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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 25, 2014 - 06:46am PT
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From John Sheard and Mark Radtke’s recent biography of Pete Livesey, here is Ron Fawcett:
"We both loved climbing on Middle Cathedral; the granite was rougher than the rest of Yosemite and actually had face holds as well as greasy cracks. The Camp 4 hot shots had just put up Space Babble, a long and bold route up the face left of the Direct North Buttress, as usual the local gurus told us that this was the route to do, so we off we went hitching down the Valley. We were up a few pitches when the quiet serenity of the Valley was broken by howls and screams coming from the forest…it turned out to be the first ascensionists who’d come down from Camp 4 to try and freak us out. Not a chance, Pete just shouted down, “Piece of piss this, when does it start to get hard?” We always did our bit for Anglo-American relations…we’d done the second ascent of another mega classic and once again the score card back in camp read:
Cleckhuddersfox One-Camp 4 Nil”
Now in rebuttal, representing Camp 4, is one of the hot shot first ascensionists, himself :)
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Dec 25, 2014 - 10:22am PT
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Stoner's Highwsy seemed not too bad on the run outs. This one sounds very serious indeed. Thanks for all the great tales
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 25, 2014 - 11:41am PT
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Pete refused to lead any of the pitches as I recall so the BodyMachine got them all! LOL
When I lead the first pitch in 1978 I was climbing with a solid Brit named James Moran when I reached the belay stance it consisted of one 1/4" spinner and a fixed #2 Stopper! I always carried a bolt kit back in those days so I called down for it and placed a big 3/8" and Leeper hanger before putting James on belay. He had been pacing around the base wondering if he was going to be involved in an international bolting incident but it all went away as soon as he started climbing. On the way up he got so stoked that he exclaimed "F*#king brilliant!" in one way or another after every sequence.
Down we went but I would be back for the rest of it soon enough.
I cleaned the #2 Stopper and it had a "MG" stamped on it. Grahamicci had been there.
Kevin's topo to the two big Middle Rock testpieces.
Merry X-mas and Happy Runouts!
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 26, 2014 - 12:24pm PT
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Fawcett writes that Livesey asked him to lead every pitch because Livesey forgot his harness. Being "young and daft" Fawcett agreed.
Fawcett calls it a "mega classic",and that is high praise from one of the world's best.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Hi climbed the route yesterday, it was a dream for me.
To ok a fall in the first pitch at the mantel. The pro reached the fern was very good.
One green alien and a yellow totem and the most important pièce of pro a blue totem in the
Spot where there was a pin, like bolt.
I was Also abile to reach the fixed pin and climbed the broke flake way to the bolt and i found very hard,very dirty,. The other way signed on the topo is almost impossible.
On the second pitch found the mantel very hard the rest of the route went without problems, the last move of the 6 th pitch close to the anche was a little spicy..., any way i' m so happy and proud . Thanks to everybody for having replace d the bolts and left the route as a true master pièce.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Thanks Warbler you and Ron inspire me...great ballls during the first ascent...
I do not know if it is the first Italian ascent
Thanks again
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jonnywoodward
climber
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Oct 28, 2016 - 07:06pm PT
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There are still people with this on their tick list, and one by one they come and try it. Or do it. As it is. In a world where climbing 5.13 is commonplace and protection designs a world apart from those of the 70s, Space Babble is by no means a stretch for competent, contemporary climbers with their hearts set on it, fixed pins or no. It is nice to see some climbers still coming to Middle in 2016 and having much the same experience to that had by those who came before. Probably only a handful of people climb SB every year. So what? That's what makes it sweeter when you become one of them.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2016 - 07:11pm PT
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Nice work Tarallo!
I'd be surprised if a handful climb it every year. Every decade might be more like it.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Oct 31, 2016 - 02:47pm PT
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Thank you very much . I was so proud and happy it has been in my thoughts for years..
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Oct 31, 2016 - 02:52pm PT
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Classic. Thanks for the history lesson on this legendary climb.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Oct 31, 2016 - 03:24pm PT
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Thanks to everybody for having replace d the bolts and left the route as a true master pièce.
Thank you for appreciating that it was a bolt replacement and not a retro bolt! Clint and I spent a day or two (some in the rain) working on that. It was my first rebolting under the tutelage of Clint!
kev
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Oct 31, 2016 - 05:13pm PT
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Andrea,
Thanks for sharing your experience on the dream climb!
It's just what kev and I were hoping would happen when we replaced the bolts.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Clint and Kev thank you again .
I think you did the best work that could be done.
I come in the Valley usually two or three times a year so It would be great drink a beer or climb togheter , for sure I owe you one...
Unfortunally I have only some bad pictures I'll post one.
Ciao
A
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Thanks for sharing the photos, to go with your description of how the climb went!
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