Tobin Sorenson

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dee ee

Mountain climber

citizen of planet Earth

Oct 24, 2011 - 05:09pm PT

Does anyone know where Tim is these days?

Luca Signorelli

Mountain climber

Courmayeur (Vda) Italy

Dec 3, 2011 - 05:14pm PT

@Largo:

Tobin would go on to solo the north face of the Matterhorn, the Walker Spur, and the Shroud on the Grandes Jorasses (all in jeans), would make the first alpine ascent of the Harlin Direct on the Eiger, the first ascent of the Super Couloir on the Dru

In the Alps Tobin did even more than that, because, as you may know, I've collected enough evidence (thanks to the details given by Gordon Smith, plus some third party info) to claim that Tobin and Gordon climbed on the North Face of the Grandes Jorasses a completely new route (Gordon called it "Scala di Seta" after Rossini's opera= parallel to the Desmaison-Gousseault, instead of just repeating the D-G as they originally planned and thought. I believe it may have been the hardest route on the GJ by that time (head to head with the D-G and the Friendship Direct on Pt. Whymper, but overall probably harder, as "Scala di Seta" was opened almost completely free). In any case, I think it was something even more remarkable than the alpine style ascent of the Harlin Route (longer, but the difficult section is shorter, and Eiger is far less remote than the GJ)

"Scala di Seta" is still unrepeated; it got "almost" a second ascent this autumn by non-local team, but they renounced because of the short meteo window. And luckily they did so, as the recent Jorasses tragedy happened just few days later.

A5scott

Trad climber

Chicago

Dec 3, 2011 - 05:49pm PT

Climber with amazing spirit. I loved reading largo's books with stories about Tobin. My nads shriveled up imagining the green arch fall. Talk about being gripped as an armchair mountaineer!

scott

rich sims

Social climber

Dec 3, 2011 - 08:50pm PT

Dave
Last I saw Tim was when we did Pan Am.
I have thrown his name out a couple of times and all I have heard was SF/Bay area??

drljefe

climber

El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson

Apr 14, 2012 - 10:15pm PT

Great thread bump!

Knave

Trad climber

Apr 17, 2012 - 09:05pm PT

Last time I saw Tim was in the middle eighties in the Sacramento area working as a tree climber/trimmer.

ms55401

Trad climber

minneapolis, mn

Apr 17, 2012 - 09:09pm PT

this guy sounds really cool -- jeans on the North Faces? wow.

I head read about him before in JL's books. had more than a bit of bravado, but that's a virtue in my book.

splitter

Trad climber

Hodad surfing the galactic plane

Apr 17, 2012 - 10:38pm PT

It would be great to here from Tim Sorenson here on SuperTopo! I would like to here about his and Tobins FFA of The Cobra .11a R, 9p! I recall chatting with them(Tim & Tobin)over at the lodge that same day/evening. A bold endeavor on both of their parts. Evidently its difficult to stop and place pro on the crux layback/under-cling.

"1643. The Cobra 5.11 R, 9p, more like 5.9 R and 5.11a barndoor - hard to stop to place blind cams." Reid/Meyers, 1987 - Blue cover Yosemite Climbs + 1972 Roper guide/green cover(compilation courtesy of Ed Hartouni & Clint Cummings).

If nowadays "it is difficult to stop and place blind cams", I wonder what it was like back then(mid-70's)with only a rack of hex's & stoppers to resort to. Harrowing to say the least...right up Tobins alley!

johntp

Trad climber

socal

Apr 17, 2012 - 11:55pm PT

The Stone Masters did not get that title without reason. Then they took it to another level. Love the stories of the stone masters in the alps.

I never knew Tobin personally and never was close to his class as a climber, but through JL's writings feel I have some idea of the man.

Thanks JL and others for sharing the history.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Mar 31, 2013 - 12:00pm PT

Tobin bump...

Todd Eastman

climber

Bellingham, WA

Mar 31, 2013 - 01:09pm PT

Thread is resurrected on Easter!

RedRiverGumby

Sport climber

Red River Gorge

Jul 21, 2013 - 01:13pm PT

Thank you all for these incredible stories about such an incredible man and climber. I've been searching books and the Internet for more stories about Tobin. I hope to climb with Tobin on the other side.

TYeary

Social climber

State of decay

Jul 22, 2013 - 01:35am PT

I saw Tobin eat several Del Taco combo burritos, and still want more. Once we were over at the Lillygards( owners of the old Pack and Piton) for dinner and he ate everything in sight; Huge bowls of spaghetti with meatballs and bread, and then most a carton of Ice cream. Eventually we were asked to leave, but I know the real reason, it was the bottomless pit that was Tobin. He was a force of nature and actually a shy, kind, dude. RIP Tobin.
TY

RedRiverGumby

Sport climber

Red River Gorge

Jul 22, 2013 - 12:10pm PT

Does anyone know where I could find more to read about Tobin and the other stonemasters? I've been so caught up in the sport climbing world, that I've never really taken time to learn more of the history of climbing. Now that I'm reading as much of John Longs stuff as i can find, reading stories of older guys with big nads like Tom Patey, and searching forums for great threads like this, I just can't seem to find enough. As a nineteen year old self obsessed and pretty sack less sport climber, my entire mindset of climbing is being changed by this stuff. If anyone has anything of recommendations to read about these guys and their incredible spirit of adventure, please let me know

Bullwinkle

Boulder climber

Jul 22, 2013 - 12:26pm PT

The StoneMasters Book by John Long and Dean Fidelman, most excellent if I do say so myself. df

guyman

Social climber

Moorpark, CA.

Sep 19, 2013 - 12:08pm PT

Tobin does indeed own the "Edge"

I miss that smile.

worthy bump

Ottawa Doug

Social climber

Ottawa, Canada

Sep 22, 2013 - 04:55pm PT

That John Long story about Tobin taking the huge whipper on the Green Arch is one of the best told stories of all time. I always remember it from th book Climbing Anchors. Thanks for being such a great story teller.

Cheers,
Doug