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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 14, 2008 - 05:16pm PT
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Just thought more should be said about the driving force behind the first ascent.
Warren Harding
Semper Farcissimus
June 18, 1924 - February 27, 2002
“Warren Harding? Well, what can I say?”
That’s exactly how Warren would have started his own obituary. His usual demeanor was self-deprecating: To the question, “Are you the famous Warren Harding?,” he would retort, “Well, I used to be.” He believed that people are never what they were. They all grow… older.
Harding died at home in Anderson, California, well aware that the end was near. He had been in failing health for over three years and refused to exchange his lifestyle for an extended life span. He approached his end with the same wit that he exhibited throughout his life. From his bed, just days before he died, he quipped that he was definitely never going to buy any more 50,000-mile-warranty tires.
Warren was introduced to climbing at the age of 27 in 1952 and within a year had found his niche in Yosemite Valley. Most of us remember Harding as the Yosemite pioneer -- the prime mover in the first ascent of El Capitan in 1958, via the Nose, a milestone that marked the first time a wall of such size and difficulty had been climbed anywhere in the world. His first ascents of El Cap, the East Buttress and North Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock, the West Face of the Leaning Tower, the East Face of Washington Column (later freed as Astroman), the South Face of Mount Watkins, the Direct Route on the Lost Arrow, and the South Face of Half Dome spanned the next two decades. In the Sierra high country he established first ascents on the East Face of Keeler Needle and the Southwest Face of Mount Conness.
Beyond his groundbreaking ascents, Warren was characterized variously as a rebel, iconoclast, and rogue. In his outrageous book Downward Bound, published in 1975, Harding described himself as “an undersized individual … [with] neither any outstanding physical attributes nor burning ambition. But I have a mind of my own and a love for the mountains.” Despite this self-description, Harding was a dashing figure in his heyday, well known for his penchant for good-looking women, classy sports cars, and Red Mountain wine.
And he did have a mind of his own and used it in formulating his climbing philosophy. He looked upon climbing as “an individual thing, not some kind of organized religion.” He was unimpressed and refused to be intimidated by admittedly “better climbers” when they espoused certain “climbing ethics.” Warren never hesitated to take on those whom he referred to as the “elite” of the climbing community and didn’t mince words in his castigation of “these gentlemen who, in effect, presume to tell me how to do my thing.” Climbing to him was something he did because there were no rules.
When he and Dean Caldwell completed their 27-day first ascent of the Wall of the Early Morning Light (a.k.a. the Dawn Wall) on El Cap in 1970, their placement of 330 bolts re-ignited a controversy that had smoldered in the Valley since Warren drilled his first bolt-hole. Was Harding putting up routes where no route existed or should exist? Excessive bolts and fixed ropes were being judged as “unethical.” To that sentiment Warren replied, “Climbing requires many disciplines, not the least of which is plain old ass-busting work, which is what bolts amount to!”
Royal Robbins, in concert with a few other well-respected Yosemite climbers, decided that the route should be erased. Two months after the first ascent, Robbins and I started up for the second ascent, chopping the bolts as we climbed. On the first bivouac, after four pitches, the question of interfering with an established route -- especially one with some admirably difficult nailing -- began to eat at Robbins. By morning we agreed to quit chopping. Robbins later wrote, “[It’s] good to have a man around who doesn’t give a damn what the establishment thinks … Harding stands out as a magnificent maverick.”
By the late 1970s Warren put serious Yosemite climbing behind him and dedicated his time to writing, lectures, slideshow tours, and the occasional sojourn into the mountains. Never giving up his union card, he worked off and on as a surveyor for the State of California. As he put it, “I’ll just plug along. Climb, work, climb, have an occasional glass of wine.” Into the 1980s there was a lot less climbing, a lot less work, and finally retirement -- and a lot more glasses of wine. He did, however, return to the Nose in 1989 to become, at that time, the oldest person to ever climb El Capitan.
Harding’s affinity for Red Mountain wine was his eventual and inevitable undoing. By the time he reached his 70s, he had been warned that his liver would not last if he continued to imbibe. When the end was near and his body began to shut down, he became confused and a little delusional. He wanted to know what was happening to him. The conversation led to discussing the Buddhists’ belief that the soul leaves the dying body and enters an embryo to emerge anew in a child. Harding pleaded weakly, “But how will you find me?”
During these last days, many of Harding’s old climbing friends began to visit. On one occasion it was planned to videotape Warren and some of his friends while they swapped stories of the golden era of Yosemite climbing. When his friends arrived they spent an hour or so greeting one another. Warren became impatient and whispered to the cameraman, “Do they realize there’s not much time left?”
During one of these story-swapping sessions, someone asked Warren which of all his bivouacs was the worst. He answered without hesitation that the storm-bound bivouac on Half Dome’s South Face route was his worst. Immediately he was asked which was his best. He grinned, and almost in a whisper, answered, “You’ll have to ask my girlfriends.” Finally someone asked what he would do differently if he had it to do over again. He replied, “I would be taller, smarter, and less nasty.”
Warren Harding? Have we said enough?
 Don Lauria
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 14, 2008 - 05:20pm PT
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Thanks, Don - that's a wonderful piece of writing, and a fine memorial.
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Anastasia
climber
Not here
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Nov 14, 2008 - 05:30pm PT
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Don, that was beautiful. Thanks for posting that.
