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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 8, 2009 - 12:02am PT
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Sierra Club trips at Tahquitz Rock, near Idylwild California, would generally meet up in the morning at Lunch Rock a much smaller crag near the base, not far from a Route called the Switchbacks. It is a short easy scramble from the uphill side, but as I recall from the top you can look out over the treetops on the downhill side.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Just a note. RR was using a Sticht belay plate before anyone else. I am talking the 1970/71 winter. I hated it of course because he was kind of funky using it for my leads; Shortroping of course. He was so pre-occupied then, tortured almost. But all said and done, he was ushering a lot of the stuff we take as basic today. My perception then was that he was old but awfully cool. You see, he was forty or so, back then. Ancient. Today, I am 61 and RR must be about 80.
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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Dang that story sounds familiar, but I don't remember it being RR!
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Best thing about reading your story is that it brings back the flavor of those years. Here's to the view from Lunch Rock!
Thanks for your post.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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ah, the good old days!
gotta get back to Tahquitz after many years away (probably something like 40?!) my first lead was there with the Riverside chapter RCS... pitons, goldline, RRs... and hip belays...
basically climbing can't be all that unsafe, most of us seemed to survive it
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MH2
climber
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Most of us survived? Any exceptions care to post up?
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WBraun
climber
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The title "The day I could have killed Royal Robbins" sounds like something out of a spy novel.
And the secret agent let him escape ........
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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there was controversy about the stich-plate
not providing a "dymanic enough" belay for
a while too, but it mainly ended pretty quick,
tho Ed Leeper maintained his "campaign"
for some time :-)
PH, your comments shed valuable light on RR
as a real human being, one of rock climbings
most treasured heros.
My respect for him only grows.
many thanks
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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The best part of your story Dick is that you didn't tell anyone so you could still attract climbing partners. Royal was about 22 when he climbed Half Dome in 1957 (born in 1935). Pretty amazing stuff.
By the way, your thread title should read, "The day Royal Robbins almost killed me."
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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"Most of us survived? Any exceptions care to post up?"
That's funny!
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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ha. I took the thread title to mean "The day (I was so angry) I could have killed RR". then I read the piece and my first thought was "why are you so angry, was that RR's fault?" A second reading got it straight, but it sounds like you were the one closer to getting killed. Next time try the standing shoulder belay. It worked for years I hear.
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Nate D
climber
San Francisco
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Thanks for sharing the tale, Dick!
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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do that in this day and age and they put you away.
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scuffy b
climber
Whuttiz that Monstrosicos Inferno?
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It's more than ten days now since I last used a hip belay without being
anchored.
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Flanders!
Trad climber
June Lake, CA
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what ever happen to "the leader must not fall", the cread of the day I believe ?
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Hawkeye
climber
State of Mine
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Too Funny
Makes me think of "Advanced Rockcraft" where Royal disses the use of belay devices as extraneous gear! If only he knew?
Peace
Karl
i would argue that being anchored is the point, not what belay device.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Mar 31, 2011 - 07:20pm PT
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Bump
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GnomicMaster
Mountain climber
Ventana Wilderness
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Mar 31, 2011 - 07:35pm PT
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Anyone remember that cartoon in an old Summit magazine (maybe an Ascent?), circa 1970/71 that depicted RR as a super-hero replete with cape and his initials "RR" in the center of the costume's chest area? The cartoon shows RR hanging onto a blank, featureless over-hanging face with one hand while with the other hand he's reaching behind his back and into what should be his chalk bag. The caption of the cartoon said "My god, he's reaching for the grease!"
That was the aura that surrounded RR in those days. There was the sense that if RR couldn't climb it nobody could. But then came the Bachars and Osmans and Crofts and Herseys and Yabos and Gullichs et al, and suddenly they were reaching for the grease, if you get the metaphor. Ropes became passe' for that very rare breed of men, but it was RR who pioneered the belief that the impossible was possible if the mind had the power.
Now there's Honnold who free-solo'd RR's great route up Half Dome. I must wonder, who will attempt to free-solo the Nose? It's do-able, but who will chance it? Odds of a screamer are huge.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Mar 31, 2011 - 08:16pm PT
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Great stuff! But WHY didn't you at least give it a try??
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