Discussion Topic |
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 12, 2010 - 04:00pm PT
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Back when shopping decisions were simpler...Who shopped here BITD?
These early catalogs provide a clear source for lots of exotic early hardware including Eiger carabiners.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:43pm PT
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I've been looking for a new descending hammer.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:44pm PT
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Quaint!
I have a pdf copy of MEC's first catalogue, from December 1971, but it's 2 MB, so not really postable.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:47pm PT
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Mighty Nonsense, it is too. What do you think Steve's posts are, usually. You need to get Photobucket (pro), the size is unlimited, by the way, among many other features.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:48pm PT
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I remember seeing one of those 'descending hooks' and thinking,
"Who designed this, Vincent Price?"
Still have some of those boss ice screws.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:49pm PT
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MEC's first catalogue is 19 pages, and the scan is a single document - someone else's pdf. A page by page scan would be no problem to post, using the SuperTopo or PB system. Reducing a single document that is 19 pages and 2.1 MB to postable size (~100 KB) would make it unreadable. I'll see if I can get it in broken down/postable pieces.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 12, 2010 - 04:50pm PT
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I have some repetition but just passed 2500 images in my account! LOL
Classic selection of Marwas...
The slenderest will certainly work as a corkscrew!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:56pm PT
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MIghty Acrobat, of course you can take a portion of your PDF. That is how it had to have been originated anyway, scanned-in pages that were joined in a workbook in Acrobat.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 12, 2010 - 04:56pm PT
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Stevie,
Have you and Mimi broken ground for the new Museum North yet?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 12, 2010 - 04:58pm PT
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Still working on all fronts...
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Dec 12, 2010 - 06:53pm PT
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Great catalog blast from the 60's Steve. I don't recall Eiger as a climbing gear distributor in the 1970's, but a distributor named Liberty Organization was based in the same area of California. Maybe they bought out Eiger?? Anyone remember??
Liberty Mountain, a similarly named distributor, with HQ in Utah: only shows a timeline back to 1998 on their website.
On another thread on ST, a question came up about Eiger history. Here is what I found out at the time.
Took a while to find out more about Eiger USA history. Bruce Franks from Asolo & Lowe finally supplied to me the fact that Eiger USA was owned by Mike Sturm.
As soon as I did the Goggle search on that-----of course I ended up right back at SuperTopo where Ed Bannister had answered the question all the way back in Sept 2009.
From Ed Bannister on this thread;
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/948137/Gear_History_what_did_EB_stand_for
Mike Sturm, who originated the Eiger brand in the US
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2009 - 01:25pm PT
Mike Sturm was quite a guy, he had Stanley and later his son Peter Brozek in Pasadena make the Eiger and later the Liberty carabiner, what a piece of junk. When I went to work for Liberty as Technical product manager, I had KC Putnam deal with Brozek, I did not want to be associated in any way with that carabiner, and yes, if you still have any, take them off your rack. |
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ec
climber
ca
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Dec 12, 2010 - 09:17pm PT
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We used to say, "Give me Liberty and give me Death!"
 ec
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 13, 2010 - 12:44am PT
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Wow, great catalog!
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Cliff wiliams
Trad climber
nj
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Dec 13, 2010 - 09:06am PT
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This was really helpful I have an Allain biner like the one pictured
I was thinking it was from 1960s..Now I know
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Dec 13, 2010 - 09:27am PT
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Fritz...i believe i visited the Liberty warehouse back in 74...i think it was in Sunland...? funky equipment as i recall...rj
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Dec 13, 2010 - 05:01pm PT
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Steve
Boy that brings back memories: Would have been around 1972, I remember the head or distributor for Eiger and that was not the only catalog they had or distributed. Coming back from lunch with him, bought a couple of things cannot recall but on climbing. Gave me current catalog and couple of other catalogs that were under the shelve. We both had funny backgounds.
