Discussion Topic |
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 22, 2012 - 12:16pm PT
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I have been rooting around in Conn material lately and came across this September 1956 article about the Devil's Tower in Summit magazine. Since climbing magazines had barely been invented when this one came out it is a good place to start a history thread for this truly unique and spectacular climbing area.
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Apr 22, 2012 - 12:36pm PT
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Great idea. The Tower is the home of some of the longest, most sustained crack climbing in the world. Totally high quality rock and ease of access. I'm stoked to hear the stories of the first ascensionists.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Apr 22, 2012 - 03:04pm PT
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I never would have recognized Dave Rearick if his photo hadn't been labeled!
He was years older than that when I first met him in Eldorado.
Also, I had no idea that he began climbing with the Appalachian Club.
He'd be an interesting person to profile on ST if it hasn't been done already.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 22, 2012 - 03:39pm PT
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From Appie to King of the Diamond in four years!
Pretty astounding but then Dave is all that and more with respect to talent and drive.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 22, 2012 - 03:40pm PT
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An enormus Grizzly did the first ascent, you can still clearly see his claw marks.
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lucander
Trad climber
Shawangunks, New York
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Apr 23, 2012 - 12:30pm PT
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[photoid=245442]
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Apr 23, 2012 - 12:45pm PT
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Jim, Was it you that was chasing the grizzly that was chasing the maidens....??
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Apr 23, 2012 - 01:20pm PT
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Thanks for that Steve!
Too bad we don't still follow this tradition:
A strict system of screening qualified climbers has been worked out by the Park Service. All climbers must have proper equipment and experience, and a recommendation from a recognized climbing organiation.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Apr 23, 2012 - 02:20pm PT
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Donini told me some pretty funny stories about the park service deciding who was qualified to climb back in the day. Steve you are always posting up great stuff about the hills. Did you live here at one time?
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Mike Friedrichs
Sport climber
City of Salt
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Apr 23, 2012 - 02:58pm PT
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Calling the master of Kludge...
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
merced, california
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Apr 23, 2012 - 04:56pm PT
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Two "facts" I have learned about the Tower are that it is over 4 football fields in height from the base. The above article mentions 800 feet but that's a different measurement, which excludes the approach, obviously. I have never been closer than Fallon NV but want to go just to see, not to climb. The other "fact" which surprise me, is that as of 2010 there over 150 climbing routes.
Can anyone reliably call the shots on these for me?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Apr 23, 2012 - 06:04pm PT
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Sounds ballpark-ish, depending on where "the base" is. Bottom of the Bell Fourche? Moorcroft?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 23, 2012 - 08:36pm PT
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I actually haven't spent time climbing around these parts but I would love to check it out, of course!
I bet the rangers gave Fritz the hairy eyeball when he whipped out his babyhead to show them! LOL
Fritz found a spot for it as the story goes when he was doing the first technical route on the Tower with William House in 1937.
A babyhead is a VERY large slung knotball that was considered legitimate protection in and around Dresden (where Fritz climbed extensively before arriving in the US) while any hammered pitons were right out.
The hammered alternative in 1937 was large wooden wedges but I'm not sure that Fritz had made that compromise yet.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 29, 2012 - 05:25pm PT
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Tower bump...
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Apr 29, 2012 - 08:27pm PT
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Steve if you ever make it out this way let me know I would love to rope up with you.
In recent years, climbing Devils Tower National Monument has increased in popularity. The first known ascent of Devils Tower by any method occurred on July 4, 1893, and is accredited to William Rogers and Willard Ripley, local ranchers in the area. They completed this first ascent after constructing a ladder of wooden pegs driven into cracks in the rock face. A few of these wooden pegs are still intact and are visible on the tower when hiking along the 1.3-mile (2.1 km) Tower Trail at Devils Tower National Monument. Over the following thirty years many climbs were made using this method before the ladder fell into disrepair. The man most famous for climbing the tower is Fritz Wiessner who summited with William P. House and Lawrence Coveney in 1937. This was the first ascent using modern climbing techniques. Wiessner led the entire climb free, placing only a single piece of fixed gear (piton) which he later regretted, deeming it unnecessary.
