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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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The power of Stupor Torpor!!!!!!!!
Say howdy to him, will ya? And tell him he's more famous now!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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BUZZWORMS!!
We always heard the rumors. Fall of 1974, Bruce Franks and I wandered up to some attractive, but easy looking, cliffs on the north side of the Icicle, near eight-mile campground.
Bruce got buzzed on the way up. We did a 3-4 lead route that featured a stove-sized rock at a belay spot. The rock would start to lean out to fall, when you put your feet on it.
Shortly after we started down: we both got buzzed by an invisible snake.
We found long sticks, and beat our way down to the road like blind men.
I emailed this link to Bruce and he adds this version of above story.
Wow, I tell this story often but add the evening events at the bar to my version.
We started up the slope to the rock only to run into not just one buzz worm but three. After we got to the rock we (I) was so shook up that each pitch I would lean way out from the rock completely convinced a buzzer was waiting for me on the next ledge or in any crack.
After we finished climbing we did beat our way down to the road. Then the first thing we did was hit the Der Sportsman bar in Leavenworth.
Roger was tending bar and asked what happened to us. It seems we looked pretty pale and sickly. First we ordered shots and beers then settled into our tale of woe. After a while he just broke out laughing at us, the reason was, as he put it: all the locals knew there was a large den of buzzers up that slope and no one climbed or even hiked there. It was a pretty drunk night.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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McCarthy? A snake nut? I'd never have believed it. Maybe I should introduce him to a cousin from Norway, who's a veterinarian and snake addict. He even owns property in Arizona, and goes there every year to look at worms. (Leaving this Friday, I think.)
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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yeah Reilly, I know what you mean, I looked up snakes also and it said they only get 5-6 feet max. But I saw this snake stretched out as I threw a rock at it to chase it off the trail, and it started slithering down the trail towards Stan. He screamed like a girl and took off down the trail like a missile. But that snake was 10 feet, very very long and thick. I am sure there must be more of them up in them thar hills around Leavenworth.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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A snake nut? I'd never have believed it.
Well, he is a rock climber so it isn't too big a stretch!
But if ya pick 'em up and play with 'em yur a nut! Believe me,
it takes one to know one. I also recall him telling me how he
learned to rappell as a youngster so he could raid Prairie Falcon
nests down by Yakima. He said he had to wear a leather jacket
and a helmet. I know this doesn't sound too PC these days
but ya haveta put it into context.
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Ron Cotman
climber
Seattle/L-town
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Nice old pics! I'm a new comer (90's) but have met a few of you and run across many of your relics in the most unlikely areas. That "mystery crag" (too far to walk rock) pic looks like The Cobra. Keep the photos and stories coming!
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Lionheart
Trad climber
Brier, Wa.
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2010 - 03:00am PT
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Then there's the story of the guy hefting up the solution-hole on Corkscrew (Peshastin Pinnacles) and got his head banged by a nesting owl. A 20' spill. Broke his glasses in two. They were all Drew Carey Frames back then. I think it's true, but y'know a kid'll justify anything to their mommy's optomologist...or to bum a vicodin.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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The Mole and the Mole Knackered Dope
Here's one of genuine historical interest. The jolly crew
in their snow cave girding their loins for the coming battle!
Jay Ossiander, his partner whose name escapes me, and the lame
photog. I had my usual mid-week days off so went up for a little
winter leg stretching and ran into these guys. After the obligatory
shot they went up and did the FWA of the N Ridge of Stuart and I
went up the Ice Cliff Gl. March '76
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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While he couldn't really be considered part of the
Leavenworth scene I did drag him away from his day
job as Chief Guide for RMI for some fun in the sun.
Dusan Jagerski was a major stone hound in his native
Tatra Mts of Czechoslovakia and did quite a number of
impressive FA's. Then as a member of the Czech junior
national ski team he suffered the fate of many who ran
downhill BITD in Marker long-thongs; yes, major ankle
rearrangement. Orthopedic surgery was pretty cave back
then behind the Iron Curtain so snow and ice became his
preferred medium; rock climbing, even in RR's, was painful
for him as it would be for anybody with zero ankle flexion.
I am fairly certain that 'trick ankle' is what did him and
Givler in. It almost did Dusan and me in. We were descending
Liberty Ridge in the dark after our FWA of Central Buttress-Willis Wall.
I had a broken foot already (http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/919753/Hot_Times-Cool_Pics);
but my Makalus made a marvelous 'walking cast'. We got into some really nasty wind crust
and Dusan's ankle took him down a couple of times in the dark.
RIP bro
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mastadon
Trad climber
quaking has-been
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That guy next to Ossiander kind of looks like Craig McKibben(sp?)......
Did Ossiander ever introduce you to the "Quick Quacker Quacker?" Ruined a few brain cells with that.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Cool story Tami and awesome photos guys, nice!
Speaking of beer in Leavenworth. Anybody ever drink any Koombachers I think they were called? They had Koombachers beer at that bar near Gustavs, it was across the street and downstairs, wild place on a Friday night. Only place I ever saw Koombachers was there in Leavenworth and they were good brewskies back in the day, quite tasty.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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McKibben it was! Don, are you a member of Mensa?
Do tell about the Quackers!
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mastadon
Trad climber
quaking has-been
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Mensa? Are those guys that have monthly cycles/periods? I guess you could count me in. As far as memory: I'm about as sharp as a rusty spoon. Some stuff I remember and some stuff is totally gone.
The Quick Quaker Quacker was a substance inhalation system made from a tubular cardboard Quaker Oats carton that Ossiander seemed to be fond of using.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Are you thinking of
Gustav's?Sorry to hear you got hurt at Peshastin Cosmic. Those slab runouts were, maybe still are, infamous.
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JBC
Trad climber
Tacoma, WA
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"Does any oldtime Leavensworth climbers remember the
Pizza parlor in Leavensworth back in the 70s where a lot of the climbers hung out after climbing?"
That was Gustavs, before the fire. Food was better then.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Studly, I think the beer you are talking about might be a Kulmbacker Monkschoff. That comes close and it is a good German beer. I wish I could find some these days. Hard to come by.
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MH2
climber
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Since the thread has snowballed since the OP to include Where Were They Then and years after the 60s, 70s, here a couple names that have come up.
Early Trivial Pursuit fan Greg McKenna powers through a busted shoelace
Dan LePesca in Search of the Perfect Pump
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Classic photos and classic Greg McKenna with a pink shirt. Sounds like he's still climbing aggro. If someone runs into him please mention to him he better take it up a notch as the Wolfdog is climbing hard and still around and looking for him.
Nobody remember Rick Graham? used to have a place by lake Wenatchee, badass climber and river raft guide for ZigZag. He had long hair and looked just like the guy on the cover of the ZigZag rolling papers, so when he told people he worked for ZigZag they were say, Hey, your the dude! Very nice funny guy. So many good memories, where has all the time gone?
How about Tim Burnham, Mr Superfit all around. Used to be a smoke jumper firefighter, lived in Leavenworth 1978-90's, his girlfriend was I believe rad woman climber Katy Kemple? He is now Dr. Tim, professor over at Central in Eburg and last time I stopped over to see him he was working on prepping a couple bodies for anatomy class, so i only stayed a minute, gross.
Wayno, I think you are right on with that being the beer. I don't drink anymore but man they were tasty.
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mastadon
Trad climber
quaking has-been
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Greg McKenna and Tom Carter saddling up for something large in Yosemite last August--
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Bobby Boucher
Trad climber
Auburn, WA
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Is Wolfdog, Wolford, if so I am training super hard. Taking a bath, pulling the plug and fighting the current....
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