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rmuir
Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 20, 2006 - 05:33pm PT
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This here is the continuing saga of Old Dads trying to stave-off impending symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. (Memory is such a tragic thing, I seem to recall.)
The original Stonemaster Stories thread by John (Largo) Long started here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=145850&f=0&b=0 (208)
JL: Anyone out there with old (before, say, 1975) Stonemaster stories, I'd love to hear them as I'm slowly trying to put something together. Hearing other perspectives might help trigger some long lost memories. The Stonemasters were always as much a frame of mind as anything else, but what folks remember--especially in terms of anecdotes, or what they thought the Stonemasters actually were, or stood for--might help give some little shape to what feels like a very amorphous subject.
Stonemaster Stories (Part II) can be retraced here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=150211&f=0&b=0 (171)
Stonemaster Stories Part III can be retraced here (Many nice photos in this part):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=155821&f=0&b=0 (129)
It was requested to continue onward here from Part III. It was getting
too long again (very rapidly actually). Stonemaster Stories Part IV:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=157408&f=0&b=0 (125)
We continued with the epic saga "Stonemaster Stories" (Part V):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=161148&f=0&b=0 (150)
...and followed up with more of the epic saga "Stonemaster Stories" (Part 6):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=164782&f=0&b=0 (126)
Continued with "Stonemaster Stories" (Part 7):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=169730&f=0&b=0 (119)
Plodded forward with more of the same, "Stonemaster Stories" (Part 8):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=173337&f=0&b=0 (101)
Still kicking with "Stonemaster Stories" (Part 9):
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=176623&f=0&b=0 (98)
Right. This might be as good time a time as any to move this thread along to the Tenth Circle of Hell. (Part 9 was getting long, and it was getting hard to find the earlier discussion strands without an "index". Two birds, one Stone.)
In Part 9, when we last left our hero Grammici (a.k.a., Graham) was inviting us to take a gander at his nascent website over at http://www.stonemaster.org/.
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rmuir
Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2006 - 07:16pm PT
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Hmmm. ...did all this editing of a new thread in the wrong order. Bump.
So, back to JL's question... Got any Stonemaster stories to share?
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 24, 2006 - 02:50pm PT
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By happenstance, things have fanned out and we now have several stonemasters related threads.
Owing to LEB's thread, "Stone Master Lore", which is a bit wider in context as she asked after Stonemaster Era lifestyle particulars, we have a great piece posted by Roger Breedlove:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=211354&f=0&b=0
Here's the link to "Lynn Hill Magazine Cover Free At Last", which prompted "Stone Master Lore" It started out as a conversation about Lynn Hill and Yabo; then LEB asked about Stonemaster era lifestyle particulars:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=209753&f=35&b=0
Plus "Stonemaster Article in R&I"
Here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=200664&f=35&b=0
Plus "1988 Stonemaster Calender"
Here:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=212003&f=35&b=0
Plus "Why is this Man Smiling" (A Yabo thread)
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=49087
Plus "Dick Webster Killed"
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=204770&f=0&b=0
Largo stated that Dick was something of a Stonemaster Progenitor;
Hey what about Mark Powell too?
So post up here, or somewhere - 'kinda hard to miss, even though things have splintered out.
Thanks for keeping this central thread together Robs.
(like herding cats, I think one once said about organizing climbers...)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I came across this shot in the 78 GPIW catalog of Tobin on the Eiger Direct taken by Alex MacIntyre. Big time Stonemaster alpinism. Provincial talent and how!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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I can't remember if it was before his Europe trip or the one to South America, but Tobin came over and asked to borrow a Joe Brown helmet that I never used for climbing but for pasengers on my motorcycle.
Never got the helmet back, something about selling the gear to get home.
Every time I see that photo I wonder if
that's my damn helmet?
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jun 10, 2007 - 12:47am PT
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TGT-Better shot of Tobin in your helmet.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 10, 2007 - 01:04am PT
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Bet it is. To get a feel for the accomplishment, some shots of the Eiger Direct FA from Eiger Direct by Haston and Gilman 1966.
The route.
The team.
Work.
Rest.
Move a little to the side.
And generally hang it out there.
Twenty one days on the face to complete the route! Anyone know Tobin and Alex's time?
