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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Aug 28, 2009 - 08:29pm PT
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isn't andy's plaque up there, too?
i'd love to see a photo, if anyone has one.
i've only been back to squamish twice since, and never got to get back up there and see it.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Aug 29, 2009 - 03:42pm PT
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My friend ("Hamie") agrees that the following be posted. He was a friend of Jim Baldwin's. I'll paraphrase a bit.
He and a few friends were responsible for the plaque. They used money from the Cacodemon Climbing Club to pay for it - about $55. Several climbers active in the 1960s at Squamish were quite interested in poetry, and he was then reading Leaves of Grass. Few people knew about the placement of the plaque, probably in autumn 1966. He's unsure if the Baldwin family knew of the plaque being placed.
The plaque is made of bronze. It's common in B.C. to place a sheet of zinc at the ridge of shake roofs, to deter growth of moss and lichen. (Hamie agrees to replacement of the rusty bolts.)
Hamie says that Baldwin "definitely had that 'strange spirit of fire'!!" He agrees that the ledge: "..would be a great place to bivvy. A couple of brews, some cheap red wine, or both. Jim would approve. He would also have enjoyed the idea of climbers having sex there."
Here's a photo from when the plaque was placed. The person in the photo isn't Hamie.
Kerwin: Please send me your e-mail, and I can send you photos.
As mentioned in the very first post, a whole year ago now, and occasionally since, all stories and photos copyright © Anders Ourom, 2008 and 2009. Except, of course, for stories and photos contributed by others, to which they hold copyright. A few tell me its impossible to effectively assert copyright to something on the internet. Not quite. The simple solution to anyone stealing things is to loudly and publicly denounce the person, by name, as a thief. The unwashed public might not care - but those in the climbing community would.
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MH2
climber
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Aug 29, 2009 - 05:20pm PT
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This is Memorial Ledge in May 2004. The Baldwin plaque is on the white-stained boulder. Over on the right is Andy Burnham and then Grace Wong.
Looking up and north from the ledge
Shortly after Mighty Hiker burnished the plaque.
I guess we must think alike, since we had no idea he had been up there recently. No close-up of the other memorials, but the Andy Burnham one was much shinier than in the first picture, above. No poetry, just a name and dates.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Aug 31, 2009 - 12:33am PT
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There are some fine pictures of Jim Baldwin, and of climbing at Squamish in the 1960s, on Ed Cooper's website. Well worth a look. Some are also in his book.
http://www.edcooper.com/mountains1.html
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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It's been a while... Still a year or two to go in the 1970s...I haven't forgotten...I'm channelling Todd...
Today's Field Trip and Science Project
Anyway, perhaps inspired by Ed's recent Half Dome photography thread, I played hooky this afternoon, drove up to Squamish, and went for a hike. Winter is definitely here, and we're expecting some cool, windy and maybe snowy weather over the next week. But today was very nice, just around freezing, although windy higher up.
Here's how the Grand Wall looked in the midafternoon sun:
My goals were to hike up the back, take some pictures, and attempt to measure the actual height of the Grand Wall route. After zeroing my altimeter, I hiked up to the route's base, seeing this en route:
The true bottom of the route, a big belay tree, measured at 109 m. I then hoofed it to the top, and got there just before sunset.
I've only once before been at the top of the Chief at sunset/moonrise, in midsummer. It's not often clear here in winter, so it was a nice treat to see the moon, although it would have been nicer had it been higher in the sky. (I checked the newspaper as to the phases of the moon, and moonrise.)
I then skedaddled down toward the top of the Grand Wall, but it was a bit icy and getting darker, so I was only able to go to the big ledge, about 50 m above the top of the route. The altimeter there measured 560 m, so the net elevation difference from the bottom was about 450 m. (The altimeter zeroed again on descent, within a m or two - the overall error is probably +/- 10 m.)
450 m is about 1475 feet in American, or for the local bible pounders, 1052.4 cubits. Of course, real climbs are almost always longer than the height of the cliff they're on - only Comici's vertical route up a vertical wall would be the same length as the height of the wall it's on.
