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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 6, 2010 - 10:06pm PT
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The Gunks, a memoir
I have an incomplete memory of the climbs I did in the 'Gunks, from about 1980 we climbed in the summer and fall whenever we could get away from our studies as graduate students, and later as post docs and eventually professor. The most recent date noted in my guidebook is 2000; I wish it hadn't been that long but it has.
The climbs I did there are certainly not the harder grades, though the 'Gunks grading has a fearsome reputation. I always attributed that to the rather unique style of climbing demanded by the topography, inverted steps, and of the type of rock: Shawangunk conglomerate, and maybe the heat and humidity of the summers but surely the length of the strength sapping winters at a time when there were no climbing gyms.
While Yosemite is a sacred place to me, the 'Gunks seem homey, a beloved place with very fond memories. Though a place where important lessons were learned and cat-lives lost. If you have never climbed there I am sorry for you, that place, like many others, has changed over the intervening decades and a bit of those times will never return.
SuperTopo does tend to be very west-coast centric, but at least there are climbers of note in the 'Gunks' history which post here regularly: John Stanard and Richard Goldstone. I would think about posting this over on the local 'Gunks site, but there are more than one and I never know which one is "the real one." Besides, this is my "internet" home for climbing, more or less... except when I'm climbing and posting on the Wyde Side.
I was not a part of the "climbing scene" of that era, either, as we tended to be weekenders, and often only day trippers. But even for that, it was a place I climbed that made me a better climber.
My partner on this climb is still a close friend, then a fellow graduate student of physics at Columbia U. Here he starts his lead on V-3 5.7. Somehow this is not notated in my guide until 1984, yet we must have done it in 1980, here are the pictures! mixed in with others dating to that year.
The rack is a set of Chouinard Stoppers and a set of Chouinard Hexes, some tied slings and a bunch of 'biners. Mike is wearing his EBs, I don't remember what the harnesses were, except that we were using harnesses.
Here Mike moves right then up into the obvious vee-slot...
Here I am following:
(the film changed somehow during this pitch, I must have been climbing slowly, this was our first outing).
I think that this Mike on Funny Face 5.5
with me on the second pitch lead
and wondering if it were going to rain....
And here on Baby 5.6
moving past his second of four protection points on the first pitch.
In 1984, driving North on the New York State Thruway, I-87, early on a July day
in Lawrence's Ford "Siesta" (as he had dubbed it).
Mike following up to the 'Grand Traverse Ledge'
on pretty typical ground. Route descriptions in the Trapps tend to be pretty much the same: climb through the overhangs to the grand traverse ledge. Exit ledge through overhangs to the top.
White painters pants work pretty good, as do fashionable red bandanas...
I think that chalk bad might still be kicking around in the closet or out in the garage someplace.
Here Mike consults the Williams' "Red" guidebook for options
and a hazy view of Sky Top off in the distance
More summer days in 1985 as Mike prepares to alley-oop on Alley Oop 5.7
and the end-of-day top roping, high concentration on Phoebe 5.10
Mike was soon to move off to Fermilab, and I to UMass. Lawrence and I continued to get together to climb in the 'Gunks, only ~2.5 hours from Amherst, MA, sorta like from Livermore to Yosemite.
Here Lawrence utilizes two rope rigging on Son of Easy O 5.8
My graduate student Jorge's first time out in September of 1987, up Southern Pillar 5.2
apparent stoke...
And the nightmare graduate student scenario, your advisor belaying you up Ribs 5.4
Memory of some very good times
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adam d
climber
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Nice! I love the Gunks too!
That 3 Doves shot is actually Son of Easy O I believe...
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Mark Rodell
Trad climber
Bangkok
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I only climbed there once, a nice weekend. I was in grad school at Syracuse and had just bought a Chey van, bed, sink and lights. It was cozy. Drove a friday night and parked in a turnout near where the carriage rd hits the main road. Wasn't sure if it was cool to car camp there but it was close to midnight. I was up before dawn and and hung out at where there was some sign on the carriage rd, telling of the "rules" of the Gunks. I was in luck, the first person I saw was looking for a partner. Forget the guys name. He put on body building shows in the N.Y.,N.J. area. He'd only been climbing for a few years but was strong and safe and had a passion for the sport. I think we did ten climbs the first day and five on Sunday before I had to drive back to school. Great place. At first, I couldn't believe that some of the routes were rated 5.7 because they look from the base to be much tougher. Took a few climbs before I was willing to lead harder stuff.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Ed, some great shots from back in the day. Although the Gunks are small and friendly, I think it is possible to underestimate the challenge of heading up a very steep face with absolutely no idea where or whether protection will be found. Cams have made the likelihood of getting something in far greater than back in the day, when all you had were nuts and stoppers, and engineering various opposed contraptions while all the strength drained from your forearms was the order of the day.
A correction to one of your shots: The picture you have labeled as Three Doves is actually the second pitch (or the top of the run-together first pitch) of Son of Easy Overhang.
