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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 8, 2017 - 10:48am PT
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I keep running across these 19th Century climbing articles. Thought I'd create a thread in which to store them. Please feel free to contribute your own discoveries.
Here's one from The Daily Alta California, April 8, 1866. Unfortunately, the number of American ascents is right in the flaw, but interesting nevertheless.
I'll add the others I've put in other threads below.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2017 - 10:49am PT
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Here's the article about an 1864 climb of Mt. Hood I posted last week:
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2017 - 10:54am PT
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Here's the ones about Sugarloaf in 1860 I posted a while back:
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2017 - 10:56am PT
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And then this, about the "rebranding" of Lake Tahoe:
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2017 - 11:00am PT
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2017 - 11:02am PT
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And here's one about an 1862 Indian fight at City of Rocks:
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Greg: Did Donini ever talk much about his 19th Century climbs while you were in bivies with him?
Here's an article from June 24th 1884 in a Hailey, Idaho newspaper. The mine they were visiting sets at 10,468' just below the summit of White Knob Mountain.
A Google Earth photo of the mine, with my captions.
And a link to my longer post on the subject:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2577492&tn=240
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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Nice topic Gregg!
I love this passage- puts you there.
John Muir
Ascent of Mt. Ritter
October, 1872
"At length, I found myself at the foot of a sheer drop in the bed of the avalanche channel, which seemed to bar all further progress. The tried dangers beneath seemed even greater than that of the cliff in front; therefore, after scanning its face again and again, I commenced to scale it, picking my holds with intense caution. After gaining a point about half-way to the top, I was brought to a dead stop, with arms outspread, clinging close to the face of the rock, unable to move hand or foot either up or down. My doom appeared fixed. I must fall. There would be a moment of bewilderment, and then a lifeless tumble down the once general precipice to the glacier below. When this final danger flashed in upon me, I became nerve-shaken for the first time since setting foot on the mountain, and my mind seemed to fill with a stifling smoke. But the terrible eclipse lasted only a moment, when life burst forth again with preternatural clearness. I seemed suddenly to become possessed of a new sense. The other self -- the ghost of by-gone experiences, instinct, or Guardian Angel -- call it what you will -- came forward and assumed control. Then my trembling muscles became firm again, every rift and flaw was seen as through a microscope, and my limbs moved with a positiveness and precision with which I seemed to have nothing at all to do. Had I been borne aloft upon wings, my deliverance could not have been more complete. Above this memorable spot, the face of the mountain is still more savagely hacked and torn. But the strange influx of strength I had received seemed inexhaustible. I found a way without effort and soon stood upon the topmost crag in the blessed light."
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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This photo is purportedly Judge Winchell on top of Mount Winchell in the Sierras in 1868. However, the first recorded ascent of Mount Winchell was in 1923.
But let's not let facts ruin a great patriotic photo.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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^^^Hmmm...look at the fellers pistol. Was that model available in 1868? Should be black powder percussion at that time?
Makes me doubt the date of the photo.
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john hansen
climber
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Revolvers were used extensively in the Civil war.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2017 - 05:32pm PT
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That's likely either a Colt 5-shooter or a Colt Navy revolver. Both widely used before, during, and after the Civil War. Sidearms of choice on the mining frontier.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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No five-shooter needed.
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Happy Cowboy
Social climber
Boz MT
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Century drift...Fritz made me do it!
Shameless bump for my Grandfather. I showed this to Ken Yegar years ago. He thought that there had to have been an earlier ascent but got back to me later having found no evidence. He felt it might've been the FA of Sentinel. I've never researched anything contrary. Help...
It reads "Mr. W. L. Black, considering the years that have passed since the enclosed names and address were written it is doubtful this reaches you, & if it does, perhaps not probable that you will remember it. I was on top of Sentinel Rock yesterday & took this from a tomato can. Your name with the other members of party were on a separate sheet, & was the only written record. It was dated July 11 -1907
Yours truly E J Holman"
MouseMerced helped figure out who Holman was and relation to the Curry Co. it's noted in Tarbuster's Yosemite circa 1931 thread.
Greg, thanks for the opportunity, HC
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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I went looking for this quote:
Jan 2, 2012 - 01:06pm PT Mighty Hiker
"It has frequently been noticed that all mountains appear doomed to pass through the three stages: An inaccessible peak - The most difficult ascent in the Alps - An easy day for a lady."
A.F. Mummery, but perhaps apropos.
and since I thought the quote was from Edward Whymper, I found this nice thread on Whymper's first ascent of the Aiguille Verte on June 29, 1865.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1579862/Edward-Whymper-First-Ascent-of-the-Aiguille-Verte-1865
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2017 - 10:04am PT
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I think this might be the original "Dirtbag Manifesto"...
And the greatest.
Starting on the bottom of p. 269, with the paragraph that begins, "Huck Finn's wealth..."
and reading to the top of p. 272,ending with, "... and you go and beg off for me with the widder."
here, at Archive.org...
It's also a phenomenal piece of writing.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 22, 2017 - 10:18am PT
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Some folks might enjoy this... Mining & Scientific Press, January 4, 1868
"Gigantic Juniper Tree at Yo-semite Falls"
If the natives couldn't be bothered do it, this is probably the first ascent of Liberty Cap.
Here's the link to the original.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2017 - 01:31pm PT
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This long article discusses the first ascent of Long's Peak, by "Prof. Powell,"(John Wesley Powell) and talks about his upcoming exploration of the Colorado River:
The mountain had "heretofore defied all the efforts of explorers and mountaineers to reach its top."
"They had a terribly hard climb of it."
"The Powell Colorado Exploring Expedition," Mining & Scientific Press, November 28, 1868.
"New knowledge and wide honors await."
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2017 - 07:44pm PT
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First ascent of Elburz, the highest in the Caucasus mountains, in The Mining & Scientific Press, February 6, 1869.
The Highest Mountain in Europe.
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hacky47
Trad climber
goldhill
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Jun 27, 2017 - 08:26am PT
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Powell's expedition was not the first to climb Longs peak.
John goss and Robert Woodward....1865 june 16th
also, in 1860 a Mr Cromer [in a letter to the Golden newspaper] claimed to have summited.
Arapahoe Indians are my guess though!
Dougald MacDonald's book Longs Peak is my source.
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Gregory Crouch
Social climber
Walnut Creek, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2017 - 08:38am PT
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I'm sure Dougald is correct, but his dudes didn't get credit for it in The Mining & Scientific Press.
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hacky47
Trad climber
goldhill
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Jun 27, 2017 - 08:55am PT
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True....carry on
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Mar 14, 2019 - 06:19pm PT
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John, Greg; if that was an 1860s revolver it would have a loading lever under the barrel.
Smith and Wesson had already produced a cartridge revolver in 1857, but it was only in .22 and .32 rimfire and had a shorter barrel.
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