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 10, 2007 - 01:18am PT
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thanks Robs I'll bookmark this one - there's a scan of largo on the FA of Piasano, made me dizzy just looking at it
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 10, 2007 - 02:06am PT
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Those welding gloves ought to be in a museum.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jun 10, 2007 - 03:08am PT
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Nope, it was a blue one so it must have ended up in S America somewhere.
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nick d
Trad climber
nm
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Jun 10, 2007 - 03:08am PT
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Mark Wilford told me a very funny story about getting liquored up on the summit of the Eiger after he soloed it and then nearly dying on the descent. He thought it was just a walk-off. What ever happened to him anyway? Little off topic but those great photos made me think of him. He's got a million great stories but I haven't run into him in years. I assume he's still alive, mostly because I figure I would have heard about it from somebody if he wasn't. Also I don't think he can be killed by conventional weapons!
MS
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 10, 2007 - 12:03pm PT
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Don't you know it per Wilford.
He's around, I 'seen 'im at climbing industry trade shows.
He would have so many stories, those years with Jello & Skip Guerin, his alpinism, Wilford is the real deal.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 10, 2007 - 12:06pm PT
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A momentary return to the early days of guides, porters and summit drunks! I think I'd be content to hustle my ass down.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 10, 2007 - 01:13pm PT
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great pics of cult legend Tobin Sorenson - thanks
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jun 10, 2007 - 03:23pm PT
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Did someone mention Mark Wilford? I thin he deserves his own thread.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jun 10, 2007 - 11:52pm PT
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Steve-
In response to your question, Tobin and Alex MacIntyre climbed the direct with four bivuoacs. By the way, there is an interesting discussion of Tobin's ascent in John Harlin III's new book, The Eiger Obsession.
Rick
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Jun 11, 2007 - 01:25am PT
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Photos of Kor? I guess I'm wondering if someone views him as one of the stonemasters? Are we simply talking about any of the legends of the past?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 17, 2007 - 09:40pm PT
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The connection is a little obtuse but I would sure want to have Kor in my gang. Just thought that the shots were interesting enough to post up in connection with Tobin's ascent.
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Jefe'
Boulder climber
Bishop
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Jun 19, 2007 - 01:41pm PT
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Ging is still around. Just saw him recently. Refer to tr #9.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jun 19, 2007 - 03:16pm PT
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Didn't Dougal Haston also (as did Harlin) die somewhere on or below the Eiger? Skiing and an avalanche, or something?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The master tourguide of the New Dimensions?!?
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Double D
climber
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Ahh… I sense a Bardini has joined the mix, but I could be wrong. Who else went after O.W.’s with enthusiasm?
Jello, re: Wilford…
He does indeed deserve his own thread and was/is the essence of Stonemasters.
So one fine day, Augie & I decide it’s time to head to CO and get schooled on ice. After arriving in January to 70 degree weather and rapidly deteriorating ice, we hook up with Mark for a little “tour” of his world. In classic Wilford style, he’s telling us about this little mishap he had with his new car (an Alfa-something sports sedan). Anyway, he’s getting tailed by this car on the way home on a winding road that he had just passed. Impressed by the handling of his new ride and loving the opportunity to put the rig to a true road test with a willing racer in his rear view, he decides to drop this guy in the dust.
So goes this fusion of like minds…or so Wilford thinks, until the guy signals him to pull over. Now Mark thinks the guy is trying to fight and figures that he can’t back down because he drives this road every day and it’s only a matter of time when they meet again. So he pulls over, gets out of the car to be greeted by an off duty cop!
Anyway, we show up shortly after this and Mark’s in an arm cast from some other miss-hap and on probation, I think. He’s stoked to get a ride around due to the involuntary relinquishing of his license. He offers to let us spend a couple of nights at his parents place. At the time he was living in a tool shed on the property. That night the temps dropped down into the teens and we soon discovered that Marks ambition to become an alpine climber carried over to his daily life, bivi and all.