And then there are those memorable summer days of 1885, when we used to go out in our tweeds, Alpenstocks in hand, and thrill to the sound of tricouni nails scratching their way up...up...Alley Oop? 5.7 in 1885? I wonder if Oliver Perry-Smith knew about this.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nice. The Gunks on a clear, crisp Fall day are hard to beat.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Nice!
Some of my friends were out climbing today. I had two invites, but had to work. Cannot wait to get out again, and your pictures are some great routes. I finally went up V-3 this year - what a nice route. Maybe I'll be able to lead it this year.
Sure can't park along 44-55 like that anymore though. I've had some old timers say that change(no more street parking) was one of the primary changes that make the Gunks so "it'll never be the same."
So lucky to have learned to climb here, and call it my home crag. One of the great things about the Gunks is that it really is a crossroads of climbing. Not only the US but for climbers the world over.
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adam d
climber
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a few more Gunks shots...
2 followers on Jackie, one on her first Gunks climb ever.
the roof at the beginning of p2 of Birdie Party
Modern Times and the High E buttress
Looking up at Son of Easy O (done in 1 pitch)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2010 - 12:11am PT
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I was wondering why that film stock was so faded.. 1885, hand tinted too!
thanks for the corrections... 30 year old notes aren't as complete as you thought they would be when you wrote them...
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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I'm booting this to the top of the page....
Group effort On Any Monday ^^^^^
Welcome to The Gunks....or Laughing Man....I forget which. ^^^^^
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jstan
climber
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One summer's day I was standing at the waterpipe with the person who had created the Gunks' "Friendly Feeling" since the first day Hans and Fritz had showed up. He studied the pipe for a moment. Then mused, "Too bad this water is not able to reduce the birth rate a little."
Given a choice, sometimes even when not given a choice, humans seem always to prefer the extreme to the middle. From whence do you suppose that comes?
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Great post Ed!
I suppose we have some youngsters here who may not realize that jstan and rgold are legendary figures in the development of free climbing at the Gunks.
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jstan
climber
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You don't really see animals behaving this way. There the extreme usually carries with it risk of injury/death.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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When the squirrels sh#t in the water supply upstream the pipe,not the birth rate per se,but perhaps the population might be reduced.That memorable incident was the last time I took solice there indeed.
Edit to add: True words jstan. So many times we humans assume the critters feast on the carcasses of other similar sized creatures boldly taken in death matches,only to learn that wolves live on mice.
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L
climber
Hangin' by a thread and lookin' for my wings
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Allllllrighty then! We're back in TR-Heaven and life is looking mighty fine!
Fantastic TR, Ed. Loved the old photos...and this one will live in my mind forever...or at least until Edzilla: The Sequel manifests...heh-heh-heh...(jus' kiddin' wid ya!)
That is such a classic!
Many thanks, Ed.
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taorock
Trad climber
Okanogan, WA
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the 'Gunks seem homey, a beloved place with very fond memories. Though a place where important lessons were learned and cat-lives lost.
I love this Ed. For me that place is the Flatirons and Eldo - mostly as a teenager and in my early 20's.
"Cat-lives lost" is spot on!
I was lucky to be able to partake in the Gunks especially on one lengthy trip in 1976. The routes were incredible and the beauty made this westerner revise many misperceptions about the east coast.
Thanks for this thread.
tao
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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That reminds me, I should plan a trip soon.
As an occasional visitor, one thing that has always intimidated me on Gunks leads is the slightly slippery character of the quartzite, even when it's not humid (and often it is humid). The pebble footholds and smearing often feel just a little less secure than a sandstone-and-granite climber expects.
In that respect and some others, Rumney is the anti-Gunks. You can put your foot almost anywhere and those mica razor blades dig in to the rubber and hold it.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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I had contemplated posting just about exactly the same Chiloe.After beginning on a shale cliff,the Gunks rock seemed fabulous to me,and the pro too.I never placed much stock in the "stout gradings" concept,it was the only GOOD rock I'd ever climbed on.Later when I began to climb granite,I had to learn smearing,which we rarely did in the Gunks,especially on that smooth bullet quartzite.Now when I go back there,I find the tiny footwork a fierce effort,compounded by my not so great eyesight...lol.
This is Dirty Gerdie, led it barefoot a few times BITD,last trip it seemed desperate in modern shoes!
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Vulcan
Sport climber
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Rgold
I never thought of the Gunks as "small". Four major cliffs
in the guide plus Lost City. Many crags behind Lost City.
Then there is the Gap and more rock off of Crag Road.
And now the Lake is open.
Maybe small in that most climbs are 3 pitches or less.
Anyway it's in my list of top crags in the USA.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Well, since we're talking 1800s here, I might as well post an old photo of High E that's been up before. Other than the first fixed pin at the beginning, I somehow missed all the rest and ended up running it out to the top, fingers totally numb from the cold. A full value on-sight of this 5.6 classic to be sure.
Which serves to emphasize the epics that can be had even on cliffs that are not too tall, on climbs with nominally humble ratings. Although a California climber originally (well, one roped climb before heading NE for college) and now, I credit the Gunks and NH as the places where I learned what climbing really was about, and learned how to stay in one piece depending on wits and focus rather than gear. There is nowhere else but Tahquitz with such an offering of total classics at every level of difficulty.
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