Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Michael Irwin
Trad climber
San Leandro
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2007 - 04:56am PT
|
It's great to remember our odyssey on Fairest of All. As I recall Tom did most of the leading. I led only the first pitch and the right curving arch.
The traverse left, at least for the first ascent, was quite terrifying for the second because the protection is directly in front as you traverse. I remember quite well trying to just unclip from a bolt and having difficulty freeing one hand needed. Tom had stood there in an exhausted state and patiently drill the hole for that bolt – how had he done it?
As to the name, Tom left that to my discretion. Neither of us really slept that night. It had snowed the weekend before and we could either feel or at least imagine the rise in temperature as the thin clouds moved in during the night.
Throughout the night, Tom kept berating himself for getting us into the situation of staying on a ledge when we had left our bivy gear at the base, hoping to do the climb in fine alpine style. We had brought pins but not a one was placed. Only bolts and nuts. That was the beginning of the clean climbing era. I believe it was Tom’s first first ascent without pitons.
Through the night I searched for some way to calm the shivering and relax the cramps - to focus my mind on something else. I searched for a name for the climb. Coming in and out of a half-sleep I reached out blindly searching in my mind as I had reached for the holds on that last pitch in the darkness.
As morning neared, I found myself groping once again for the name that was in my mind that I couldn’t quite grasp. I muttered, “Mirror, mirror on the wall…” I wondered where that came from. Was it the incoherent babbling of a cold deadened mind? No, it was that elusive name… Fairest of All. The name did not come from some vain idea that this was the fairest line on Fairview, but was born from the epic itself.
Ironically, that climb was one my last. My life was to take many unforseen turns after then. The experience has remained engraved in my soul to this day. Not just the climb itself but the older generation mentoring the youth.
Tom could have found almost anyone else to take that day, but he asked me to do it with him. I remembered how deeply honored I was as an 18 year old Indian Rock boulderer to be taken under the wing of a climbing great like Tom. I am sure that he felt the same about Bob Kamps in an earlier time.
Passing on the tradition from the older generation to the younger. Bruce Cooke was a blacksmith and a friend to both Tom and I. He had no one to whom he could pass on his trade and it left a hole in his soul. But he mentored me from a sixteen year old scrambler till Tom took me on Fairview. Many thanks Bruce, though surely you are no longer with us.
Now I am back in California after 30 years. Back in the US after 25 years overseas. The mountains are beckoning once again. The trails of the High Sierra have nourished me for the past two years.. but the walls are calling once again. The call cannot go unanswered.
Michael Irwin
|
|
spyork
Social climber
A prison of my own creation
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2007 - 10:48am PT
|
Thanks for the fascinating tales.
|
|
bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2007 - 11:58am PT
|
Tom wrote: It takes time, but slowly we learn there's even more to life than climbing.
Great thread.
As to Tom's statement above. Having been with the same women (we met at fifteen) my whole climbing career and having to raise three children during those years climbing never was my life. It was a great part of it but took a backseat to my family and their needs.
They kept me centered and make me realize what really was important.
|
|
le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
|
|
|
Sep 22, 2007 - 12:56pm PT
|
Thanks for that post, Michael Irwin.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 23, 2007 - 11:45pm PT
|
Great thread all. Wonderful how the prevailing theme is fair play, do your best and expect the same of others. Turf claims usually just seem to wind up being a motivation boost to the slighted party.
|
|
scuffy b
climber
The deck above the 5
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2007 - 11:57am PT
|
Welcome back, Mike.
We've missed you.
Hope to see you in the mountains.
Warning: Indian Rock is only harder and slipperier
than ever.
Moyles
|
|
LongAgo
Trad climber
|
|
|
Sep 24, 2007 - 07:47pm PT
|
Thanks Mike for your remembrance of our adventure on Fairest, and your complementary tone in spite of my landing us up there in the dark and cold, dropping the drill and other shenanigans I detail in ye old AAC Journal account, link above.
Also glad to hear climbing lust has returned. I still have the bite as well. Bod is a bit behind heart these days, but holding in there for a few more days on the walls, I hope. Look for me fiddling with some old problem at Indian Rock.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2011 - 04:33pm PT
|
Last weekend, Zander and I replaced all the bolts on Burning Down the House with 3/8" stainless. So it's ready if you are still interested in going up there, Bob! (Your post was 4 years ago, though, so you may have since reconsidered the runouts!)
