lie about a climb and in the same breath lie about a good friend of his...
If you know Bachar, you would know that is impossible.
AF

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2007 - 01:38pm PT

Meaty - with all due respect I did witness his attempt and unfortunately he did not redpoint the pitch in question. He did rest on the rope at the start of the horizontal traverse before continuing ( he definitely freed both "sections" of that particular pitch). You can call me a liar but I saw what I saw and I stick by it. He was not retrieving his gear either. I watched his entire ascent from the ground up by the way - he was not there earlier as you claim. An hour later, I saw him at Low Profile Dome and he told me he had just redpointed the pitch without falling or hanging. I really don't know what to say.

Wolfgang was a great human being and an extraordinary climber and I have much respect for him and his accomplishments.

Peace, John

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 02:11pm PT

Hey Meaty,

If you ever heard multiple witnesses describe an accident, you will also know there are many versions of the same story. All of which are described honestly.

Sorry for not knowing who you are... Would you please give your true identity since it might help clarify things?

Anastasia

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

May 23, 2007 - 02:19pm PT

Bombs Over Tokyo, what a line; I remember when Vern & Claude were focused on it.

There's quite a few things that you freed John, which were striking and seldom repeated; many of the names I can't remember, but Bombs Over Tokyo, Moon Germs down at Elephant, maybe Crossroads, various stuff in the Meadows, like Body & Soul & Love Supreme? come time mind.

dirtineye

Trad climber

the south

May 23, 2007 - 03:03pm PT

BUmp for a real climbing thread

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 03:35pm PT

Bump...
Still waiting for Meaty to respond. I want to hear the whole story about this mix up and I want to know who he is to research this. (Meaty, I hope you don't find that threatening.)
AF

bhilden

Trad climber

Mountain View, CA

May 23, 2007 - 03:41pm PT

I remember running into Verne and Claude after yet another unsuccessful attempt to free the route. Claude just looked over at me and said, "we have to learn how to grip harder!". Classic.

Bruce

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2007 - 04:01pm PT

Sorry folks about the whole Wolfgang thing - I shouldn't have mentioned the controversy anyway - I have my story, he has his and it's besides the point of this thread anyway.

I was mainly just curious if anyone has done the 'Bombs Under Tokyo' variation (for lack of a better name). I saw some photos on Falkenstein's Tuolumne website of someone on the variation, but don't know if they were actually successful.

I kind of wanted to try the route but also realize it may not have even been free climbed yet because the Reid - Falkenstein Guide says I freed it at 5.13a (when I actually have not done so). They also say it is not often repeated - meaning maybe someone out here knows someone who has done it or tried it? It does look like a good pitch by the way. Peace, jb

aldude

climber

Monument Manor

May 23, 2007 - 04:10pm PT

meaty = snooky

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 05:04pm PT

He won't say so he must be insecure about his own position.
Anyway no matter who is "actually right with what they saw," I am sure other people saw the event so the truth will comes out.
Beyond that,
I want to hear more about "Bombs Over Tokyo."
I saw the route and it gave me the Heebie Jeebies. Who else has been on it?
AF

scooter

climber

B loop site 15

May 23, 2007 - 05:32pm PT

Anastasia-
I would bet that Mr. Bachar and Mr. Meatys divergence of opinion on this topic goes back to the day that it happened, and there is no chance on our slowly warming planet that you are going to solve anything or discover new info. Mainly due to the fact that only 2 of 3 of the aformentioned people who were actually there are still alive. As you have said about Mr. Bachar, Mr. Meaty in all my expierence has been an honest guy and a good friend. So does that make him more or less right? No, it just means he has his opinion and Mr. B has his. You may not realize that you are entering one of Yose most famous battles.

My Name Is Drew

Big Wall climber

Dogtown, LosAngeles, CA.

May 23, 2007 - 05:32pm PT

I much prefer stukas over disneyland, me.
http://www.overgroundrecords.co.uk/Catalogue/OVER76CD.jpg

scooter

climber

B loop site 15

May 23, 2007 - 05:38pm PT

Drew = nazi

My Name Is Drew

Big Wall climber

Dogtown, LosAngeles, CA.

May 23, 2007 - 05:46pm PT

it's a PUNK album and what's more a clever pun.
nevermind.

Anastasia

Trad climber

California

May 23, 2007 - 06:19pm PT

Well then, I will step away from this. Not worth beating up a dead horse.
Peace,
Anastasia

randomtask

climber

North fork, CA

May 23, 2007 - 06:24pm PT

jghedge...dude, you need to get over it. M.Reardon does his thing you do yours. Do you need a hug??

Any more pics of the route??? Looks like a good one!
-JR

susan peplow

climber

www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com

May 23, 2007 - 06:37pm PT

Dimitri, stirring the pot or just passing time. Either way, it's good to see you on the Taco.

~Susan

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

May 23, 2007 - 06:48pm PT

Yes, more pictures would be nice.

Hey wait-a-minute.
Sooze said Da Meat Head is posting up?
Cool. Now which poster is he...

