Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
nick d
Trad climber
nm
|
|
|
Nov 21, 2007 - 11:19pm PT
|
Zander, that is a great TR! Congratulations on a fine climb. I never get to the valley, but SS is one of my longstanding goals also. Hopefully I can fare as well as you did on your fine effort if I make it out there. Congratulations again on a steller effort!
Tarbuster....What the hell were you thinking? Pepsi? You are lucky your hair didn't burst into flames, Michael Jackson style. Stick to the real thing, my man.
Michael
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
|
|
|
Nov 23, 2007 - 01:00pm PT
|
Great TR Zander. SS has always been one of my goals.
Even at our advanced ages. . . I'll still get it yet!
|
|
Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
|
|
|
Nov 23, 2007 - 04:47pm PT
|
Great TR Zander, Glad to see it, I think I missed it first time around! (Or maybe my senility is kicking in)
Yes, I bivied on my first time up the SS, just before the tunnel-through behind the Flying Buttress. Climbed the aid headwall on that trip. sweet.
Later Steck, Inez and I bivied a couple pitches below the Flying Buttress after a 1 pm start (Steck was hoping for good photography light, hence the late start... 44th anniversary of the FA, as I recall.)
I've also done the route in about 11 hours car-to-car (not remarkable, but it shows that even a gumby like me can get up the thing without a bivy when things work just right)
Although there are ledges in several locations, I DO NOT recommend hauling bivy gear up this route. You will loose time in many places getting the pack un-stuck. You may have to haul the pack outside the narrows. Also, there is quite a bit of loose rock which a haul pack will dislodge. Bad, Bad idea.
Best strategy (which I will employ next time I do it) is to hike to the top of the Sentinel several days before doing the route. If you expect to be way slow, like me, stash water, descent shoes, food, headlamps, and sleeping bags at the top. If you are a mite quicker, skip the sleeping bags. Either way, get up, get on it, and get to the top in one day.
Leave a second set of approach shoes at the start of the approach ramp at the start of the day... only about 100 feet out of your way to pick 'em up on the way down.
The added bonus of this strategy is that it allows you to be quite familiar with the descent when you start up the climb, which can be very useful if you end up descending in the dark.
BTW, even if you climb this beast and top out near full moon, the north-facing descent slabs near the bottom are often in pitch-black shadow with the moon behind the south rim of the Valley. I found that out after climbing Chouinard Herbert, expecting moonlight, and having to bivy at the juncture of the gullies. Good thing the night was short.
Brutus
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2007 - 08:04pm PT
|
"Tilted Mitten, Left... we should talk about it before you go... "
uh oh! This doesn't sound good.
SteveW,
Go for it. Then let us know how it went.
|
|
Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2007 - 08:10pm PT
|
thanks for the really cool post Zander - marvelous.
|
|
Ricardo Carlos
Trad climber
Off center, CO.
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2007 - 08:25pm PT
|
Zander
Great TR. Looking at the photos brings back the feel, texture and even smells.
Or just an old man day dreaming?
|
|
gomer-pyle
Big Wall climber
I am everywhere
|
|
sweet bump...
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
|
|
Christ, and to think I gave up an opportunity to climb the SS with Steck in 1960 in favor of a hot date while crusing through tenth grade in high school. I use to say hindsite was free, but there are scars associated with it. Did try the first winter ascent with Kor several years later, but that is another story.
|
|
Demented
climber
|
|
whoa. another early 60's dood. not many around here. tom higgins and oli, basically. and eric beck's paltry 4 posts. so who is guido? come on, you gotta out yourself...!
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
|
|
What a great TR! Makes us mortals feel hopeful.
Something new for my old man tick list...
the Bucket List!
Who's guido???
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
|
|
guido here: aka joe mckeown. Grew up in Berserkley. Lucky to be involved with lots of valley climbs circa 58-70's. First ascent of Coonyard,Marginal, Hour Glass, Hinterland and a host of many first and second ascents with a plethora of climbing partners :Roper, Steck, Kamps,Beck, Amborn,Sacherer,Rowell,Powell, Robbins,Merry, Pratt, Harding, Chouinard,Kor,Hickman,Reed,Hempel,Boche, Hennek,Foott,Daley,Herbert,etc, etc.. You know, the usual suspects. Foott and I made the second ascent of the reg(and only at that time) route on Fairview Dome. Hard to imagine how many ascents since then.