They also were distributors for let’s see what would you call them? Weapons: One that caught my eye was a prototype for an automatic shot gun. Googled it up and was known back then as the AA-12 Auto Assault -12 or Atchisson Assault Shotgun manufactured in ’72. Guy bought up the rights to it and made some changes now known as USAS-12. Should have bought one when I had the chance Oh! well had other things on my mind besides those.
Will have to dig it up [catalogs I mean]. Give me some time, got me going on this one.
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Dec 13, 2010 - 05:45pm PT
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This would have been in La Canada on Foothill Blvd. Plus it was not really a store per say where they had all stuff out to look at. If I recall from the discussion most likely they were feeling out the market for their goods,climbing that is. Got a good discount.
Then moved to other location at some time.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 13, 2010 - 05:51pm PT
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Page 1 from MEC's first catalogue, December 1971. If this works, and is readable, I have pages two and three.
I still have a few Eiger death ovals. They were sold in the early 1970s by Mountain Craft, the tiny store upstairs from MEC's first 'real' outlet, in the classic Dominion building.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2010 - 08:09pm PT
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Readable from here!
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Dec 14, 2010 - 01:56pm PT
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Steve, classic equipment thread. Love the first scan: E I G E R !!!!
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Dec 14, 2010 - 02:05pm PT
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Fatty
In and around that area, remember going to Sport Chalet after the meeting.
Also they used one of the shotguns in a movie had drum and recall 11 or twelve shots.
Will find it sometime this week.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 15, 2010 - 06:04pm PT
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Page 2 (of 3), in the continuing blast from the past.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Dec 15, 2010 - 06:08pm PT
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Is this like the 12 days of x-mas?
At this rate, it'll be into the new year...
Ha ha.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 15, 2010 - 11:44pm PT
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Decades ago when I plucked this from a route in the Wind Rivers I wondered who in the world made stainless steel ring angles?
Eiger, of course!
Pate- I always trail some red avalanche cord at home...LOL
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 18, 2010 - 02:34pm PT
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A shot of the classic Eiger oval carabiner. When I made my first gear purchase in 1970, I bought five blue and red anodized Eigers. I still carry a very faded red one on my Doltpin.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Dec 18, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
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Sh#t,.My whole rack consisted of those eiger ovals...never knew they were so dangerous..? ignorance is bliss...rj
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 18, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
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Always best not to fall anyhow...LOL
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Dec 18, 2010 - 02:59pm PT
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I've got the Heavy Pointed Hammer, Climbing Ladder, a few aluminum biners and assorted pins. I think the hammer was made by Stubai.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 18, 2010 - 03:07pm PT
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Luckily, the top layer is soft goods so I can usually swim out!
It's the abseiling hammers that I find funny! Very Clip and Go European! Give 'em a tap on the way down...
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Dec 18, 2010 - 04:48pm PT
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Steve, Nice Eiger catalog!
What is cool is that it shows Leeper hangers without the final angle cut. Ed Leeper first sold the hangers in 1964 as the shape shown. He added the extra cut over the carabiner hole two years later to the shape that most people see rusting away at the crags today.
Doug Black from AZ in the early 1960s made bolts and piton angles with stainless steel welded rings like the photo shown. I am not sure that Eiger made angles?
Leeper "N" shaped pitons......I always called them Leeper Zs
I believe the Aluminum Bong Bongs and Chromolly Bongs are LONGware.
Rock on! Marty
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Dec 18, 2010 - 05:03pm PT
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baby angles .85 cents!!!!!!!!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2010 - 02:05pm PT
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Eiger Bump!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Dec 19, 2010 - 05:27pm PT
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Is this like the 12 days of x-mas? At this rate, it'll be into the new year... Aren't art critics a pain?
The last page of MEC's first catalogue/manifesto.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2010 - 05:32pm PT
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Seven Geese A Pluckin'...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2010 - 06:50pm PT
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Spin the dial forward to the early seventies and The Eiger Company has become Eiger Mountain Sports Corporation. I have no pricelist for this one and so no definite date.
