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tdoughty
Mountain climber
descanso, ca
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Jul 31, 2008 - 11:19pm PT
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Largo,
Although I can’t comment on Stonemaster antics directly, I do have some remembrances of “the long nights out at Joshua during the 70s, when Hidden Valley Campground was Ground Zero for shenanigans.”
But first I have to say that I’m sure everyone is aware that the Stonemasters ephemerally drifted amid a sea of climbers exploring and expanding from their roots in the “iron” & “golden” ages. While I, and so many others in southern California, chanced upon a Stonemaster crew at the crags, many of us were absorbed in our own quests to fulfill Robinson’s vision as put forth in the seminal Chouinard catalog.
Within this 70s “sub-culture” I remember cruising the HVCG one weekend in snowshoes and goggles, and returning the next weekend to cruise it in swim fins, snorkel and mask.
More specifically, there was my mentor (read older and able to buy alcohol). I finally got my turn to drive and was thrilled to escort him to JT. He constantly amazed me. For instance, between the time he called “Off Rappel” from a descent off Intersection Rock and the time it took me to pull and coil the rope, he had managed to arrange a date with a young female from HVCG who had doubtlessly been impressed by the daring and dangerous feat of bounding drunkenly down the wall. (Guess I failed to mention that we quite often celebrated our successes?) Chagrined, I found myself now stuck in the role of chauffeur. As the sun set, I escorted the couple to Echo Tee, where I parked and watched as they walked hand in hand out amongst the moonlight crags. Feeling like a man on a double date, ‘cept my date didn’t show, I gladly started in on the two cases of Schlitz I had in the bed of the truck.
As the buzz began to mollify my emotions I started fantasizing. “Well” I wondered, “are they tussling below the route “Halfway to Paradise?” Perhaps they were over by Touch and Go
or Double Dip? My mind wandered through possibilities as head lights approached. Too late, I realized I was standing with a beer in my hand, a ranger had me in his spot light, and I was still underage (dammit!).
At that time, law enforcement types weren’t quite as “by the book” as they are now. After ascertaining that I was underage, and that my “mentor” was wandering out amongst the rocks scouting for tomorrow’s climbs, he asked me to pour out the beers from the back of my truck. To this day, I’ll never know if he realized that a second case rested below the first or if he just took pity on a lonely waif, but believe me that with one hand I was busy stashing beers in the detritus strewn in the back of the truck as fast as I could, while I slowly poured out suds from a few others within the glare of the LEO’s spotlight.
(Footnote: of course when my mentor came back to the truck alone, he didn’t quite grasp the precariousness of my previous position, and only lambasted me for being so juvenile as to loose precious cargo. To this day, I’ve never lost that precious buzz. But that’s another story amongst stories ;-)
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robscout
climber
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Someone asked for photos of Tobin Sorenson - I was friends with him back in the 70's in San Luis Obispo when I was in college ... I'll try to get them digitized and upload them here.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Well as long as we're wandering a bit, does anyone recall the par-tay in Joshua Tree at Ash Gordon's home? The host spent his time on the mantel of the fireplace in an urn..Mr. Ash Gordon.
According to the party hosts M. Gordon had a veritable zoo in the back yard....lions and tiger and bears etc. Seriously.
WERE YOU THERE...? It was a big party including new climbers from England, J. Woodward, Chris and was it Jerry Moffat? darn, brain dead tonight. Great party.
Yea, think it was Jerry. Lost his earring in a beer drinking chug. BITD. Even allowed the 4 under the age of 10 in. They had great fun and learned ALOT (only good). Cheers !
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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I was at the Ash Gordon party.... Moffatt puked all over the backyard whilst crawling on his hands and knees.... Chris Gore was the other Brit... Kevin Powell discovered Moosehead Beer and was wicked ripped and made me drive him to the liquor store to get more... I assure you, he needed no more..... but we got it for him anyway. He puked or was least hung over for like 3 days. Nice party.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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My family never noticed any "puking" at Ashes, but the Brits were always very discreet....and polite. All three lived at our home at one time. Chris and Jerry stayed until I began to bag on them about the dole checks they received from England on a regular basis.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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hahaha, looking sketch, thx for the story, that is brilliant! and fills in the explanation for wildly named route I'd always see in the book. That's A team quality for sure!
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Which El Cap bridge did people jump off the double decker into the Merced? It sounds like timing was everything.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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another good party I heard about but didn't have the pleasure of attending was the Pine Cove fete where Pete Minks pissed on the Union Jack. I think there are a few folks who post here who were there.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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That has the ring of truth.
I got into a tussle with Pete in C4 in Nov. '76 when he tried to piss into our campfire.
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Friend
climber
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Dec 19, 2014 - 10:20am PT
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Bumpity bump yo
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