Your favorite Royal Robbins route

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drljefe

climber

El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 16, 2017 - 07:11am PT

For many of us, the only way we knew Royal Robbins was through his routes.
And if you're like me, you're probably recounting some of those climbs after hearing of his passing.

He certainly bagged some gems, oftentimes the plum of the wall!
If you've done some of his climbs chances are they were classic , a breakthrough for you, or a feather in your cap...maybe all three!

He got around too, and left something for just about everyone-
big walls, free climbs, even boulder problems. Classics stacked on classics that have stood the test of time.

I've done a fair share of Royal Routes, here are just a few maybe lesser known classics.

Mecca 5.9
Thumb Butte
Prescott, AZ
FA Royal Robbins, Rusty Baillie 1971

At a generally scrappy area, Mecca is the most prominent splitter on the cleanest rock in the best location. Classic Royal. If you were working your way up the grades, Mecca was a milestone and a right of passage. The added aura that it was a Royal route sure figured strongly.

The Vampire 5.9 A3
Tahquitz
Idylwild, CA
FA Royal Robbins, Dave Rearick 1959
FFA 5.11 John Long/ Rick Accomazzo/ Mike Graham/ Bill Antel 1973

Most know The Vampire as the all time classic Stonemaster free route, but it was Royal who had the vision and climbed it first as his closing statement to his reign at Tahquitz. And guess what? It's the most audacious line on the biggest, blankest, baddest section of the rock.
It was a high point for Royal and I'm sure freeing it was a feather in the cap for those guys.
It sure was for me, one of the best routes I've ever done. History, setting, rock quality, climbing- this one checks all the boxes.

Royal said, "We were so far out there, on those thin flakes. It was a new step for us, just like when we did Half Dome."

So anyway, that's how I figure is a great way to honor and remember the Legend, by his routes.
Please share your favorites!

And thanks Royal.

crankster

Trad climber

No. Tahoe

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:21am PT

Fantasia, Lovers Leap. 5.9R.

You know you're a climber when you lead this tricky, meandering route.

SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:23am PT

Nutcracker!

wayne w

Trad climber

the nw

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:26am PT

The N.A.

Ghoulwe

Trad climber

Spokane, WA

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:29am PT

Many good memories of routes that Royal pioneered, but there are two of them which I'll note here.

#1 is Fantasia at Lover's Leap: Because Royal wrote so eloquently about it in Advanced Rockcraft, it had quite the reputation and I was afraid of it for a long time after I started leading 5.9. So when I finally psyched-up and did it for the first time, it felt like I had broken a mental barrier in leading. I enjoyed several ascents of it later too and always reflected back on my first time.

#2 is The Prow on Washington Column: This was my first Big Wall and I climbed it in March of 1976 with Mark Hudon. We had an uncomfortable sitting bivvy and just beat a snowstorm. Good memories!

Thank you Royal for all of the pioneering that you did for us. Your memory will live forever!

Eric Barrett
Spokane, WA

JerryA

Mountain climber

Sacramento,CA

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:41am PT

Nutcracker . Allan Bard led my first ascent in 1979 & it has always been a Valley highlight .Sticky rubber was a game-changer .

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Mar 16, 2017 - 07:46am PT

Great idea Jefe! A memorial/tribute thread with a twist that allows us additional reflection.

Royal's routes in Yosemite were some of my most memorable major projects.

I have done a number of them, including The Prow, North America Wall, Salathe, and the Regular Route on Half Dome, among the big ones.

But for me, as a 17 year old in 1978, the Direct NW Face of Half Dome has to take the cake. I climbed it after a couple routes on Washington Column, but before my first trip up El Cap.

It was monstrous, situated on a steep imposing wall, far above the rest of the valley. The psychological barrier alone was immense. I had done the slabs approach, with haul bags, TWICE, and found ample excuses to scurry away with my tail between my legs, before we finally committed to the wall. This was one of the reasons that the Oregon climbers were known as the "approach masters". We were always picking far away things in the early days. And in this case not actually doing the damn thing!

To my youthful credit though, I had insisted that the Direct would be my first Half Dome route, nothing "Regular" would do.

The straight shot of that line just had a lock on my mind like no other.

