Some Mt Woodson Classics (TR)

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eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 1, 2007 - 11:30am PT
Managed to get a half day of bouldering in on my Christmas trip to San Diego. It's my old stomping grounds, but I hadn't been there for ten years. It's only bouldering, but Woodson is pretty unique. All photo credits to my girlfriend, Elizabeth Benjamin.

My first climb ever - Sickle Crack (5.9).


The classic Robbins Hand Jam (5.10).

The somewhat less classic, Baby Robbins (5.9).

A Rick Piggot classic, Jaws (5.10+).

Test Tube - (actually, it's the Crucuble, 5.10).

A little offwidth action, Cricket's Chimney, aka Greg's Crack (5.11+).

The most beautiful photographer.



mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 1, 2007 - 11:44am PT
Nice, Greg! Thanks for that posting.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 1, 2007 - 12:12pm PT
Test Tube is located near the very top of Woodson. This climb, The Crucible, is right next to it.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 1, 2007 - 12:41pm PT
Nice! I want to get back there. I was beginning to worry till you got greg's/cricket in there.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Jan 1, 2007 - 12:41pm PT
definitely on my list of places to go, especially when visiting my SoCal located family...
thanks for the very nice TR!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 1, 2007 - 01:14pm PT
I gotta tell you Jaybro, I was glad I could still do that thing. After my less-than-stellar performance on Air Voyage in 2005, I didn't know whether I had offwidth mojo anymore.

Put my hands in Mother Superior. To me, that thing is so much harder than Greg's Crack.
WBraun

climber
Jan 1, 2007 - 01:50pm PT
Awesome looking climbs. Is that a cell phone tower in the background on a couple of those photos?
matisse

climber
Jan 1, 2007 - 01:52pm PT
GREAT pics, thanks. I love Woodson.
As an aside you've reversed test tube and crucible.
Crimpergirl

Social climber
St. Louis
Jan 1, 2007 - 01:56pm PT
Thanks for the photos and commentary. Always happy to read these posts.

And, welcome back Matisse - you've been missed.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 1, 2007 - 02:13pm PT
Discouraging words, eeyonk, I'm counting on you to do the first over 50 ascent of Lucille (Unless Bob's holding out on us). I think you mentioned something on another thread about getting into pullups today, me to!
As soon as I get a new battery in my car, I'm off to Indian Rock, Another historic urban ca climbing spot, if of somewhat lesser stature than Woodson. There's a 5.0 chimney that's about my speed, today.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 1, 2007 - 02:20pm PT
Werner, the very top of Woodson is full of telecomm equipment. I noticed a bunch more have gone up since I was last there.

Lucille is on my list for this year. So is Stratosfear (anyone interested, Kevin?). I'm gonna start getting in shape for them...er...a little later on today.
K. Fosburg

Sport climber
park city, ut
Jan 1, 2007 - 07:08pm PT
Way cool photos. It's amazing how Woodson is such a study in difficult crack sizes. Almost seems to speak to an intelligent design...E-mail me if I am the Kevin you mean regarding the BBBBlack.
ground_up

Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
Jan 1, 2007 - 10:00pm PT
Greg,
Thanks for a great TR !... nice to see a Woodson pioneer still crankin'.

S.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 2, 2007 - 01:31am PT
Fantastic crack climbing shots! Got to check the place out sometime soon. Looks like perfect highballing out there!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2007 - 09:36am PT
Hey, I did mix up Test Tube and the Crucible. I'm not good with names.
Ghoulwe

Trad climber
Spokane, WA
Jan 2, 2007 - 11:08am PT
Test Tube left, Crucible right.

Eric
goatboy smellz

climber
boulder county
Jan 2, 2007 - 01:39pm PT
PIMP!!!

How dare you tease us when you know the south Platte is snowed in;)

Now how am I gonna purge this lust for climbing sweet granite cracks today?

ACK!
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 2, 2007 - 02:28pm PT
Thank you for sharing those great photos. I have never been to Mt. Woodson and as a crack climber, that place looks to have some sweet splitters!

I should check it out... how do you get there from OC? Are there any free online topos/guidebooks of the area?

