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WBraun
climber
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Don't worry Ken.
The spirit of that ascent will remain immortal.
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
Yonder (out in the sagebrush)
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Yeah, it's the Nose, Man. Wow.(Really). What were those guys thinking? .........
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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from Chris Jones Climbing In North America
Yosemite Valley. It is the Fourth of July weekend in 1957. The heat is oppressive, and the campgrounds are overflowing. The roads are crowded with cars that make their way from viewpoint to store and back to viewpoint. Tourists idly drink Coke and tap time to the radio as they cruise up and down. They are in Yosemite for a good time. The scenery may be a bonus, but many of them would just as soon be at Las Vegas. They look upon Yosemite as an outdoor amusement park. There is a sense of bored pleasure seeking in the air.
This sense of ennui contrasts with the urgency of three grimy young men. They, too, seem oblivious to the scenery, but they are not bored. Harding, Feuerer, and Powell have just been aced out of Half Dome and are earnestly discussing their next move. A climbing revolution is about to take place in Yosemite, a revolution that in less than ten years will put American climbers at the forefront of the sport and influence mountaineering all over the world.
After grumbling around the valley in a "fit of egotistical pique," Harding decided to cap the Half Dome climb by a harder one. He looked across at the 3,000-foot south buttress of El Capitan and emphatically stated, "I'm gonna climb that god-damn line."
His concept was audacious. Yosemite climbers had never seriously considered El Capitan, for it was outside their frame of reference. With its uniform smoothness, its lack of resting places, and above all its overpowering size, it represented a new dimension in American climbing. It would obviously require a new approach. In anticipation of progress on the order of 100 feet a day, the trio agreed to work upward by a series of well-stocked camps linked together and to the ground by fixed ropes, somewhat analogous to Himalayan climbing. Once in place, the ropes could be climbed by slings and prusik knots, and the camps restocked with food and gear from below.
Harding and his friends scrounged what gear they could and set to work. The initial leads were hard. The blind or "bottoming" cracks buckled their pitons. They were forced to place several bolts in order to reach the first real ledge on the climb, Camp 1, 300 feet up the wall. Hard steel pitons would have been a godsend. Powell tried to trade for some Salathe pitons, but they were already collector's items, and he managed only to obtain a couple.
From Camp 1 they worked right and pendulumed into the awesome 400-foot Stoveleg Crack. Only four of their pitons were large enough to span its two-inch width. These were made from the sawed-off legs of a gas stove unearthed in the Berkeley city dump. When the leader had placed all of them, he lowered himself from the top piton and cleared out those below. This "leapfrogging" was a touchy business; the leader was poorly protected once he extracted the lower pitons. Stoveleg Crack was a scary place.
After seven days they descended. Although their gear was badly mauled, they were on their way. The ropes stretched 1,000 feet up the wall. On the ground they ran into an unexpected problem. Rubber-necking tourists had brought traffic to a standstill. The crusty chief ranger banned any further activity on El Cap during the peak tourist season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Little was achieved apart from the replacement of borrowed ropes. In the fall, disaster struck. Powell smashed his ankle on a simple climb.
Through the winter Feuerer worked hard developing specialized gear. Although an ingenious craftsman, he had an unfortunate capacity for error. He was nicknamed the Dolt. He made several types of piton including an adjustable model consisting of two parts locked together by bolts. To ease the horrendous task of supplying the lead climbers with food and water, he built a cart out of aircraft parts and bicycle wheels. It would be loaded with gear and winched up the face by a capstan arrangement.
When they got back on the climb in the spring, they put the "Dolt Cart" through its paces. It had a tendency to go belly-up and was less than a sensation. The ground party in charge of loading the cart continually tried to please the climbers with new goodies. One blistering day the sent an ice-cold six-pack of beer up to Camp 2 (Dolt Tower). Harding and Powell took one look and knew better. Feuerer downed a couple of cans. After a moment's pause he sprang to his feet and announced that he was going to learn to fly. In spite of flying and the Dolt Cart they advanced the route to midheight before the summer recess insisted on by the chief ranger.