Gravitated to sailing in the early 80's. Built a 50 ft sailboat and spent the 80's in the South Pacific. The cast of characters "cruising"back then reminded me of the Yosemite scene in the early 60's. Wonderful group of characters. Outlaws, bandits, rejects, dropouts, smart dumb and then some you had no idea where they came from.
Spent the 90's in wonderful Santa Cruz and then back to sailing , Currently living in New Zealand after our third pacific crossing and setting up residency. Little climbing now days but still keep in touch with many friends from that era, after almost fifty years. Many have joined me on long passages and there is a great similarity in the "all or none" commitments between setting out on a big wall route and a 20 day ocean passage. Except we can carry our books, wine and women with us!
cheers
joe
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
Joe
We'd love to hear some stories from back then!
Any pics would be a bonus, but WOW--please let us
hear some!!!!
|
|
mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
May 10, 2008 - 02:02pm PT
|
Great TR on a real accomplishment whatever one's climbing level. Our two cents: it also works to clip shoes and a liter bottle to your harnesses, rolled up windbreaker tied around the waist. We let a party of 5.11 climbers pass us low, but hearing them swearing thrutching and yes falling at the Narrows, we went outside. Although you miss a classic bit of the climb, this is a great piece of climbing too: heart-pounding exposure, acceptable pro for a classic route, only "5.8 in the Gunks" if you find the side pull hold up right. Still have to do a bit of 5.9 OW with ancient bolts for pro (having used your only big unit below the overhang). Have at it!
|
|
Fletcher
Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
|
|
|
May 10, 2008 - 03:05pm PT
|
Two years out, almost, and still as fresh as home baked bread. Great trip report Zander, thanks for the photos and writing. I remember reading Brutus' (or was it Inez's?) account of their climb with Stecke back in the wreck.climbing days and was inspired then as well (that may have been before I even began climbing). It's always been on the list for me as well. Thanks for the inspiration.
Fletch
|
|
Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
|
|
|
May 10, 2008 - 05:44pm PT
|
Welcome Joe, aka Guido,
Just bought Glen Denny's book of 60s Yosemite photos and saw a picture of you there.
As was said above, we don't get too many from that era represented here. Would enjoy having you share your stories and pictures.
Rick
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
|
|
|
May 11, 2008 - 01:52am PT
|
I will be in back in Americaca for the summer and into the fall.
You have to admire the accomplishments of Steck-very few people have maintained his level of climbing for such a long time. An incentive for all.
Going to get Hennek off his ass and into the mountains for some fun trips. Plan on a trip into the Winds for the first time since 1964-heard it really hasn't changed that much? Guess i ought to ask Kelsey that.
Have great intentions of scanning and digitizing over 20 boxes of memoirs, currently in storage.. Photos, letters and the odd bit of hysterical trivia. Would be fun to dribble it onto ST when I see relevant postings. I just did a search on Sacherer postings. Fascinating all the input and experiences I was unaware of. Think I could write an entire book on trips with him.
Quite entertaining to follow the climbing scene of today. One can only guess where it will be in twenty years.
cheers
|
|
Gobie
Trad climber
Northern, Ca.
|
|
|
May 15, 2008 - 01:07am PT
|
bump
|
|
Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
|
|
|
May 15, 2008 - 01:35am PT
|
Cik Azz!!!
Now I want to climb it!!!
|
|
yo
climber
I drink your milkshake!
|
|
|
Feb 25, 2009 - 12:39pm PT
|
bump
According to Breedlove's old Livesey guide, this whole rig is like 5.6+. Good go anyways!
|
|
Fletcher
Trad climber
here to eternity
|
|
|
Feb 25, 2009 - 01:02pm PT
|
Just as good reading through this one a second time!
Fletch
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!