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WBraun
climber
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Dec 13, 2007 - 08:00pm PT
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I'll never write a Yosar book because I'm an illiterate idiot.
Anyways ..... the bottom picture with the bird in the center, on the right of him is Bruce Pollack. I can't remember every one from that far back.
But there was a real funny incident during that Sar.
Not going to tell here though, as it probably will upset some people and they'll take it all wrong and blow it way out of proportion.
Drama Queens, you know who you are ........
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soaring_bird
Trad climber
Cheyenne, WY
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Dec 13, 2007 - 08:08pm PT
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The caveat to Dill/Lober writing such a book is "upon retirement." No doubt they are way too busy as long as they are still dutifully employed by the NPS. That notwithstanding, there IS a huge and gripping collection of stories to be written and preserved for future generations (someday), from the perspective of someone who has lived and worked at the heart of YOSAR for a big chunk of his lifetime. Can you imagine the wealth and wisdom that could come from someone willing to lay it all out for others to read? So... We may have to wait a few more years. By the way, MZ, how ya doing? Haven't seen ya since BIBE 15 years ago.
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 13, 2007 - 08:25pm PT
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After looking again it looks like Reeder in the all white talkin to Bev.
But I agree soaring bird it would be awesome to document some of the more "behind the scenes" going ons to some of the rescues.
There's a mountain of stories there. Russ Walling did a great job on his documentations, they are on his web site if you're interested.
A glimpse of one particular one from the very early days.
Hummmmm????? On second thoughts maybe not. You'll just have to hear it from me personally. It's not fit for public display.
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Dec 16, 2007 - 02:47pm PT
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I'm good, more sea kayaking rather than climbing these days. Had a dream about climbing in Santa Elena the other night though...
"soaring bird" hmmm... I'm gonna need a hint
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Dec 16, 2007 - 09:55pm PT
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Yeah, some truly adventurous routes that see very little action these days (I'm told). I guess the approach - two days in a raft - puts some folks off. That's fine really: it was nice to know you'd likely never see another climber in a week of awesome limestone multi-pitch climbing and canyoneering.
Now, you'd think with 500 people reading this post there'd be a crowd next week - after all it's 10 degrees warmer than Hueco and waaay prettier. But it hasn't happened in the past and I'm not worried it'll be overrun now either...
Any takers?
And with regard to a book. Well, Setnicka is hopelessly out of date and why doesn't someone take on the second edition?
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Dec 17, 2007 - 01:04am PT
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The Big Wall is rather nice, to go up.
But, the Real Big Wall is what the YOSAR crew were all about.
After doing some Walls, you could camp out in YOSAR.
And then?
You'd raise the level of your game to include the assistance to others.
I think, as far as human interaction systems go, the YOSAR guys have the best karma point count.
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 17, 2007 - 02:24am PT
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And there's a river that runs through it .....
At times there's sticks and pieces of driftwood that come together in the eddies of time, only to be separated again on their way to the sea.
The walls are silent again as the voices have gone back to the worlds of mirage.
And as the river runs through it back to the sea .......YOSAR is only a dream.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Dec 17, 2007 - 04:06am PT
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per WVB:
Gotta think twice/thrice before moving up to, and against the Wall.
The Wall is not inanimate. The Wall is a living thing.
You'll see this, if you go up.
As living as any orchard, up there you'll find a wonderment of life, clinging to the ciiff.
Are you the problem?
NO?
Just going up?
That can kill it.
And in the name of sport?
Especially on the trade routes, keep you El Cap ascents green.
I've smelled piss on the few pitches our routes have shared with the Trade Walls. And, on those sections, have had to pick up trash to carry out.
PTPP and I hauled a quarter haul-bag of trash out of the Alcove, to the summit, down, and into the Manure Pile dumpster.
You can trash PTPP all you want, but the fact is, he's greener than those idiots who'd left their trash.
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Dec 17, 2007 - 12:44pm PT
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In the mid-1960s, I was in Yosemite virtually every season. Spring, summer, fall, and on occasion winter. The relationship between the Park Service and climbers was fuzzy and tenuous, though when something happened to someone and some kind of group of climbers was needed who might know what to do, a ranger or whomever would show up in Camp 4. Suddenly it seemed we were all in a hurry, hustling around, gathering gear, and storming off, in a race to the cars and to where we were needed. Not one of us had any official capacity at the time. All rivalries were dissolved in an instant, in the interest of saving someone, if possible. To take place in any such rescue elevated our self-esteem a bit, as a group and also as individuals. It gave us a sense of validity or validation we didn't entirely get from our "excellent" achievements as climbers. If time built up, however between rescues, that Park Service/Ranger/climber relationship drifted back to something nebulous and difficult...
I've told this story before, somewhere else, but I recall one rescue where we all stormed over to the Apron, hearing of a couple young people stranded or in trouble. When we arrived, a leg was sticking out from a ledge about thirty feet above ground. We couldn't see the body but could see piles of rope hanging around the ledge, and hundreds of feet above, on the left side of Goodrich one lonely soul standing on a small ledge wondering how he was going to get down. Clearly the anchor had pulled, and the first rappeller had died on the ledge near the bottom. Not one of us wanted to go up to the ledge and witness that site. Finally Bridwell started up, and Covington agreed to follow. Bridwell turned white when he saw the kid, and Jim stood for quite a few minutes on the ledge, with as back against the wall, gazing outward to the Valley, stunned. Apparently the fellow's brains were several feet away from his skull, a terrible thing. I began to realize right then how tough Bridwell was. The two climbed, as a team, up the wall to the stranded fellow. Jim reached the lad and started hammering in a piton. He wanted to make sure it was a good anchor this time. As he was hammering, the fellow who had just seen his partner die, suddenly said, "You don't have to overdrive it." Jim related this story to me later, as it appalled him in some strange way... I personally took part, with others, in carrying the litter down. It seemed to me a very sad thing that someone so young should lose his life, and because of lack of experience or from having inadequate technical expertise... I think that was when I began writing my little books on safety (Rock Wise, Care and Consciousness in Climbing, and How to be a Master Climber in 6 Easy Ways)...
Pat
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