See also the other thread, with Steve Schneider's recollection of the FA of Burning Down the House:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/968796/burning-down-the-house-25-years-later
I will make a rebolting TR later, but here are a few photos for now.
We also replaced (both) bolts on Always Arches, and all 2-3 bolts on Arc de Triumph, where it connects from the traverse ledge on Inverted Staircase.
|
|
the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2011 - 06:04pm PT
|
Clint,
Did you replace these this year?
Not sure why you bothered, since it' not on the most wanted to do list.
should have been an easy replace, as there were 7 lead bolts and 5 belay or visa versa..
kinda bummed that the spinner on the last hard pitch is now 3/8..
takes the mojo out of it a i guess.
|
|
Tattooed 1
Trad climber
Sebastopol, Ca
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2011 - 06:53pm PT
|
Hey Clint, We talked to you in the parking lot before you went up. Did you guys get on Lucky Streaks afterwards. We did and had a ball. What a great climb. We ran into Ed and he told us he had replaced the bolts on Peter Peter over there. So much to do on Fairview!
Tim
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 04:53am PT
|
Kurt,
Yes, we replaced the bolts just this past weekend (July 16-17, 2011).
Yep, 7 lead bolts, 5 belay bolts, it was doable on a weekend.
Most of the popular routes have been replaced; now the less well travelled stuff is getting some attention.
Here's your "spinner" bolt on p6 as we found it:
You are right, really - the bolts were still good for at least 20-30' falls. (Of course much longer falls are possible, too).
I wouldn't worry about "missing" mojo for this route due to the larger bolts - the climbing and the runouts are the same, no matter what kind of bolts are in those holes. Like soloing with a way to maybe survive if you fall.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 04:55am PT
|
Tim,
I'm glad you had fun on Lucky Streaks - it's my favorite route in the Meadows. We didn't get on it this weekend - had our hands full both days with the rebolting project.
|
|
the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 08:24am PT
|
nice work Clint.
you should go to whales back and replace math of the pastor (2 bolts)
and defenders of the faith (3 i think).
This is me drilling first bolt on Math of the pastor- 1984..
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 10:46am PT
|
It was a great weekend. A spectacular place to hang out! Here's Clint trying to find the route from above.
Kurt, It looks like a great line. I wish I could climb well enough to do it!
Zander
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 10:56am PT
|
Finally a few pix!!
MORE PIX!!
MORE PIX!!
MORE PIX!!
MORE PIX!!
MORE PIX!!
MORE PIX!!
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Jul 19, 2011 - 11:25am PT
|
You got it!
Z
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
Here's an interesting thing. When I got home I thought, I haven't heard Burning Down The House in a while I'll buy it on iTunes. Guess what? Since 9/11 it has been boycotted. You can't buy it on ITunes. Not one version! Ha ha!. No problem though, a buddy sent me a Bonnie Raitt live version, which is great!
Here's a few more pics.
The man himself!
Cool ridge.
The route as far as I saw. I should have been paying more attention while rapping up top.
It is pretty cool the way it winds through the roofs.
Climb on!
Z
|
|
shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
|
|
|
Aug 14, 2011 - 05:08pm PT
|
hey, i'd like to say thanks guys for fixing up this route. that's a lot of work. and to the other hero bolter on fairview who went to replace piece and others, great job there also. steve schneider
|
|
Jay Wood
Trad climber
Land of God-less fools
|
|
|
Aug 23, 2011 - 11:26am PT
|
The Kid-
I scouted out Whale's Back last week.
Ho man- props to you drilling that first bolt. There are two bail 'biners on I think Defenders of the Faith that look to have been there for many years.
Cheers, Jay
|
|
wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
|
|
|
Aug 23, 2011 - 12:20pm PT
|
It takes time, but slowly we learn there's even more to life than climbing.
Yes, this is certainly a very wise statement. Despite the highs and lows I've experienced in climbing, the family, and in particular my children have a way of keeping it all in perspective for me (now).
Great thread.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!