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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Tears just poured out of my eyes, like water out of a drinking fountain, when I got the letter telling me Whillans had died.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Big loss but what a time he had!
Ascent 1974
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 8, 2007 - 01:38am PT
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Met Don Whillans at the Buxton (England) conference in 1981. Drank a few pints with him and the rest of the British alpine aristocracy (like a kingdom of maniaical penurious self-annointed blueblood colonialists), after which Don gave the keynote slide show. With ONE slide! It was a bad one at that, but with that totally forgettable picture up on the screen, the master understated stoyteller proceeded to keep the audience of tough bastards in hysterical bent-over paroxisms of laughter and mirth for an hour.
What an incredible treat for a quivering mass of Jello!
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BASE104
climber
An Oil Field
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I haven't logged on here in quite a while...I see Mimi asked me where I saw the wooden wedges. On the Brown-Whillans route on the Blatiere in Chamonix. It was this offwidth that had varying ages of wooded wedges in it. They looked perfectly adequate for pro.
It was surprisingly hard for something done in the fifties. Most of it was booking and jiving along good rock, but that Fissure Brown offwidth pitch was pretty hard. Especially freeing around the wooden wedges, which made it hideous. On the no-pro parts of it, I think it was 5.10 or so.Hard to tell, Russ could have walked up it. I dunno how to rate offwidths. Too wide for handstacks...barely, anyway. For sure those dudes Brown and Whillans weren't wankers.
It was a great route, and I almost had my head removed by a falling rock for added spice, but pretty ho-hum fare for climbing in the mountains (the near-but-not-quite-fatal-falling-rock).
I bet it is sport bolted now.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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An amazing group of climbers on that isle.
Ascent 1974
It seems like the French were bolting up the non-French classics there for a while in an unfortunate spate of Franco-centrism. Even the Dru....
From Between Heaven and Earth Gaston Rebuffat 1965 Pierre Tairraz photos
Even this lovely corner....now lost to massive rockfall.
From On Top of The World Showell Styles 1967
He crossed the sea to Chamonix
And to show what he could do,
He knocked three days off the record time
For the West Face of the Dru-
On the unclimbed face of the Blaitiere,
The crux had tumbled down-
But he cracked the crux by the crucial crack
Now known as the Fissure Brown.
From The Joe Brown Song by Tom Patey
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BASE104
climber
An Oil Field
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It has been a long time, but if you put up the Fissure Brown pitch with no pro and fell, you would have been dead for sure.
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hoipolloi
climber
South Bay
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Man, I just found a bunch of my Dads old gear I hadn't yet gotten into. Some incredibly perfect condition Hexcentrics and Stoppers, first or second generation Chouinard beners, Double set of wired Stoppers (all the way to size-Giant, a #7 or 8), wierd Shunt type things by Salewa, strange SMC nuts, a huge tube chock, and a bunch of different pins and bongs, really old ones. The stuff is classic, I was so excited when opened the box and discovered this stuff. And his old wall hammer too! It doesn't have a label but its a pretty nice little thing.
Pretty neat to see all of the adds in this thread, I love the reminders that alot of these pieces are far older than I, and it was top of the line. I realize how easy I have it climbing this day and age (not with hexes, non wired stoppers and Goldline). You older guys that have been doing it for years are animals. I have a lot of respect.
The next stop in the garage, Climbing Magazine collection! I know its stashed in the garage somewhere, sometimes being a pack rat can be so damn good! Thanks Dad!
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Post up a photo and us old guys can ID it all for you...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 11, 2007 - 10:40pm PT
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In the meantime, how about a little old school air. The very bold Steve Wuncsh on 5.10 while trying to break through on the airy fourth pitch of Jules Verne.
Runout not too bad you say? Two #1 Stoppers.....bomber!
The larger challenge of free climbing a former aid route as you found it was embraced back in those days. See what's out there, try hard and then compromise as necessary. Long clean falls allow relaxation and focus on the moves. The essence of Eldo air!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Oct 25, 2007 - 11:59am PT
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Bump for all the old nutjobs and jobbers.......
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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what's a bump?
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jstan
climber
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From the Armchair:
Looking at the photos of Brown, Whillans and Patey I am moved to wonder. I go to Facelift and meet all the truly exceptional people who are willing to be dirty, sometimes pick up disgusting stuff, and be inconvenienced so that we may support each other and the things we all value. Doubtless Brown, Whillans, and Patey also did such things. And I ask, would not it have been better had Whillans taken better care of himself and Patey been a tad more conservative so that we might still have them?
At least for a little while longer.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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For those of us left behind, sure - but by and large we are who we are. We live and die by our choices and take our chances in a random universe...
I say remember and honor those who have come and gone, and cherish and enjoy those who remain...
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Barbarian
Trad climber
all bivied up on the ledge
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Bump for the good ol days....
nothing like a full set of hexes and stoppers and some desire!
Jstan was a legend when I first got started...meeting him at Facelift was inspiring.
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jstan
climber
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I'll repeat myself, once.
Climbers have some incredible heroes from whom to learn.
They need to stay here longer.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 25, 2008 - 11:30am PT
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I think we all moderate as time goes by but once vices become habits it gets tougher. I share your sentiments, John, having spent some time around our elder statesmen, of late. Lots to learn from these people beyond the stories.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 25, 2008 - 10:49pm PT
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Bump for that awesome historian, Steve Grossman!!!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 18, 2008 - 12:25pm PT
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One good bump....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 18, 2008 - 05:18pm PT
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is all it takes to hold a hex. From Mountain 37 July 1974.
From Mountain 22, two years earlier, a dandy Moac ad.
The perspective drawings make it look like several sizes in the dozen but I think its all the classic one. LOL
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