During the summer, rifts appeared in the team. With Powell partially disabled, Harding felt they were too weak to carry off the climb and invited others. Feuerer became disenchanted with climbing, quoted the Bible in letters to Harding, and left the team. In order to set Powell's broken ankle, the doctor fused the bone. Hampered by his disability, Powell was unable to play a major role in the climbing; on the first attempts he had done the bulk of the leading. Disturbed by the influx of newcomers and feeling less and less a part of the climb, he withdrew.
With his original partners out of the picture Harding drafted whomever he could. Most climbers did not want to be involved in such a long, drawn-out affair, and several of those who went up on the wall were overwhelmed by the scale and the exposure. El Capitan was a psychological frontier. About this time Royal Robbins almost became involved. Or did he? Robbins recollects that he got a postcard from Harding inviting him on board, an invitation he declined. Harding recalls a telephone conversation with Robbins. During the conversation Robbins reportedly said that, as Harding was not making much progress, he was thinking of getting up a team. He would use Harding's equipment as far as it went and then go for the top. And what was Harding's reaction to that, he wanted to know. "Fine by me," replied Harding and the after a distinct pause, "but exactly what would you say you had done?"
In any event Robbins never appeared on the rock, and in September 1958, Harding was back with a large party. In appalling heat they pushed the route upward only a couple of hundred feet in nine days: from the vicinity of El Cap Tower (Camp 3) to Camp 4 1,900 feet above the ground. Among other trials there was a logistical problem; the lead men consumed food and water faster than the haulers could bring it up. After this protracted struggle and two short skirmishes, the chief ranger gave Harding an ultimatum: either get up by Thanksgiving or abandon the climb. This unenforceable deadline did not bother Harding and Wayne Merry, who now emerged as his strongest partner. It was exactly their attitude as well; they were pretty sick of the whole affair.
Early in November with Rich Calderwood and George Whitmore in support, Harding and Merry set out on a determined bid. From Camp 4 they worked out under the Great Roof, a feared pitch that turned out to be reasonable, and up into the dihedrals that lead to the summit. Days passed. They established Camp 5 and then 6. On the evening of the ninth day a storm provided a welcome relief from the ceaseless hammering, the exposure, and the constant nervous tension. Holed up in Camp 6, Harding and Merry took stock of the situation. Below them they reckoned Whitmore was near Camp 4 ready to ferry up loads, and they knew Calderwood had already had his fill of El Capitan and had gone down. Ahead, they reckoned one long day might see them over the top.
On the morning of their eleventh day they heard a yodel from the top. Harding shouted a strangled reply through a mouthful of food. When they heard his squawk, his waiting friends became anxious. They decided the climbers were in a desperate fix and lowered them a rope. It was the last thing that Harding and Merry wanted. They had not come this far to be hauled off. The intended to finish under their own steam. In vain, they yelled up to their friends to get the "goddamn rope" the hell out of the way. The weather looked to be worsening, and Harding determined to go all out for the top and work through the night if necessary. By the light of his headlamp he drilled bolt holes in the overhanging headwall. Ironically, as he did, the rope hung within easy reach. He stuck to the lead without relief and placed twenty-six bolts. Just after sunrise he pulled himself over the top. El Capitan had been won, an enduring testament to man's spirit and a landmark in American climbing.
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captain chaos
climber
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Don't loose sleep over the posting action here Kenny, I long ago learned climbing subjects do not generate much attention on this website, just take a look at the ones which get the most posting numbers and you'll see what I mean. Regardless, there are a few of us who appreciate what you are doing and love seeing the photos, letters and stories of the days of old. So... if nothing else keep posting for those of us who know what they are and appreciate them, their great and for some of us its the only way we're going to be able to see them... tu hermano- Craig
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 2, 2008 - 11:00am PT
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Hi Craig,
Don't worry. I won't lose any sleep over it. I'm off to the Meadows and am taking my kids climbing. See you later.
Ken
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guyman
Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Looks like a fun filled party. Where exactly should I deliver the Kegs of Beer? Time?
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Hi Ken, I would post more on threads like this with questions and comments, but to tell you the truth, and this may sound "funny", but it almost seems irreverent to be a newish, nobody climber and discuss these super incredible people and the enormity of what they accomplished.
To me these people and others today are beyond real.... the skill, the brain control, figuring out lines and getting them DONE ! How the BITD climbers used whatever they could create, manufacture or find as far as gear, footwear etc. to accomplish their crazy almost unbelievable goals.
