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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:30pm PT
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I love this thread, too, Mike. And, not to hijack the hijack, but this is a Squamish photo from the 1960s. This isn't a trick question: I don't know where this is. Does anybody have any ideas?
Looks like Tim Auger climbing.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:53pm PT
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Thanks for the minor hijack, the climbing history on the north island is a lot like the climbers, mysterious, aloof, often unrecorded. It's wonderful to hear some of the stories of my own backyard. Yes the Elk River valley is very long, the approach keeps out the riff raff. There are some places that are still very remote and seldom explored. The crag development has grown in recent years with enough cragging spots to make an island roadtrip worthwhile for those seeking something different.
Thanks again for the great thread Mike, best on ST :)
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Relic
Social climber
Weenie
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Aug 30, 2014 - 12:00am PT
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that pic is in the Bulletheads, Sunshine Chimney North. You can see A Pitch in Time to the left in the picture, which wasn't climbed until the 70's. The esoteric corner crack is Sloppy Seconds.
gimmie a cookie
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pinckbrown
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe, CA
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Aug 30, 2014 - 06:27am PT
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" Frankly, I'd rather offer a visitor some route info, a cold beer or a dry place to stay."
This is how We were treated by Perry Beckham. California climbers visiting Squamish for the first (& only) time. Thought my buddy & I were pretty good beer drinkers until We met some Canadians! Probley why the memory is dim on this. I kind of remember Perry sandbagging me to lead the crux expando pitch of Ten Years After? I think it was the 2nd or 4th ascent. Might have been A4 back then, & I took a nice whipper that Perry held in fine style - I do believe we all used body belays. Anyway, I was kind of fired up after the fall, and lead it on my 2nd try. Maybe the Chief might remember in greater detail. Best hosptality ever experienced!
Bob Pinckney
aka pinckbrown
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Aug 30, 2014 - 07:50am PT
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Bob,
Good to hear from you after all these years!
Hope you can make it back for a visit again.
There's usually a cold beer or two in the fridge and a decent bivi site.
PB
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MH2
climber
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Aug 30, 2014 - 08:56am PT
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I have my doubts about that photo being where Relic says, though the features are a good rough match. A Pitch in Time is straighter and the climber is about where Varicose Vein is today. However, I have no better idea where the picture is from. Doesn't look any more familiar when reversed. That poplar or aspen seems like it should help and also the rope the climber is carrying. Maybe the 60s were so long ago the rocks have eroded and giant cedars have grown up.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Aug 30, 2014 - 09:03am PT
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Sunshine Chimneys! That's a very good possibility indeed. The alder (or whatever) in the photo is probably long, long gone. Those things don't usually last 50 years.
Thanks, Relic & MH2.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Aug 30, 2014 - 10:36am PT
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Bruce, K-K was my original hunch, but I thought "naw, the corner on the left of the photo is too close to the route."
Didn't know anyone did it in icy conditions.... great.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Aug 30, 2014 - 01:27pm PT
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Assuming it's true Honnold third classed the U Wall, I marvel that it's seemingly relegated to a mere byline already.
While he's soloed harder routes, U Wall is to my thinking, in another league.
Astroman, The Crucifix and even The Northern Lights allow some "warm up before the business" or "a retreat" to a no hands ledge.
The first 100 meters of U Wall are another story.
I'm reminded of Croft's line as he probed those initial defences, with a rope on over thirty years ago.
"Space; the final frontier, to boldly go where no man has gone before".
Not sure what else to say about this at this time.
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Stewart
Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
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Aug 30, 2014 - 02:03pm PT
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Thanks Tami - Yeah, they say that good judgement comes from experience - experience that often comes from poor judgement.
I've climbed a fair number of mountains on the Island, but I've never noticed a reference to the Red Pillar which, in my opinion, has some of the best rock (as in solid - perhaps some sort of mutant limestone) that I've come across.
Sorry I haven't posted most of my Squamish slides, including those of Daryl & I climbing Grand Wall, but my ancient computer doesn't seem to like it when I try to post photos. Some other time, perhaps.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2014 - 02:11pm PT
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Perry- here is the quote from Alex's 8a.nu card
14-08-25 7a+ The University Wall Squamish Traditional Solo!! Long time dream, finally done. Maybe 2 hours car to car, including the Roman Chimneys and the barefoot stroll down. So psyched! ***
If he's saying 7a+ then he didn't do the shadow pitch. Still ridiculously impressive!!