So the next morning after it warms up a bit, it’s off to boulder at the infamous “Reservoir.” Mark’s pointing out all kinds of incredibly hard test pieces when he dips into my chalk bag takes off his shoes and pulls off some incredible problems, cast and all! I mean he’s topping out on stuff 15’ off the boulder-strewn-deck that we’re not even getting off the ground on! Mark was the definition of incredible talent, funny and full of the “Stonemaster Stoke” that Largo speaks of.
Here’s a few shots of Mark, AKA “disco boy” taking full advantage of a rest day (Cirque of the Unclimbables 1981???). For you younger readers, this was back in the day where real men had batteries and portable tape decks on all serious adventures.
Keep’em coming!
DD
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WBraun
climber
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Not making any sense?
Dale Bard and me did second ascent of Final Exam.
First ascent Bridwell & Klemens in 71
Then barbarinism said; " I arrived in the Valley a freckle-faced teen".
Rick Reeder? Dale? I don't remember you having freckles.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 12, 2008 - 01:05pm PT
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So, Mark, when ARE you going to tell us some stories about the first ascent of Cream, and other climbing adventures? We're all ears.
The guidebooks say "Cream FA Mark Klemens et al, August 1971". Ascent (1972) says "FA Mark Klemens and Jim Donini".
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Tony Puppo
climber
Bishop
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Jan 12, 2008 - 02:44pm PT
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Dale spent some big iron time in the gym with a couple of "Barbarians", it must be Dale.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
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Jan 12, 2008 - 02:48pm PT
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I only met him once or twice but my bet is the new boy is Mark Klemens.
As I recall Mark didn't suffer fools gladly and this extended to Euros visiting the Valley. British climber Alec Sharp was one of the unfortunate ones who experienced this when he awoke one night under a steady stream of...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 12, 2008 - 02:50pm PT
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Got a wicked chocolate jones or a daughter?!? The freckles though.....
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jan 12, 2008 - 04:53pm PT
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Speak up Dale
I can’t remember that far back when I did stuff either.
It’s good to have you here Man!
Mike
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 12, 2008 - 08:07pm PT
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Only Dale would be so toying past a point....So welcome elusive Bard! Enter and sign in please!?!
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 12, 2008 - 09:02pm PT
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Hopefully the stories about his eating habits haven't frightened DB away. Whatever he ate, he's always been darn fit.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jan 12, 2008 - 09:48pm PT
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I'm betting its Mark Klemens,
Glad to have you here!
Went snow riding with Gib out this way recently. I'll say hello to him for you.
Price of admission is an ancient Yosemite story from the days when leaders wielded hammers.
Rick
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Jan 12, 2008 - 09:52pm PT
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sounds like Klemens, but I thought he was already here?
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Feb 11, 2008 - 12:48am PT
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Well-written Rok. You captured the Stonemaster credo, I'd say, and thanks for lumping me in with that illustrious quixotic bunch. But I really think the true Stonemasters all hailed from the Golden State, or at least spent years there. I was lucky enough to share a climb or two with bona-fide Masters, but I was never stoned enough to be a true Stonemaster. Even the ones I climbed with - especially the one's I climbed with - remain mythic figures to me.
Glad Largo's rounding up all the stories he can get his mitts on. Can't wait to read the book!
-JelloMaster
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Feb 11, 2008 - 01:06pm PT
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Nice job there Rox,
That's a poignant and fitting tableau.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Here's one, Steve.
In the White Maiden thread which showed up today, Largo mentioned his high school days, when he worked at a gas station after school. I regularly used to pick him up at the station so we could go bouldering or climbing. One time I called the station to arrange the pick up (this was decades before cell phones) and Largo's voice answers with his usual, staccato delivery,
"John Long Chevron. John speaking."
At the age of 17, Largo had promoted himself from pump jockey to owner of the establishment! John never lacked chutzpah, even as a teenager.
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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Oct 19, 2010 - 09:13pm PT
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The major thing that is missed about the Stonemasters, is that when they came to the valley and discovered that a few of their heroes were still there, they together developed a sense of the Mythic. Thats what "The Stonemaster" himself WAS, as JL points out so well. A Mythic Construct.
So, were Robbins, Chouinard, Frost, etc. considered "stonemasters" even though they climbed in a slightly earlier time period? Or did the designation simply start with John Long and his buddies in Yosemite? Just curious, since the valley was a center for significant progress.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 19, 2010 - 09:19pm PT
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Robbins, Chouinard, Frost, Prat, ^^John Gill^^, the Bird, etc ... et all
No they were ... "THE" Masters of Stone. :-)
I learned a ton from what they did ....
