Have any of you Topoians Climb in Texas?

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o-man

Trad climber

Paia,Maui,HI

May 16, 2011 - 06:00pm PT

Back in the early 70’s, for three consecutive seasons, I was hired to teach rock climbing as part of a summer outdoor program for the Texas Military Institute. This program was for their elite students as part of an awards program based on athletic or scholastic achievement throughout the previous year. The first part of the one month was spent rafting down the Colorado River through Big Bend National Park. The next was rock climbing On the Iron Mountain Ranch between Alpine and Marathon, Texas.
It was really cool to fly from Denver to Midland and then fly in the ranch owner William Blakemore’s 10 seat turbo prop out to the ranch where he had an air strip.
The ranch was in the 300,000 acre range. It was a working cattle ranch in addition to being a privet game preserve. Most of the large African grazing animals that one could imagine flourished and wandered freely on the open range. It was like a cowboy safari scene with rock climbing thrown in. It’s sorta hard to describe.

Iron Mountain is some of the most solid basalt that I have ever climbed on. At the beginning of each season my job was to establish new routes for the climbing program.
So while the group was on the river my partner Dunkin Riley and I would scope out new lines in the moderate range. We would then climb, and clean them up, and establish fixed belay stations. The longest route we put up was a four pitch 5.7. The hardest route was a one pitch 5.10. We established up numerous other climbs both top ropes and leads of all difficulties and steepness.

The hardest route was a one pitch 5.10. We established up numerous other climbs both top ropes and leads of all difficulties and steepness.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

May 16, 2011 - 09:22pm PT

WBraun

climber

May 16, 2011 - 09:28pm PT

I once went to Texas.

Russ the "Fish", Bachar, Kauk, Joe Hedge, Mari and Mike L, Nancy, and who else did I forget?, were all there too.

Some place outside of El Paso called the Hueco Tanks.

I have no clue what I climbed there .......

Texplorer

Trad climber

Sacramento

May 17, 2011 - 12:36am PT

There is a cool little no bolts place up near mineral wells too with some fun short stuff. I never knew that those humble little cliffs would open the door to a life of climbing and adventure.

johntp

Trad climber

socal

May 17, 2011 - 01:34am PT

Mineral Wells? It has been so long that I don't remember correctly where it was. Some where around Possum Kingdom Lake?

Back in the mid-seventies we climbed some limestone cliffs a couple hours southwest of Dallas. Maybe 40' tall; rap in & climb out.

There were no bolts or fixed pro; this made the rack light. A few crack-n-ups and RPs. It would be fun to see how those clifs have been "developed".