Just in case the importing aspect was in doubt! Ledergoods!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 19, 2010 - 07:09pm PT
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Not a big stretch to say that these folks were as big an importing operation as any short of REI or EMS.
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Dec 20, 2010 - 02:12am PT
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Steve, The Eiger catalog is wonderful! I wish it had a date on it.
The Eiger nut on wire is probably a tough collectors item to find. So many people created this piece with no mfg stamp.
Mammuth(misspelled) Mammut Bicoin Bi-Keil Chockstone was produced in 1969. They came in three sizes and are made out of red plastic with single hole through the nut for webbing.
The Baby MoAc is cool! The nuts were cast from molds, not chopped extrusions.
Stubai is misspelled throughout the catalog. The Clog Bongs look nice. I have yet to see any of them.
Lederhosen with embroidered suspenders...........and they laugh at my Zebra tights!
Rock on! Marty
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France.
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Dec 20, 2010 - 03:38am PT
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What an interesting document Steve! Thank you.
Here is a very modest Eiger Hexagon museum.
The Mammut Bi-Keil (Bi-Coin in French) mentioned in the Eiger catalog but not pictured. Marty here they are!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 20, 2010 - 12:43pm PT
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Nice Mammut nuts! I bet those sold like popcicles in Iceland! LOL
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Dec 20, 2010 - 01:51pm PT
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Great catalog Steve, thanks.
I like the odd spellings, like Stubei for Stubai (already noted above), and "fiffi" hook (for those particularly "iffy" placements?
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Dec 20, 2010 - 02:03pm PT
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Steve
Thinking this is the one that I have. Will look today or by this week.
Edelrid rope thinking I bought.
Might have price list as well.
Nice find.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 20, 2010 - 02:17pm PT
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Always best not to guess and these catalogs are gold!
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setnei
Mountain climber
Warshington
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Dec 20, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
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I totally love the fact that you could buy lederhosen AND hardware in one stop...
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scuffy b
climber
Three feet higher
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Dec 20, 2010 - 02:58pm PT
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And a chisel holder, with replaceable chisel
You didn't see a lot of Eiger D carabiners
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BMcC
Trad climber
Livermore
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Dec 20, 2010 - 03:10pm PT
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Trust those biners?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 21, 2010 - 12:56am PT
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Not me! You could hand stretch those Eigers almost to gate contact.
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rockjockrob
Boulder climber
Tempe, Arizona
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Dec 22, 2010 - 04:16pm PT
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It may be possible to date this catalog roughly based on the true hexagon shape of the Eiger Hexes. I am not sure when, but at some point in the early seventies the hexes were elongated making them only symetric on one axis. Does it make this a 65 or a 70 catalog, I don't know.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2010 - 11:07pm PT
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This would seem to be pre-1973...more on this soon.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 8, 2011 - 11:34pm PT
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Anyone else have Eiger catalogs for show and tell?
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 12, 2011 - 01:37am PT
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Stubai Marwa ice screw differences:
I noticed that there are two versions of the Marwa ice screws. It looks like the earlier screws have an extra twist of metal where the metal rod attaches to itself. The two versions can be seen in the two different Eiger catalogs posted earlier in this thread.
I am not exactly sure when these Marwa ice screws were first marketed, but I was told they go back to the 1950s.
Top two screws are first generation (available in two sizes) and bottom three screws are second generation (available in three sizes).
Rock on! Marty
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 12, 2011 - 02:34am PT
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As if they weren't going to pull out before the 'wire' deformed and came unwound?
Pretty funny :-)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 12, 2011 - 10:27pm PT
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I just saw these go on ebay...That 4" Clog bong is a real doorstop but I haven't ever held one!
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 12, 2011 - 10:44pm PT
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Steve,
You mention the Clog 4" bong is a real doorstop. Are you referring to the bongs shown in your photos as Clog? The left two bongs are from SMC. The steel 4" bong shown in the photo on the right is a Chouinard. You can see the Chouinard symbol in the second photo. Jim Bridwell told me that the solid steel Chouinard bongs are really rare. Jim gave me one years ago that Chouinard personally gave to him. Jim kept his in mint condition and never used it. I saw this auction on ebay and was quite tempted to obtain it but didn't. So somebody out there got a real gem.
