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Loom
climber
167 stinking feet above sea level : (
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bump
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2007 - 06:52pm PT
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Yeah Wonder you should know me! We did the Arrow direct together with Swiss Michi? Michael Paul? Hope you are well! MP.
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zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
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Oct 28, 2007 - 07:01pm PT
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mike,
how many years do you have to have been climbing at JT to be old skool?
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BeeHay
Trad climber
San Diego CA
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Oct 28, 2007 - 09:03pm PT
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Hey Mike, missed this thread 'til the latest bump.
I was thinking White Gas, Pinched Rib, Yabo, New Years, 'til somebody said it was Alf. Couldn't possibly have been done more than once. Could it?
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TYeary
Mountain climber
Calif.
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Oct 28, 2007 - 09:17pm PT
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I don't know how many years it takes to be old school; I do know I started climbing there around 73 or 74. I remember a morning get together in Hidden Valley with coffee and such with the rangers. Largo, who was as Mike said a "God", came over and introduced himself to my pal Don Swendson. Don looked up in disbief at his hero while his hand disapeared into Largos mitt. Don was like a school girl, all giddy and sh#t. He mumbled something stupid and tried to be cool. I don't think he washed his hand for days hoping to channel some energy. I remember some great Saturday night campfires with friends known and unknown. It wasn't just the climbing, it was the scene; different from camp 4, but just as cool in it's own unique way. John's correct n that things began to change around 79 or 80, but I still venture out several times a year climbing with friends, new and old, camping and exploring with my kids. Josh will always occupy a special place in my heart. Sooooo many good memories. Oh to be young. Thanks for a great post Mike.
Tony
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zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
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Oct 28, 2007 - 09:28pm PT
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is that tony yaniro?
if no, sorry dude.
if yes, i still have a cool color pic of your FA of The Fang (F12), for the Wolfe/Dominick guide book (1979 edition)
you're wearing EBs and a swami, maybe even some leg loops.
cool pic, cool route
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2007 - 10:16pm PT
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Hey Brad Huys!!! Nah that was ALF with the gas on the Pinched Rib...I remember cause we had to severely raz him to rap down and clean the soot residue he left after this episode...MP.
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zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
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Oct 28, 2007 - 10:40pm PT
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One of my earliest memories of climbing in JT was in the mid 80's when this dude talked me in to smoking a fatty with him and then soloing The Bong stoned with him.
He went first and kept looking down at me with this Cheshire Cat grin, laughing the whole way. I was freaking out and thought that bats were attacking me.
Later on he was driving in to town and crashed his van, and i think he lost part of his finger.
We went climbing again right after his accident, and he still climbed harder than me.
I don't remember his name, but will always have a fond memory of the time we spent in JT.
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BeeHay
Trad climber
San Diego CA
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Oct 28, 2007 - 11:11pm PT
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Yeah, 'stumpy' play de bass geetar with dat hand too!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Oct 28, 2007 - 11:19pm PT
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Zip said: "I don't remember his name"
LOL!
That dude was from outer space: his mum told me so!
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john bald
climber
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Oct 29, 2007 - 09:09pm PT
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Hey Mike, thanks for the post..good to hear all the grand times.
First route there was following Roy Naaz (sp) up the Orphan in '69. Was awestruck by the desert rats back then.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Oct 29, 2007 - 11:39pm PT
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and what about the new years party 1982...
the massive bonfire (1/2 cord of wood) and the running leaps through the fire.. i twisted my ankle on one and managed to get out unscathed....
those were the days when the rangers never came in at night and we had the place to party...
ks
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socalbolter
Sport climber
Silverado, CA
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Oct 30, 2007 - 12:03am PT
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First visit was Indian Cove in '74 with the Boy Scouts.
Many trips between then and now, with many good memories.
Thanks for firing up my mental slide show.