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Oct 19, 2010 - 09:48pm PT
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Yeah that era was the true MASTERS! We all learned from them and still do. I can't wait for this weekend, should be another great history event and a chance to learn from the MASTERS! Ya gonna be there Werner?
Peace
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Mar 16, 2013 - 01:15am PT
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bump
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Mar 16, 2013 - 11:21am PT
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Kor's expression is priceless
Read the story where he tries to do the Diamond in winter in Godfreys book "Climb"--the story of their escape is really intense.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Mar 16, 2013 - 01:13pm PT
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looking over this vast thread many things are amazingly obvious....
1) hugely increased internet bandwidth has become available in the 6 odd years since the start, so the sprawl of such a thread over 10 installments seems a bit anachronistic
2) while the production of the Stonemasters book was wonderful, and perhaps lends a more durable record of that time, this thread has a "tonal" quality not captured at all in traditional book production.
3) in spite of our tendency to view what that ever is happening now as extending into the distant past and future, this is a bit of ephemera which will someday be lost.
4) attempts to translate this into other media should be executed, and with all the imaginative creativity of the people who populate this thread and lurk on it, I would expect those efforts to provide exceptionally compelling works, but they will only enhance what is here...
5) while we think of this as a "camp fire" around which we all sit and talk, even an event around a real "camp fire" misses the mark, though I truly enjoy it when it happens, the race of time does not lend itself the timeless continuity afforded by this particular medium
So enjoy it while you can, this is an extraordinary collection of voices, one I would never imagined possible. It is a lightning flash illuminating those dark corners of memory formed in a youth 42 years ago.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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A short second hand story.
A fellow I climbed with for a bit in '74/75 was a reasonably talented young climber of the time. He was bivvying high on the DNB with a partner. One of his awakenings in the pre-dawn hours he saw headlamps in the forest approaching the Nose. He thinks to himself "wow that's an early start". An hour or so later the three headlamps are still climbing, now in the Stovelegs. He thinks to himself "they're still going, must be a rescue".
Some time later in the morning he sees a team somewhere around Boot Flake and he and his partner carry on up the DNB.
By the time they get back to The Valley that afternoon, Bridwell, Long and Westbay have returned from their 1 day ascent.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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A short first hand story. About '76 my regular partner and I are out in Stoneman meadow looking up at Steck Salathe with binoculars. Contemplating whether or not we were stoopid enough to attempt it in a push. Discussing how much food and water we should take. Camp at the base? Bivvy sacks on the climb? The usual Gumbies in the Meadow nonsense.
Along comes a Stonemaster (Bard? Kauk?, I don't recall) and gives us The Look (although friendly enough). "If you plan to bivvy, you will".
Smiled and walked away.
We durned well knew we weren't capable of doing it in a one day push. He obviously knew as well.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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4) attempts to translate this into other media should be executed, and with all the imaginative creativity of the people who populate this thread and lurk on it, I would expect those efforts to provide exceptionally compelling works, but they will only enhance what is here... (Ed)
I don't know why someone hasn't correlated all these stories, done the research, and put up a historical website on the stonemasters similar to what I have done for bouldering and early rock climbing. Books are expensive but the free internet endures (at least for now). Of course, there is no compensation to the designer other than the satisfaction that historical feats will be available for all to enjoy.
Someone (preferably a stonemaster) volunteer!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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A few years ago, there was a partial archive of stories on Mike Graham's site at
http://www.stonemasters.org
but the stores are not there now (or at least they are not linked).
Probably removed in favor of the book.
(and www.archive.org doesn't work to retrieve it because the pages were not static)
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jun 27, 2014 - 08:22am PT
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Yeah sorry about the bad link. Our Web site was hacked pretty bad over a year ago. Had some sort of worm that went after bank accounts inserted into it. I was literally forced to take it off line by BoA. For the time being we just put up a commerce site at www.stonemastergear.com but we are working on adding all the achieved stories back in to it. Have a few more I’d like to share still…
Cheers,
Mike
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