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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 12, 2006 - 01:27am PT
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looking at the frequency of reported FA's in the Valley is interesting... the plot below is taken from all documented references I reported in the Yosemite Valley Climbs spread sheet.
It summarizes some general trend. There is the time before 1957 where maybe 3 FA's per year (average) were done. The time between 1957 and 1970, the "Golden Age" when 26 per year were done. Not sure what the period between 1970 and 1984 would be called... but that period say roughly 49 FA's per year. And then the period between 1984 and 1991, about 99 FA's per year.
1991 may have been a cut off for the guide book or else the end of Valley climbing in some sense.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jun 12, 2006 - 01:32am PT
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Fascinating! Must do one for Squamish. Though it's not so well-defined an area.
Anders
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yo
climber
I'm so over it
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Jun 12, 2006 - 02:08am PT
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Very cool, Ed.
How much of this can be blamed on Tucker?
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2006 - 02:21am PT
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Climbs that Tucker was listed on the FA, by year
1985 6
1986 3
1987 17
1988 24
1989 82
1990 10
1991 1
1992 1
1989 seems to have been heavily influenced by Tucker's activities
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todd-gordon
climber
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Jun 12, 2006 - 02:27am PT
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How many beers does Tucker drink on EACH F. A. ?......(answer.....between 6 and 15...).so let's just say average about 10......and in 1989 he did 89 First Ascents... that's 890 beers powering First Ascents alone........not to mention one gets mighty thirsty climbing other people's routes and on rest days...(What's a rest day?).......What can we learn from this statistic?.... Beer motivates climbers to do first ascents......So;... what are you waiting for?.... go get a sixer, get a good buzz going, the hand-drill, and some 5 cent machine bolts and get busy!
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Jun 12, 2006 - 02:37am PT
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I have a theory : Power drill ban enforced in 92'?
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
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Jun 12, 2006 - 03:47am PT
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Was that the year Climbing stopped reporting FA's in Basecamp, or whatever that section was called?
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 12, 2006 - 10:27am PT
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I was sort of thinking kind of what Aldude was saying...What's the # of new pitches per year? A Nose should be worth 34 Yeast Infections, no? I'd have thought that the old-dads might have scoffed at putting up so many shorties, especially the ones that were getting rapid-fire bolted.
Also, where is the fall-off point for the publication of the last Reid guide? I'd think that even a couple of years prior to its publication would be likely to have a lot of omissions.
Thay you have as much signal as you do in the post-guidebook years sayz to me that Eric is most prolific...especially if you go pitch by pitch.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2006 - 10:34am PT
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The style of Yosemite Valley climbing changes with each passing "age." The old-dads probably refer to the "Stonemaster" era, I'd say from '71 through '83.. and they might have a bone to pick with the "shortie" climbs, but so to in the "Golden Age" which didn't necessarily cotton to the short route idea. Roper has stated that he missed that whole thing... Pratt going out and doing a short pitch and calling it a difficult route. Most of these are considered "classics" and on the training list, if not the full up hit list of Valley climbers.
I didn't think that the frequency of FA's would have such well defined boundaries, but it seems to be.
It is possible that the '84 to '91 era is the "Sport Age" which depended on the existence of power drills. We can debate whether or not that is good... but it seems to have existed.
Withouth the new guide to enumerate the climbs of the 90's and hopefully the first half decade of this century, it will be hard to determine if Valley climbing is senescent.
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Jun 12, 2006 - 10:42am PT
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Does this include only routes reported in the guidebook? There are a number of routes, like the face of Cloud's rest, that remain semi-obscure and could significantly change the statistics.
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Jun 12, 2006 - 10:51am PT
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Just a theory...
Rap-bolting was gaining popularity in the late 80's in the states. Old school was out new school was in. Putting "up" routes was just too hard. It took a while for rap-bolting to occur in Yosemite as well. With rap bolting, more power drills appeared and added to the bolting ban (pre-ban power drills were being used by ground-up ascenders who were relatively few in numbers). Rap bolting minus power drills = no fun.
Questiion: Does the chart distinguish between first ascents (i.e. ground up) and first descents (i.e. top down)?
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2006 - 11:55am PT
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the plot uses all the PUBLISHED reports of route activity, mostly guidebook and magazines.
Most climbers I know active in FA's report (if they report at all) to Donny Reid. That is why I am interested in the new guide, I hope that the FA list will be more complete.
This list does NOT distinguish the style of the FA or FFA, check the spreadsheet if you are interested in more details and references.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Jun 12, 2006 - 11:56am PT
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who has the most Yos FA's and how many? just curious...
