Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 65 of total 65 in this topic |
phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 26, 2014 - 04:31pm PT
|
The Climbing world recently learned that 62 year old Phyl P., of La Verne California, recently made an free solo ascent of the three highest peaks in the Stiperstones in a single day.
Phyl, or phylp, as she is sometimes known, recently relocated to southern California to train for the ascents. Her summit of Mt Baldy in May 2014 is a noteworthy benchmark in this regard.
The quartzite tors called the Stiperstones are located in the Shropshire Hills of England, near the border of Wales. The three most coveted summits - Nipstone, Manstone and the Devil’s Chair - have probably been summited less than 7,000,000 times. Records of the first ascent have been lost, but were likely made in 6-8000 BC. The first recorded ascent was in 43 AD by a Roman climber named Jimicus Doninius, but this is an asterisked ascent because of his use of a bluestone cammingstone.
Phylp, or phylyp, as she is sometimes known, began the day with an ascent of Nipstone:
She said “It was really only a warmup for me, some people call it class II but I think it’s only class II minus. But the views made the summit worth it”:
From Nipstone, the next two summits could be seen in the far distance.:
But the trek to the twin prizes of Manstone and Devil’s Chair was not easily made. According to the local guidebook “along the ridge the paths are so rough that walking and gazing can be slightly tricky”:
Finally, Manstone was reached, and the dynamic old hag made quick work of the ascent:
Before the attempt on the Devils Chair the soloist thought it wise to refuel: “I had a few whinberries that we picked along the trail, but I was starting to feel puckish. So I ate an apple and a Chorley Cake and then I felt ready to go.” Of the Devil’s Chair the guidebook says “arguably the most impressive of the Stiperstones and the one whose summit is the hardest to reach”.
Controversy has arisen, however, over the validity of the Devil’s Chair ascent. “OK, so I didn’t really stand on the summit, but I touched it with both hands and kind of hugged the rock really tight. Normally people mantel that summit move but I’m too short for that technique to work for me. I usually lieback stuff like that, but on that day the rock was still damp from the previous day’s rain, so the conditions wouldn’t allow it.”
Asked what was next for her, the spry sexagenarian said “Well, I’m turning 63 in a couple of weeks so I’m kind of surprised I can still get out of bed in the morning. But next I’m thinking either Tenaya Peak or the Grand Illusion. Either would be fun, and that’s all it’s about for me.”
|
|
RyanD
climber
Squamish
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 04:36pm PT
|
This is awesome Phyl!!
Great job!
Edit- wonderful sarcasm too ;-)
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 04:36pm PT
|
Sooooo Puckish!
Awesomely so.
Thenk you, veddy much.
|
|
wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 04:50pm PT
|
Wilbeer,also known as Wilson,is glad you had no maladjustments,misadventures or problems getting to the next level[your climb]and is wholeheartedly glad you shared what you were climbing today.
Cheers.
|
|
Gilroy
Social climber
Bolderado
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 04:53pm PT
|
Right Stuff, phylp. I chuckled until I stopped.
Great to meet you @ the CoR gathering.
|
|
murcy
Gym climber
sanfrancisco
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 05:03pm PT
|
Great work!
And I don't believe all those rumors of helicopter rides.
|
|
Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 05:20pm PT
|
Never having climbed onto anything higher than a barstool in England, I'm not sure if I'm a qualified judge.
But then again, I've enjoyed a lot of English climbing stories and especially, odd stories from a couple of Brits.
(They are all fun, but odd.)
I would judge the triple ascents to count as a 6-S, 2-A
Significant, Shropshire Stiperstones Solo Spry Sexagenarian American Ascent!
Good work and thanks for sharing!
|
|
drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 05:50pm PT
|
Ban her.
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 05:56pm PT
|
Well, that was fun! And you gave your age away........
|
|
this just in
climber
north fork
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 06:13pm PT
|
Awesome Phyl aka Phylp! Great humor, especially the Donini reference. You might have the first sun ascent FSA. Look forward to more England pics, thanks Phyl.
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 06:17pm PT
|
Good on ya!,
|
|
Banquo
climber
Amerricka
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 06:24pm PT
|
phylp is Crushing it in the UK. Show them Pommies how it's done!
|
|
jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 07:00pm PT
|
Pretty country, youngster. You did good.
;>)
|
|
SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 07:48pm PT
|
Dayum, Phyl, that was awesome. But to lie about your age just to join the rarified ranks of the Platinum Posse is unethical. I know you aren't a day over 50.
Climb high!
Susan
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 07:56pm PT
|
Good one Susan!