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Oct 30, 2007 - 12:52pm PT
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Howdy Mike,
My first trip to Josh was with the Warbler. We headed south from the Valley in Dec 74 after we did the FA of upper Sentinal Falls. We craved warmer weather. When we arrived we immediately headed over to Double Cross and with Kevin leading the way started up sans a cord. Near the top we noticed a vehicle had pulled over to watch. We continued to the summit and then started the downclimb on the opposite side of the crag under that easy roof climb. Below, as we dangled from that big knob thing and dropped down to the slab below we noticed that the spectators in their car had pulled around into the campground and were still checking us out. We traversed across a narrow ledge and finished the desecnt, downclimbing this final 20 ft hand crack. At the base we were confronted by our two spectators--both rangers. They proceeded to lecture us about how they knew a thing or two about climbing and what we just did was real dangerous and they didn't want to have to be carrying us out in body bags blah, blah, blah. I can't remember our response. I don't think we laughed at them, or in general but rather our appearance said it all: two shirtless youths, sporting Varnets and sh#t eating grins as I am sure we were both stoned at the time. It was quite comical really. I had a host of other memorable moments there. Yabo's double solo of Leave it to Beaver was something neither I nor any of us there that day will ever forget. I also accompanied Alex Huber there on his first and perhaps only visit to Jtree. He had shown up in the Valley in early spring. A young lederhosen clad youth from Germany on his first visit to Yosemite. I met him at Kuak's, who was renting a place down the street from me in Yosemite West. I guess he got Ron's number from Heinz Zak. Ron was a not exactly uber social--I think it had something to do with him thinking Alex was being a little too friendly towards his women. I ended up taking him under my wing. It was shortly after this that he confided in me his reason for being in the Valley--to free the Salathe. I thought this quite audacious for the Valley/crack climbing neophyte but what the heck. It was nice to meet someone with a dream, a variation of the same dream we all had once as young climbers. One must remember at the time the general opinion of Todd and Paul's claim to have freed the Salathe was one of great skepticism if not downright disbelief. As the weather sucked in the Valley we headed to J tree along with Sean Myles and Jobee to climb and retrieve Heinz's car which was being stored in 29 Palms. Upon arriving I did my normal routine which generally started with that same solo of Double Cross. Alex watched and met me at the base of the descent. He wanted to learn to crack climb. I showed him the basics on that same twenty foot hand crack at the end of the down climb of the Old Woman. It was late in the day but there was no stopping him. He set up a top rope on that crack and using a self belay device proceeded climb up and down that crack until it was dark. That focus, determination and desire to learn new things served him well over the years. The rest as they say is history.
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Oct 30, 2007 - 01:24pm PT
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Kevin Worrall, Jtree Dec.1974 "Shirtless, varnet clad youth" with Billy Birdwell
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AKDOG
Mountain climber
Anchorage, AK
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Oct 30, 2007 - 04:42pm PT
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Mike great thread,
My first trip to JT was with Roy (Tardbuster) it was in the early 70’s my dad drove us out and we were probably 14 years old. Roy had a rope and I had a few stoppers and hexes and we were trying to climb in some mountain boots. We couldn’t get up Sh#t and were getting a little bummed out. Some friendly climber took pity on us and he led us up a climb on Intersection rock. A few years later we were using that same climb as the down climb off Intersection rock. JT is such a magical place!
Doug
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oldtopangalizard
Social climber
ca
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Oct 30, 2007 - 06:48pm PT
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Started climbing at Suicide in 1976 and never made it to JT until 1978. The guy who told us to meet him there took us to Headstone, Black Tide and the crack left of Double Cross, can't believe I forget the name. Great first day.
Winter climbing was as good as summer.Pretty much stopped crosscountry skiing on the Eastside after that.
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Hey Mike,
43 years. Piveta Cortinas, nuts, swami's and homemade gear. Never a line anywear. We were damn lucky, weren't we ;-)
Still so much rock if you are willing to walk.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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I don't say it often StahlBro but OMG! There you all are in that awesome, awesome pic. How wonderful. When was that pic taken? I met you your bother and your Mom thanksgiving of 75 or 76 I think. You were bigger but looked much the same. Glad to see this thread resurrected with such fantastic content.
I have to correct myself. My first trip to JT was 75/76. But I believe I met you and the fam in 80 because I was still walking -post operatively- with a cane then..
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Thanks Philo!
I think it is '72, but I am old and forgetful now. Dates sometimes escape me, but not the memories of the cool folks and good times.
That was a great Thanksgiving. I remember we had some of my mom's leftovers and wandered around to find some fun routes. Two Scoops maybe? Didn't you climb in your brace?
Cheers!
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