I'll go back when there's more light and/or it's drier and safer, and measure to the proper top of the Grand Wall - probably around 510/520 m. Its overall height is probably 410 - 420 m, with the wall maybe 500 m maximum. Zodiac Wall, beneath the north summit, may be a bit taller. If I can, I'll borrow a GPS and measure with it also, although it may not work at the base.
As we're in for the right sort of weather, it might be fun to make winter ascents of all four of the Chief's gullies. Anyone interested?
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mazamarick
Trad climber
WA
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Nice to see you re-kick this thread Anders, can't wait for the 80's. As for winter climbing, how bout a winter ascent of Crap Crags? Apron Strings in a steady drizzle?
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Well, I once did Apron Strings in the rain, though as an aid climb. Crap Crags was first done in February 1962, but wasn't snowy at the time. It might be a good adventure in 'mixed' conditions.
It's looking like a cold clear weekend, so perhaps more to follow. Probably no moon photos, though - it now rises later each night.
Tami helpfully pointed out that December is a blue moon month - there's a full moon on the night of December 1st/2nd, and again on the 29th/30th. (Strictly speaking, a full moon can only happen at midnight, when the sun-earth-moon align. I think.) It would definitely be a once in a blue moon event if the full moon was visible from the top of the Chief at the end of December, given local weather.
Perhaps in the autumn (October or perhaps November), or in the spring (February or even March) it would be possible to get a shot of sunset on Garibaldi, with the moon higher in the sky. I don't know if you could get both in one photo, though - the angle of separation may be significant.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Some time in the late part of January (e.g. Jan 18th) 1984 at 49.8ºN, 123.0ºW the Sun rises between 8am and 9am local time, as the Moon sets
Difficult to shoot this as the azimuth of the Sun is 120º (so rising ESE) and the Moon is setting at 302º (WNW) 180º away...
But you could paint it!
Altitude & Azimuth Sun & Moon v. 0.96
(c) J. Giesen - www.GeoAstro.de
User Input, 49.8N, 123.0W UT -8 h
Mean obliquity of the ecliptic 23.441°
Local SUN SUN MOON MOON
App.Alt. Azimuth App.Alt. Azimuth
00:00 -60.55 349.39 64.2 174.8
D E M O
02:00 -55.03 42.47 56.84 228.45
03:00 -47.4 61.38 48.86 246.13
04:00 -38.38 76.11 39.84 259.78
05:00 -28.81 88.45 30.46 271.23
06:00 -19.18 99.62 21.12 281.64
D E M O
08:00 -0.43 121.52 3.79 302.01
09:00 6.72 133.28 312.85
10:00 12.94 146.03 324.5
11:00 17.34 159.83 337.06
12:00 19.5 174.44 350.4
D E M O
14:00 16.44 203.77 17.74
15:00 11.55 217.33 30.76
16:00 4.98 229.82 42.94
17:00 -2.7 241.38 54.27
18:00 -12.11 252.36 7.86 64.94
D E M O
20:00 -31.17 274.63 25.62 85.76
21:00 -40.64 287.47 34.88 97.01
22:00 -49.37 303.09 43.9 109.95
23:00 -56.43 323.36 52.09 126.04
24:00 -60.34 349.29 58.46 147.12
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Tami, you also got a simultaneous moonrise/sunset over spectacular peaks when we bivied on the summit of Mt. Rexford with Peder, Ryan, John, and Peter. You may have been too fried to notice, but on the other hand, your chemically boosted perception may have made the event even more spectacular.
That's gotta be one of the best spots to spend a full moon night -- sun sets over the summit of Slesse as the moon rises over the summit of Mt. Redoubt.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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it might be fun to make winter ascents of all four of the Chief's gullies
Strictly speaking, the backside isn't one of "the Chief's gullies" but given the right conditions it can be an interesting outing.
Edit:
Dammit I have no recall of our experience on Rexford
Yes you do. You wrote about it in your diary. You've already posted about it here on ST. You started a thread about it.
Geez. You old people are sure hard to deal with sometimes.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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I don't recall the sunset-moonrise thing you nut
Well, that's not surprising. For two reasons. First, the Little Smoke may have taken your mind to other places that night -- although that simultaneous moonrise/sunset should have been accentuated, not obliterated. And second... well... yer old.