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:04pm PT
|
Hot Da##, Phyl!
I hope you had a Guiness (or three) after that!!!!
AWESOME!!!!!
|
|
Fletcher
Gym climber
A very quiet place
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:11pm PT
|
Instant classic... highly enjoyable. Thanks!
Eric
|
|
mooser
Trad climber
seattle
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:20pm PT
|
Awesome TR!!!!!!
You are one gutsy woman!
|
|
Ward Trotter
Trad climber
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:22pm PT
|
The climbing world is in stunned disbelief at the sheer magnitude of this accomplishment.
An inertia has been created that has inhibited and dwarfed every subsequent effort.
Mt. Baldy has emerged as the training ground par excellance .
Nothing is the same anymore. It's as if a giant " reset" button has been pushed in the annals of mountaineering.
|
|
klk
Trad climber
cali
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:25pm PT
|
i'm pretty sure those shots are photoshopped.
looks at those pics-- it's practically in wales. but the sky is blue, and the sun is shining.
|
|
rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:43pm PT
|
News of Ms. Phyl P.'s single-day solo Shropshire Trifecta has just reached a jubilant US audience. Finally there has been a definitive American response to the Wide Boyz ravaging of US offwidths, although the irony of it taking a woman to get the country's ManStones back has not been lost on the chattering classes.
Most insiders thought that if an American was to subdue the Stiperstones, the most likely candidate would have been P. Shanti, whose ability to invert at a moment's notice was thought to be the only way to gain a seat at the Devil's Chair, but apparently Ms. Phyl P. remained upright, or nearly so, for the entire encounter.
A Wall Street ticker-tape parade and national award ceremony at Chuck e Cheese is expected on her return.
|
|
Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:46pm PT
|
I'm still laughing out loud, Phyl. Awesome account of your adventure. See you soon!
|
|
Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 08:52pm PT
|
I didn't see a single shot of you placing your own pro.
F*#kin' kids. No appreciation for the history of the routes.
|
|
phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 26, 2014 - 08:56pm PT
|
I wish I had a "like button". All of your replies are making me laugh.
But, oh, God, I am so embarrassed. My husband just read this and reminded me that I'm 61, about to turn 62. So you hit the mark Susan!
Apparently I'm at that age where you forget how old you are.
Phyl
PS Just to clarify that this TR is in no way meant to be mocking the reportage of young Mirko's ascent, of which I was impressed. But that thread was clearly the inspiration.
|
|
StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:07pm PT
|
Git sum PhylP!
|
|
kaholatingtong
Trad climber
Nevada City
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:09pm PT
|
hah, this was fun. cheers.
|
|
Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:20pm PT
|
And you didn't even have recourse to a blue camming stone, either! Great report, Phyl! Laughed out loud! See ya at Facelift?
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:23pm PT
|
Too funny!
|
|
Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:27pm PT
|
grinning from ear to ear!
Phyl's post was pure art, but some of the followups, omg!
Wade,Ghost,Dr_El_Jefe and many others.
|
|
mooser
Trad climber
seattle
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:29pm PT
|
But, oh, God, I am so embarrassed. My husband just read this and reminded me that I'm 61, about to turn 62. So you hit the mark Susan!
Haha!! My wife always "rounds up." As soon as she turned 51, it was like, "Yeah...I'm 60."
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:31pm PT
|
I thought that you stopped rounding up once you turned 21.
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:34pm PT
|
no old hags here just rad climber chicks...great work Phylp.
|
|
MH2
climber
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 09:36pm PT
|
Ha ha! England is merry. And olde.
|
|
mooser
Trad climber
seattle
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 10:15pm PT
|
I thought that you stopped rounding up once you turned 21.
That's what I thought, too, donini. Apparently, my wife never got that memo. She's now in her late 90s, though I'm only 56.
|
|
JOEY.F
Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
|
|
|
Jul 26, 2014 - 11:41pm PT
|
I laughed, I cried, it was the feel good trip report of the week.
|
|
Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 12:05am PT
|
Phylpearl this is. Phyl is carrying her young years well. She's got the years, but not the age. A pearl among TRs ^^^^
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 12:22am PT
|
Hugh Grant's people are checking this out this very instant!
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain was set for a sequel, but they are really excited about the possibilities herewith.
[Click to View YouTube Video]Loved this flick!
Gwaith da, Phyl!
|
|
Lollie
Social climber
I'm Lolli.
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 01:19am PT
|
Lovely read about "the spry sexagenarian". :-)
Thank you for lightening up my morning!
|
|
yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 06:09am PT
|
Rad send! Way to style the Stiperstones.
|
|
Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 06:19am PT
|
Bold!
