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Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Sep 12, 2014 - 07:52pm PT
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Warbler wrote: Not just your basic new route, but something that opens new doors
Or minds.
Jim...I remember the article. Sadly a lot of great Valley climbers during the 80's didn't receive their just due. Change comes hard for some, especially those entrench in a certain dogma.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2014 - 07:53pm PT
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Infighting and down right hatred prevails in the big three.
That to me and most everyone I know is one of the biggest misconceptions of the 80's. Though it did feature in the late 80's (classic punch outs in the parking lot), it was really a minor part of a much longer story. Maybe the era Bob talks about started with the Smoot article with the misrepresentation of Valley locals doing nothing (I recall that article came out right around a time when guys like Coz were putting up 1000 foot 5.12r/x ground up onsight, and we all found it amusing). But it still took a few years before that attitude soured the local scene. That latter part of the 80's was really the start of the "modern" era.
Lots of good names added--who could forget guys like Al Dude and Banny Root!?
<Edit>. I can't really recall the coz route--- something over on East Buttress perhaps. I do recall climbing Beggar's Butress with Coz--we swung leads and cruised the thing--and I could also see that coz was developing a delicate and powerful style suited to climbing bold routes, and I recall that he did some other impressive climbs that he said were way harder than Beggars--but I don't remember trades or names or locales.
It feels strange to me that the question today is often what was 'done' in the 80's--because it's almost as if there was some other goal we were pursuing.
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Carson City, NV
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Sep 12, 2014 - 07:57pm PT
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Ron Wright is probably Ron White of Boulder.
I remember a lot a climbing literature from the 80's. Books & mags. Seems to me many top climbers were scrambling for sponsorships and any way to it make money off climbing as they could. I thought climbing as a profession caught hold in the 80's.
My best memories of climbing in general were formed during that decade.
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Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Sep 12, 2014 - 07:58pm PT
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I think Alan Watts and Todd Skinner might have a different opinion about Valley in the 80's. But they were just outsiders. :-)
What amaze me a little about the 80's was the amount of great Brits climbing at a very high standards.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2014 - 08:04pm PT
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Ah yes, sponsorship. That changed everything. The Las Vegas trade shows play a part in this story. How about when Dick Cilley jumped up on stage with Ray Charles and doing a wild boogie even as three security guards were carting him off?
But again, that was late 80's, and tensions were rising. Reminds me of a more recent visit to an Ohio high school football game. The worst sports were the spectators, parents who actually were booing the winning team after the game.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Sep 12, 2014 - 08:15pm PT
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Deuce,
Good stuff.
I spent a lot of time in The Valley through the early to mid eighties and it was a great place at a great time.
The Stonemasters were still around but so were a lot of other interesting personalities.
It was easy to feel like you were tapped into the history of the place and that mattered to most of us.
What we climbed was important but it seemed to be more about the adventure than a numbers game.
For the record, Hockey Night in Canada does not merit note as an EL Cap FA.
I cringe every time I see it in print.
I contributed nothing to Valley climbing in the eighties except pin scars, back off slings and a few belay bolts.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2014 - 08:22pm PT
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Chief, glad the link the nom de with the person. Hockey Night is a brilliant addition. Me and Alex L. climbed it on our 3-bivy ascent of Hockalito. But I reckon you'd also have some tales of your season that paints a unique atmosphere of that era, perhaps?
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Sep 12, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
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Deuce,
The Hockey Dawn ascent was memorable for the three days of storms we climbed through and the massive earthquake on the last day.
How about Eric Ziesche, Larry Zulum, Doug McDonald (aka Rudy)?
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Sep 12, 2014 - 09:51pm PT
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"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Sep 12, 2014 - 10:11pm PT
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What about Rick Lovelace?
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Sep 13, 2014 - 12:28am PT
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Yup,
and Tommy t, the Hatchett bros, D Griff, Snyder, Curtis Sykes, Marky, Ed and JC Collins, little Glen....
Too many to name. Damn good years.
Ed H, here's a few corrections for your list.
I climbed Killer Pillar center route, aka Wicked Gravity (dumb name:-) on TR before anyone touched the damn thing. Real history, not his story.
Cats Squirrel continuation was equipped and led first by Mike Hatchett. Absolutely not Ron Skelton.
Holy Diver was led first by Pete Takeda (pitch 1) and myself, (pitch 2) not Ed Collins. This line could be a quality route to the rim if somebody ever decides to kick tires on it.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Sep 13, 2014 - 12:57am PT
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The Hockey Dawn ascent was memorable for the three days of storms we climbed through and the massive earthquake on the last day.
Perry- This sounds like a tale worth elaborating on!!
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Meaty
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:11am PT
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Maybe Ken's head injury has fogged his memory and perhaps led to some anger issues?
Ed H, here's a few corrections for your list.
"I climbed Killer Pillar center route, aka Wicked Gravity (dumb f*#king name) on TR before anyone touched the damn thing. Real history, not his story."
Laughable!!....and pretty over the top delusional.What correction are you demanding again??
The real history is you were not involved in the FA, get over it Ken.
Sorry you don't like the name...not an AKA but indeed the actual name of that climb, if you had done the FA then you could have named it... you didn't.... It's a song written by Jim Carrol.
Also John M. said Coz was doing the FA of Southern Belle when the Valley Syndrome article was written and published.....nope, that climb was done many years later. Sad John believes this is about ego.....if it was for me you'd have seen photos of me on those Killer Pillar climbs 25 years ago.
I guess John has a problem with the actual history and wants to keep it as selective as possible?
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Maysho
climber
Soda Springs, CA
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:18am PT
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A great decade! I was very much around then, did a few climbs, 3 big wall FA's, a bit of ice climbing...but I had a job (chief guide YMS) and was raising kids, so wasn't as much of a Camp 4 or parking lot fixture, guess I don't get to be in "the cool club".
Peter
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:21am PT
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Meaty
What name did you give that steep finger crack climb at Elephants graveyard?
I tried to do the second ascent and fell at the top because there was still gravel in the flared crack opening there.
I slipped out.
Never knew the rating either?
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Meaty
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:27am PT
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Hi Werner.
I named it Crackaholic......it's listed as Digital Delight, Ken Ariza named it I guess. I had batted around a few other names as well.
It was not so delightful for me as on one attempt I fell leaving only my middle finger on my right hand in the crack resulting in a very nasty avulsion fracture.
I guess it's 12b, I really suck with trying to rate climbs.
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:29am PT
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I thought it was bad ass good climb 5 stars.
What's it rated?
Now I remember your injury on that thing.
edit: 512b ... OK thanks man.
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Meaty
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:31am PT
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Someone called it 12c..I don't think so.
my finger has never recovered.
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:35am PT
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I thought the top where it opens up was the crux.
All I got there was a handful of gravel instead of rock and that was the end of that lol .....
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Meaty
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 07:38am PT
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There was a huge loose flake inside that groove//flair thing and I cleaned it out leaving the gravel behind. I didn't do a very good job cleaning that thing, no help from me!!
Yes, the crux is getting up into that flare.
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