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RDB
Social climber
way out there
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Hey Carl, welcome to the Taco.
Long time since Quartz Hill :)
For those that missed it, over the years Carl has done two new routes on Deborah among his other wanderings.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2009 - 11:19am PT
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Another big welcome to Carl!
I posted this shot of Deborah from Climbing ih North America on the Tony Qamar thread in hopes of a tale or two. This pool has some big fish in it! East ridge on the right side of the summit pyramid.
And a Galen Rowell shot from the southwest from Fred Beckey's Mountains of North America, 1982.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Fantastic!
-Brian in SLC
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2009 - 10:00pm PT
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George's account from the 75 AAJ.
The "oh, god" is certainly in the details...
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east side underground
Trad climber
Hilton crk,ca
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The Lowes are a core group.I'm curious which are related ? Ok you got George Lowe from the first asscent of Everst from NZ, George Lowe III from North Twin, Jeff Lowe (jello- love that handle), Greg Lowe, and Alex Lowe-????
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Farmboy
climber
Oregon
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Barry sent me this way and it is interesting to see-read how much people have thought about the NF of NT. After Marko and I made the third ascent of the wall (by a variation of the 74 route), Marko, overwhelmed by the maelstrom of response, editors wanting photos and words, people writing him notes, he told me: What is this North Twin? I just want my life back! Something about that face, people just respond to it.
I have said this before, and I will say it again. The Lowe-Jones route was, in my opinion, the hardest alpine route anywhere in the world at the time it was established. Never mind the storm, the dropped gear, the fact that it was an unexplored wall. Just stick to the technical difficulty, and was the biggest, baddest thing that had been done. I have repeated another route that I once considered contender for that title, the SE (July 74) Buttress (Rowell-Roberts-Ed?) on Mt. Dickey and it was not nearly as difficult as the climbing on the NFNT.
Regarding my own experience on the NFNT I will say this, it ranks among the most rewarding of my life. The atmosphere of the place, the quality of the climbing, the way the route was climbable, barely. 99% of the rock was splitter-good as we found it in winter. The loose stuff Barry talks of must have been buried or frozen when we were there. The steeper it was, the better the rock, just how you would like to find it. As Marko kept exclaiming as we were climbing, the rock is virtually made for drytooling. The cracks are thin (pick-size), and there are many tiny flat edges to front point on. I had the same experience last year climbing another variation to another Lowe route on the North Face of Alberta. The rock back there is great for this kind of climbing. Probably better than in summer, as Barry points out, in summer it is extremely dangerous but in four days on the wall in early april Marko and I never saw a natural rock fall event.
Another aspect of our climb in April 04 that added to the experience was that because of the size and remoteness the NFNT demanded that we go really light. We had one bag, one 5x8 ft. guide tarp, 5 fuel cannisters and not nearly enough food. We each wore exactly the same clothing: a capilene shirt, insulated soft-shell jacket and pants plus a synthetic belay jacket each. That was it. We often led in the parkas and at the belays we shivered a lot. The leader lead with a near-empty pack and the second carried about 25 lbs to start with.
I know that the CAJ ran an article that Marko wrote and I wrote a piece that appeared in Alpinist. I do not remember the numbers or issues, and as I am currently poaching internet downvalley of Chamonix I am unable to look that up. I also dedicated an entire chapter to this climb in my book that is out in a month or so.
As an aside I just came off guiding the Croz Spur on the Grande Jorasses yesterday. This is a more serious wall than the Eiger Nordwand in my humble opinion. And one thing that struck me was that at least 20 helicopters flew by us each day. I could get weather updates by text on my cell phone. The Alps are great, but the Canadian Rockies they are not.
As I was writing this some one just told me John Bachar died yesterday. That is a fist to the heart. I guess I will post anyway.
Steve House
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rufus
climber
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steve, could you say more about your book -- is it climbing narrative or how-to? who's the publisher and when does it hit the shelves?
great thread.
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jul 17, 2009 - 01:13pm PT
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bump, save us from these guys as per donini.
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Jul 17, 2009 - 03:48pm PT
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Farmboy--I loved that line that Marko's pack was lighter because it wasn't burdened by the weight of history. You guys who've climbed North Twin sure have pushed the boat into the deep water!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 8, 2009 - 09:10pm PT
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Big Twin bump!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2009 - 01:18pm PT
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Not far away is the other half of George's Top Hat Trick, the North Face of Alberta. Another amazing big route pulled off in fine style. The stuff of alpine dreams.....From Ascent 73.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Aug 22, 2009 - 01:32pm PT
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I picked up Steve House's book, "Beyond the Mountain" and just finished reading it a couple of weeks ago.
I highly recommend it as it has all the makings of a modern classic. The writing is engrossing and remarkably frank and revealing about many of Steve's well-known ascents, partnerships in the mountains and life on the cutting edge.
A great read!!
Great Job Steve!!! Thanks for publishing this.
Regards,
Jack
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2009 - 03:20pm PT
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Any memorable passages about North Twin?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2009 - 11:01am PT
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Bump for Wee Jock and Lucas!
How are these two climbs regarded in European circles?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2009 - 02:18pm PT
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A good friend of mine, Scott Ayers, sent me an e-mail quite awhile back that relates to this thread. About time that I post it...
There is a book I've been reading since I've been here in Calgary, called "Pushing the Limits; The Story of Canadian Mountaineering" by Chic Scott. So much excellent content; it really puts into perspective how amazing the alpine routes are here in this part of the Rockies. I highly recommend you get a copy, as it will simultaneously give you dreams and nightmares if you read it before going to bed...
Anyway, in the book the author talks about the Lowe/Jones route on North Twin, and there was a quote from Chris Jones that is so perfectly suited for your thread, that I thought I would share it with you.
Chic Scott writes, "It was the two finest American alpinists of the era who had the temerity to take up the challenge. On August 5, 1974, Chris Jones and George Lowe forded the Sunawapta River and began the hike over the shoulder of Mt. Woolley. Jones described how he felt. " 'In a few minutes we would be at Woolley Shoulder, and I would have my first view of the fabled north face of North Twin. I became strangely detached. I saw George Lowe and myself as figures in the past. I saw our attempt as something that happened long ago. There was a clear sense that it had some meaning for future generations, but what it was I could not say. More important, I knew this would be a very personal moment. I was intrigued to know my limits; wanted to push myself as never before. I had a feeling that North Twin might provide the answer.' "
They knew the job was dangerous when they took it...great stuff!
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Jan 13, 2010 - 04:32pm PT
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this image is taken form the japanese route on alberta. north twin is on the left looking big, dark and somber. it was scary just looking over there..
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2010 - 09:56pm PT
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Excellent photo, Dave! It really shows how enormous an undertaking that route is. Plenty of climbing to the summit from the end of the steepness and then the descent! Way impressive...
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