Apperently hundreds of people climbed the tower up the stake ladder before it deteriorated.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2012 - 11:10am PT
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There had to be a summit register from those early days...I wonder where it ended up?
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Apr 30, 2012 - 01:28pm PT
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Next time I am over there I will ask at the visitors center.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 24, 2012 - 02:53pm PT
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Devilish bump...
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Ralphy
Trad climber
Green Honda Element
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Jun 25, 2012 - 01:14am PT
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Devils Tower! Yeah!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
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Jun 25, 2012 - 01:34am PT
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Great thread topic!
An early multipitch route for me following my uncle and his climbing partner on El Cracko Diablo... with a pack on. Hotter than hades, even in the shade.
Amazing location. I clearly recall doggin my way up on the follow. But on top I was blown away at the age of 16. Clearly that trip solidified my continuous life long pursuit.
Later on that same trip we climbed near the Outlets at Sylvan Lake.
Now many many years, later, I'm heading back to the Black Hills next week. Perhaps with a stop at DETO to look around. Prolly gunna be hot.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 25, 2012 - 09:50am PT
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102° in the shade on Tuesday.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 25, 2012 - 11:55am PT
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But it's a surprisingly humid heat!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
the crowd MUST BE MOCKED...Mocked I tell you.
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Jun 25, 2012 - 12:21pm PT
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Yep, that is definitely warm.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Jun 25, 2012 - 12:33pm PT
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I've only done the Durrance Route, way BITD.
The pictures of El Matador are pretty impressive. That stem box would require me about 2 yrs worth of yoga for preparation! There's a pretty sweet pic of Brassnuts doing a way wide, no hands stem on MP.com
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 25, 2012 - 01:44pm PT
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I will buy 6 pack for anyone who redpoints el mat at 4pm on Tuesday.
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Nohea
Trad climber
Living Outside the Statist Quo
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Jun 28, 2012 - 10:13pm PT
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A long time goal of mine. I bought a sheet of postal stamps on eBay a few years back and decided I would frame and hang AFTER I climbed the stone. Sadly they still sit in e library waiting for me to slug my asss up there. As always, another great thread, thanks Steve.
Aloha,
Will
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 28, 2012 - 10:33pm PT
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When are you gonna be there Munge?
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S.Leeper
Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
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Jun 28, 2012 - 10:48pm PT
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serious question..how often does DT get free soloed?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 28, 2012 - 10:52pm PT
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Often
Todd Skinner onsight soloed McCarthy West free variation ( he asked me beforehand if i thought that was a good idea and I advised against it!)
Henry Barber third classed Hollywood and vine on sight
Jim Beyer put up a new aid route solo and was arrested for not registering.
Who knows how many times Dingus has soloed it?
I would bet the colonel has soloed it more times than I've climbed it (98)
I soloed it four times in four hours once in the seventies or eighties, a then record.
I soloed one of the weisseners last August (see trip reports)
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S.Leeper
Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
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Jun 28, 2012 - 10:56pm PT
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durrance?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 28, 2012 - 11:13pm PT
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That time was bon homme ( dragging 2 ropes, to fix the rappels) Tad, Walt Baley, and El cracko.
I have soloed Durrance twice. Also all the weisseners, Soler, Gooseberry Jam and Patent Pending
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S.Leeper
Social climber
somewhere that doesnt have anything over 90'
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Jun 28, 2012 - 11:24pm PT
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bad ass!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2012 - 08:19pm PT
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Another delightful addition to early Devil's Tower history from Life magazine 1956.
Classic material including an early FA!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 19, 2012 - 08:24pm PT
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This man, seen here @ The Vedauwoo sushifest put up 53 of the aprox 150 rtes there, or something like that.
Dingus McGee / Dennis Horning
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2012 - 10:13pm PT
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Not to leave out Hollis, the first pioneer woman!
