Trip Report
Dolt Photos - First Ascent of the Totem Pole
Thursday November 20, 2008 5:36pm
I just ran across a couple of boxes of Dolt's slides and since I'm working on a few Dolt stories, I thought I'd post them to get your juices flowing.

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The Totem Pole in Monument Valley

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Dolt's Photo for the tourist trade

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Find the climbers

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Can you spot them?

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You can see their silhouettes

More Dolt photos

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Look closely

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Hairy rappels

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Looks like Mark Powell

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Maybe Don Wilson?

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Your guess is as good as mine

More Dolt photos

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In the crew in Monument Valley

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On top L. to R. Powell, Gallwas, Wilson (in back), Dolt (Bill Feuerer, in front)

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Powell, Wilson, and Dolt

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Powell, Wilson, and ?

A series of Dolt stories are forthcoming

  Trip Report Views: 4,366
Don Lauria
About the Author
Don Lauria is a trad climber from Bishop, CA.

Comments
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Nov 20, 2008 - 05:37pm PT
Sweet, Don.

Chompin' at the bit......
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
  Nov 20, 2008 - 05:49pm PT
*drool*

wow, really awesome stuff!

psyched to see more if possible...
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Nov 20, 2008 - 05:58pm PT
Thanks Don, That rules........
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
  Nov 20, 2008 - 06:00pm PT
I swear that thing looks like it's cracked all the way through in some spots (the big horizontal cracks). What an FA!

JL
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
  Nov 20, 2008 - 06:04pm PT
Didn't a member of the FA party tie the ropes to his ankles, hang his feet over the side and tell his partners he dropped the ropes?

I think I read that in the original desert rock book.
Gene

climber
  Nov 20, 2008 - 06:27pm PT
Fantastic. Thanks, Don.

Keep digging and posting up treasures like these.

gm
graham

Social climber
Ventura, California
  Nov 20, 2008 - 06:45pm PT
Those summit shots are some of the coolest I have ever seen! Thanks for posting them

Mike
Chicken Skinner

Trad climber
Yosemite
  Nov 20, 2008 - 07:20pm PT
Great stuff Don! Thank you. I hope you find those Nose photos.

Ken
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
  Nov 20, 2008 - 07:39pm PT
Yes, that photo of the four on top of Totem Pole has long been one of my very favorites. Jerry Gallwas sent me many of these photos and quite a few others, such as of Cleopatra's Needle, a real sliver, when I was working on my history of free climbing. Gallwas is a great guy and was immensely helpful. What a story all its own, of those four going down to the desert and climbing all those classic spires...
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:11pm PT
Another vote for that summit photo of 4 as a classic!!
murcy

Gym climber
sanfrancisco
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:22pm PT
spectacular pictures!
Scared Silly

Trad climber
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:26pm PT
What history .... damn.

Thanks.
pc

climber
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:40pm PT
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:56pm PT
Great shots.

Don thanks for showing.

On the summit shot:

Guess the liquid in the puddle???????

GK
N0_ONE

Social climber
Utah
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:58pm PT
Right on! Thanks!
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  Nov 20, 2008 - 09:58pm PT
Don,

It may be just my creative memory but wasn't Tom Condon involved in the project?

Charlie D.
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Author's Reply  Nov 20, 2008 - 10:07pm PT
Two things. Yes, the liquid was not rain water. And I believe Tom Condon was involved in the second ascent with TM Herbert.
Lightgirl

climber
Mendocino, Ca
  Nov 20, 2008 - 10:19pm PT
Yes, Thank you Don for the great photos! I think my favorite is the top one of the totem pole. The lighting is perfect and the clouds seem to frame it perfectly. Awesome!
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
  Nov 20, 2008 - 10:19pm PT
definition of "authentic."

I like the "guess" shot showing the two stepper etriers left behind; quite an esoteric feeling, no?

Thank you, Don!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
  Nov 20, 2008 - 10:23pm PT
spectacular!
mojede

Trad climber
Butte, America
  Nov 20, 2008 - 11:24pm PT
I really liked this one--great scans to show the folks here.

Thanks for sharing.

Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:25am PT

Bow down before the Pole;..the tallest, skinniest spire in the world.....
goatboy smellz

climber
Gulf Breeze
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:30am PT
So close yet so far.
WBraun

climber
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:37am PT
The arrows show some of the more prominent lightning scars on this photo.

When you climb the "Pole" the lightning scars are all over this thing. Some of the scars jump into the cracks and come back out elsewhere.

goatboy smellz

climber
Gulf Breeze
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:42am PT
Where do you think those lightning bolts come out Werner?
WBraun

climber
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:54am PT
Back out on the face.

Mike Hoover actually told me about them just before we went to climb it.

He saw them while filming Eastwood during the making of the "Eiger Sanction".
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:58am PT
The fearsome red shaft;....The Totem Pole

Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:00am PT
Dave Evans preparing to climb the Pole;

Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:02am PT
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:04am PT
Can't you read?....

Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:06am PT
Those are great. Thank you so much for posting!
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:07am PT
One of the greatest climbing adventures of my life, and a summit I desired more than almost any;...The Pole...( I was a happy boy...)


Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:09am PT

Awesome from any angle....

Strider

Trad climber
ಠ_ಠ
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:27am PT
So it begs the question...is it possible to climb the Pole anymore? If you ask really nice, will they let you climb it?

-n
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:30am PT

bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:35am PT
wow. wow. talk about amazing photos that evoke an amazing time, in an amazing place...
crusher

climber
Santa Monica, CA
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:49am PT
Don those photos are incredible - what a feeling they evoke - the summit photo is like from a time long past...wow.

And Todd's yours are way cool too.

Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Author's Reply  Nov 21, 2008 - 02:12am PT
Ament,

You talked about Cleopatra, well Dolt was looking at it.

Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 02:52am PT
Cleo

Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Nov 21, 2008 - 02:56am PT
captain chaos

climber
  Nov 21, 2008 - 08:10am PT
Great photos, what a crew and trip- thanks Don...
rick d

climber
ol pueblo, az
  Nov 21, 2008 - 08:57am PT
dec 14th will make the 20th anniversary of my ascent (in the teens). I had a beautiful triple height post card of the original route at one time (lost in a move a decade ago).

A fine route and fine memories (of getting caught by tribal police).
Chiloe

Trad climber
Lee, NH
  Nov 21, 2008 - 09:24am PT
The 1970 Ascent cover, and accompanying articles by Roper and Pratt, inspired my
first desert trip in 1971. The Totem Pole was already "off limits," so we made the
6th ascent of the Titan (photo here) instead.

I would have liked to do Totem Pole, Spider Rock and Cleopatra, though. (Even moreso,
now that it's clear many folks managed to climb them after all). Don, thanks for posting
this historical gold.
Chiloe

Trad climber
Lee, NH
  Nov 21, 2008 - 09:34am PT
The 1970 Ascent covers:


SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
  Nov 21, 2008 - 12:42pm PT
Don
You are incredible. Not only your own stories, but
so much more history. Thanks so much for posting up.
This is better than the history books!
Jingy

climber
Random Nobody
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:17pm PT
Great Vintage(?) photos.

Oh, yeah, in each of the photos I was able to pick out the bodies, even on the iPod.


Great stuff

Thanks
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
  Nov 21, 2008 - 01:19pm PT
Great stories. It made me remember the old Totem pole thread that had this movie:

http://www.climbing-area.info/photos/videos/klettern/long-movie/adler.wmv

Classic....
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Author's Reply  Nov 22, 2008 - 01:26pm PT
I had never seen that movie. Give us the details. When? Who? How?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Nov 22, 2008 - 09:38pm PT
Glad those photos are still around, Don. Thanks for posting them up! Steve Bartlett (aka "Crusher") is writing a book on desert towers and would love to have access to them.

For more desert lore see the Mark Powell thread.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=708058&msg=725957#msg725957
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Nov 30, 2008 - 04:13pm PT
Weathered sandstone bump!
Fletcher

Boulder climber
Institute of Better Bouldering-DirtbagDad Division
  Nov 30, 2008 - 06:34pm PT
Wow, great photos and and all. Nice.

That movie is awesome. Looks like Ron Kauk is one of the dudes.

Fletch
Thorgon

Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
  Dec 1, 2008 - 12:43pm PT
This is an awesome turn of good fortune for the climbing community! I am amazed how much great data is surfacing!
Now if I could only find my old slides from Seneca Rocks,
WV?
Better go buy a Lottery Ticket, cause it's my lucky day!

Thor

Yes, keep up the good work Don, and if you decide on a garage sale of that Treasure Chest of 'old relics' your hiding let us know, ie old rock hammers, pitons, Carabiners etc..!!! Hehehehe
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Dec 1, 2008 - 04:04pm PT
Bitchin' bump....
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Dec 6, 2008 - 03:25pm PT
Another installment for this formation from Summit June 1976.








This Ed Cooper shot has the best lighting for seeing the route itself.
The Alpine

climber
The Sea
  Dec 6, 2008 - 05:31pm PT
I know nothing about that movie other than it was posted in this thread: http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=278055&msg=278522#msg278522

From the sounds of it, seems as though maybe Werner had something to do with it?

That movie is awesome. It would be great to see a modern day recreation.
noshoesnoshirt

climber
Arkansas, I suppose
  Dec 6, 2008 - 05:38pm PT
HOLY CRAP!

What film/camera for the Dolt photos?
Unbelievable clarity on those old slides.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Dec 6, 2008 - 06:38pm PT
Dolt shot with a Leica camera but only Don could likely verify the film type.
noshoesnoshirt

climber
Arkansas, I suppose
  Dec 6, 2008 - 06:51pm PT
Thanks Steve.
I still can't get over the clarity of those photos.
Makes me want to quit my job.

I think I'm gonna quit my job...
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Author's Reply  Dec 7, 2008 - 06:57pm PT
The slides are Kodachrome
Roxy

Trad climber
CA Central Coast
  Dec 9, 2008 - 11:40pm PT
bump to another FA read, right on!
Stonyman61

Trad climber
Hartselle, Alabama
  Apr 8, 2009 - 06:22pm PT
So awesome. Thanks for sharing. Love the history. One of my favorite films of all times..


BK
Crimpergirl

Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
  Apr 8, 2009 - 08:34pm PT
Wow! Cool!
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Apr 9, 2009 - 11:33am PT
hey there all.... really do love these photos....

:)
oldguy

climber
Bronx, NY
  Apr 11, 2009 - 12:57pm PT
As to the puddle on the summit, it came not from rain which is rare in the region, but from Mark Powell who, since they were being watched by tourists and Navajoes down below, laid down to relieve himself. It should also be noted that when Dolt and Don Wilson were prusiking to the last belay stance they were blown forty feet out and half way around the spire by a fifty mile an hour wind. Quite a ride I would think. Also, the "dropped" ropes story comes from the second ascent when TM Herbert, who was setting the ropes up for the rappel while Rearick and Condon were busy with other chores, simply said, "oops", probably the most understated of TM's wonderful comic bits.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Apr 11, 2009 - 01:44pm PT
Mark had a pretty good laugh about that incident when I interviewed him recently. The local entrepreneur had seized the moment and bussed several dozen tourists and other interested folks out to witness the spectacle! That puddle of piddle is famous!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Oct 17, 2011 - 12:23pm PT
That thing looks so killer.
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