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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 17, 2005 - 12:36am PT
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I just got this note from Hans Florine:
Hi all,
I don't know any details, but I'm sure they will be coming forth with-
Beth Rodden and Tommy Caldwell Free Climbed The Nose route recently.
I took some pictures of them while they were working on it last month: http://speedclimb.com/yosemite/BnTNose.html
It's the FASTEST Free ascent by a couple.
Hans
This would be the second and third free ascent of the route. and, also the first male ascent of the climb. (kinda a cool that the route still has more female than male ascents)
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Darnell
Big Wall climber
Chicago
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Oct 17, 2005 - 12:40am PT
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WOW!!!!!!
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Apocalypsenow
Trad climber
Cali
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Oct 17, 2005 - 12:59am PT
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preplaced gear?
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Terry
climber
Spokane
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Oct 17, 2005 - 01:24am PT
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I find it discouraging that the second post in response to this amazing feat is a cynical stab. ["Preplaced Gear?"] Geez. What is most bothersome is that it was completely predictable. It is sad that this blemish stains an otherwise incredible community. All the details will come out in time I'm sure. Until then (and from now on I naively hope) lets enjoy peoples success and at least wait until the chalk dries before we worry about the politics.
Way to go Beth and Tommy. Here's to many more.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 17, 2005 - 01:28am PT
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Yes
They came up over the top while we were over by the top of the New Dawn dealing with those fellas from Sweden.
Such fine spirited people Tommy and Beth are.
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billygoat
climber
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Oct 17, 2005 - 03:40am PT
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I find it extremely troubling that Chris posts Hans' note as if this is THE word on their ascent. First of all: this isn't the fastest free ascent of the nose by a couple. It's the ONLY free ascent of the nose by a couple. Hans' stab at competition is like saying Waren Harding was going for a speed ascent when he did the FA. It's called B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T. Secondly, Tommy is not the first male to free the nose. Scott Burke was the first male to free the nose. Yes, he did the Great Roof on toprope on his final ground up ascent, but how much should this really matter? He had previously led the pitch (no falls). Durring his ascent the pitch was wet and crowded, so to speed things up he TRed the pitch.
Questions that remain unaswered: did Tommy and Beth each lead every pitch??? Or did they do a Skinner style ascent??? Or did they swing leads??? Who the f*#k cares? All I'm saying is I think we need some more accurate posts here. And Chris...come on! As the creator of this site, you should try to be more accurate in what you post--your guidebooks have enough mistakes as it is.
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marky
climber
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Oct 17, 2005 - 05:02am PT
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it is, paradoxically, both impressive and unimpressive. more unimpressive, I think.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 17, 2005 - 06:22am PT
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I think that's awesome. But we all knew it was coming right!?
I also don't think it is wrong to ask if there was pre-placed gear or not. Style is important and worth asking about. Based on their other free climbs, I doubt they'd do that though...
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kimgraves
Trad climber
Brooklyn, NY
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Oct 17, 2005 - 08:53am PT
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I'm confused about something. If this is the second and third free ascent, who gets second and who gets third? Is Tommy second or third or is Beth? I thought ascents went by party; I.E., Tommy and Beth did the second ascent(acutally the third: Hill did both the 1st and 2nd). Enlighten me.
Thanks, Kim
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nate
Trad climber
virginia
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Oct 17, 2005 - 09:05am PT
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you people suck. To free the nose in good syle is a really proud thing. To do it before the euros -- even better.
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Oct 17, 2005 - 09:30am PT
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Didn't Lynn Hill do the second free ascent in 1994?
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SteveM
Trad climber
UK
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Oct 17, 2005 - 10:34am PT
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They were climbing just below us on Tuesday as we headed upto the Great Roof. Glad to hear that they topped out too :-)
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Oct 17, 2005 - 10:54am PT
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They are wonderful people. I congratulate them!
and it's a big deal too. The first free ascent was a long time ago and it's not for lack of trying that it's hasn't gone in this kind of style since.
Scotty's ascent was in great style too. Just another kind of great style. He wasn't a very talented or strong climber (in the scheme of things) when he started, and pure hard work and dogged persistence got him 95% of the way there.
Some say that's as far as he got, but that's for the scorekeepers to argue about. As far as following their dreams into action go, all these free Nose folks from Lynn forward are inspirations.
Peace
karl
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 17, 2005 - 11:11am PT
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I agree with Karl and would even extend his idea, The Nose has inspired many climbers in the past, Harding actually figured out how to get up it, others were also eyeing it. Sacherer is credited by Bridwell for inspiring the Nose-In-A-Day, and went up many (?) times trying to free various sections, probably an idea before its time. Others had been inspired too. Hill pushed it to a totally new level, that send still amazes me.
I would say that it is significant that The Nose has been climbed in a day by a team, free. This brings the route into the domain of cragging, an awesome thought; the level of climbing has increased to that point.
Congratulations to Rodden and Caldwell on the send. I am looking forward to their account of the climb and not to the uninformed wrangling over the minutae...
What is next? the first NIADF ascent by a free soloer?, onsight? I don't care that much, whatever it is I'm sure I'll be impressed if I am still alive... but I have my own interests..
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landcruiserbob
Trad climber
the ville, colorado
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Oct 17, 2005 - 11:37am PT
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I guess the fingers weren't to thin for Beth & Tommy.Great Job/rg
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Burns
Trad climber
Arlington, VA
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Oct 17, 2005 - 11:53am PT
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Way cool, I'm looking forward to the full story.
I think Scott Burke should get a little bit more respect than he seems to, the dude worked his tail off to come so close to acheiving one of the greatest sends in free climbing that the argument about it revolves solely around a (not insignificant) point of style. We Americans usually love underdogs so much, but somehow SB has slipped through the cracks. It is extremely impressive either way.
I love that this route has remained a testpiece for over a decade, and I hope that it will remain so for far longer.
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jiff
Mountain climber
philadelphia
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Oct 17, 2005 - 01:47pm PT
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I thought if you didn't weight the rope it was free, albeit not on lead...
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
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Oct 17, 2005 - 01:53pm PT
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If that's the case, let's just TR everything from now on and call it a day...
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Ca
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Oct 17, 2005 - 01:56pm PT
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AKutzer, you have never followed a route and considered that you had climbed it? What a load of crap! If you swung leads up The Nose you wouldn't consider that you had climbed it? If this is the way things are truely considered now I don't think I want to be involved with that part of the climbing community that thinks this way. Total Bu11sh1t!
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10b4me
Trad climber
On that V2 problem at the Happies
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Oct 17, 2005 - 02:05pm PT
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kudos to Tommy and Beth. I don't them, but have met them, and they are very nice. I agree with Karl, and Ed this is a super achievement. Don't know the details, but I would be willing to guess they climbed this in an ethical manner; and to the naysayers, are you jealous?
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