Tis-Sa-Ack

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scuffy b

climber

heading slowly NNW

Jan 19, 2012 - 04:57pm PT

Farmer Bruce, see here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1383032&tn=80
"Russ, a little the worse for wear."

Dingus McGee

Social climber

Laramie

Jan 19, 2012 - 05:30pm PT

These Ti-Sa-Ack descriptions of Don Peterson are not how I would characterize my several week-long encounters with him. I first climbed with him in the Black Hills Needles in 1975, next at the Devils Tower and latter several times in Yosemite valley. We did free climbs all day long.

We got along great, and he was brilliant in many discussions on all kinds of topics. When ask of the notorious Tis-Sa-Ack story by Robbins which I had not yet read he said,"Yeah, that's Robbins account." Since I didn't even know the Robbin's account I had no more to ask about the veracity of the description of him.

Later I read the Robbins story and wondered,"Was this guy Robbins so driven impetuously by his past success that he could not let a mere youth (at the time) experience discovery on his own terms.

Well, if you are going to criticize this man Don Peterson, beware he was peerless in giving a quick witted, defeat to you announcing reply. An older status achieved and cherishing man may have not been able to deal with such a boundary aware person and thought of this behavior as "uppity".

Don is not a Wolf but maybe just wolf-like with those outstanding verbal skills?

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Jan 19, 2012 - 10:38pm PT

Nice post McGee!

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Jan 20, 2012 - 11:49am PT

BASE104

Social climber

An Oil Field

Oct 27, 2013 - 02:36pm PT

Who soloed it first?

I know the back story behind that BASE jumper in '83. I'm pretty sure that it was Wil Oxx, who was a climber first and jumper second. He had just done a route and jumped using a Firefly main, I believe, which was on the small side.

So he wouldn't get busted the second he landed in the meadow, he went up to that area around the base of the N.A. Wall and moved as many of the big rocks out of the way as possible. He broke his leg on landing anyway. Back then the skydiving canopies landed very hard compared to modern gear.

Duane Raleigh and Tom Cosgriff were on-sighting the Salathe Wall in a day, and could see the lights of the rescue.

Anyway, Oxx was a super good climber, and when he got out of the Air Force (pilot), he got into BASE with a vengeance, opening up a ton of new sites including the Titan and Castleton, as well as Mt. Thor in Baffin and lord knows what else.

So I'm sure that the entire rescue party knew him. He later did a couple of new routes on El Cap. Basically a pretty bad ass guy, one of the original climbers to get into BASE.

Deucey knows him well. I only hung out with him for a short time one summer long, long ago. Very inspiring guy.

There hasn't been a double fatality or double accident off of Half Dome, I believe. People have some faulty recollections about dying BASE jumpers a lot around here.

There are plenty of good landing spots from Half Dome. You can fly up valley, totally away from the roads, or just land at Mirror Lake on a sandbar that is like a runway. It was my favorite. I only did it once with a buddy, and he got gear fear on the summit. Both of us were packed for skydives and pulled out and re-packed in the moonlight on the summit. He got the gear fear and hiked back down. Much easier to get away with than El Cap.

I'm curious if climbers call the rangers these days regarding jumpers off of El Cap. This was no problem before cell phones, and the community was so small that all of the jumpers and most of the SAR site actually knew each other fairly well.

The good old days...but we didn't have wingsuits! We missed out!

Big Mike

Trad climber

Oct 28, 2013 - 12:29am PT

Bump for taco gold!!

steveA

Trad climber

Wolfeboro, NH

Oct 28, 2013 - 09:18am PT

I was VERY impressed with Robbins' piece, "Tis-Sa-Ack".

At the time, it broke the typical mold of climbing tales, and as I remember it, kind of controversial. It made quite an impression on me, as a young climber.

I did the Direct Route with John Bouchard, over July 4th week-end in 1972,
and remember looking over to that route, thinking how crazy it looked.

Blakey

Trad climber

Sierra Vista

Nov 12, 2013 - 11:53am PT

Bump for climbing content......

Steve

Tarheel

Trad climber

San Rafael, CA

Aug 25, 2014 - 10:58am PT

Is it true that right now someone is power drilling and adding bolts to this route? Please do not replace rivets with hangered bolts.

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Aug 25, 2014 - 11:15am PT

Please do not replace rivets with hangered bolts.

really?

making it more solid!

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Aug 25, 2014 - 12:39pm PT

Tarheel-

Where did you hear this?

Seems to be a issue as of late.

Tarheel

Trad climber

San Rafael, CA

Aug 25, 2014 - 01:51pm PT

I got second-hand information, so I am reluctant to say who told me. However this person evidently talked first-hand to some climbers who were just at the base intending to do the route and replace the bolts in a strictly ethical manner. Those two climbers supposedly saw a party already underway who were replacing bolts and therefore decided to postpone their own effort. I met one of them at the lodge cafeteria on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, I have gotten the impression that the re-bolting effort is already underway, so my post is more or less a plea that if there is anyone up there who can figure a way stop them--if they are actually adding bolts or radically changing the character of the route, as has been done too often in the past. As an example of this, on NW Face of Higher Spire a number of bolts were placed to support a failed free climbing effort when there were excellent possibilities to use fixed pitons instead. Ropes were left fixed for years and trash was left at the base.

Roger Brown

climber

Oceano, California

Aug 25, 2014 - 06:51pm PT

Heard today(also second hand) that they decided against it.
I supplied bolts/hangers to the team who will do it old school. Hand drilled on lead. They will provide before and after photos of their work and keep a log book. Gear anchors will remain as gear anchors and rivits/dowels will be replaced with 1/4" buttonheads.(ASCA supplied) All bolted anchors will get at least 1 ASCA 3/8" bolt/hanger. If they reach a anchor that will not accept gear they said they will climb till they can place a gear anchor or bail. No more info from me, they can tell their story when they want to.
God speed my young friends,
Roger Brown

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Aug 25, 2014 - 07:06pm PT

Nice report Roger.
What a Proud route to Contribute replacement.
Can't wait to see those pictures of the rivets..

j-tree

Big Wall climber

Typewriters and Ledges

Aug 25, 2014 - 07:09pm PT

Seems to be an issue as of late.

It would seem so.

Heard today(also second hand) that they decided against it.

When you say "they", do you mean that the team that's already on the route according to Tarheel's source or that the team at the base that came back down and talked to Tarheel's source?

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Aug 25, 2014 - 07:17pm PT

I wish I had a photo of that old rivet ladder!
Just cuzz it reminded me of something u'd see at Stoney Point.

Rhodo-Router

Gym climber

sawatch choss

Aug 25, 2014 - 08:38pm PT

That bolt ladder down low getting out of the Zebra-the one RR was really proud of- is still in fine shape. The upper headwall is a bit more of a mess.

Brand-new stainless has a way of making routes feel somewhat generic…I hope they exercise some restraint.