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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Jun 13, 2018 - 04:53pm PT
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This thread has been absolutely fascinating. Thank you, Mr. Langford, for sharing your recollections, and Jody, for chiming in additional commentary with amazing photos!
Regarding the Korean War, my father in law got a Purple Heart, after they marched too far north and were chased back. He has a couple of bullets still in him (too dicey to remove), and is missing a good portion of his right leg. He'll be 89 in July. I've spent many hours asking him questions about his experiences, which were many. My wife has the telegram that was sent to his mother, informing her that he was "slightly injured" in combat. It was most definitely not "slight."
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BruceHildenbrand
Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
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Jun 13, 2018 - 05:04pm PT
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Jim,
I think you nailed the route line of H&L Feather Canyon in the second photo.
When Clint and I went up to replace the old bolts we got to the top of pitch 5(the pitch above the water groove) when it started to get dark. It took a while to replace the bolts not to mention hauling all that gear up the climb.
Well, Clint and I have never done the climb before so we were a bit concerned trying to follow the circuitous route especially since the next few pitches didn't have any bolts to let us know if we were on route and the last pitches only had a couple of bolts. So, we bumbled upwards in the dark, replacing a few bolts along the way and finally got to the top of H&L about 3 hours after dark(that time of the year it was about 10pm). That was really fun, but a long, long day!
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Jun 13, 2018 - 07:01pm PT
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Am well aware of Bonnie Prudden, as many East Coast climbers of a certain vintage are.
Her pressure point relief-of-pain still works.
She is eponymous for Bonnie's Roof and Boston at the Gunks.
1952
on lead
no swami
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Prudden
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 14, 2018 - 08:22am PT
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Yes, this latest offering by you Jody, of your dad Jim, is emblematic of the perennial climber.
Presumably he's carrying twin axes to lighten the leader's load?
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Jun 14, 2018 - 10:33am PT
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Man, this thread is the real deal, powerful stories. The talk of turning points and becoming smitten with the mountains triggered a visceral memory; I may be sitting in a cafe right now in Olympia WA but I swear I felt a warm waft of Ponderosa scented wind and tasted the tang of stream water drunk from a stainless steel sierra cup, leftover senses from a boy scout backpacking trip in the Sierra probably around 1970, a fork in the trail that has led to me to so many friends and places over the years. Thanks everyone.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jun 14, 2018 - 12:03pm PT
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Lucky you are Jody, to have had a dad like your's!
So many parents today sequester their kids in air conditioned game rooms so that they can go about their day uninterrupted.
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Jun 14, 2018 - 12:28pm PT
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What Off White and donini said! ^^^^
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L
climber
Just livin' the dream
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Jun 14, 2018 - 04:01pm PT
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Why is it that dads of old look super cool in their mountaineering gear and we later dads look like dorks?
Zardoz--it's genetics.
When a guy looks that good in knickers, you know he's in a league of his own. :-)
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jun 14, 2018 - 04:07pm PT
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Yes, some people looked great in knickers. Nobody, and I mean nobody, looked anything but pathetic in neon lycra...and that is equally true for women. What about kilts?
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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Jun 14, 2018 - 04:18pm PT
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Nobody looked anything but pathetic in neon lycra...
Freddie Mercury?
;>)
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L
climber
Just livin' the dream
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Jun 14, 2018 - 04:19pm PT
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What about kilts?
Aaaahhhhh...kilts. Now there's some manly attire!
Dangerous to climb in though, as I believe preoccupation with the sights to be seen by the belayer would doubtlessly lead to ground falls and such.
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riverxing
Mountain climber
Templeton, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2018 - 04:31pm PT
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Ha! My army surplus mountain pants were wiped out. I needed something in a hurry. Found those Swiss corduroy knickers on sale at the ski shop in Jackson. Those boogers turned out to be tough and comfortable. Better than Kilts!
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riverxing
Mountain climber
Templeton, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2018 - 04:51pm PT
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No one was wearing neon lycra back in the fifties, were they, John? Only ballet dancers. Many years ago climbing the Half Dome cables I got caught behind several ladies in dresses and skirts. Had to risk my life going outside the cables to get ahead of them!
For "L's" sake, we've come a long way, baby.
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L
climber
Just livin' the dream
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Jun 15, 2018 - 04:04pm PT
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For "L's" sake, we've come a long way baby.
We certainly have Jim...at least here in the US.
Across the pond in the UK, however, things are lagging....
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