Hi Dimitri,
Long time.
-Roy.

susan peplow

climber

www.joshuatreevacationhomes.com

May 23, 2007 - 06:52pm PT

Roy, I could be wrong but based on the topic.....sounds like the meat we love now doesn't it?

~Susan

Raydog

Trad climber

Boulder Colorado

May 23, 2007 - 06:56pm PT

nice pic JB,
must be a hard climb - I see leg-loops.

climber

A small kayak on a very big ocean

May 23, 2007 - 06:58pm PT

Dimitrius has come to play?!?! Where's he?

WBraun

climber

May 23, 2007 - 07:31pm PT

So

Back in the day while I was flying my B52 bomber over Tokyo, I saw a Bachar getting stung by that mosquito suicide squadron.

I opened the bomb bay doors and annihilated those little pesky bugs so the Bachar could make the crux move.

Yep, those were the daze my friends, we thought they'd never end ....

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2007 - 07:45pm PT

Werner - I forgot to thank you for that - those mosquitos sure know how to bite!

euro-brief-guy

climber

mountain view, ca

May 24, 2007 - 01:02pm PT

Hey Meaty,

Poker game at the Mini's this Sat night. Join Tom, Mini, Neil Jingy, Candyman and I. You've been missing from the game too long.

Steve

HighDesertDJ

Trad climber

Arid-zona

May 24, 2007 - 01:58pm PT

Redpoint drama aside...

...John I'd really love to hear the full story on the first ascent and other early attempts of this route. I spent several summers in the Meadows and have done the one pitch variation to Bombs many times. The rest of the route was always hanging above me like a a great mystery. It looks horrifying up there and I never heard about anyone ever trying it. I could only stand there and imagine some superhuman rock warrior blasting off into oblivion on desperate and unknown terrain.

So what's the deal?

G_Gnome

Trad climber

Knob Central

May 24, 2007 - 06:15pm PT

bump for a climbing thread...

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2007 - 08:10pm PT

HighDesert - Not much to say. I watched many times when Vern and Claude would try to free the aid line. They put bolts in below across some knobby face and tried that too. It got left alone for a season or two and I decided to give the aid line a go. A well protected boulder problem (12a/b) followed by some really small dime edge handholds on the traverse (12c) leads to a long pumpy hand traverse around the prow. Pretty cool location and well protected until the last move, a 10c mantle to the belay. It took me many days to do the whole thing in one push - I kept falling at the start of the traverse after doing the bouldering section. Finally made it one day and continued to the summit (more great 5.10 climbing near the prow for two pitches).

Anyway, I repeated it for photos and have never done it again. Haven't heard of anyone else doing it to this day. I'm sure nowadays there are tons of climbers that could walk it.

I also have never heard of anyone doing the low variation across the bolted knobs(Bombs Under Tokyo?). It looks real good too (and well protected). Someone must know something about this?

HighDesertDJ

Trad climber

Arid-zona

May 24, 2007 - 08:33pm PT

Did you use those fixed pins? It looks like a graveyard up there with rusty pins and bail webbing hanging out of them. It's probably more ominous now than it was before it was ever done.

bachar

Trad climber

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2007 - 09:20pm PT

Yeah there was a fixed blade at the first bouldering section (and a bolt) and there were a few fixed pins in the traverse - like buried to the hilt angles. The traverse takes cams quite easily however. I think Barnes replaced the blade and the bolt but I'm not sure....

Greg Barnes

climber

May 25, 2007 - 01:05pm PT

We re-seated all the pins on the route including the ones on the traverse on the aid/Bachar free route, except the #1 knifeblade protecting the 2nd pitch. We replace that with a brand-new #1 in the same place, at Clevenger's request. I had seen that pin from below many times, and I had always thought it was a long bomber pin. Since the pin sticks out and could catch/rip into you if you fell on it, since it would rust and freeze-thaw its way out sooner or later, and since I thought that it was a deep, bomber pin, I asked Clevenger if we should replace it with a 1/4" buttonhead with stainless SMC hanger. He told me no way, that it was only a #1 knifeblade not a good pin, and that would totally change the nature of the route. Once I knew that it was a #1, I felt totally stupid for even asking him, but in any case it's a new #1 knifeblade.

I think that Joi said that she and Charlie had worked Bombs Under Tokyo but hadn't freed it, but I don't know if Charlie went back or not.

One very interesting note on the Bombs Under Tokyo variation. It climbs from the belay (clipping first bolt of the original aid/Bachar free route), then around right on an exposed hand traverse rail. Then it heads up and right along the edge of the roof on tiny edges. When we replaced the bolts on that, the first bolt was AFTER pulling obviously 5.12 moves up around the corner - super hard looking and no pro. It didn't look even remotely possible especially from the ground-up bolting perspective. I started looking at the end of the hand traverse rail, and sure enough, I found a blown-out 1/4" hole right where you'd place a bolt. It looked like someone took a whipper and ripped the bolt. A good-sized pendulum fall must have resulted. Anyone know that story?