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Brent Mattix
Trad climber
Roseville, CA
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Aug 19, 2012 - 10:39pm PT
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Steve - Thanks for all the history lessons throughout ST. Love seeing from where we come. Devil's Tower is an awesome place to climb! Keep the lessons coming.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 19, 2012 - 11:44pm PT
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Hollis is also a Wyoming state botanist emeritus!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 20, 2012 - 12:15am PT
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I just tried in vain to see if the G-men got credit for their FA in the old original guidebook by those two and where they might have gone up such a clean crack! Can't put my hands on it right now.
If you would squeeze the wheeze for me brother Jaybro I would gladly trade you two ears of corn...cuz its a butte!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 20, 2012 - 12:33am PT
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G men? Gardner and Guilimette? Got their book in front of me right now. What am I looking for? "Rangers are people/perverts too"?
Btw Steve, while you're I wanted to tell ya. We missed you at the Vedauwoo Sushifest. Independantly, both Blitzo and Grug, at seperate times in one night went off in foreign riffs, I think only Ed and I were following it!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2012 - 01:22pm PT
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I was looking for Cecil Ouellette and Charles R. Kness who should be easier to find than Pico and Alvarado...
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 26, 2012 - 03:39pm PT
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...They found their way out of east La....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2012 - 10:59pm PT
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Hidden in the canyons of your mind. Beans, last of the beans...
What did those two military guys (Ouellette and Kness) climb for the occasion above?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 26, 2012 - 11:21pm PT
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M&CWTC#1(tad when freed) ,7/9/1956
". "#3 7/12/1956 (the day after I was born!)
-hmmm there seems to be a discrepancy in the guide.....
"and there's hamburger all over the highway in Mystic Connecticut "
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Aug 26, 2012 - 11:24pm PT
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Aug 26, 2012 - 11:33pm PT
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Here's a little bit of history:
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2012 - 11:57pm PT
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Mr. Clean he was that day!
NICE SHOT!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 27, 2012 - 12:00am PT
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Yikes!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 7, 2012 - 11:54pm PT
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A daring and devilish rescue...Was he trying to land up there?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2013 - 06:27pm PT
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New Years Bump...
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Casper the Friendly Ghost Town!
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I do know for a fact that a Giant Bear scratched the sides of Devil's Tower trying to get to some Native American girls he was chasing...I'm not sure of the girls names, but they should get credited for the first ascent, no???
Sorry Donini, the Giant Bear never quite topped out, but he made some killer lines to climb!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2013 - 06:20pm PT
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A couple of Denver Post photos taken from ebay listings with the Wayback Machine set to June 1955.
Noel Tanner and Dave Strurdevant signing in for their climb at the Visitor Center.
Tanneur and Sturdevant on the classic Durrance Route.
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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My favorite routes at Dt are Bon Homme var. The best long hand crack, good pro and just plain great.
I enjoyed doing the Cave- scunging along under that roof and then locking in and kicking free. BUT then there is the worthless and evil bottoming hands second pitch. Don't go there!
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Crunch what a great shot of DH on Mr. Clean. Had been putting that one off for a"good day" for over a decade so last year I solo aided it. What a great crack. I rappelled after the 5.11 pitch. Did Derek top out. Seems like there is a lot of choss up there. Hopefully we van get a few pitches in when you come up in March.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Casper the Friendly Ghost Town!
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^That's a sweet pic! Not sure if I've ever seen DT from that perspective. Nice work Mike!
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Dick, yeah I have an obession with getting good pics from that spot and that is the best I have done so far. It was just after sunrise from the highest point you can get a view of the tower and still be on the ground. The Bearlodge Moutains just southeast of the tower are treeless on top, and you get a great veiw from just north of Warren Peak, the highest peak in the range. It is a weird scene as there is a huge chainlink fence on top of this peak as it was some kind of nuclear radar site for the Air Force I believe, and starting last year they are mining the next peak to the north looking for rare earth minerals. Here are a few more, but I think that last one is the best.
Also does anyone have any expereince climbing on the Missouri Buttes which are in the background of these pictures. I know it is on private, but they are probably still the second biggest cliffs in the Black Hills next to the tower.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Casper the Friendly Ghost Town!
