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mrtropy
Trad climber
Nor Cal
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May 14, 2013 - 12:18pm PT
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Brad what are you going to do with all your free time? What is the next guide book? :)
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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May 14, 2013 - 12:54pm PT
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And none of the FAs (1974-1977) on the road to Donnells Reservoir (with Hank Ward, Craig O'Connell, Jim Keating, Claude Fiddler and Dieter King) nor any of 'my' FAs in the Middle Fork of the Stan (with Brian Southworth) below the dam/reservoir, will be recognized.
I guess that is what I get for keeping my mouth shut all these years. Photos? I may have some, but I have lost so much stuff moving around five countries in the past 35 or so years.
Oh well, c'est la vie.
(Same thing is true of climbs - FFAs and FAs - I and others like Claude did on Mt Diablo. I never was a glory hound. Dang it. Will I have ever have my moment in the sun as a climber? Hah hah.)
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 16, 2013 - 05:35pm PT
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And none of the FAs (1974-1977) on the road to Donnells Reservoir (with Hank Ward, Craig O'Connell, Jim Keating, Claude Fiddler and Dieter King) nor any of 'my' FAs in the Middle Fork of the Stan (with Brian Southworth) below the dam/reservoir, will be recognized.
Patrick, I spent many, many hours digging and interviewing for the history section of this book. That section runs 11 pages, a fairly large number of pages for a backwater area. It includes two wonderful photos from the 1970s too. The book also has a complete first ascent appendix that runs 21 pages.
Among the 1970s first ascents that are specifically documented are several by Don Potter, Steve Weldon, Knic Seto, Dale and Chris Keyser, Doug Nidever, and Bob Henry. Several Hank Ward FAs are in the book, although, if memory serves, they are from the late 80s and the 90s.
But, you're right, one can only document what has been reported. There are several routes for which the first ascent is reported as "unknown," or as "probable" because fixed gear was found at some point by later climbers who had thought they were making a first.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 16, 2013 - 05:43pm PT
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Brad what are you going to do with all your free time? What is the next guide book? :)
Mrtrophy, no more guidebooks, ever.
Instead of guide-booking, maybe I can substitute in trying to climb as hard as I can.
I just got back from a trip to Lover's Leap, and it felt great to go climbing, in May, at a venue I "wanted" to go to, not one I "needed" to go to.
I hope to keep current the list of newly established and found routes at Pinnacles, and I'll work on such a list for up here, but am not as passionate about keeping the one for up here. I think that there will be occasional 5 to 10 page supplements to this new book over the years. For example, I know of at least three areas that haven't been touched yet by climbers, but which will be in the coming summers. Supplemental guidebook pages for these areas could be formatted just like the books pages so they'd fit right in with it.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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May 18, 2013 - 08:55am PT
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I understand Mtnyoung. I never thought much of reporting them, though I am surprised a couple of the other didn't report FAs, especially Claude (somewhat of a glory hound) ;-)
I mainly climbed with Hank, Craig and Jim there. I recall Claude going there a couple of times and Dieter once, at least with me and/or the others.
Met Don Potter several times at Sonora Mountaineering, circa 1974/75. Probably met a couple of others that you mention, just can't recall their names though Steve Weldon seems to stick out. I lived on Big Hill and then Cedar Ridge (two years with Jim, Claude, Dieter and Steve Matthews - the latter owned the house, but wasn't a climber as such, perhaps some at Crystal Falls - from 1974-1977.
I reckon I was on more than a dozen FAs (most single pitch, or two short-pitch routes) up that gorge, mainly because they all needed gardening of some sort, loose rocks trundled, etc. On any of the routes I never saw any signs of previous pro. In the Canyon that the Stan ran through, it was all single mainly short pitches, as Brian Southworth (childhood best friend) really wasn't a climber and only followed a couple, the rest I would rap off from a tree and clean my pro.
There were several face/slabs we placed bolts on along the fire road leading to the dam and at Potter's Rock, though there is good natural pro on most climbs. But no bolts in the canyon.
I always meant to return (especially as Atlantis Wall looked so enticing, I think that is the name the DMT says it is called) but Summer 1977 I went to work on fishing boats and Alaska and then got sidetracked.
Just as an aside, the same is probably true with Castle Crags.
Returning from a road trip from BC and WA, my late brother Mac and I probably did some FAs (about three, several pitches around 5.5 or so) in summer 1971. All along the Crags trail. They didn't looked like they had been climbed on. Who knows?
And in 1973, my high school climbing partner (a year ahead of me so he was now going to Humboldt State), I thumbed up to Arcata and we drove to Castle Crags and spent seven days (his Spring break) climbing. I was comfortably leading 5.9 (sort of) at that point and several 5.10s under my belt.
I know for certain we did one three-pitch 5.8ish FA as the cracks were dirty as hell, a lot of gardening. Castle Dome area. (Our second day there.) Going back to camp (are there still free showers there I wonder), we did this two-pitcher (5.7?), but it had some slings and several pins on it and was clean.
At the bottom of Castle Dome, a five-pitch crack/face, fairly clean but no signs of pro or previous ascent. It was tough on a couple of pitches, so I reckon 5.9ish, but I never was good at grading a route. (that took a day and a bit of the fourth.) Ran out of crack, and the above face was bit too featureless for us, and didn't look fun anyway
A short one-pitch that was effing hard, at least 5.9+. Castle Dome area. (fourth day)
Another one-pitch (about 80') toughie (5.10a or so???) that needed cleaning on the southern end of the crags. (fifth day)
On a slab along the Castle Dome tail, we did a 5.7ish one-pitch (about 90'), placed three bolts for pro (we only had taken five 1/4") and two for the anchor to rap. Drilling bolts are so damn time consuming by hand). (fifth day).
