Don Lauria Climbs Half Dome Summit 1966

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Messages 1 - 75 of total 75 in this topic
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 20, 2010 - 09:44pm PT
A classic grudge match from Summit September 1966.





squatch

Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
Jul 20, 2010 - 10:12pm PT
sweet! thanks for this!

i'm pretty sure my friends father is Don Lauria, i'll have to let her know to poke fun at him for this.
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 20, 2010 - 11:08pm PT
That first pic looks to be mechanical ascenders, not you-know-what knots.
66? I thought we had recent threads that had jumars appearing after that.
Maybe I'm just confused again. Yoo hoo, Don? Guido? Tom C.? Boo Dawg?

Read the article, duh...
couchmaster

climber
pdx
Jul 20, 2010 - 11:24pm PT
That writing cracks me up! Thanks to both Steve and Don!
Roger Breedlove

climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Jul 20, 2010 - 11:28pm PT
Nice trip report, Don. I don't remember it from the the original. I do however remember spending a night in approximately the same place a couple of years later. Over-bivouacked: good phrase.
BooDawg

Social climber
Paradise Island
Jul 20, 2010 - 11:30pm PT
Squatch: Would your friend's name be Kimberly?

If so, here she is in 1966, the same year her dad climbed HD. But this was taken in the fall just after he climbed C-H on Sentinel at the same time Dennis and I did the FA of the Psychedelic Wall. Simultaneously, Schmitz & Madsen did an early ascent of Robbins-Frost "Direct" while other parties were doing Kor-Fredricks & Steck-Salathe. That was 5 parties on different Sentinel routes at one time, unheard of in those days!



Edit: Is the "unknown" guy in black over Hennek's shoulder Chris Jones?



Edit: Survival: I didn't post on the jümar discussions tho I probably should have chimed in. My dad acquired a pair in '64, I think. I'm pretty sure Higgins and I used them early in '66 on HD; certainly Dennis & I used them that fall on the FA of Psychedelic. But there were very few around then.
Watusi

Social climber
Newport, OR
Jul 21, 2010 - 12:46am PT
Super archival stuff SG! Found this: An ascender is a mechanical device used for ascending on a rope. One such device is a Jumar, named after the Swiss factory which developed the first tool for sale in 1958.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 21, 2010 - 10:26am PT
I would be willing to bet that Sentinel never saw that kind of mass assault ever again!
Gene

Social climber
Jul 21, 2010 - 10:56am PT
Mutt and Jeff are, of course,...................
Fuzzywuzzy

climber
suspendedhappynation
Jul 21, 2010 - 11:00am PT
Don's writing is terrific. What history.

Thanks!!!
TomCochrane

Trad climber
Boulder Creek CA
Jul 21, 2010 - 11:13am PT
I was using Jumars in Yosemite in the early 60s, purchased mail order from Sporthaus Shuster in Germany.

I'll be spending this weekend with Layton Kor. I'll ask what he remembers about when he first borrowed them from me. I'm thinking he borrowed them for the first ascent of El Cap West Buttress. Then we used them together on the second ascent of Lower Cathedral Rock N Face.
PhilG

Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
Jul 21, 2010 - 11:24am PT
Thanks again Steve (and Don!)
This writing produces the same humor and enjoyment of climbing today as it did when I first read it.
Cheers, mates!
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 21, 2010 - 11:39am PT
We eventually quit trying to nap, and just shivered and talked about water until dawn.


BWA HA HA hahahaaaaa!!!

One of the best sentences EVER! Been there, done that.
Eric Beck

Sport climber
Bishop, California
Jul 21, 2010 - 01:14pm PT
Summer of 1966 is when I did Half Dome. The percent success was exactly 50%, 11 of 22. This was back when it was still possible to keep track. I counted an attempt if they carried everything all the way up to the wall. Not counted as attempts: racking the hardware in Camp 4 or solemnly declaring intent to climb it in the bar.

I think this was the last summer for the psyche flake; that it came off the following winter.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 22, 2010 - 12:09pm PT
Any pictures of the mythical Psyche Flake? Anyone?
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 03:06pm PT
I'm bumping this up at Survival's request for more info. It's a work in progress. Be patient.
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 22, 2010 - 03:29pm PT
Yes! Thanks Don.