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ablegabel
Trad climber
Livermore,Ca.
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Jun 12, 2006 - 12:31pm PT
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People are still using power drills in the Valley,regardles of the fact that it could jeopardize climbing for all of us(like the result of Poter's actions in the Arches). IMO if a route is worth putting up, it's worth doing it by hand.--There has been as much activity establishing routes in the Valley in the last 15 years as any other time if not more. Just no book to document them.--Most Prolific FA's has to be Sean Jones. He has a great eye for a line and is very active. Wait till you see all the lines he's put up,it will blow you away! -- The road side lines are getting harder to find, but a little hike is always worth it.--Hopefuly, everybody will keep exploring, and sending new routes in good style -Eric
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Roger Breedlove
Trad climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jun 12, 2006 - 01:07pm PT
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Interesting chart Ed.
A little from memory and some checking on your data base yields the following about the peaks:
In 1962 Sacherer (13 ascents) came to the Valley, along with Kamps (11) and Rowell (9)
In 1965 Pratt got out of the Army (10)
In the fallow years of 1966-69, Kim Schmitz had the most, 12, although there were spread over 4 seasons. Bridwell had nine, Pratt eight, and Robbins eight. Again spread over four seasons.
In 1970-71, Mark Klemens came back to the Valley (14 and 9) and Barry Bates put on a show (7 and 8) sparking the wide and narrow ends of the spectrum, respectively. Bridwell had 10 and 17. Rick Sylvester also had 27.
In 1972 the mix changed: Porter showed up (10), Jin Donini (11), John Bragg (8), Steve Wunsch (8) and Rik Rieder (10). Bridwell had six.
In 1973-74 some of the new faces came to the fore: Meyers (7), Worrall (14), and Chapman (5), Kauk (7), Long (7), Dale Bard (8), Jardine (9). Jim had twelve.
In 1975 Worrall had (10), Jardine (8), Kauk (5), Bachar (5), Henry Barber (4) Faulkenstein (4). Jim had five
1976-1980 Jardine had (30), Cashner (30), Kauk (11) Bill Price (16), Bruce Morris (14), Cantwell (16), Don Reid (21), Jim Beyer (13).
Ed, I do not think I would characterize the early 1970s as "Stonemaster" years. The first movers in that period did not identify with that and, in fact, were mostly gone when is came to the Valley in probably 1974-75.
I have read in Ropers' "Camp 4" that Bridwell was on over 90 ascents. I come up with 82 in Ed's database.
The next one is Don Reid with 71.
Then Rick Cashner (56),
Chuck Pratt (47),
Ray Jardine (47),
Royal Robbins (43),
Rick Sylvester (42)
Warren Harding (39),
Frank Sacherer (36),
Ron Kauk (37),
Mark Klemens (35),
Kevin Worrall (32).
Chris Cantwell (31)
Mark Chapman (31)
Bob Kamps (31)
Interesting list. (This is a hunt and peck sorting on the database, so it might not be accurate.)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2006 - 01:18pm PT
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a quick comment...
...it would be nice to see the source of Roper's count of FA's
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Roger Breedlove
Trad climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jun 12, 2006 - 01:31pm PT
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First someone should check Steve's book and make sure that I have the count right.
In answer to your question, my guess is that Steve would have counted from the indices at the back of the climbing guides. Jim also have a few climbs in the Meadows. That may make up the difference.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2006 - 02:21pm PT
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Actually I was hoping on some secret treasure trove of information... not so much questioning Roper's tally...
...my database is not complete, but the only mechanism the climbing community has for spreading this information is published guide books, and those are infrequent. As much as we complained about magazine coverage stimulating the worst attention mongering impulses in us, there was an independent and timely way for important routes to be discussed.
Of course, now we have to sit down and talk to each other again... what a concept, back to the future. I kinda like it!
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Jun 12, 2006 - 02:25pm PT
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Neat chart Ed. As others have said, it would be even more interesting to include those other variables - pitches per route, and style of ascent (GU vs. R&D).
Edit: Oh yea, definitely include another line for unreported/secret FAs. Good luck! Sounds like those would currently be at a high point - while reported routes have dropped off...
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 12, 2006 - 04:31pm PT
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Brian Knight, aka, Mr. Way was collecting info 2-3 years ago for a new version of the Falcon guide, but it seems the project got tabled. His info is probably a little bit dated now, but he probably has some of what you're looking for... if you ever happened to cross paths with him.
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