I'm not sure if there was any publicity on this one. Maybe his buds making the film did capture it, or maybe he just did it for himself. I think i remember hearing he did half dome without telling anyone the first time as well.
Stewart- we'd love to seem them!!
Glenn, i think i have an answer for you. Next post.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Aug 30, 2014 - 02:24pm PT
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Wow to all of this!
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Stewart
Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
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Aug 30, 2014 - 03:03pm PT
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Hi Mike: I keep trying to post photos, but it appears as though the only option I have to perform the deed is to use Outlook Express, and that wretched program refuses to allow me to do so.
I'll keep trying to find an alternative, but it appears at the moment I'll need to scrape up a bunch of cash that I don't have to spring for newer technology.
Alas.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2014 - 03:31pm PT
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From Squamish Climber's guide by Anders Ourom
Glenn, I think your image is from the FA of Third Abortion. But the only weakness in that area would be the ramp just right of rainy day dream away.
Nina on Rainy Day Dream Away 10c
You can kind of see the roof they must be over in the right corner of the image. That's why Glenn's image seems a little off, the camera is probably off the wall a couple feet and the lip of the roof is at least 3 feet wide. The corner looks narrower than it really is.
I hope you don't mind Glenn, but i stole the image and punched it up a bit. I also rotated it to match Andy's image for my next piece of evidence.
Tim Auger on Third Abortion 5.6 A2
You can see the distinct ragged edge of the wall between Pitch In Time and the corner of Sloppy Seconds.
The upper crack of pitch in time is what throws you off, but if you look at it closely, you'll realize that is the top of the ledge, and those are the fracture lines of the dagger that is "pit" and "ss". It dropped a bit before it wedged in the corner.
Hopefully Mh2 doesn't mind me reposting this image for comparison
Here is the original orientation of this classic image.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2014 - 03:42pm PT
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Stew: I hear ya. I would be happy to post them if you could get them to me... I have family in Campbell River?
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Aug 30, 2014 - 04:05pm PT
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Thanks, Mike. A look at my scanning notes suggests photo is probably by Tony Ellis (Amphitheatre, Lower Acrophobe)and not by me. Tony and I and Tim messed around on the Bulletheads a fair bit, so that is a good possibility.
I've asked Tim about this photo and he doesn't remember. I've asked Tony and he doesn't remember either.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Aug 30, 2014 - 11:19pm PT
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Mystery solved!!!!!!!!!
My first reaction on seeing this pic was Kiddie Korner. So I went to the photo bank and located the attached pic of Big Jim, near the bottom of KK. The tree behind him, with the big right-forking branch, is clearly the same as the one in Glenn's shot.
On the day in question Big Jim and I started up KK and after a couple of pitches headed right, and climbed a new and highly forgettable variation, which we called Baby Doll. When starting to follow the last pitch, Big Jim forgot the extra part of our rack at the belay ledge, a fact which only became known to me back at the car. Fortunately most, if not all, were soft Euro pins. Booty for someone, BITD.
However, although the main part of the mystery has been solved, several other important questions remain:
Where/why did Tim get that awful jacket?
Why are they carrying an extra rope? Were they planning some long rappels? Intending to leave a fixed rope somewhere? Hoping to score the booty left by Big Jim and myself? Training for the Nose?
Why did they have a white Sterling style rope in a time when Goldline prevailed?
Will any self-respecting climber ever admit to doing this climb with Tim, when he was wearing such a hideous jacket?
MH [lurk, lurk] is currently borrowing Tim's Squamish notebook, and might be able to track down some details of the ascent, now we know for sure what the route was.
Big Mike.
Ingenious solution, but sorry, no banana for you today. :) :)
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Aug 30, 2014 - 11:24pm PT
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Great, Hamish! My guess is that this was done during a mass ascent of K-K by the VOC. Tony Ellis and I were on a couple such assults (reminiscent of the old photos showing "thousands" of Seattle Mountaineers trudging up Baker in the early part of the 20th century). One of those trips was memorable because one of the leaders was very hung over from the hard night before.
My wife points out that the climber is not necessarily Tim, but could be me. I've been told I had hair in those days, and I certainly had several wretched jackets of that sort.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Aug 30, 2014 - 11:34pm PT
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No, that's definitely Tim. Check those "bedroom eyes".
Mass VOC assault on KK? or on anything? on the Cecil? Now that's scarey.....
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