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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Nov 17, 2008 - 10:21pm PT
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What Steve said, Jaybro.
I did, though, see a pair that I had resoled with Shoenard
sole in 1974, for sale in a consignment shop in the late 90s.
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Redwood
Gym climber
West Sacramento CA
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Nov 18, 2008 - 12:44am PT
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Roger Breedlove wrote:
"Hey Redwood, did you mean to say "...and I just couldn't stomach the idea of giving it another shot without dying" or did I read it wrong?"
No. I meant what I wrote. I was trying to get the idea across that I wouldn't have felt good about dying without having climbed the route, or at least giving it one more serious attempt. Maybe it didn't come out right. Mold induced dementia (or EMF induced dementia, too); or maybe both of them together, as well.
I had a very high degree of liking for my Kronhoffers, which I got at West Ridge. They were a real rock shoe, as opposed to the kletterschuhe I had previously. And they felt good. I thought I could climb "anything" in them (anything=5.9). The PAs were more versatile, but I didn't think they edged as well, and they hurt after a while. Somewhere or other I ran across an article written by Chouinard where he claimed he could put some surgical rubber on a shoe and walk up the Apron. Not that I believed him, but I wondered about this surgical rubber from time to time during the 20 years between attempts.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 18, 2008 - 12:52am PT
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When I started in the early 1790s or 1970s or whatever, I had a pair of shoes from REI. They were a little darker grey than the shoes pictured up-thread, quite stiff, and if I remember rightly had a shallow Vibram sole, and rubber toe and heel caps. I can't remember the brand, but they were European, sort of an imitation of the RRs.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Nov 18, 2008 - 02:29pm PT
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Scuffy b is 100% on about the two different soles on genuine Kronhofers and he's right about the picture being a genuine pair, also.
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Nov 18, 2008 - 03:10pm PT
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What a fantastic story.
The pictures are great, no need for any touch up, you really get the feel of the climb.
We're so lucky that these photos and stories from almost 50 years ago can now be shared across the world for free.
The shared booty camera is absolutely classic.
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BBA
Social climber
petaluma ca
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Nov 18, 2008 - 03:36pm PT
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Here's a shoe related item. Joe sent me the letters I wrote to him and some CDs, but he also accidentally included letters from other people. Some are quite amusing. One of Joe's friends who worked at the Curry Company sent Joe a letter asking him to get a pair of size 42 Klettershuh as "Kay threw away one of mine". That girl was on her way to being the mom of some poor boy who wanted to climb. Then Karl went on to say, I only have $8 so I'll pay you later.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Nov 18, 2008 - 03:57pm PT
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Voyager Directissima (the Kronie knockoff) with Marwa "Innsbrucker" Klettersohle.
Purchased virtually brand new a couple of years ago on eBay.
(having started out in red PA’s, I never did anything really serious in this type of shoe)
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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Nov 18, 2008 - 07:10pm PT
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Also note that Tarbuster's shoes are the 2nd version of the
Directissima, with the extra layer of leather on the toe.
The Directissima was cut more narrow in the arch, which I liked,
but I think Kronhoffers had better leather in the midsole.
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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Nov 18, 2008 - 07:18pm PT
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Yeah, if I had those shoes and my old leather bottom red rucksack, I'd feel like I was 20 again. Seeing these images is like listening to old favorite songs or looking at my old high school year book. Pathetically nostalgic but great fun.
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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Nov 22, 2008 - 09:29pm PT
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Many years ago (70s) on the way up Coonyard (yet again) we were at the top of MM slab. I had just finished belaying my partner up the HD crack and was still tied into a small Manzanita or Pine that grew at its end. I was pulling the rope up on the ledge when I heard, half-consciously, a strangely disturbing crack in the distance. At the same moment I heard my partner mumble something like "Oh sheet." When I turned to see what had happened all I saw was his body flattened like a pancake up against the wall hands over head in an otherwise fetal position. I looked straight up and saw a block of granite, which at the time appeared to be the size of a freight train, sucking air and coming straight at us. I can still see it separated from the low angle of the wall and turning slightly as it made its way in a kind of bizarre slow motion toward us. Panicked, I jumped up to move in close to the wall and was pulled rudely back to the bush I was tied into. I still remember a moment of perfect clarity as small rocks began hitting the ground around us and, over a period that seemed like minutes, I unclipped the belay and was finally able to move. Fearing the worst, I jumped, leapt, flew over the west side of the slab where I knew the climbing was very easy and where I could squeeze into the open book for protection. Problem was it was pretty steep and I picked up speed pretty fast. At exactly the moment when it was becoming an uncontrollable fall, I reached out, grabbed an inch wide ledge and caught myself. Felt like Batman but I broke a finger. I stuck my head in the crack and waited for the world to go dark. I honestly thought the debris would bury me. Of course it didn't and in a few moments I called up to my friend. No answer. I scrambled back up to the top of the slab. He was fine and checking the rope. But the bush I had been tied into was gone. My pack, also clipped into the bush, was gone as well. If I'd stayed tied into that bush, I'm sure I'd be gone too. We didn't even bother to rap off just scrambled down the west side and got the hell out of there. I loved climbing on the apron, but there was always occasional rock fall.
