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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 17, 2014 - 11:37am PT
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Long time New England climber with many first ascents under his belt who has done his share in Yosemite. He was my partner on my first big wall (the Salathe) in 1971. Steve spent a week with me in Yosemite this April, 44 years after we first met in the Valley.
A lot of you don't know this but Steve got, not one, but TWO Purple Hearts while serving in Vietnam. That's service to your country.
When Steve posts here he is always positive and never has anything but kind words to say.
Damn....I just knew he wasn't perfect
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steve shea
climber
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Jun 17, 2014 - 11:42am PT
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Yup, Steve is a good guy and still climbing after all these years. I hope I run into him in NH this summer.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jun 17, 2014 - 11:44am PT
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Wooo Hoooo!!
Thanks for being awesome Steve!
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caughtinside
Social climber
Oakland, CA
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Jun 17, 2014 - 12:22pm PT
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Climbed with Steve four or so years ago at the Creek, super cool guy and great partner. Still got excited about climbing, had a great day at the 4x4.
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jun 17, 2014 - 12:30pm PT
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Don't know much about him, but Steve is featured prominently in 'Fifty Favorite Climbs' with a story about the first ascent of VMC Direct Direct, Cannon Cliff, White Mtns, NH which was apparently done while on leave from Vietnam.
Google his name and you can read the excerpt in question in 'FFC' (I tried to add the link but it was skewing the thread width)
He also holds the first ascent of a Big Wall at Cathedral, called, 'Pendulum'
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 17, 2014 - 05:43pm PT
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Bump for the evening crowd.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Jun 17, 2014 - 06:26pm PT
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I remember being in High School and doing one of my first walls, an early ascent of The Prow. Steve had just done it solo a week or so before and we were amazed that a guy could be up there like that, all by his lonesome. He was one of the silent hardcore types, a lot like an old cowboy, and they always had their "sand."
JL
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Edge
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Jun 17, 2014 - 06:36pm PT
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I grew up in fear and awe of the Arsenault routes on Cathedral, then made my peace with them as they eventually allowed my humble passage. To this day, his VMC Direct Direct remains one of my favorite climbs anywhere.
I finally got to meet the legend a couple years ago, climb with him, and admire his wood turning. Always stoked, friendly, and either a little bit bold or crazy (the jury's still out on that one)...
Cheers my friend!
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this just in
climber
north fork
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Jun 17, 2014 - 08:33pm PT
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SteveA is a positive poster here for sure and I've enjoyed what he has posted on the Show me what your building thread. Two Purple Hearts? Wow thanks for your service Steve and for putting up routes that I need to climb some time.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 17, 2014 - 08:46pm PT
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Met Steve a couple years ago with Donini, Joe Kelsey, twp and several others. Steve and I climbed together the first day on mid summer dome. There were 4 parties we were with which included the guidebook author for the range, Donini, and steve who had put up most of the big routes in the east fork valley. Despite their centuries of combined experience No one knew what routes we were on. I think Donini and Kelsey beat us all to the top.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jun 17, 2014 - 09:02pm PT
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The mention of Steve Arsenault always evokes memories from the history of New Hampshire climbing, he shows up in the "history" in Paul Ross' 1978 guide...
...so it is hugely inspirational to know that Steve is not just history, he's still climbing!
Wonderful!
Bravo!
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jun 17, 2014 - 09:04pm PT
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'He was one of the silent hardcore types, a lot like an old cowboy, and they always had their "sand." '
Holy hell fire, that's some good writing. Maybe one of the best sentences I've read in a while...'...always had their "sand" '. (And that's if I understand it (or even if I don't.))
I've read Gorilla Monsoon, Wall Rats and Hang dogs, the Anchor Books, the Rock & Ice pieces over the years (etc) and loved the prose - but that was sweet. Almost lyrical.
Saving that somewhere.
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MH2
climber
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Jun 17, 2014 - 10:02pm PT
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I sat at a table in Emil's with Steve in the Spring of '68. You could tell by his eyes that he had been places you weren't sure you wanted to go. It is a joy to find him still climbing, but we need that photo of him hanging on a rope at Cathedral giving the photographer the finger. I've checked the Cote guides '69 and '72 and Mountain 21 and beyond those, memory comes to a cul-de-sac.
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OR
Trad climber
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Jun 17, 2014 - 10:11pm PT
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A real hardman…….Nice reading his bio….
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Jun 17, 2014 - 10:47pm PT
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A genuine hero, unlike most of the the rest of us posers. Here's to Steve!
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Barry Bates
Boulder climber
Smith River CA
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Jun 17, 2014 - 10:51pm PT
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I still remember when you guys did the salathe. Now days it would be considered an early ascent of the route. When I think of routes Ive done over the years I don't think of the climb as much as i think of the partners i did them with. 44 years and friendships endure.rgold is right the rest of us are just posers.
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losbill2
climber
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Jun 18, 2014 - 05:47am PT
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Here is a post from NEClimbs I put up in 2009.
You are only as old as you feel.
A couple of years ago I turn a corner at my local crag and spot one of the old, broken, decrepit posters (OBDP) on this thread sitting on a rock. We exchange greetings and chat for a bit. As we do we watch a group of 4 teenagers climb. They were young enough to have to be driven by a non-climbing Dad to the crag. I then belay OBDP on a couple of 5.10+ (old school) top rope pitches. My partner shows up and we move on.
A couple of hours later I return. There is OBDP climbing with the four teenagers. They are top-roping a hard 5.10 the OBDP had FA'ed 30+ years ago. OBDP has taught them to hip belay since the face is high enough he had to tie his two ropes together to set up the toprope and he didn't want to bother with passing the knot.
Hard to tell who was having more fun. The OBDP had the kids climbing 1 to 2 grades harder than they had been and regaling them with tales of his 40+ years worth of climbing adventures. The kids were eating it up. The OBDP had a huge grin on his face. It was clear to me the OBDP's passion and joy for climbing and sharing the joys of climbing with others had not waned a bit over the years.
You are only as old as you feel.
I will let you all guess who OBDP is.
BTW the last time I saw Steve was late in the afternoon last fall at Cathedral in North Conway. He was sitting on the first pitch belay ledge of The Book of Solemnity bringing his partner up with a huge grin on his face. Steve did the FA of that beautiful climb in 1976.
Climb On Steve!
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Jun 18, 2014 - 06:27am PT
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WoW, this is a surprise!
Jim, your so kind to initiate this thread, and thanks to all the rest of you guys for the perhaps, undeserved praise. As far as the purple hearts--I just happened to be in the wrong place, and there really wasn't anything heroic about it.
I've posted this picture before, but since my son was the person who informed me about this thread; here is a photo of my son Mark, and me last June, the day after climbing the RNWF of HD.
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slabbo
Trad climber
colo south
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Jun 18, 2014 - 06:44am PT
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SA- one of those purples was for all the f/a's in the east and wounds due to bugs !
Rock on SA !!!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 18, 2014 - 07:29am PT
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Here is a chapter from Mark Kroese's superb Fifty Favorite Climbs that features Steve and one of his best efforts, the VMC Direct!
I have great respect for your service and admiration for your climbing and building skills! We are stoked that you are still on fire about climbing and share yourself with us on this forum.
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