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rmuir
Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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May 17, 2006 - 03:38pm PT
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Gunnar said, "...so my dream of owning a nice house with giant avocado trees is dashed at least for now." (In reference to his cartooning that was posted in "Stonemaster Stories" (Part 7): http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=169730&f=0&b=0 )
Well, Gunnar, I'm guessing you just need to find yourself a better class of lawyer! :-) (Damn those convoluted intellectual property laws!)
I'd totally forgotten about meeting up with Dave Black and Mr. Graber on that trip! Last I heard, Dr. Black was practicing medicine (hand surgery specialist or summat) in Florida...
Got any recent cartoons of Back In The Day™ that you'd care to post?
Dien schol, mien schol, alle vacra flickas schol! (Sp?)
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Gunnar Swanson
climber
Greenville, NC
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May 17, 2006 - 06:33pm PT
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Rob—Recent cartoons of 30+ years ago would require both my starting to do cartooning again and my remembering what anything and anyone looked like. I can’t even do much better than others have already at guessing who might be depicted in the ones you posted. I think Tobin was obviously the prototype for one (based on the haircut) and the one character was probably based on John Long’s physique. Whether the others were archetypes or caricatures. . . you got me on that. I’m afraid the years have blunted my memory. I hadn’t remembered drawing them.
Speaking of not remembering, there probably aren’t more than a half dozen climbers from those days I’d know if we met so I don’t blame Gramicci for forgetting me. I think the last time I saw him may have been early spring of 1975. I’m guessing that I remember this right: Michael Dale and I had just skied across to Yosemite from Lee Vining and ran into Graham and Ricky (I think) who had just been climbing some ice at the top of Glacier Point. Minutes after they were done and skiing back down to the Valley, the waterfall they had been on collapsed spectacularly (unbeknownst to them.) Some people who had been watching them reported that it had fallen with climbers on it. I guess the rescue party that met them was much the same as the one from the previous fall's misadventure on the Prow (?). “Were they glad to see me!” Michael said with an enormous grin.
I ran into Yvon Chouinard a couple of years ago when I lived in Ventura. I said that we were old friends, having had a two-minute conversation in Camp 4 in 1974. He just muttered “1974?”
Your Swedish is spelled like German but I can barely spell in English and the toast requires at least on non-ASCII letter so I’ll let yours stand.
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Gramicci
Social climber
Ventura
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Topic Author's Reply - May 21, 2006 - 10:25am PT
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Gunnar, its amazing what memories this thread pulls out. The ice fall collapsing event was something I never would have thought of again.
As I remember it was something like this…The players were Rick Accomazzo and I believe Tobin Sorenson and the route was upper sentinel falls. I remember the commotion with everyone as someone was running around saying the falls had collapsed. I had thought impossible that they were involved having seen them near the top long before the said event. I was concerned they were slightly overdue but still refused the thought of them perishing in a barrage of falling ice. When they showed up later we were all happy to joke with them about getting a little lost on the way out.
I later did the route with George Meyers and we found it quite intact. Ice climbing in the Valley can be quite exciting though. Kind of like waiting for big surf the way it comes and goes.
I do remember you around now, thanks for that.
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rmuir
Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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May 31, 2006 - 05:21pm PT
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And, speaking of forgotten lads...
Bouldering TR:
Last night, Henny and I went bouldering in Baldy Canyon--one of the old haunts. It's the start of the Baldy season!
We went several weeks ago, and the stream was so high that we couldn't even cross the creek. The water innundated most of the usual rocks, leaving us to climb on only B-boulder! That was just fine, as the sand was quite high and falls didn't really even require a crashpad.
Last night, Baldy bouldering was better as a lot of the snow melt had receded enough so that we could cross back and forth in a few places. This time, we walked down to inspect things like Sole (Soul?) on Ice. Absolutely as smooth as we remember it! ...worked out some old/new problems on the rock just below it.
While there, I glanced back up at Soul and a single stray neuron fired in recognition which triggered the one word, "Ging". For some reason, I had associated that problem with "Ging".
Problem is, although both Henny and I can vaguely recall the name, and can almost see his face, we can't fit the name. Maybe he ran with the Goodykuntz crowd, but we're obviously too old to remember...
(I even gave Gramicci a call during lunch today... He too vaguely remembers a name like that, but that's the extent of it. ...guess Mike is "old" too. :o)
Sooo... Does /ANYONE/ remember an old Stonemaster named "Ging"? Anyone?
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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May 31, 2006 - 06:01pm PT
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Ging Ginerich was another Uplander who grew up with Richard, Ricky and I but was a few years older. He lived in the upper foothills, a mile or so below Richard, and was on many of our original probes into 5.10 out at Suicide and, for while, a regular at Baldy, where he could do just about anything. We even climbed the Mendal Ice Collier with Ging (and the other Uplanders), circa 1972.