Thanks,
Darshan
matisse

climber
Jan 2, 2007 - 02:32pm PT
Hey, I did mix up Test Tube and the Crucible. I'm not good with names

no worries, I hesitated to even say and detract from your nice TR. Pretty brave getting on Crucible half nekkid and all. I had chews on my shoulder for days after getting on it, and I had a rope.
Scott_Nelson

Trad climber
San Diego
Jan 2, 2007 - 03:05pm PT
Greg's Crack!!! That thing is impossible! What magic trick did you do to start it? = )
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2007 - 03:18pm PT
Darshan. From I-15 and Poway Rd, go east on Poway Road and follow it to its end (several miles, goes through Poway) to Hwy 67. Go north on Hwy 67 for 3-4 miles and look for Mt Woodson Rd. on your left. Mt Woodson Rd has two outlets to the hwy...park along the hwy near the more northerly.

The secret to Greg's Crack...start low. After that, it's just classic arm-barring.

The climbs I've shown represent a very small sample of the crack gems out there. There is, of course, much more than splitter cracks. Here's an unnamed 5.11+ traverse that I was unable to do on this trip.
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 2, 2007 - 08:33pm PT
Thank you for the info...
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2007 - 08:41pm PT
Oh, and Darshan, now that I am at home and have the guidebook - you can find nearly all of the Mt Woodson climbs in San Diego County Climbing Guide by Dave Kennedy with Chris Hubbard. Sheesh, I meant to bring this with me to check out Vice Pricipal's Office and PhD (which I didn't find).
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 2, 2007 - 08:44pm PT
damn, have you folks had you heads stuck in the sand or what?? woodson has the most amazing crack bouldering highballs in the western hemisphere. if you like cracks, and like to boulder highballs, woodson is gonna blow yer hair back. werd to ya mutha.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 2, 2007 - 08:45pm PT
I went to a different Vice principal's office, today, it's weird sometimes, growing up.

Eeyonkee, Maybe you just needed EB's on that traverse?
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 2, 2007 - 09:13pm PT
You notice bvb, I didn't show anything that's rated 5.11c. That's not simply because I'm old and fat, the fact is I never could do Hear My Train a Comin', Driving South, Alcoa, and those other Woodson 11c's.
Jello

Social climber
No Ut
Jan 3, 2007 - 01:27am PT
What a great place to climb cracks! And what great looking climbs. High enough to be serious, but not so high as to be absolutely deadly if you should blow it. Very pure climbing...Thanks!
poop_tube

Big Wall climber
33° 45' N 117° 52' W
Jan 3, 2007 - 02:03am PT
darshahlu

hella postin up on the ST sheit
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 3, 2007 - 02:14am PT
BVB, I done had my hairs blowed back sa miny times dey done fully cleared out up top. Izza fully Noith domin' an bristleconin' gangsta!!! But neva have slapped dat stone or caught da breeze in da Wood!
426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Jan 3, 2007 - 07:33am PT
Cool stuff Greg! "Greg's" is damned gnarl in my opinion. As is Right Longs iirc... I got whupped on 10a wide last time I was down there...it's probably 9+ by now.

Jlo, with the manzanita/boulder landings (usually on hillside), a lot of woodson tops are fairly "deadly" ....
Richard Sims

Trad climber
LeVagina,Co
Jan 3, 2007 - 12:29pm PT
Greg, after climbing, boating and boarding with my daughters for the past 15 years (isn'T Co. grand)I have been left behind with the girls off to collage.Do you hit the south plate or eleven mile? Richard
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 3, 2007 - 01:02pm PT
Richard - Yeah, I climb regularly in the South Platte. Drop me an email if you'd like. I'd take Colorado over So Cal overall for sure, but I do miss Woodson as a bouldering area. I basically don't boulder anymore.

Edit - Kevin F - check your email.

Got some girls of my own.
Kevster

Trad climber
Evergreen, CO
Jan 3, 2007 - 03:36pm PT
Greg....Awesome photos of Woodson, I will have to check it out next time im in SoCal.

We met at the CynPin parking lot a few months back, how did you and Greg Lowe like Edge of Fright?

About Stratosphere....you might want to check with Leonard about those fixed ropes they used for protection points. I can't imagine that they are in the greatest of shape 20 years later.

Any interest in the Free Nose?
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 3, 2007 - 04:11pm PT
Poop Toob -
Yes, I am posting on SuperTaco if thats what you meant to say. just kidding, gimme some of that jack don't come back slack, ya know what I'm saying slizzaw. awesome jack.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 3, 2007 - 05:06pm PT
Kevster, yeah, I remember you. As it turned out, Edge o' Fright was a bit of a struggle for George to lead that day. Come to think of it, Mississippi Half Step was a bit of a struggle for me. Every day is a good one in the S Platte, though. Thanks for the tip on Stratosfear. I've got Leaonard's email address (we were supposed to climb together in the Black last Fall but things did not work out).