That was the seven days and the bit below. We did a couple of other routes 5.6-5.8 that looked like they had been done before. (First day.)
Again at the southern end we started a route (sixth and seventh days) (went up about two pitches and it started getting both late and dirty.) So back along 299 (via 5) to the sea.
We went back for three days later the following weekend and finished it, ended up four pitches and I'd say 10a.
The third day, we did what I assume was an FA along the trail. Two-pitches, not to dirty, about 5.7/5.8. But it could have been done before.
Had to head back to Arcata as Steve had class the next day.
We had names for the routes, wrote them down. But I have moved so much since 1977 (California, France, Ireland, England, Wales) I have lost a lot of papers, photos, clarinet stolen off the back of a moving van, etc etc. I'll try to think of the names. Steve may remember or have them written down, but he has been in Alaska since 1975 and I haven't seen him for years.
And we never any rattlers encounters. This was Spring 1973
I always wanted to return (will someday) but started concentrating on the Valley and Meadows. I also wonder what the Trinity Alps are like for climbing. I'll google it.
I am curious about those routes. I googled Castle Crags Climbing Guide but could not find an entry/link. There must be one as there is a hell of a lot of good rock up there.
Perhaps I'll start a thread asking about a Castle Crags guide, there must be one by now.
(Another aside, over by the Arches, there is this 90' or so slanting right to left crack, and I don't know, I think Hank Ward, Craig O'Connell did the FA, and both being 17 and eager for an FA, they wanted to report it back at Camp 4, but being a couple of years older, I hesitated, as I don't want to report an FA that is not). Not sure if they ever did report it.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2013 - 03:48pm PT
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I now have one in my hot little hand. It's gorgeous, it's heavy. I can't wait to get out my orange highlighter and get to work marking it up!
We had 20 shipped two-day delivery (they are what just arrived). The remaining four tons of books arrive next week - they shipped today.
Here's a photo of the book as it looks done:
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briham89
Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
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May 23, 2013 - 04:08pm PT
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woohoo can't wait to get a copy
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2013 - 07:46pm PT
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The books have arrived and we're getting them out to stores and by mail.
And the climbing weather here is perfect now.
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briham89
Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
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May 30, 2013 - 08:13pm PT
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Here's something for wide fans to drool over...
And splitter hands for everyone else...
It took me about 3 hours to finish highlighting all the routes in the book I've done so far. IIRC I'm at 70
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MJD
Trad climber
El Cerrito, CA
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Any place in the north bay (SF, Berkeley) or east bay (Walnut Creek) carrying the guide yet? Or can it be directly ordered from the author?
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 7, 2013 - 12:35am PT
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By now all of the Planet Granite gyms should have them. They should be in or getting in at the Touchstone facilities. My wife also does mail order if you can't find one at any of these locations.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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^ Brad, I called PG SF 2 minutes ago, and they don't have them yet. I'd buy one tomorrow.
Can't wait to read it
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 7, 2013 - 01:00am PT
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Wow, I'm quite surprised that PG SF doesn't have them yet. I thought Steve was going to get 80 to them at Sunnyvale four days ago and that they would have migrated to SF by now. I know he's been very busy with (real) work, so maybe there was a delay. SNAC in downtown Sonora has them and we'll sell them by mail if you want (but that's not all that fast - my wife does it by snail mail, she does however usually mail the books out the day after she gets checks).
You could always swing by the house on the way up to climb too. We'll feed you and give you coffee as we sell you a book.
Steve and Rob had tried to set something up with PayPal on the SonoraPassClimbing.com site, but that didn't get that wrapped up before Rob started on Zodiac.
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cdl
climber
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They arrived in pgsf this morning. Going up on the shelves as i type :) arrived in sunnyvale yesterday ..
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Texplorer
Trad climber
Sacramento
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Jun 10, 2013 - 12:56pm PT
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Is this book being sold online or do I have to find a brick & morter place?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jun 10, 2013 - 01:07pm PT
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Steve just needs to put the simple Paypal link in any post (if that is the account you want to use). The more code laden link wasn't working in the SMF forum posts. In any event, only he has access to it until he posts it publicly. Wasn't really related to going up on Zod. I think Steve has just been super busy lately.
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The Wedge
Boulder climber
Santa Rosa & Bishop, CA
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Jun 10, 2013 - 02:08pm PT
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I will be curious to know if the routes I climbed in the area are established or are FA that need to be recorded.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jun 10, 2013 - 02:12pm PT
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Wedge, if you post up the info or send it to me I can check for you.
We're keeping up to date with new routes/previously unrecorded (and updates to FA info) on the SPH site...
http://www.sonorapassclimbing.com
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Jun 10, 2013 - 08:27pm PT
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Just finished overdubbing, some with delay, phasing here and there and varispeed a tad and then now kicking back and do some reading or dreaming. Endless just as the book.
Nice gig: mtnyoung I like it. The book I mean great job.
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adam d
climber
CA
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Jun 25, 2013 - 03:05pm PT
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Heading up for the first time on Friday. Anywhere en route I can pick up a guide? (Coming from SLO?) I have Slater's N CA road trip, and some Internet info. Not scared of exploring though!
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Let us know!