He had amazing talent but pretty much preferd his own company and after a strong initial showing he, like so many others, simply vanished into the ethers. In his day he could easily climb most of the harder Baldy problems bare footed, including a few I could rarely do in boots.
JL
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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We hoped you'd have the answer Largo. Your pairing of a last name with "Ging" really rang a bell when I saw it. Now, if I could just get the face in focus...
Yes the Baldy season has started. What an absolutely great place to boulder! And talk about some slick rock!
A couple more Baldy questions:
1) Largo, you're not trying to tell us that Ging did Soul on Ice barefoot, are you?
2) OK, which one is it, Sole on Ice or Soul on Ice? Both are good names.
3) Robs and I were discussing the names of problems on Chuco. I think we agreed that two of the three primary problems were simply "left" and "right". Robs seems to remember that the center problem was also simply called "center", while I seem to remember it being called "Dark Side of the Moon" at one time for some reason. Largo???
4) Who's responsible for all those ice slick mantles?
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hippyman
Social climber
London, England
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Greetings to Gramici and Rick A, whoever you are - idly googling on a Monday night, and I find a picture of my brother Pete Thexton in his skivvies working on the engine of his magnificent Morris Traveller. Made my night - thanks for the memory.
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Gramicci
Social climber
Ventura
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2006 - 08:31pm PT
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Hippyman,
You made me realize just now, there is a priceless value with the internet.
We really enjoyed hanging with your brother back then. He was a great guy and that was a magnificent car!
I thank him for the memory where ever he may be. I’ll rescan that image and email you a copy.
Truly an eternal brotherhood!
Cheers,
Mike Graham
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rmuir
Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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What wasn't really clear during the recent exchange between "hippyman" and "Gramicci" was the very interesting story that Mike Thexton (a.k.a., hippyman) brings to the climbing table.
Hippyman (Mike Thexton) is the younger brother of Pete Thexton, cited up-thread, with a photo of him hunched over the engine of the old Morris. On Hippyman's website, see www.hippyman.com, you can read about what Mike Thexton is doing now, and read an excerpt of Mike's story that includes his older brother, Doug Scott, Greg Child, Whillans, Broad Peak and Pakistan. Specifically, see excerpt from Hippyman's book.
As Gramicci reports, Mike Thexton's adventures are "mind blowing!"
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jun 20, 2006 - 11:29am PT
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I've only been following this forum for a few days now, but it's been so addicting that I've been staying up past my bedtime. JL's article in the latest issue of Rock & Ice is what prompted my googlage of the Stonemasters (what a great article!), and this forum has been like striking gold for me. Reading everyone's postings is like stepping back 30+ years, and is far more emotionally evocative than a high school reunion.
Though I was certainly never a Stonemaster, I rubbed shoulders with y'all on a regular basis. You inspired me, scared me, and were, overall, pretty cool to me and my other climbing partners. Some images that come to my mind are: Lynn Hill jogging with JL riding piggyback in Hidden Valley c'ground; Bachar telling me which size Friend I needed for the lower section of Left Ski Track before he quickly dispatched it free solo; having my bacon saved by Mike Graham and Rick Accamazzo (and another whose name escapes me) on Tahquitz during a huge, sudden snowstorm, following an accident with another guy in my party; Tobin at my cousin's wedding (tux and all) hucking dinner rolls at assorted guests during the reception; working Solid Gold on a day so hot that it felt like my EB's had been coated with Imperial Margarine; bouldering with Mike Paul and Greg Epperson at Woodson and Santee...fun stuff.
My older brother, John, and I, got started climbing at Woodson after seeing that Mike Hoover movie (Solo). We made our own gear, climbed with a cowboy rope, and cheated death (more by ignorance than by bravado) many times. John died this last year from complications related to leukemia and a lung transplant, but this forum has been really therapeutic for me to think back on those initial climbing days. The climbing community was so much smaller then. Thanks for all your postings.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Jun 20, 2006 - 12:08pm PT
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Mooser, ya should have posted up earlier!!!! You probably have some good stories to share! Send em baby, at least I would like to do some more reading on this subject. Sorry for your loss, your bro is probably bouldering with the boys in the eternal boulder field.
Peace
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Gramicci
Social climber
Ventura
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2006 - 02:37pm PT
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Mooser,
Thanks again for your email this morning. I kind of forgot Al Gore had something to do with the internet, thanks for the reminder. I would like to invite you and anyone else for that matter to visit/join STONEMASTER.ORG it’s not just an old folk’s home.
Cheers,
Mike Graham
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Bart Fay
Social climber
Redlands, CA
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Dec 17, 2007 - 06:23pm PT
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Yes, this and all other threads have been updated.
All the new stuff is over at www.SuperChalupa.com
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
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Dec 18, 2007 - 02:46am PT
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Thanks for the index, Mighty Hiker.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 24, 2008 - 03:58am PT
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Bump because some previous installments were bumped.
Peace
Karl
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Mar 16, 2013 - 01:15am PT
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bump
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