Actually, there is a third reason. You and Peter and Peder and John bivied slightly down from the summit on the west side, so while you'd have seen a fine sunset over the east face of Slesse, you'd have missed the moonrise. But I'd spent other nights up there, and knew about that moonrise-over-Redoubt thing, and also about the perfect bivi spot right up on top.
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bmacd
Trad climber
British Columbia
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Do you mind if I participate in this somewhat less controversial thread ?
In spite of the ice in the photo, I think the water may be less cold here.
Looking forward to more pictures Ghost !
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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You are welcome to join us, particularly if you can contribute stories, photos, history, or witty repartee.
There are few things more magical than playing in the mountains under the light of the moon. Poetry-inspiring environment. Climbing at Squamish by moonlight would be a challenge, though, as many things face west or WNW. Still, there are possibilities.
ps Does your name change imply that you will no longer be a climbing dropout?
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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A few more gratuitous scenic year-end photos, plus bumping so that Scott Young, who's now joined us, can have a look.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 21, 2010 - 10:54pm PT
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And here is a recent (yesterday) photo of Howe Fjord, aka Howe Sound, with Squamish at the far end, and the Chief peeping out on the right. Some of the Olympic events are taking place at Cypress Provincial Park, visible to the right and conspicuously snow-free. The Olympic people are busy doing whatever they can to see that there's a bit of snow right at the competition sites proper, although there won't be much nearby. It won't be pretty, except maybe on TV.
The commercial ski area operating there now calls itself Cypress Mountain - except there's no such place anywhere near Vancouver. There are a Black Mountain, a Mount Strachan, and a Hollyburn Mountain, all on the north shore of Vancouver. The dale between them is Cypress Bowl, in the middle of Cypress Provincial Park. But none of the nearby mountains is named Cypress Mountain. To add to the confusion, there is a Cypress Peak which is visible from Whistler.
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allapah
climber
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Jan 22, 2010 - 02:44am PT
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who remembers a guy named Dan Jackson? i did the Nose with him in June of 1981, we were just kids, he must have weighed 85 lbs., the whole way up he was comparing everything to Squamish, never heard from him again...
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MH2
climber
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Jan 22, 2010 - 03:20am PT
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who remembers a guy named Dan Jackson
I do. A very smart strong smooth climber. I think he did graphics work for Arc'teryx in the early going. I hope others can tell you more.
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Lionheart
Trad climber
Brier, Wa.
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Feb 25, 2010 - 05:01pm PT
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Great website! If only we could have one centered on the Leavenworth climbers as well. No surnames??? What's that all about? I'd like to contact friends that climbed profusely in both areas in the 60's and 70's: Ossiander, Davis, Harder,Daily, McNulty, Moss, Doorish, Brugger, Langdon, Firey, Carlstad, Brooks, Freer, Anderson, Hoffman, Burgner, Nephew, Brinkerhoff, and a man named Hewitt...oh and Antarctica Kieth.
I'd love to hear from or about them again,
Don Leonard
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 25, 2010 - 05:45pm PT
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Thanks, Don. A few of your old cronies post here - Rick LeDuc and Don Harder, anyway. And I've heard that others lurk. Send me a PM if you need e-mail for those two.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Feb 26, 2010 - 01:42am PT
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I'd like to contact friends that climbed profusely in both areas in the 60's and 70's: Ossiander, Davis, Harder,Daily, McNulty, Moss, Doorish, Brugger, Langdon, Firey, Carlstad, Brooks, Freer, Anderson, Hoffman, Burgner, Nephew, Brinkerhoff, and a man named Hewitt...oh and Antarctica Kieth.
Julie Bruggger is still climbing. Lives here in Seattle and is a regular at the gym and on the rock.
If by "Freer" you mean Catherine Freer, well, sadly she no longer dwells among us. She and David Cheesmond started up the Hummingbird Ridge on Logan in 1987 and didn't come back.
And I'm curious about "Antartica Keith." I climbed some with Keith Nannery at Squamish in the mid-70s. He headed south one day and I haven't heard from him since. But he was an adventure sailor and I wouldn't be surprised if he's the one you're asking about.
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