AF
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Fletcher
Trad climber
Max V02
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Nov 14, 2008 - 06:43pm PT
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Thank you Don. That was quite moving and apropos.
Fletch
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Fletcher
Trad climber
Max V02
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Nov 14, 2008 - 06:46pm PT
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From Ed's B&W images above:
?, Chris Jones and Rick Sylvester in the middle of something.
I think that "?" might be Tom Rohrer aka madbolter.
Fletch
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Nov 14, 2008 - 07:15pm PT
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thanks Don.
?, Jones, Sylvester; ? is not Rohrer...
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 14, 2008 - 08:50pm PT
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Try Jerry Gallwas,Jones, Sylvester
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Nov 15, 2008 - 03:06am PT
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Don Lauria, thanks for the tribute to the mover and the shaker, Warren Harding. I think everyone that weekend had him keymost in their hearts and minds. It was difficult to process the absence of the man that was the instrument of the Achievement.
E. Hartoni, great B&W ! Know the time it takes to post .... Thanks from all of us on the Taco. Great to rub elbows at the 50 Reunion. What an Incredible Event Ken pulled off. Feel so fortunate I was able to be there.
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Nov 15, 2008 - 10:13am PT
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Great tribute Don.
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Nov 15, 2008 - 10:37am PT
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Nice tribute, Don.
It takes Warren Harding to shake the tarnish off of being a Maverick.
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Double D
climber
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Nov 16, 2008 - 04:11pm PT
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What a blast!
Al Steck and Ken Yager
Wayne Merry getting Wally Reed fired up!
Luckily there was still some magic left of fall…
Rick Cashner and Bill Price…great to see you both!
Lucas and Angie Price, and my first bride just after I told Lucas, “Lucas, do you even realize how cool your dad is?”
A clearing storm in the Valley…there’s nothing quite like it!
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Double D
climber
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Nov 16, 2008 - 04:12pm PT
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Vic ___? interviews George Whitmore outside of the Ahwahnee.
Lynne in the line-up getting her Alpinist signed.
George Whitmore memorializing Harding’s statue.
Larry Zublim re-connecting with George Whitmore who first taught him to climb.
Lynne and Allan Steck. When I told Al how much I’ve admired his routes, he made sure to encourage me to go do the West Buttress of El Cap and the Yosemite Point Buttress routes. Both have been on my tick-list for years.
Wally Reed signing Lynne’s magazine. When I thanked Wally for all of the hard free-climbs he was part of, he just shrugged and said that Mark Powell was really the driving force back then…priceless!
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 16, 2008 - 05:20pm PT
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That's not Roger Derryberry in the first picture!
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 16, 2008 - 05:30pm PT
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Don is right. That persons name is Vic and he was doing radio interviews.
Ken
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Nov 16, 2008 - 10:15pm PT
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What a BLAST indeed ! One of the best Events ever. Hurray again for Chicken Skinner.
As one of the last 8 in El Cap Meadows to finally call it a day last Sunday, I'm thinking why was it so hard to leave ?
Was it the incredible energy of the People, the Rock and the Valley itself.....? Whatever it was, the dynamic was a 20+ on a scale of 10.
Say Double D thanks for All your pics...as always...great ! (My kiddos and grands in Belgium will appreciate.) So much sensory overload last weekend hard to always link names with people.
And Ken, what month is your special birthday....course yu don't have to divulge if you're shy ?
Finally, one last photo. I THINK it is master of the funny stories, Steve Grossman in striped shirt and lovely Shawna Pettigrew in white jacket but hey what do I know. Peace, Lynnie
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 16, 2008 - 10:49pm PT
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Lynne,
You will have to do a little research to find out. Here is a clue: for years I have called up Royal and wished him a Happy Birthday. When he asked " How did you know?" I said "It is easy for me to remember." After a few years I told him why it was easy to remember.
Ken
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Nov 16, 2008 - 11:12pm PT
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Ah Ha, Sunday Night Mystery Theater bwahahaha ! : )))
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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apparently this thread has been locked out from editing... so I'll just add additional information as new threads....
1. Hans Florine
2. Marianna Florine
3. Larry Arthur
4.
5. Pierce Florine
6. Jeff Cunningham
7. Ken Yeager
8. Heather Baer
9. Schree Yeager
10. Steve Schneider
11. Ruby Reed
12. Dianne Howes
13. Kevin Powell
14.
15. Katie Lambert
16. Jesse McGahey
17. Alton?
18.
19. Michael ?
20. George Whitmore
21. Ellie Hawkins
22. Al Steck
23. Rich Calderwood
24. Wayne Merry
25. Wally Reed
26. Ellen Searby
27. Pamela Korst
28. Kevin Sesler
29.
30. Nick Rosen
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37. Rick Cashner
38. Don Lauria
39. Lynne Liechtfuss
40. Jay Renneberg
41. Jeanette Renneberg
42. Beryl Knauth
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49. Merry Braun
50. Greg Lee
51. Rick Sylvester
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53.
54. Tom Rohrer
55.
56.
57.
58. Jim Pettigrew
59.
60.
61.
62. Ron Hahn
63. Lisa Graney
64.
65. Roger Breedlove
66. Steve Grossman
67.
68. Joyce McKim
69. Dave Bengston
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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So what can we plan....? should we start a new cryptic plan thread certain people can't log onto? haha !
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