As for the Free Nose, it looks great, and I would very much like to do it. I'd like to do 5 or 6 routes in the Black this year.
Kevster

Trad climber
Evergreen, CO
Jan 3, 2007 - 05:44pm PT
Mississippi Half Step is a serious sandbag, especially if you stay with the crack at the crux. My main climbing partner just thrashed his leg in a surfing accident, so I am trying to find some others interested in finishing some FA's with me up there this winter, let me know if you are interested.

Of course that is assuming that some snow melts up there, I climbed on the Sunshine Wall last Tuesday and there were chest high drifts along the base...I bet it is a lot worse now.

pyro

Big Wall climber
Ventura
Jan 14, 2007 - 09:46pm PT
never been there12. the lady and I are going to look at it tomarrow.
Oli

Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
Jan 15, 2007 - 02:55am PT
I used to drive out for Christmas to see my parents who would winter at a second house they had in San Diego. I had many lovely visits to Mt. Woodsen and Santee on those trips. On probably my first trip I soloed up and down the Robbins crack, thinking it was the 4th class route to the top and down. Someone later said it was 5.9 or 5.10. That kind of surprised me. It seemed like a perfect hand jam, but it was nice. I might have had a harder time, had I known how high it was rated. On one finger-crack, much more difficult than that one, solid 5.11+, I stood at the bottom feeling the first holds, himming and hawing, making excuses, you know, saying I was over the hill and out of shape... I'd been eating and gaining weight. My mom and dad had come along for the walk, and there were a bunch of young kids standing around, surfer-looking folk, strong, tan, and suddenly my mother said, "Stop standing there and get up that rock." It shocked me. No fellow climber could have intimidated me in such a way, and I went right up the crack like a scared rabbit. There's a funnier, much better wording for this little story in my small book Direct Lines. I should have copied it in here, actually, but oh well. Anyway I have great memories of that beautiful place.

Pat
mpandy

Trad climber
Jackson Hole, WY
Jan 15, 2007 - 10:29am PT
Sweet pics!

Some online beta...
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/california/san_diego_county/mount_woodson/105791148

Woodson's cracks are great!
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 15, 2007 - 06:12pm PT
Pat wrote: "On probably my first trip I soloed up and down the Robbins crack, thinking it was the 4th class route to the top and down. Someone later said it was 5.9 or 5.10." That sounds about right, coming from the one who did the FA of Supremacy. I remember years ago dreaming about how cool that would be to try that one myself some day. Downright inspirational.

Woodson was my local haunt for years. The first time I did Robbins--my first 5.10--I was ecstatic (it was around '75 or '76, and I did it with a toprope, thank you very much). I was dating a girl named Robin at the time, and I said to a group of non-climbing friends "I climbed Robbins Crack today...I climbed Robbins Crack!!!" They all appeared kind of shocked and confused as to what exactly that meant.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 15, 2007 - 07:47pm PT
every time someone bumps this thread my mouth waters.



Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 15, 2007 - 09:00pm PT
Damn, one of the original Poway Boy(s) was in the Hood, and I missed it. Greg, very nice shots. Mt. Woodson/San Diego is pretty damn awesome. Lots to do.

You know after all these years and still only about a 1/4 of all of Woodson has been touched. What gems lie out there we can only guess at. We used to camp up there on the weekends in the seventies just to make better use of our time.

Between here and Bishop, life seems pretty complete. Sweet. Thanks for that and for reminding me how special Woodson is.

Klimmer
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 19, 2007 - 12:57am PT
Yeah BVB!! Remember the '70's!!
Ricardo Carlos

Trad climber
Off center, CO.
Jan 19, 2007 - 01:24am PT
Nice pair of scats. I threw away a pair last move. Still have a pair or two. I remember the manager of a shoes store was a climber and had all the pairs moved to Grosmont shopping center.
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 19, 2007 - 01:28am PT
Nah, these were tigers. But I had scats as well. I swore I could do more with these than EB's though!!
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 19, 2007 - 01:45am PT
Hey Mike,

That's how I remember you at Woodson. Firing off "hear my train a comin'" in tennis shoes.

Tom
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 19, 2007 - 10:48am PT
My fingers were always too big or something for 'hear my train'. Yeah, that WAS it.
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 19, 2007 - 11:44am PT
Uh...yeah...uh...mine too!
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 20, 2007 - 12:55pm PT
Mike P.,

That is how I remember you at Woodson in the 70's. It was like watching a magician on rock. Wild long hair and pulling off the most intense moves while soloing and making it all look smooth and very easy.