I SO appreciate these history lessons and the opportunity to view these incredible pictures. Through your Threads so many of us get the opportunity to become better acquainted with these larger than life humans that have gifted so much to the climbing community and the world really.
Thank you so very much for what you do, Ken, we all appreciate the time and the effort it takes to do this.
Very Sincerely, Lynne
PS, it's easy to pop out a quick reply to a silly thread...thus the lengthy silly threads. But your climbing history threads often leave me bug eyed and speechless....and so wishing I myself could have been there BITD.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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from page 184 of the 1959 American Alpine Journal
El Capitan
WARREN J. HARDING
l SUPPOSE this article could be titled “The Conquest of El Capitan.” However, as I hammered in the last bolt and staggered over the rim, it was not at all clear to me who was conqueror and who was conquered: I do recall that El Cap seemed to be in much better condition than I was.
The above mentioned last bolt marked the conclusion of a venture that began in July, 1957. Mark Powell, Bill “Dolt” Feuerer and I met in Yosemite Valley intending to make an attempt on the North Face of Half Dome. We discovered that an excellent team of climbers from southern California was already at work on it and had the situation well in hand. In our disappointment, we became a bit rash and decided to “have a go” at El Cap.
I’m sure no climber ever considered El Cap impossible-the term “impossible climb” having long since become obsolete. The fact that, previously, there had been no serious attempts to scale the sheer 2900-foot face was simply due to the common belief among rock climbers that techniques were not sufficiently advanced to cope with such a problem.
After we decided to attempt the climb, we spent an entire day studying the face in search of a continuous route to the summit. It is interesting to note that, on the climb, the route went exactly as we planned, with the possible exception of the “Roof Pitch,” a formidable-looking overhang about 2000 feet up. I felt it would be best to bypass this obstacle, using a crack somewhat to the east. Later this crack proved to be only a water streak and we were forced to negotiate the “Roof.”
It was obvious that existing methods of conducting a sustained rockclimb would be inadequate. Because of the extreme difficulty of the climbing we anticipated slow progress-perhaps no more than 100 to 200 feet a day. We would spend many days on the rock, so reasonably comfortable campsites were a necessity. Unfortunately there appeared to be very few ledges. We agreed unanimously that the only feasible plan of attack would be to establish a succession of camps up the face, linking them with fixed ropes. Supplies wouId be hauled up from the ground as needed. This would require a support party to assemble and tie loads to our hauling lines. Throughout the climb, such people as John Whitmer, Cookie Calderwood, Ellen Searby, and Beverley Woolsey contributed much to the success of the climb as they patiently plodded up the talus with loads of food and water. Our technique was to be similar to that used in ascending high mountains, with prusiking and rappelling gear replacing ice axe and crampons as aids for traveling, and winch and hauling lines instead of Sherpas.
On July 4, 1957, we began hammering our way up the smooth, glacier polished wall. There was no thought of reaching the summit on this attempt-our tentative goal was El Cap Towers, the prominent pinnacles on the east side of the buttress about half way up the face.
On the third day we reached Sickle Ledge, 550 feet up, and established Camp I. The next four days were spent pushing the route upward toward the “Towers.” The climbing was almost entirely 6th class, direct aid, and about as difficult as can be imagined. Finally, 150 feet short of the lower tower, we were forced to give up. Our special “stoveleg” pitons which had brought us up 300 feet of the two- to three-inch-wide “Stoveleg Crack” were so battered and flattened that they would no longer hold.
Leaving fixed ropes behind to secure what we had gained, we descended. Reaching the ground, our spirits were somewhat dampened by an unexpected problem. It seemed that our climbing presented quite a spectacle and had attracted a crowd of tourists which created a traffic jam at the road-junction near the base. The park rangers were understandably distressed and we had to agree to stay off the rock during the tourist season, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This meant we would be climbing with shorter days and less certain weather. Difficulties of the El Capitan ascent were not confined to the rock!
According to our agreement, nothing was done until after Labor Day except to replace the many borrowed climbing ropes left as fixed line with a newly purchased half-inch manila.
Beginning with a four-day tour at Thanksgiving, there was a series of attrition attacks extending through October 1958 which whittled away the remaining 2000 feet to a point from which a final push might stand a chance of success.