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Nice photos. I was just thinking the same thing for the Miss. Buttes in the background...looks fun!
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Feb 10, 2013 - 10:51am PT
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We were talking about the Missouri Buttes and the main point that I remember is the discussion focused on lots or Rattle Snakes. Never been there but that's what I recall
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Feb 10, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
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If I could pick one American crag to put on wheels and tow into my back yard, Devils Tower would be it.
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WyoRockMan
Trad climber
Flank of the Bighorns
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While our trip up El Matador certainly isn't newsworthy, these pics are just to good not to share:
Perfection:
March. Perfect.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Way to stretch out, Wyo RM!!
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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One of the first stories I ever wrote was about the Hopkins Rescue... does anybody have a scan to post? A little breathless, if I remember right, but still one of my favorites. I had a blast doing the research and got the NPS to send the official after-action report of the head ranger. R&I, circa 1995 or 1996, I think.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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I believe Frank has a copy on his site; devilstowerlodge.com
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 07:07pm PT
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I recently interviewed Ray Northcutt and he mentioned that he and Dallas Jackson did the first free ascent of Soler a couple of years earlier than Layton Kor and Raymond Jacquot.
I need to confirm this by contacting Dallas but it was an interesting discovery if corroborated. More details once I hear back from him.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Deto and the Buttes New Year's Day 2014
And on 12/26/13
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 07:49pm PT
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Where ya takin' the Wayback Machine to, Seeker?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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The same ole place
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 08:29pm PT
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The Colonel wanted to back to the 60s for his birthday again and get some cheap tattoos, eh.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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The om mane padme sigma house!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 08:38pm PT
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Did they feely his boney belly the way he likes for the occasion?
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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All I got is this but it's cool history to me.
Back row L to R.
Bill Briggs, Jon Krakauer, Tom Hornbein
Front Row: ionlyski and son Karl
Highlights were climbing the final 4th class in the meadows with Hornbein and fixing at the rap station in a lighting storm with Krakauer who showed tremendous concern for all.
Also some history on this thread, called Who Was Walt Bailey?
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1185487&tn=0&mr=0
Arne
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 10:35pm PT
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Very cool history Arne!
What was the occasion for the group ascent?
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montana
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Steve,
I think that Tom wanted to climb the tower and is friends with Krakauer and Briggs and during that time were all living in Colorado. Those were two guys he could really trust as good partners to look out for him. I think he was about 80 at the time, though with the actual climbing he was solid and needed no coaxing.
The story is that my son and I were preparing to launch up one of the cracks but weren't sure exactly which one we were standing below when I noticed a guide looking guy and his elderly client (that was not the actual case however). Anyway I yelled over to this guy for an orientation, which he gave and we ended up climbing parallel together as the cracks were maybe 40 feet apart. I remember wanting to reach the meadows ahead of them so we wouldn't be jammed up in the chimney but they had a slight head start and then they didn't turn out to be any slower than us, despite the elderly gentleman on second.
So, I arrived at the chimney just as this gentleman's rope was coming tight on him and his belayer yelled that it was time to climb. Off he went with me right behind him, chatting with each other. I began complimenting his foot steps and progress and told him I was excited to climb next to him as I had several friends who climbed a lot and they were in their late sixties too. He laughed a little and told me he had been quite nimble 10 years ago when he was in his sixties too! When we got to the top of the tower, I saw it was Krakauer lean over the top and congratulate him. then he asked him if he thought that was as hard as the West Ridge. BINGO, the lights came on! They were just cracking up and generally having a great time. Hornbein really needed no guiding at all, just some good friends to climb with.
Arne
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2014 - 09:33pm PT
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Climbing is truly fun that way.
Thanks Arne!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2014 - 04:33pm PT
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Bump for Jaybro on the Fritz unroped...