Tenanya Peak. Let's go.
|
|
mcreel
climber
Barcelona
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 07:41am PT
|
Hey, I don't see you wearing a helmet! Rockfall can happen at any time.
|
|
Edge
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 08:03am PT
|
Splendid! Well done is all the fun.
Age is just a number that we throw out when it benefits us, to show our experience, to prove our vitality, to purchase a beer, or to get a discount at the movies. Me, I only trot out the number when someone is willing to hang around for five minutes while I do the math.
2014
-1961
=35
I'm 35 today. Works for me.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 08:36am PT
|
Somehow the ascent of the Tungincheekstone was left for another post in all the Stipering.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful day out!
What fun!
|
|
TWP
Trad climber
Mancos, CO
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 09:55am PT
|
Rad send dudette! Or do you prefer the appellation "dynamic old hag? (doh?)" Trip reports from participants at City of Rocks Fest '14 now filter in from all parts of the globe - well at least from England and Poland.
|
|
phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 27, 2014 - 10:08am PT
|
Ron, what an honor! I'm in! Phyl
|
|
Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 11:03am PT
|
I grew up in Upland, just below Baldy, and then and now that hike to the "summitt" remains an ass kicker. Couple years ago, several friends and I shelepped up mountain unicycles and rode those down. Had to walk a bunch because the descent trial is like sand in many places. But great views and a great training ground. Many ridges to tromp around up there. I never really explored the trails criss-crossing that entire region.
JL
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 12:38pm PT
|
cruxing!!!! :)
|
|
dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
|
|
|
Jul 27, 2014 - 06:17pm PT
|
I laughed, I cried, I laughed again.
Way to go PhylP! Baldy (Mt. San Antonio) is a bad ass ascent at any age.
....and kudos for your killer nutrition savvy of whimberries and Chorley Cakes. Forget those gels and whatevers.
Here is me and my (K9) baby Xena on the summit in '09.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 07:15am PT
|
Bump for the trip report of the YEAR!!!
|
|
phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2014 - 08:30am PT
|
Largo, we just bought a house in Upland, just on the edge of San Antonio Heights. I was only half kidding when I said I moved to southern California to train. I loved San Francisco, where we lived for 30 years, but being able to do a 10,000 foot hike with 4000 feet of elevation gain out your back door, while still having a great city and the ocean within an hour, will be nice for the next 30 years.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
climber
in the oil patch...Fricken Bakken, that's where
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 10:00am PT
|
Woohoo Phylp!!!!!5!!
Dig it, ya'll.
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 10:09am PT
|
What Balls!!!!
Way to make all American Climbers Proud!!!!
But you do not need to be so humble....
Just admit that you crushed.
I can't waite for the SLIDESHOW TOUR 2015!!!!
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 12:23pm PT
|
spray!
well done young lassie
Now ye'r makin' me feel auld.
|
|
Andy Fielding
Trad climber
UK
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 12:25pm PT
|
oh, God, I am so embarrassed. My husband just read this and reminded me that I'm 61, about to turn 62. So you hit the mark Susan!
Blame it on the wine Phyl.
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 12:58pm PT
|
I'm sorry, phyl, but from my 63-year perspective, you're still a youngster, even after you turn 62.
John
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 03:48pm PT
|
Blame it on the whine!
62 is a mere adolescent.
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 03:58pm PT
|
Funny stuff Phyl, Phil, Phlylp, Fill or whatever your name is ; )
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 04:01pm PT
|
You do know that people not out for their weekend of supervised release
take the chair lift up Mt Baldy, don't you?
|
|
em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 06:18pm PT
|
Great TR from a lady who ROCKS bigtime
4 thumbs up from the old climbers home!
|
|
Mark Force
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2014 - 06:29pm PT
|
Nice job! You made the most of those beautiful places and with style! Did you get to Snowdonia, too?
|
|
Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
|
|
|
Jul 30, 2014 - 04:51pm PT
|
A "bump" for Phylp! Of all the Tacos, she's one of the most deserving.
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Jul 30, 2014 - 05:59pm PT
|
hey there say, phylp... wow, i think i missed this, :O
wonderful ... thanks for sharing and great photos, too!!!
|
|
Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
|
|
|
Jul 30, 2014 - 07:20pm PT
|
Phylp, or phylyp, as she is sometimes known, that was a terrific report. Looks like a good time was had in Merry Olde.
|
|
Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
|
|
|
Jul 30, 2014 - 07:37pm PT
|
Nice work Phyl! Super funny! Thanks! ;)
|
|
| Messages 1 - 65 of total 65 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!