The accompanying Chronology of El Capital, First Ascent outlines this, but limited space in the “remarks” column prevents adequate description of the troubles and frustrations that plagued us in the next several months. About everything that could go wrong did.
The first, and probably worst, blow was Powell’s unfortunate accident. In September 1957, he took a bad fall (while on an easy climb) and fractured and dislocated his ankle, putting himself out of action for a long time, if not permanently. Then, weather in the spring and early fall of 1958 was abominable. New equipment such as the winch, laboriously carted 1200 feet up to “Dolt Tower,” was not nearly as effective as it might have been.
Along with the new equipment, new faces appeared on the rock. This, too, posed a problem. Powell and Feuerer felt that no new members should be admitted to the group. I didn’t think the three of us constituted a strong enough party to go ahead on El Cap, since Powell, who had climbed brilliantly on the first attempt, was no longer capable of doing much leading. The dissension arising from this situation ultimately resulted in Powell and Feuerer dropping out, except for the continued use of Feuerer’s pitons and other special equipment. So I continued with whatever “qualified” climbers I could “con” into this rather unpromising venture.
By mid-October 1958, Camp IV at 1800 feet and a high point at 2000 feet, just below the “Roof,” had been established. The Chief Ranger had given us a deadline-to complete the climb by Thanksgiving. I have never understood how this was to have been enforced. But it didn’t matter; we were all determined to reach the summit before winter.
After a long, hard look at the remaining 900 feet of the upper face, Wayne Merry, George Whitmore, Rich Calderwood, and I (who now made up the El Cap climbing party) agreed that an all-out effort was in order.
On November 1, 1958 we started up the fixed ropes for what we hoped would be the last time. The weather had cleared and the invigoratingly cool breezes were a pleasant contrast to the violent thunderstorms and oppressive heat of the nine-day effort in September. Due to a late start, we reached Camp IV a little after dark and were soon in our sleeping bags discussing plans for the next day’s activities.
Next morning we ascended the fixed line to the previous high point and went to work on the long-dreaded “Roof Pitch.” While strenuous and just a bit scary-nailing around the right side of the 180º overhang with 2000 feet of space directly below-it proved to be not nearly as difficult as we had thought it would be. The following seven days blurred into a monotonous grind-if living and working 2500 feet above the ground on a vertical granite face can be considered monotonous! On Sunday evening, the ninth day, a storm broke, providing a welcome day of rest from the hammering and hauling.
While sitting out the storm at Camp VI, snug in our sleeping bags with a rubberized nylon tarp warding off the wind and snow, Wayne and I took stock of the situation. Except for Rich Calderwood, who had gone down with an attack of nerves, we were all in good condition. Whitmore was somewhere below, most likely Camp IV, and would be coming up with another load of food, We had been working out of Camp VI for the past three days and, while we were not certain, we felt that our high point was surely no more than a couple of hundred feet below the rim. A determined push might put us over the top in one more day. We liked the thought, anyway. We were getting just a little tired of the whole thing.
By Tuesday morning the storm had blown itself out. After shouting our plans down to George, Wayne and I left Camp VI with extra food and batteries for our headlamps. Mid-morning found us at our high point and pushing on. As we began nailing up the next pitch, we heard a most welcome sound-a yodel from the top! John Whitmer, Ellen Searby, and Rick Anderson had hiked in to meet us. Spurred on by the encouraging knowledge that we actually were near the rim (because of the intervening overhangs, it had been impossible to see exactly where we were), we hammered up the next two pitches with enthusiasm if not speed. It was nearly 4 o’clock when we reached the tiny ledge that would serve as a belay-spot for the last pitch.
We could now see John and Ellen peering down at us. Also visible was the route between us and the top-a most impressive looking pitch! The first 60 feet was rather straightforward 6th class up a wide crack. The crack ended under an overhanging wall that was 90 feet high and completely devoid of cracks-15 pitons, 28 bolts, and 14 hours were required to surmount that final pitch, But at 6 the next morning I pulled over the top and stared feebly at Ellen as she struggled with her camera’s faulty flash-attachment.
NOTES: The ascent took 45 days, spread over a period of 18 months. Although the face is 2900 feet high, so much altitude was lost due to numerous pendulum traverses, that a total of 3400 feet of climbing was necessary. About 675 pitons and 125 expansion bolts were used, 90 percent of which were for direct aid. The mileage of prusiking and rappeling has not been calculated.