Steve, did you by chance win the (piton/Holubar) auction that was just a string of old unused bolt hangers? The auction ended yesterday.
Rock on! Marty
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2011 - 12:35am PT
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Right you are! I thought it was Clog by the pinch near the eye and the rivet weight.
I won the eight Holubar pitons auction not the misc bolt hangers or any of the others in that group. Impressive bunch of hardware!
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 13, 2011 - 12:50am PT
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I agree! Great auction score if you had the bucks to obtain them. Most of the gear in those Holubar auctions was from the 1940/1950 era and in mint condition. Drats.....I wonder who won those hangers?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2011 - 12:55am PT
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Something unusual about those ring hangers?
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 13, 2011 - 12:50pm PT
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The auction has ended but it is ebay #380304979440
If you click on the auction ended photo it will give you the original photos back for viewing.
In the auction is 4 different bolt hangers.
Qty 7 - strap ring style hangers circa late 1940s
Qty 1 - ring bolt hanger - where the ring is part of the bolt.
Qty 1 - ? - looks like an aluminum cut piton but could be a manufactured hanger
Qty 1 - ? - which is hard to see but there is a angle bent hanger that touches the piton hanger that is unknown. You can find it easier by looking at the rawl thread bolts. Looks like early LONGware but has an aluminum look to it.
I am curious on what the two ? bolts look like and if there is a mfg stamp on them.
Rock on! Marty
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 13, 2011 - 08:23pm PT
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I'll find out for you...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2011 - 02:54pm PT
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Chouinard Equipment released the Hexentric in 1971. No sooner did the symetrical shape hit the market and the call for the eccentric Hexentric began. Though it pissed off the fabricators mightily, the reconfigured eccentric Hexentric hit the market in 1973.
In a rare example of Chouinard equipment making hardware that doesn't bear the name, the original proprietary symetrical stock was sold to Eiger to sell as their own sometime shortly after 73. Eiger sold equilateral hexagonal nuts bearing their stamp prior to 1973.
This shot shows three marking variations on the Eiger Hexentrics. The small Eiger stamp and number is the same as the markings on the hexagonal stock derived nuts.
In one of those quirks that drive collectors mad, the small Eiger stamp #6 is the same as the number only #5!
The second mark is a simple number only.
The third mark is a large Eiger stamp and numbers.
Hopefully someone familiar with Eiger goods can set chronology on these markings. The quality of milling and finish work is the other indicator.
A set of number only Eiger hexentrics #3-#6 sleeved and wired in the characteristic Eiger fashion. The Eiger cabling scheme is definitive.
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 25, 2011 - 05:03pm PT
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More Eiger Hexes.........
Rock on! Marty
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2011 - 05:06pm PT
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Marty- Do you think that the big Eiger stamp and number came last chronologically?
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 25, 2011 - 06:48pm PT
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The Eiger heavy hexagon shape hexes were mfgd before the Chouinard 1971 A-symetrical hex shape copy. I believe that the Eiger hexes that just have a number and no MFG stamp were hexes created in the 1980s for other companies to distribute not under the Eiger name. Or Eiger had another manufacturer make them and then sold them under the Eiger name. This however is just a guess.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2011 - 07:00pm PT
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The original Hexentric stock was proprietary so those hexagonal nuts could have been made and sold until Eiger contracted with Chouinard Equipment.
Chouinard wouldn't have licensed the use until spring of 1973 at the earliest. Tom Frost doesn't recall much about the deal specifically beyond dismissing my suggestion that Eiger otherwise came upon a lot of original Hexentric stock.
