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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Feb 16, 2009 - 10:57am PT
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The Turning Point is still unrepeated at 5.11+ A4+. I have some work to do re-working the freeclimbing at the bottom to get it right and all free at around 11d/12a.
And what you mean we, JB, were horrified at the runouts?!? Certainly nothing you wouldn't have done yourself. LOL My best face climbing efforts went into the Turning Point and the Competitive Edge (aka Real Nose).
People are so addicted to information.
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Feb 16, 2009 - 11:02am PT
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Turning Point.... yeah.
That thing is insane. When did you finish that?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Feb 16, 2009 - 11:06am PT
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It was the first route that I did in 84. Up there for two weeks and left it all on the playing field!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Feb 16, 2009 - 12:58pm PT
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Kudos to Steve and Mimi.
As Peter reports up thread, I had never met Steve or Mimi, but after our initial meeting at the Nose50 reunion, we chatted as if we were old friends with long personal connections. Steve and Mimi are both high energy and very positive--it was easy to fall right in with them. (I was there with Peter, so I had some bone fides by association.)
Many of the old articles you dig up I remember reading when they came out but some I missed. Nice to re-read them and the comments of others. It is such a small world we live in.
I hope we meet again.
All the best, Roger
Great picture of the two of you (in some sort of a duo belay stance, I guess.) Doug's post and the picture of him rolling are classic.
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Anastasia
climber
Not here
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Feb 16, 2009 - 06:35pm PT
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Steve and Mimi are very easy to love. If you have a problem with them, something is immensely wrong with you. Thanks for the hard work and just being "you."
:)AF
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#310
Social climber
Telluride, CO
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Feb 16, 2009 - 07:26pm PT
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I love reading the history that Steve posts - thank you for all the research and effort and energy. Following the comments & controversy on some threads is wild and fun. Thank you to Mimi for allowing Steve to put so much energy into ST. I hope to meet Mimi someday. Thank you for documenting so much about Chuck Kroger.
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pk_davidson
Trad climber
Albuquerque, NM
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Feb 16, 2009 - 07:45pm PT
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I was going to start just this thread but was waiting for
April Fools Day, because that's Steve's Birthday.
I'd guess that many of you here know Steve only by his fabulous posts.
What you probably don't know is that Steve is a dancer on the stone.
A Zen master of run out, a magician at pro, the guy you want on the
other end of the rope, be it sharp or belayed.
Personally, I don't think there's a bigger kudo's on this thread than
for Steve to hear the great Bachar speak with fear in his voice about
Steve's free climbing. Is there any greater compliment for a climber
to receive than to hear the elite crowd of one's peers speak in awe of
one's ability ?
And to put it in perspective, for those that don't know,
the Turning Point was solo.
I'm trying to think of which story to tell.
Is it those jaw dropping firsts on the Big Stone (Turning Point,
Jolly Rodger, The Real Nose ?
(He'll have to tell those stories, I was no where near)),
is it some of the soft stone mastery in Sedona,
the huge body of work in Tucson, the Stronghold ?
There are numerous climbs all over Arizona that have probably
never had repeats.
Stories forth coming....
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drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
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Feb 16, 2009 - 10:07pm PT
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Can we pitch in and pay to re-up your Photobucket account?
BANDWIDTH EXCEEDED!
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Ammon
Big Wall climber
Capo Beach
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Feb 16, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
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Nice thread Ed!
I’ve never met Steve but he (his ascents) has influenced my climbing quite a bit. His and Cole’s FA’s on The Captain were visionary at the time and helped propel the bigwall game around the globe. He’s a straight forward player and I even get a kick out of him ribbing me about the clean game.
So… HERE’S TO YA MATE!!
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F10
Trad climber
e350
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Feb 16, 2009 - 10:48pm PT
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Keep up the GREAT posts
They keep the taco running
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yo
climber
I drink your milkshake!
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Feb 16, 2009 - 11:24pm PT
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Shook the man's hand this summer.
I said, "What's the story on Turning Point? People afraid of it or what?"
Steve shrugged and looked here and there like talking about it made him embarrassed. "The bolts are bad," he confessed. "I gotta get up there and get the bolts right."
I said, "Well, you get your bolts figured out and I'll go up and downrate it."
And a slow smile spread across his face into a grin.
(Then I apologized to Mimi for internet crimes.)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Feb 18, 2009 - 12:26pm PT
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Thanks for the glowing words Paul! You certainly were around for lots of the serious fun.
Regarding the "bad bolts" on the Turning Point. Mostly 3/8" split shafts with plenty of old Leeper hangers and therein lies the problem. As Paul well knows, those rusty old Leepers can be deadly and split shafts are simply not reliable even if 3/8"!!!
A bolt failure on any of the Superblast start would be very bad.
The TP is hands down the best bolted VI anywhere. I only mucked up two or three holes on the entire route! The only exception is a drilled angle that I was forced to place just below the connection point with the Muir up high (just past The Point of Caring). All my drilling gear was toast by then and few options were available. Anyone doing the Muir with a 1/2" drilling setup please pluck the drilled angle and put in a better bolt here. Lots of parties likely have their traversing hauls hang up on that silly pin so I would love to see it cleaned up.
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Place or Another
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Feb 18, 2009 - 12:48pm PT
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Kudos to Steve for all his archiving work as well as his many other contributions to the climbing community.
It is, and we are, richer from your presence.
Erik Wolfe
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Feb 18, 2009 - 04:15pm PT
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" the best bolted VI anywhere ".......huh ????
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Feb 18, 2009 - 05:26pm PT
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Of course we all love Steve, but I have noticed that although he's published so much of historical works and published articles--very interesting of course, but there's been very few pictures, stories, topos, and other information about some of his own mysterious first ascents on El Cap.
Steve, time to come out with it! Let's see some pics of Turning Point, or perhaps a topo...?
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Mimi
climber
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Feb 18, 2009 - 10:51pm PT
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John, take my word for it, since the route was a solo, the photos are pretty boring but we'll get them scanned anyway. Lots of rock with no one around. Interesting for the sake of features of course. But you're right, he does need to tell more stories. Too bad the Colon doesn't chime in too. His slides are even worse. LOL!
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Feb 19, 2009 - 01:33am PT
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Fantastic!
Never thought we'd get a glimpse of that testpiece. Looking forward to the pics.
(just kidding about the topo!)
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 19, 2009 - 03:39am PT
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I click, to get more.
and want more.
Always, a need for more.
I've been on The Wall, but I want your take, how it was for you.
You're among the best, ever, so, how was it for you?
This sort of thing plays out as the . . .
It's your personal thing, and we can't ask you, unless you want to talk about it.
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