I was just wanting to be sure that you'd find us mucking around in this thread here and join in.

These threads are SOOO much cooler when the original players start chiming in.

Thanks again.
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:06pm PT
I'm having all kinds of memory problems with regard to photo manipulation. This is just an effirt to see results before I inundate the site.

Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:11pm PT
In response to this email message from Survival :

“Don, there is a fun thread going about your 1966 ascent of Half Dome. Please get over there and help us keep that one alive for a bit!”
I submit the following bits of info:

Squatch: I have two daughters, Kimber and Valerie. Which one do you know?

Survival: Yes, those are Jumars. In about a year after Kor introduced me to them on the Leaning Tower I learned to use them properly as opposed the way I used them on the Tower.

Kids on 1966 descent from Half Dome

BooDawg: That’s definitely Christopher A. G. Jones in the black shirt!
Gene: Mutt & Jeff were Pratt and Roper. By the way, I mentioned that Chuck Haas and I rushed to our “refreshment cache”. I actually submitted the article to the editors of Summit magazine (two nice ladies that lived at Big Bear Lake) with the phrase “beer stash”. They, being “nice ladies”, edited “beer” out.

Cochrane: Ask Kor if those were the same Jumars we used on the 3rd ascent of the Leaning Tower.

Kor and BooDawg getting stuff to the base of the Leaning Tower in 1965

Grossman: As for the “mass assault” on Sentinel’s north face, there was a great meeting of clear thinking, straight-laced, gentlemen on the summit ledges. How would the likes of Schmitz & Madsen, Hennek & Boche, and Lauria & Willett spend a celebratory evening without beer? How would they?

survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:22pm PT
Holy buckets Don!
Awesome shot of TG ledge.

And: I think 1965 was the last time anyone approached Leaning Tower with that much snow on the ground!!
Gene

Social climber
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:25pm PT
Thanks for posting Don. Great stuff. Where are the hordes on the cable route?

Please keep posting.
Yes, those are Jumars. In about a year after Kor introduced me to them on the Leaning Tower I learned to use them properly as opposed the way I used them on the Tower.
That was a great story. Yikes!

More, please. Your contributions are very appreciated.

Gene
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:31pm PT
Here's a bit of an enhancement of Kor and BooDawg...

Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:41pm PT
Hey Reilly, I coulda done that.

I taught conmputer science at Bishop Hig School for 17 years. I used to tell my students that "I've been using computers since before they were invented".

I've been using Photoshop since IT was invented. I was in such a hurry to get this stuff on the thread that I just let it slide. Thanks for the help.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:45pm PT
Sorry, no offense meant! It sounds like you could prolly do better :-)
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 04:53pm PT
Actually I tried just now and couldn't really do better - see! I just fiddled with the curve adjustment


Looks like you did a little "dodging and burning" with layers.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:00pm PT
HaHa, you're just trying to make me feel better.
To be honest I used Nikon Capture NX2 which is much faster
and easier than PS for things like this. You just place a
"Color Control Point" on the area you want to adjust,
enlarge or contract the area, and then use the sliders for Hue, Sat, Brightness, Contrast, Red, Green, Blue, and Warmth.

Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:06pm PT
I am a Nikon man (D300)and I have Capture NX2, but I've never used it. Haven't even taken the cellophane off the jewel box. Now you've got me interested.

This is not of much interest to those who expect this thread to stay on subject. Sorry.
squatch

Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:19pm PT
hey Don, oops sorry it's someones elses daughter. gotta get my climbing legend dads straight.

thanks for the additional photos, this is awesome
Roger Breedlove

climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:23pm PT
Hi Don,

Tbe butt shot on TGL may be the only interesting butt shot I have ever seen. I like the psycholical aspects that can be seen in the postiion of your feet.

Cool stuff.