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karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
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Jan 25, 2011 - 07:15pm PT
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Observing the two Eiger catalogs shown in this thread, the earlier catalog has Chouinard products for sale and the later (possibly 1969/70 catalog) has no Chouinard products even listed. Maybe Eiger and Chouinard wern't getting along at the time? I am not sure what patent laws there were in the late 1960s but Eiger could have just as well copied the 1971 Chouinard A-Symetrical extrusions. Chouinard changed their Hexentric design shortly after and probably didn't care that Eiger continued to sell them? Just a guess..
Example...The Canadian Camarads sold for many years even though Wild Country had a strong Patent on their Friend camming device. One country makes the product for another country to sell it to a third country.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
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I bet that there was money to be made on a non-competitive product already set up for production. Eiger likely ran into difficulty using existing hexagonal stock because it was too heavy (past the size of the nuts you just posted).
It costs real money to have dies designed, made and set up for production.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2011 - 07:27pm PT
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Eiger Bump...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 19, 2011 - 03:49pm PT
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The marking ambiguity even goes back into the original hexagonal nuts. I picked up a partial set recently.
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jun 19, 2011 - 07:43pm PT
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Gotta love those Leeper "N"-shaped pitons in that Eiger catalog price list. I still have my Liberty ovals that I purchased as a youth . . . chalkbag and dog leash biners only.
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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I'm not so sure that choices were simpler back then. I mean... how the hell do you decide between Austrian and Bavarian Lederhosen? And sh#t... all those hammers. I'd get all twisted up trying to decide either.
mal
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2012 - 10:40pm PT
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But you know when the mallet arrives in the mail and you're drivin' iron...you made the right choice! LOL
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 14, 2012 - 11:13pm PT
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Where was this thread a few days back when I got all hexcentimental?
Purty chockies, Steve.
drool...
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 15, 2012 - 12:15am PT
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This pair of photos were taken near the end of an epic trip, and show the shaked down DORF in a rest stop in Merced on 140, that "bridge of sighs and fond goodbyes" for homeward-bound Yosemite travelers, the last decent view of the Yosemite for many, the "Bradley Overhead," so-called, crossing the Santa Fe which comes in from Planada. You've been there.
Recently it is being modernized and it's partly the UC's fault, but that's subject that's over my head and of local interest only. And yet Yosemite traffic will see the results in 2014.
Anyway, the friend we phoned from the rest stop, Jack Walter Meade, jetted over to jive with the Flames, being one of the originals in Merced. Muskrat and I had been to Eiger and taken a leisurely route back with the booty destined for Tuolumne Sporting Goods. Who here has done business with the Reverend and TSG?
Jacky got off his Triumph and we all gathered around the back end of the van, opened it for his viewing an let him feast his flat lander eyes on what the mountain men were up to this winter. It was February, 1971.
We didn't have as much gear by far as Jeff had intended to get and he says this is why, from the horse's mouth.
He got in with someone to show a purchase order and they took us to the warehouse and there was a staggering amount sf inventory at that time. And the man politely explained why it was not for sale. It was the custom to place your orders well in advance so that they could be imported, and this gear was largely spoken for. Well, Jeff was not put off, just accepted it as his due for being a n00b at buying wholesale. TSG was off to a rip-roaring start.
Sigh.
But he did score several hundreds worth of goodies, and this is what Jacky got to see. At least one set of new Bonna 2100s for Jeff's use. Maybe another set, I think some Bonna 2400s. Does that sound right? For the Silvrettas? Bindings, maybe a half dozen pins, a few sets of Silvrettas, some skins, WAX, WAX, and lots of extras, heating and scraping and corking tools, pine tar remover, ski tips, ice ax tips, and some skis for others who asked him to get them.
We had to visit Monterey on the way up, stopped in to visit Brother Don, got some blow so we could rap the night away with our old friend from the year we all lived in PG. My treat. Jeff sneezed it into the shag rug. We turned to Coors. Left for Berkeley next day, picked up Skeeter and his friendly lass along when visiting the North Face and Horton. We already had Mike Dwyer (with the Rev) who we picked up twixt Monterey and Berkeley. Monter. Berkel. Ey.
