Shawangunks - Cornerstone of Eastern Traditional Climbing

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MH2

Boulder climber

Andy Cairns

Jul 26, 2018 - 08:17pm PT

I just got a John Stannard post. Whatever a 'post' is.

jstan

climber

Jul 26, 2018 - 08:53pm PT

I am posting now just to avoid working on my end of life paper work. Have many years ahead but.... Endings are a pain!

Going all nostalgic. When I was around three I was lying out on our field chewing on orchard grass. The ground itself began to shake as a flight of 200 B17's went over on the way to Rome AFB and ultimately the UK and the Battle of Britain . They were only at a thousand feet or so, but look as I might, there weren't any rope ladders hanging down to the ground. The drama was absolutely riveting. The Merlins were better but oh those radials!

Current politics are presently circling around war as if it were just water going down a drain. Here is a discussion of the reasons the ME109-G could not fight at 24,000 feet as well as could the P51-D. Any ME109 that chose to hang on its prop would stall out long before the P51, and become low hanging fruit. By any logic the 109's needed to be cruising out of the sun above 27,000 feet and able to engage at 25,000 feet. They couldn't do it and still survive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTD7DqXfRno

MH2

Boulder climber

Andy Cairns

Jul 26, 2018 - 09:44pm PT

Andy:
What did the post say? Have no idea. My connection seems to work now so it may be something from long ago.

It said:

you never know what you are going to get

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Oct 10, 2018 - 12:40pm PT

My bad, for not adding that @ least

The far ridge-The Smiley Road & Napanock pointWe got all over I do not have any way to confirm this I was told that Michael Siaca has passed on 9/15/18.
(he was said to have resided in Little Egypt NJ)

For those who gnow that name he was the real deal, cut from the same cloth as Warren Harding,(Chain Smoker, notso much a boozer) but a free & clean Ground up On-sight till there was blood type climber. Bold as they ever came till he resolved to only top rope. He'd led everything, no-falls, in a swami by then anyway.
But if you were lucky enough to have roped up with the younger version,
It always sounded like this;
"on no gear till where?! oh holy shjt Mike, Mike-Please- Please MIKE put something In.

we will not gnow his ilk again,

Red Swami Chime in!

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Oct 10, 2018 - 01:17pm PT

Its not like there are armed guards or pill box defended trails,(maybe out by Napanock Point
go get some!

from a non-climbers description of the view from the "HighPoint" . . .

One could look 100+ feet down into the ravine or across the ravine to Napanoch Point, almost 1,000 feet higher.
There were typical Shawangunk cliff lines in view,
as well as the narrow gorge at the head of the Witches Hole ravine, pointing to the elusive Witches Hole waterfall. The sunny cliffs here are home to many rattlesnakes, . . .

tradryan

Big Wall climber

San Diego

Oct 10, 2018 - 02:08pm PT

Wow, thanks for the probable news regarding Michael Siaca. Sad news. I remember him back when I had no facial hair and used to punch laps on slammin the salmon and some of those... thrashing around on survival of the fittest. We'd cross paths and compare beta and he'd tell me stories from back when he was a bold leader. Really nice friendly guy. He'd solo a line to gain a ledge and set up topropes and run solo laps all day. He was coaching high school wrestling at the time, so he said.

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Nov 20, 2018 - 09:33pm PT

I was wrong, the NJ state death notice was not for a NYS resident, which if I'd thought through, I would have realized. My sincere apologies
I am glad to be able to correct that, Michael Sciacca, Is reportedly

Very much still with us.

mid 90's Beverly K

jock van patten

Sport climber

bishop ca

Nov 21, 2018 - 09:26am PT

Re; Mike Siacca (I think this is the correct spelling)
Are you sure Mike has past on?
I never saw him smoke but I moved from the area in 2002.
To be sure the Mike Siacca I knew baked bread and muffins,
climbed in blue baggy pants, top rope soloed a lot and
was "intense". Also he would hitch rides to the Gunks by
standing alongside Rt 17 in NJ with a rope over his shoulder.
Is this the Mike we are posting about? I hope not.

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Nov 21, 2018 - 12:11pm PT

As you say, That same Mike -different Spelling? Sciacca.

but for sure
that individual.

Glad I am wrong, my apologies, so sorry

05:40pm PST
jock van patten
Heard from a Gunks local. He saw Mike today....

EDIT; GREAT!

re:/ The question arose from a death notice, I was asked, I thought it was from a reliable source.

Peace and blessings,

sO GLAD TO HEAR

Happy Thanksgiving

Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber

Nov 21, 2018 - 12:47pm PT

Is Mike(the baker) the same Mike who would visit his mom at the old folks home very frequently and was like a son to so many of the people there who didn't have visitors?

If so, that's very sad, as he sacrificed many years of his life to be that good son. I'd see him often when he'd come to climb (rope solo) at Lost City and got to know him just a bit. I know that man's mom did pass away a few years ago, and he was now "free," to travel as he'd wanted. But that he got so little time to do that - we just never know, do we?