PS: Real climbing dad's don't let their daughters near climbers.
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:27pm PT
Not my feet, Roger! That's Chuck Haas. I have another photo of him standing at the other end that we used in a West Ridge ad in Summit. I'll try to dig it up.
BooDawg

Social climber
Paradise Island
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:28pm PT
Don: Great pix of T-G ledge and your family on the cables! And it’s COOL to see that pic of us trudging up to the tower; without it, it’s hard for anyone to believe how deep the snow was… and how invisible the rocks on that slope were as we slogged up there. Since we don’t have packs on, I think you took that pic on our descent from leaving all the gear at the base the day before you and Kor started up. Looks like we’re going downhill... (What else is new? LOL!)

WOW! You and Reilly really improved its quality! Thanks, guys!

I think the jümars that you and I used on the Tower’s 6th ascent in June of ’65 were mine.

Since you mentioned the summit of Sentinel, here’s the pic that Dennis took with my camera. I think I was swiggin’ water from the jug that you and Conrad climbed with. The “refreshments” came later tho they may not have been beer… More to come on Sentinel…

Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:38pm PT
Boo,

You're right about the direction - no wonder I couldn't figure out the sequence numbers in my stack of slides.

I just ran across all my slides from that ascent. I had forgotten that I had any!
BooDawg

Social climber
Paradise Island
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:41pm PT
Roger: How about a thread about climbers and daughters who hooked up with climbers?? Let's see... Allen Steck, Tom Condon, Guido?, Squatch's friend, many more, I'm sure...

I guess you're thinkin' it's kinda like Willie Nelson's song, "Mama, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," only worse or better...

Well, we're OT now!!
BooDawg

Social climber
Paradise Island
Jul 22, 2010 - 05:43pm PT
Post 'em up Don! They're classic and folks here want to hear and see more!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 22, 2010 - 07:55pm PT
Post the trove!

Nice Sentinel summit shot Boodawg! You guys and these classic snapshots are big fun!

Great red parka shot, Don!
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 23, 2010 - 12:50am PT
Great great great!


Don't worry Don, you are certainly not alone.

I hiked up there three times before I did the Direct NW Face in 78.


And there are many many others.....
Captain...or Skully

Big Wall climber
Transporter Room 2
Jul 23, 2010 - 12:54am PT
Stupid snow pic.
You're just reminding us that we're not HARD.
(dammit)
I wanna be a HardMan, too. Tough row to hoe, that one.
Yowza.
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jul 23, 2010 - 12:58am PT
Indeed Cap'n indeed, ARRGGGHHH!!

Used to be hard, now I am.....Weak Sauce Man!
WBraun

climber
Jul 23, 2010 - 12:59am PT
This thread is "Da Bomb !!"

More photos please .....
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 23, 2010 - 09:26pm PT
Photo bump!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 24, 2010 - 12:07am PT
Gotta love those photos posted by Don and Ken!
brett

climber
oregon
Jul 24, 2010 - 10:51am PT
How old are the two tied together kids on the cables? Wonderful picture!
franky

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 24, 2010 - 01:24pm PT
That shot of Thank God Ledge is AWESOME. That was probably before there were 5 racks of hexes stuck in it. Man, that pitch is great. I thought the squeeze at the end of the ledge was pretty tough! I thought I would do that pitch in my approach shoes, ended up putting on some real shoes for it.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jul 24, 2010 - 01:29pm PT
^^^I thought I would have to put on my crampons but I didn't have any.
Wish I had a picture of me 'sledding' across it. I remember one 1-1/2" angle about midway.
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 24, 2010 - 02:43pm PT
I have a slide of Chuck Haas standing at the end of TGL showing that he had placed one pin somewhere near the middle. I think he was in the process of placing it in the photo showing him lying prone. Not only did he lead this pitch, but as the story relates, he had to backtrack to the middle of the ledge to un-snag the haul line.

The family shot on the cables are from top to bottom: Don, age 8, Valerie, age 9, Kim age 11, and the mother of my children, Anna, age 33. Everyone was tied together with me as the anchor.
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Jul 29, 2010 - 08:46pm PT
Couldn't find the slide so I scanned the ad.

donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jul 29, 2010 - 09:08pm PT
Save lives, be environmentally responsible- get rid of the f*#king cables!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 29, 2010 - 09:33pm PT
What, do they have cables on Thank God Ledge now?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2010 - 11:37pm PT
What no "Thank God for West Ridge Sports!"