The last lap from here to Degnan's Dorms was done by DORF in a record* one hour and forty-five minutes, by my navigator's timepiece, including the load, myself, Jeff, our sh#t, the three passengers and their sh#t.
Six cylinders. Three speed on the column. Extra stringer in the body, a biggie that pre-dated the wider Chevy vans so vulgar and cheap they made a song up over it. Gack... Chevy...
And the Reverend never lies!
*I put this record in the shade several times, but never this fully-loaded.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 15, 2012 - 12:51am PT
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A further true story of a trip to Eiger on behalf of Curry Company, same vehicle, the brave and worthy DORF, my new bride Dolores riding shotgun. "Currrry, Babe, it's freezing in here." We started off this trip in virgin snow going up to the Wawona Tunnel, no chains, blissfully in command.
I am remembering right now.
Gosh, I think it was in January, the hemming and hawing of where in the hell to put the XC rental stock where it was best for the renters had ended. and the place had gone from the original building by the Village PO to the Lodge Gift Shop (if you can believe it), only to go back to square one a short time later. Dolores and I had a chance each day to visit at lunch in the caf on our meal tickets, and at our breaks. We had a room in the top floor of Tecoyah in the Village and used the window reefer to keep our food. Two single beds pushed together.
Idyllic.
So the trip continued with not problem, fortunately for the bliss factor, and the trip stopped short at the Grapevine for many hours of snooze. I was glad to have chosen the alpine start. "Our spot in the queue was real close to the head of the line, but behind some other guys."
We descended on Ike and Shari with all the glee imaginable between a recent bride and her "old married sister." Ike and I sat around burning the midnight oil and some of his stash, getting to know one another a lot better, thinking of possiblities for the future. Shari cooked up her famous enchiladas, too. Yet more bliss. We adjouned to the DORF in the Sideway Driveway. Yet MORE BLISS! And we had panny cakes for breakfast.
We got on the road, heading east on 118 from its intersection with 101 at what Ike and Shari called Okie Flats. Ike had lived there all his life and had a good gig installing well pumps with his pop, Ike Senior.
We got to Eiger, presented the purchase order, rolled the van to the doors and they got our stuff together. The route over the Grapevine was clear and we had no trouble with returning to the Valley, stopping in Bykersfield at one of the all-time eateries on the way through the San Jaoquin Valley. We fed and sped. Through fog, you betcha. As thick as frozen peanut butter. Nastier than the porn I bought to enliven things at Tecoyah. You know those little decks of playing cards sold out of a vending machine. These were accepted with less glee than I would have hoped.
Pulling in late-late, we parked the van, she and I got a few hours, she got dressed for work and I ran her to the Lodge, caught breakfast, and met Len Singer at the Curry Wsrehouse. We off-loaded and I reported to the shop and left Len to the receiving.
I got some remuneration after niggling with the c*#ks@ckers in charge who were set to stiff me until I showed them the gas receipts my ever-mindful money-trap lady had carefully saved. It was a whole twenty dollars. That was some cheap gas.
This is my Eiger winter story. I hope it takes you back to silent snow falls, trackless roads, happy endings.
This precious book was one of our daughter's very favorite as a four-year-old. I want to say a very big thank you to the Fossil who lately joined us, as he actually prompted these vignettes. See how he is?
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Say mouse did y'all ever go by P O B 161 in Montrose? As near as I can tell it should have been right down Rosemont from me, but I never saw it.
Mail is handled differently in La Crescenta. For example, the local parks, Two Strike Park and Crescenta Vwalley Park, have their own mailboxes.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2015 - 08:21am PT
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Eiger Bump for the Nutstory Museum.
Have you added to your Eiger holdings beyond what is shown on this thread Maestro Pennequin?
I ask because I have a few to send your way along with the wired Acorn that you desire.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Ho… don’t be too generous with me Steve… but, please, find below what my modest Eiger collection was before that I posted the previous image that you mention here.