Leading the Crescent Arch I felt as though I was in a giant cathedral. Ahead lay difficult aid, difficult free climbing, harder route finding in those stacked flakes than I ever imagined, and bivouacs seemingly on the Moon.
I admired Royal then, and I admire him now.

The line just pops here, with all the right facing flakes. Both Terraces and Big Sandy ledge are also easy to spot.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:04am PT

Nutcracker like a third of everyone here.

Since he trained so many of us to climb, aren't they all RR routes?

He once told me one of his favorites was Pacifico Rocks in the San Gabriels. Not so long ago he would dirtbag camp there when visiting LA to see his Mom.

drljefe

climber

El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2017 - 08:10am PT

DMT-
Valid

rick sumner

Trad climber

reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:20am PT

Incubus 5.10B X at the Leap. Not anywhere near his best quality route, but indicative of the headspace he was capable of.

gizzard

Trad climber

sacrramento

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:34am PT

Self Abuse. Sugarloaf,CA FA Royal Robbins 5.10b/c
I think he did in the late 50's

epic striking OW.

Thanks RR for everything!

Gregory Crouch

Social climber

Walnut Creek, California

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:36am PT

The Salathe with the great Greg Corliss of Mammoth and Bishop. Man, we did some good climbs together.

I remember swinging through the roof at sunset, doing the headwall in the dark, sitting out rainshowers high and low on the route, nicknaming the haul bag for an ex-girlfriend of Greg's, dry heaving with fear atop El Cap Spire, and being awestruck with the excellence of the first ascent.

Huge mental leap for me.

dee ee

Mountain climber

Of THIS World (Planet Earth)

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:44am PT

I'm finding it really hard to narrow it down but the quick pick is The Vampire.

...no...maybe Tis-sa-ack....damn...see what I mean?

k-man

Gym climber

SCruz

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:49am PT

I once tried to solo Royal's route on the Higher Spire. I turned around at the base of the Chimney of Horrors.

Looking into the maw of the chimney, I kept thinking that Royal had soloed Ahab, a route I could never touch. And now here I was a the base of a chimney that scared him so much he actually placed a bolt some 80' up.

It didn't take me long to make a decision--out came the second rope.

So maybe that's my favorite unfinished Royal route...

Branscomb

Trad climber

Lander, WY

Mar 16, 2017 - 08:55am PT

Where do you start? The man was amazing...the stuff of legend.

I think my favorites are:

Nutcracker
The Prow
NW Face of HD
Fantasia (Lover's Leap)
Tricouni Nail (S Dakota)

All of them such high quality and challenging. I was blown away when I led Tricouni Nail, thinking how he did the first ascent in Klettershoes. Wow. And Fantasia...one of my favorite routes...but can't imagine being up there on the first ascent.

Legendary...even in his own lifetime...that is quite the statement for anyone.

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Mar 16, 2017 - 09:04am PT

Gotta go with Reg NW Face Half Dome. Always wanted to do his American Direct on Les Drus but never got around to it. Pretty sure that woulda supplanted Half Dome.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Mar 16, 2017 - 09:16am PT

The Salathé Wall with Fantasia at Lover's Leap a sentimental second. Royal chose to write about Fantasia in Advanced Rockcraft (as mentioned earlier)so it meant something to him and I had to do it once I had the opportunity.

Cragar

climber

MSLA - MT

Mar 16, 2017 - 09:58am PT

The Nutcracker.

I met some dude named Chris Velandi(sp?) at Columbia College. He was a bar tender in the Valley and asked if myself and my friend Roxanne wanted to do our first Valley multi pitch climb the weekend after we took a geology trip there...so we showed up and crashed at his bunkhouse on a Friday night and did the Nutcracker the next day, bright and early. I was blown away and hooked on climbing and exposure. Man, I thought I was like soooo high!! A buddy Greg and myself went back and dressed up as Tractor Tire salesman from Iowa and drug a Samsonite up it with a wall rack in it. We were goofing off and kinda making fun of tour'ons. When we got to the base we watched a fella take a whipper from 3/4s of the way up the dihedral (or middle start)all the way to the tree at the base, he was fuct. Anyway, that route hooked me and I have taken newbies on it and I can't think of anyone not digging.

For my big favorite, I'd say the NW of Half Dome, my second wall and it was a damn hoot!! My first time to the top of Half Dome!!