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Redwood
Gym climber
West Sacramento CA
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Nov 25, 2008 - 11:31pm PT
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Paul,
Interesting story. Glad you survived. What a predicament.
When I attempted the route in 1990, I couldn't help noticing how the whole Monday Morning Slab area had been clobbered by a rockfall (or perhaps more than one): much fresh-looking debris all over the place, and most of the bushes and trees that used to grow out of cracks here and there had been swept away, or severely reduced in verdure (pics linked to show this pretty well), plus there was a lot of sandy residue on the ledges -- in addition to the first bolt having been stripped off. About 2004 I inquired at the Guide service if they guided anything on the Apron and they just kind of looked at me askance and mumbled and hemmed and hawed (I'm a scuzzy looking character, after all).
I miss it, though. Might not ever see it again.
[url=http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2581255000053544625XfzgSs]{{img}}h~~p://thumb5.webshots.net/t/62/62/2/55/0/2581255000053544625XfzgSs_th.jpg[/img][/url]
Apron: Feb. 1975.
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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 02:27pm PT
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Wow, this thread is woven from multiple strands of gold.
I don't know if I'm more in awe of the first ascent stories or diving over the west side of Monday Morning Slab to hide from rockfall, and breaking a finger to stop the deathslide! Just a week ago I solo'd up the west side, and didn't feel comfortable going back down it. Maybe I'd feel differently with rockfall bearing down.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 03:32pm PT
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Super cool thread! I started climbing in Zillertals, but was afraid to buy them small enough. I soon needed three pairs of socks to make them work at all. PA's, while having less friction, had such wonderful edging that I quickly switched.
John
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old toad
Trad climber
yosemite, Ca.
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Oct 23, 2009 - 10:35pm PT
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This thread is the reason I keep reading SuperTopo, keep up the good work!!
Ron
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Oct 24, 2009 - 12:22pm PT
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My thanks too for the history and nostalgia.
Monday Morning slab was my first climb in Yosemite in 1965 and the first pitch of Coonyard was the first 5.9 I ever did. Climbed them in Kronhofer's purchased at Holubar's in Boulder. Apron climbing, cracks and chimneys were thought to be uniquely Yosemite in those days and must do's.
The tales of the first ascents were still fresh in people's minds in 1965 but I never got to meet Joe or Bill.
Sad to see all the bushes and trees gone or looking dead on the Apron and to hear about the rockfall.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Oct 24, 2009 - 02:05pm PT
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Paul roehl's story set my memory in motion...
Back in the late 1700's...
I mean 70's rather...
I went up Harry Daley with John Rutt.
We were just putz'n around and thinking Coonyard if no one was on it, Far East if so. We had reached the top of Monday Morning slab and had John Had just started up Coonyard when a climber came over the top of the west side of MMS. He said he needed help and that his partner had been hit by rock fall.
The climber asking for assistance seemed rather calm for it to be a critical situation but we went to help.
When we got to the injured climber he was sitting on a ledge a little ways down the west side of the slab. It was decided that the best thing was to help the guy down climb the west side of the slab, as opposed to climbing back to the top of MMS and then rap'n.
While JR and the injured climber's partner fixed a rope for hand rail/added security I stayed with the victim. I tried to keep'm calm as he held a bloody T-shirt over his face. I thought getting a look at the injury might alter the urgency of the situation, for better or worse, even though I had narry a clue (@ that time) about being a 'First Responder'.
The dude dropped the T-shirt slowly off his forehead/face...
Low and behold this poor guy had taken a baseball size rock right across the brow and had a horizontal laceration (basically to the bone) about 4"-6" long. It wasn't a pretty picture.
We got'm down to the parking lot as fast as we could.
We heard later that after numerous stitches he was doing just fine.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Oct 24, 2009 - 04:56pm PT
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Here is Bill and Rich after a manicure:
and Rich at the summit:
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Marc Sisko
Trad climber
SE Warsh
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Oct 26, 2009 - 11:25am PT
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Hi do any of y'all know if the anchors from Coonyard to the Oasis are good or are they all hammered?
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Fritz
Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
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Oct 26, 2009 - 07:11pm PT
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Joe: Great story. I was in Nepal when it posted last year, so it was great to catch it 2nd time around.
I shared it with some of the staff at the "Old Climbers Home" and the nurses are quite excited about meeting you.
When you come to stay, they will be sure to attend your slide shows.
I think I can guarantee that anyone posting a 60's or 70's epic report with photos on ST will be welcome (at a time of their choosing) at the Old Climbers Home.
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