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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I may have a spare Eiger hex not shown in the picture above. Would be happy to send your way Nutstory. Let me post a picture tomorrow to see if you would like it...
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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I grew up in Montrose and remember them as a catalog company. By the time I started climbing in 1965 Sports Chalet had opened in La Canada so we'd go there for gear. Sports Chalet I believe was the first mountaineering store in Southern California, I still remember the stern German who opened it.
There was the "Saddle Shop" on Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta that may have been affiliated with the Eiger Co. I bought several pairs of kluttershoes from them, they were cheaper than Sport Chalet. You could get a pair of leather climbing shoes for around $10, Kronhoffers were out of my price range at $20 a pair.
Not sure if folks out there knew of anyone from Post 4 Mountaineering which was sponsored by the La Crescenta Presbyterian Church. That was the group I started out with and nearly lost my life on more than one occasion, despite the casualties we had great fun. Such fond memories of those days with a smog filled sky heading out to Stony Point or down to Tahquitz with my buddies.
Charlie D.
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HeldUp
climber
Former YNP VIP Ranger
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I've lived in Montrose for the past 23 years. I never heard of The Eiger Company but the post office is at the corner of Montrose Ave. and Florencita.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Wow.....you can see why climbing steep ice used to be difficult. $29 bucks for a down parka!
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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Jul 10, 2015 - 09:22am PT
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Nutstory - found a #6 wired. Coordinating with Steve to see what he has and what will be sent your way. He's going to check his stash soon.
Stand by!
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Jul 11, 2015 - 08:05am PT
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Hey guys, I feel that I am in good hands. Thank you for taking care of me so much.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 11, 2015 - 09:47am PT
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Maestro- You spare no effort to share your passion for history and so we are more than happy to throw a few Acorns into the fire on your behalf!
What do you have stamped on your loose hexes? Small or large "EIGER"?
Charlie D- Do you recall much about the folks that ran the Eiger Company and staffed the store?
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Jul 14, 2015 - 11:30pm PT
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What do you have stamped on your loose hexes? Small or large "EIGER"? Eiger hexentric #6: small EIGER
Eiger hexentric #3, #5, #10: large EIGER
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Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
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Jul 15, 2015 - 09:41am PT
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Here is the spare I have:
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Jul 16, 2015 - 12:03am PT
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Roots: what a splendid piece...!
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Dec 24, 2015 - 05:53am PT
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Father Christmas Grossman & Roots visited Corsica…
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couchmaster
climber
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Dec 24, 2015 - 08:27am PT
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Great stuff. $20 for an Edelrid rope and no holes in the ice axes should make Steves first catalog much sooner than 1972 though. Mouse, great story!
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Dec 24, 2015 - 01:47pm PT
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In 1964 we opened the "little" West Ridge Mountaineering on Pico Blvd. in West LA. Mike Sturm was repping his Eiger stuff. He continued to be one of our main suppliers after we moved into the "big" store on Olympic and Bundy.
I always thought Eiger and Liberty were connected through Mike. My memory ain't what it used to be. I can't even remember what it used to be.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2015 - 08:29pm PT
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Maestro Pennequin- As my package made its way to you I would occasionally imagine your glee in getting such a fine Holiday Nut Assortment after so many disappointing "nothings" from your postman. As I have said before your generous passion for history and the many faces of the nut deserve the best in return and Mimi and I am very happy to contribute along with Art McCarthy and a beloved Boulder climber Jenn Martin who passed away last year and owned the green sleeved tiny Eiger Hex on the top left photo. Liked it so much that she had two of them! The medium Gendarme Nut also belonged to Jenn.
Lauria- The personal connections are what make climbing history interesting. How one pioneering venture lead to another is fascinating. Your trip along the West Ridge is well worth chronicling. Please keep rubbing them together man...impressions work just fine looking back.
Merry Christmas to All the Amazing Nutophiles in the World!
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