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Oct 13, 2015 - 07:08pm PT
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Jan,
I write a great deal about Dave Rearick in my new book, his whole life in fact, and his early beginnings in New York at the Gunks. His life really is incredibly fascinating. No one has gone into the kind of detail I do in my book. Same with Kamps and a whole bunch of other individuals. But I picked Dave's very lucid memory clean and also got him to talk about many things he never much spoke about before. One of my favorite little stories is the walk he took to the top of Longs. Before he was a climber, he got a summer job at a camp northwest of Estes Park. One day he went AWOL from the camp and started walking toward Longs. He got to Estes and continued through town, then more or less the direction the crow flies toward Longs. He finally made it to the base of the East Face and climbed the East Face, via Kiener's or thereabouts, to the summit of the mountain. He descended and made it down to the ranger station and finally back, an incredible day's trek.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Feb 24, 2016 - 09:44am PT
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bump
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Feb 24, 2016 - 12:15pm PT
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Frank was up there this last weekend with a party of three.he was the youngest @ 64, 194 years up the tower.
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Chazbro
Social climber
Gillette, Wyoming
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Mar 28, 2017 - 09:28am PT
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Matt and Jaymi and I went up Durrance this Saturday in perfect weather, but ended up rappelling in the dark and getting a rope stuck. Mat and his 10 year old daughter Avery and I retrieved it yesterday. It's all Jaybro's fault that at 66 I can still lead Durrance ;-}
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Mar 28, 2017 - 02:46pm PT
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Me trying to remember how to find the raps after a 20 year absence. I was told my guide book shoud be in a museaum and not stuffed in a climbing pack
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 28, 2017 - 03:50pm PT
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👍👍
And, sorry Charlie..
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Mar 28, 2017 - 04:11pm PT
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nice thread bump Chazbro!
tradmanclimbs, "I was told my guide book shoud be in a museaum and not stuffed in a climbing pack"
Isn't that red one the current one? ;)
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Mar 28, 2017 - 04:15pm PT
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Don't know what the current one is?? but folks seemed to be impressed with mine from 1986.
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brian n
Sport climber
Manchester, WA
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When I was eight years old, the first picture below was burned into my memory. The picture is from page 209 of Reader's Digest “Scenic Wonders of America” published in 1973. So, I really wanted to know what route was depicted when I visited Devils Tower during the summer of 2016. I asked at the Devils Tower Lodge and after much consideration, no one there knew.
Note: All photographs in this post are used under the protection of U.S Copyright Act, section 107, i.e. “fair use”
Frank Sanders did tell me it shows 1956 at the 50th anniversary of Devils Tower National Monument and depicted military climbers. (photo is colorized) That eventually led me to discover the Life magazine article and the names of the climbers (more on that later).
So I started researching in earnest.
Step 1: Reviewed drone video to determine the probable location of photo by comparing background features. I figured out that the picture was taken across the Northeast section. The angle and direction of the road in the boxed area of the next photo matches the first picture shown again beside it.
Step 2: Get a guide book and compare the only remarkable feature. This took some time, but I found a feature match.
That page didn’t identify the route. On another page I was able to match a different feature, a large roof structure. In the 2 pictures below, one can see that the route in question is to the right of that roof and is Surfer Girl (indicated as D on page 148).
Further substantiation is in the next picture.
Back to the LIFE magazine article. I found this in the LIFE collection hosted by Getty Images. The photo was taken by Carl Iwasaki as were other pictures with the article. A cropped version of this accompanied the August 1956 magazine article in LIFE. The caption indicates a FA by Cecil Ouellette and Charles R Kness. I don’t know what else they climbed that week, but this day and this climb is Surfer Girl.
None of the guidebooks I’ve seen indicate a definitive FA for Surfer Girl, but I would say this research proves it. The FFA is listed as Todd Skinner and Beth Wald.
Sooooo…
M&CWTC #1 Devils Delight
M&CWTC #2 TAD
and
M&CWTC #3 Surfer Girl
Anybody game for #4 or #5 ?
This research has been sent to Devils Tower Lodge and forwarded to the climbing rangers at the Tower.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Cool!
Isa following Soler last summer
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Another Deto milestone. Daphne tops out, for the first time, via Assembly line on 8/28/17 and is welcomed by over thirty vultures!!
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