Summary of Statistics
AREA: Yosemite National Park, California.
ASCENT: First ascent of the face of El Capitan.
PERSONNEL: Warren J. Harding, Wayne P. Merry, George Whitmore completed the climb, Additional members of final team-Richard Calderwood, John Whitmer, Wallace Reed, Mark Powell. Additional members of preliminary team-William Feuerer, Allen P. Steck. Assistants at base-Cookie Calderwood, Ellen Searby, Beverley Woolsey.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Ed, super info and pics !!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know if you read my post, but this is exactly WHY I am humbled and speechless when I read Threads like this. Why one does not even feel qualified to put down a sentence in a post. These people were simply incredible. Vision and the Will to carry it off. Awesome doesn't really describe....
What could you compare it to today, I really can't think of anything that comes close. Well, then there is crazy captain chaos and his skiing the big peaks...now that's out there. Say howdy and powdered delight be with you, c.c.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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from page 361 of the 1961 American Alpine Journal
Other Yosemite Ascents. One of the more remarkable climbs of the year was the second ascend of the sheer 2900-foot high face of El Capitan. (For an account of the first ascent, see A.A.J., 1959, 11:2, pp. 184-189.) This was made in the comparatively short time of 7 1/2 days during the first half of September by Charles Pratt, Royal Robbins, Joe Fitschen and Tom Frost. From June 12 to 15 Pratt, Fitschen and Frost made the second ascent of the north face of Half Dome, and Robbins and Dave Rearick made its third ascent later in the summer. In April Frost and Yvon Chouinard made the second ascent of the northeast bowl of Sentinel Rock, a route that had not been done since 1948. Pratt and Chouinard made the third ascent of the northeast face of Middle Cathedral Rock in June, which involved strenuous laybacks interspersed with direct-aid climbing. The same pair made the second ascent of the Powell-Feuerer route on the north buttress of Lower Cathedral Rock in June. Frost and Chouinard made the third ascent in September of the north face of Middle Cathedral Rock. It took them 1 3/4 days and about 80 pitons to climb this 2200-foot wall, which had never been climbed before 1959.
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Double D
climber
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Ed that's just way too cool.
My favorite lines:
"So I continued with whatever “qualified” climbers I could “con” into this rather unpromising venture."
"The Chief Ranger had given us a deadline-to complete the climb by Thanksgiving. I have never understood how this was to have been enforced."
"According to our agreement, nothing was done until after Labor Day except to replace the many borrowed climbing ropes left as fixed line with a newly purchased half-inch manila." (1/2" MANILA...YIKES! Someone should pony up and do a retro ascent with that junk...)
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Ken, just reviewing all the posts. I think WBraun nailed it.
"The spirit of that ascent will remain immortal".
Immortal in Merriam-Webster's "exempt from oblivion". Truly, I think the greatest thought for me is that this Huge piece of Granite was conquered by a ragtag few with brains, vision and their own grand inspiration. No big buck sponsorships, no huge crowds of hangers on. Just the few, the bad and the bold.....
Keep the History coming, please, Ken. You have inspired me to a much greater appreciation and an ability to express it. Lynne
Good Saturday to you Sir !
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androo.daveass
climber
Portland
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I'm assuming that this reunion will take place somewhere in the Valley... the most important thing that hasn't been addressed is when/where to we show up?!?!
Great photos and stories, keep them coming!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Hey, good point androo, here I'm planning on going and I don't even know where I'm going....whoa.
Also, Mr. Chicken Skinner, maybe if you posted some simple ideas for accomdations for those of us who haven't been to the Valley in eons we could generate more enthusiam. Is the Lodge still viable ? Know we could go on line but you the man in the valley. You in the KNOW ! Smiles, lynne
ps, yosemite lodging on line info is not that user friendly.
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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I haven't climbed the nose since '82, but if the planets line up right, I might be able to make an 11/8, anniversary ascent.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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anyone have a copy of Climbing 37? on page 28 is the obituary of Bill "Dolt" Feuerer... it would be fitting to scan it and post it here...
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Yo, Chicken Skinner give us your info.....and have a great gute nacht ! lrl
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goatboy smellz
climber
colorado
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If the stars align, count me in Ken…it’s been too long since I’ve been back to the Promised Land.
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