Tuolumne kid turns out OK

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Dick Erb

climber
June Lake, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 17, 2009 - 07:13pm PT
During my first Tuolumne Meadows climbing days there was a wonderful place to camp that was popular with climbers. Sitting on a grassy knoll with scattered pines out near the end of the now gated road from Lembert dome to Parsons Lodge was the Sierra Club campground. I remember once when Eric Beck came back up the road in his black VW bug into camp and told us that he had just seen someone that he thought was about to die. While driving along he saw some guy sliding unroped down the Left Water Crack on his butt, but when he came out onto the apron at the bottom he jumped up onto his feet and stopped with his feet spread apart and his hands in the air. Eric then realized that it was a kid he had seen earlier wearing Penny's work boots and swinging around on ropes from bolts. Others had also spotted him up there wandering around unroped and soloing the Right Water Crack (5.9) and some other stuff that no one had climbed yet. He would sometimes descend the slabs by doing a sort of sitting glissade and rocking forward to brake with his rubber soles. Our curiosity was piqued. Roper and I and I think someone else went off to find this kid before he killed himself. We also found it somewhat distressing to think that this boy in the work boots may be able to climb better than any of us. When we found him he seemed pleasant, humble and pleased to meet some Yosemite climbers. He was awed by Yosemite's great walls and was trying to figure out rock climbing on his own. He said that he would like to someday climb the North Buttress of Middle Cathedral Rock. Roper then said I'll bet it's the Direct North Buttress of Middle that you want to do. He told us his name, which is now well known and I had planned to include it until I thought about how some people on this forum like guessing games. Once this precocious kid is identified he can comment on whether I got it right or not.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 17, 2009 - 07:15pm PT
Peter Haan?
TomKimbrough

Social climber
Salt Lake City
Dec 17, 2009 - 07:15pm PT
Erb - I know but won't say......
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Dec 17, 2009 - 07:16pm PT
Werner
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Dec 17, 2009 - 07:21pm PT
Giggle for a Wiggle...
Dick Erb

climber
June Lake, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 17, 2009 - 08:01pm PT
Pretty easy. Three out of the first four know. Tom may have been there then.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
Dec 17, 2009 - 08:05pm PT
Sounds like a young Werner...."you don't need ropes" (in a grouchy voice)....
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Dec 17, 2009 - 08:48pm PT
come on Werner, we all know it's you, I can't touch that rock over there without thinking about doing it in work boots...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Dec 17, 2009 - 09:03pm PT
hah! rad story!
David Wilson

climber
CA
Dec 17, 2009 - 09:15pm PT
come on werner, fill in some details here...
Camster (Rhymes with Hamster)

Social climber
CO
Dec 17, 2009 - 09:22pm PT
Cool story. Can't wait to hear the answer.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Dec 17, 2009 - 09:23pm PT
hey there say.... awwwwwwww, how sweet... i just love this story... the kid part, the watch over him part... and best of all the merry MERRY part...

wow, guys, thanks for a great "chrismas story" pine trees and all, and a chance to learn more about yosemite's werner days...

god bless!

work boots, you say....
:O
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Dec 17, 2009 - 10:23pm PT
gotta be Werner--precocious, eh????
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 17, 2009 - 10:28pm PT
If so, perhaps that's how Werner got his start in rescues - by self-rescuing! Now that would be ironic.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Dec 17, 2009 - 10:33pm PT
This was Werner, Pilgrims. It was before he crept up to our fire eventually and ingratiated himself with humankind. He had a marvelous, lustrous coat too in his youth. Back then, in the beginning you see, just after the glaciers receded, Werner began as a feral from Hillsborough. Others have stated he was a "ruffian" but in fact he was an abject feral and from the provinces. A friendly one of course but surely feral. I think Bridwell was the first to feed him; it was by hand at first and then eventually with a place setting. I think Jim had some pine nuts to start. Although Werner did not bite Jim, it did take---what--- months before we had him in our clutches. At some point he learned language also.
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Dec 17, 2009 - 11:26pm PT
Funny story Dick:

I wonder if anyone remembers a Vuno Vicko(sic??) character, that was performing similar antics on the Watercracks on Lambert in this or an earlier era, or was Werner just using one of his many aliases??????
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Dec 18, 2009 - 12:04pm PT
When did he turn blue and begin chanting? LOL
alpinerockfiend

Trad climber
greater Yosemite
Dec 18, 2009 - 12:49pm PT
Dick- just want to say thanks for your great Tuolumne and Eastside stories. I've spent two summers up there now and plan on coming back for a very long time.
Dick Erb

climber
June Lake, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 18, 2009 - 09:22pm PT
People ask for Werner to comment, but no reply. I have read a lot of his posts but he rarely talks about himself. More power to him.
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Jul 28, 2017 - 11:38am PT
Werner's comments on how much he relies on 5.10 stealth rubber reminded me of this OP :-)
Messages 1 - 20 of total 27 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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