MOUNTAIN-CLIMBING ON THE 1931 OUTING By Glen Dawson

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Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Dec 28, 2010 - 02:45am PT

Lucid, self-assured and accessible would be three ways that I would decribe Glen. He was really fun to interview and, once we warmed up, he really enjoyed Doug and I pumping him up a bit with some true respect and admiration. A very rich life leads to a very satisfied Glen Dawson! I hope that I shine like that in forty years...few do!

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Dec 28, 2010 - 03:54am PT

Thanks wildone, what a beautiful thing!

And having Steve and Doug talk about their experience with Glen, awesome!

And all the women are HOT for him.

Priceless!

Doug Robinson

Trad climber

Santa Cruz

Dec 28, 2010 - 11:42am PT

Steve and I couldn't believe our luck to be capturing Glen on hours of video. 5-6 hours probably. Just delving into his life as an antiquarian bookseller was by itself fascinating. He showed us a hardbound of "Dawson's 100," which turned out to be his picks of the hundred most notable rare books of SoCal history. For instance, a first edition of Richard Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast.

And that's just a glimpse of fascinating non-climbing parts of those two days.

Glen had 8-10 binders laid out, each covering a different part of his climbing career, with original material preserved in plastic sleeves. I copied away like mad with my digital camera. Here are a few items from the Stoney Point binder, since this thread has drifted that direction:

Now, you may have thought that sponsoring climbers is a modern thing. But here's Glen, pushing caffeine with a great shot from Stoney Point:

JerryA

Mountain climber

Sacramento,CA

Dec 28, 2010 - 12:05pm PT

In 1978 on our first attempt to traverse the Palisades ,John Fischer and I found a first ascent note in a film can signed in 1930 by Dawson & Eichorn on a peak bewtween Middle Palisade and Clyde that they named Bivouac Peak. The only other signatures were two by Don Jensen. The record was still there in 1979. That is the only first ascent record I've ever seen in place in 60 years of Sierra climbs.

stonefly

Social climber

Alameda, California

Dec 28, 2010 - 10:52pm PT

On Glen's 90th birthday he was honored by his friends of the Zamorano Club of Los Angeles with a beautiful letterset program from which the following is an excerpt.

**Whenever two or more book collectors gather, there is usually an exchange of anecdotes about that most beloved of all the dealers. Glen Dawson, who in June of 2002 celebrates his ninetieth year on old planet earth. My favorite anecdote about Glen revolves about an ancient lady known in bookish circles as K. Gregory. She sold books out of her apartment in New York City only by appointment to select collectors. Her phone number was unlisted and she had no interest whatever in expanding her base of customers.
Once while visiting the Big Apple, I heard that she had some miniature books. After tracking her name through a 1930 telephone directory at the New York Public Library, I called and asked if I could come for a visit
Her companion answered the phone and told me, in no uncertain terms, that Miss Gregory did not receive strangers, wanted no additional customers and was totally unavailable. Sensing that the companion might be a Catholic, I told her that I was a priest. Would that help? "No," she replied, not even if you were a monsignor. How about the fact that I was a book collector? "No." Would she be influenced by knowing that I was president of the Miniature Book Society? “She has never heard of that organization" was the curt response.
In one last and desperate attempt, I said I was a friend of Glen Dawson. Without hesitation, the reply came back, "Miss Gregory will see you at 2:30 pm." I went and was able to purchase the last of the miniature books held by this remarkable lady who was then in her late 90s.

Monsignor Francis J. Weber

Hoja Volante May 2002
**