Very nice shot with only the one angle in for pro.
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Jul 30, 2010 - 10:33am PT
Great thread!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2010 - 08:09pm PT
Don- Saavy that you worked photos from the ascent into that ad in the same issue!
franky

Trad climber
Ford Pickup Truck, North America
Jul 31, 2010 - 08:18pm PT
I was really happy about those cables on TGL. Must have been scary to lead or follow before those...
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Jul 31, 2010 - 10:07pm PT
Great story, pics, West Ridge add etc.

I especially like the pic of the family roped up...say's allot about the Dad!!
Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 1, 2010 - 04:10am PT
I have been guilty of posting to the "other" threads and haven't been paying attention to the really good stuff. I totally missed these cool old pics and stuff. Twenty pull-ups. Not. maybe five.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 6, 2010 - 11:22am PT
Just one pullup necessary...pull up a chair! And stay a while!
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Apr 9, 2011 - 11:09pm PT
Mike Bolte

Trad climber
Planet Earth
Apr 9, 2011 - 11:34pm PT
Don - that story was really fun to read. I missed it the first time around way back when. Love this thread.
TrundleBum

Trad climber
Las Vegas
Jan 24, 2012 - 11:11pm PT
Bump -
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2012 - 12:58pm PT
Bump for The Don...
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2012 - 04:34pm PT
Octogenerian Bump...
Sarah Garrett

climber
Nov 22, 2013 - 01:41pm PT
Wow! That was my Uncle Charlie who climbed with you. Thanks for this great story about that time in climbing history.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 22, 2013 - 02:09pm PT
Sarah- Get him to chime in here for old times sake!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Nov 22, 2013 - 03:16pm PT
So love it when some of these great history threads come back.
Port

Trad climber
San Diego
Nov 22, 2013 - 03:17pm PT
So cool. Thanks for posting this!
kschmitz@bresnan.net schmitz

Mountain climber
Jackson, Wyoming
Nov 22, 2013 - 07:30pm PT
Don, is it possible to get a copy of the one with Madsen and me. Thanks, Kim Schmitz.
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
Nov 22, 2013 - 09:51pm PT
There are some good lines in that Half-Dome story. Has anyone in Don's family taken up climbing? Don's fun use of 'Weekend Warrior' reminded me of something that happened BITD. I was with Ken McNutt and the American Joe Brown at Stoney Point. Ken made a comment to the effect that we were all weekend warriors and Joe took offense to it, even though his membership in the club couldn't really be questioned. I'm starting to realize just what Ken may really may have meant when used in the self deprecating way Don used it in the story. That's what makes Don's stories fun I think.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - May 17, 2014 - 11:46pm PT
Schmitz Bump...
Peter Haan

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
May 18, 2014 - 12:24am PT
That great opportunity shot of Von Hennek:

mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 21, 2014 - 10:03am PT
Bump for Old School Radicals!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2015 - 01:34pm PT
Bump for the Fateful Flakes of Yesteryear!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2017 - 11:12am PT
Bump for the Don...
Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Nov 23, 2017 - 01:27pm PT
Okay Steve,

I'll chime in. Up coming ... a seven part Saga of the 1975 American Karakoram Expedition. Not the 1975 American K2 Expedition, the other American expedition - the one that nobody remembers and there is no reason anyone should. Read it and find out why.

The seven parts (with over 130 photos) are tentatively entitled:

Prologue
Far Flight
Pindi Pieces
Baltoro Byway - 23 Skardu
Lobsang Lullaby
Aspiring Aspirations
Homeward Hassle
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2017 - 02:15pm PT
Looking forward to it Don.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours on the Eastside.
Cheers!
F10

Trad climber
Bishop
Nov 23, 2017 - 03:44pm PT
Great read, missed this one.
Summit Mag was a good one
WBraun

climber
Nov 23, 2017 - 04:18pm PT
seven parts (with over 130 photos)


Good stuff post em up!

The real days when men climbed in big boots and bivied in a wool blanket :-)
Messages 1 - 75 of total 75 in this topic
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