I did give you a few Bs back then. I gave you a belay on Test Tube, and you tied in with just a bowline on a coil around the waist and you forever changed my idea about minimalism.

I like to do that even now sometimes just to carry as little equipment as possible.

The 70's were a good time and full of wonderful memories. I miss them. Seems they were more innocent times.

Glenn Simpson
"Klimmer"
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Jan 20, 2007 - 01:09pm PT
Greg,
Thanks for the inspiring thread. This year I'm getting serious about climbing again...gonna start tomorrow...or the day after.
Rick
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 20, 2007 - 01:26pm PT
Yeah Greg!! It's been forever but do you guys have any original Poway Mt. Boys photos? Now that would be a blast from the past!! Peace, Michael Paul.
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Jan 20, 2007 - 06:58pm PT
That place is truly finger size dependent. You got big fingers you simply ain't gonna do some of the really thin cracks there, and others with comparatively easy ratings (like Hear my Train at 11C) will likely be harder than any 5.12 crack in Tarnation. On the other hand, a lot of the wider stuff is not so bad for bigger folk.

What I'd like to see is a shot of the Silk Banana, an oddball classic with an interesting finish.

JL
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 20, 2007 - 07:44pm PT
Thanks, JL. I feel vindicated! By the way...there is a shot of Silk Banana (a truly odd classic) in one of the latest issues of R&I or Climbing. Can't remember (or find at this moment) which one.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 20, 2007 - 08:50pm PT
I've been forever off of correctly judging class 5 ratings having grown-up climbing at Woodson in the seventies. A Woodson 5.9 is more like a 5.10. Many 5.10s at Woodson are more like 5.11. And then of course 5.11 could really be 5.12. There is often a full letter grade difference.

I don't know. Maybe other areas got soft? It has screwed me up ever since. My grading system is very workable though: hard, harder, and damn near impossible.

It would be great to see more of the "Poway Mt. Boys" post up. It would be cool if Rick P., were to arrive and talk about the days of yore. Last I heard from another thread - he was up in Tahoe area.

Greg, are you in touch with him?


PS We should link other Woodson threads to this thread. A lot of history has been discussed here over time. ST is a great resource.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 21, 2007 - 07:43am PT
Took some time to look-up some of the classic threads on Woodson to link them to this current Woodson thread . . . classic history and still in the making:

"Hardest Woodson Offwidths":
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=161163&msg=161163#msg161163


"Poway Mountain Boys":
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=204717&msg=204717


And for good measure the Santee Boulders . . .

"Saving Santee Boulders and it's History . . .":
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=174560&msg=174560#msg174560

Please link other threads that you know of. Thanks.


SuperTopo Forum - a living, breathing Guidebook and History by those who did it. That's what I love about this virtual "climber's campfire"
:-))
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 21, 2007 - 11:03am PT
So, this thread's not dead. Good to hear from you Watusi. Seems kind of strange that our paths didn't cross more. In fact, I can only think of climbing with you at Woodson maybe once or twice. But, of course, your reputation always proceeded you (or is it preceeded?). Haven't been in touch with Piggot - the pride of the Poway Mountain Boys. As for pictures, I think the only pictures I have of Woodson are the ones I took this Xmas. My brother Jim must have a lot of them from 1970 and 1971 that he developed himself in black and white. I may try to get some of those scanned.

Hey Klimmer. As a fellow Woodson afficianado, we'll have to boulder there together some time. Radical - good story about Robbins Crack. I've always found the size somewhat difficult as well. Rick - How's that climbing coming today (in the snow)? Largo - I was checking out the Silk Banana on this trip. Never could come close to doing it, have you done it? Mooser - Hey!
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 21, 2007 - 11:22am PT
Hi Greg! Yeah I mostly remember going over to the house in Poway and hanging more with Tom and George a little. I got to know Rick a little better in later years but for the most part never really hung with you that much, more with Bob Van Belle (BVB), Ron Amick (gonamuck), and Greg Epperson. But I always had been told of many of your exploits which are legendary!
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Jan 21, 2007 - 11:51am PT
Johnny- re: hand size dependent cracks. I will refrain from complaining about certain fist+ cracks, e.g. Paisano Overhang, if you do the same regarding thin finger cracks!
Greg-gonna have to be the day after, looks like snowboarding in the neighborhood again today.
For those who haven’t been to Woodson, there are good face climbs, too. Here is Karl M. on “Go with the Flow”, circa 1979.

Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 21, 2007 - 12:45pm PT
Wow! Rockamazo, that's a classic of Karl Mueller!! I used to hang out with him a bit back then!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 21, 2007 - 01:15pm PT
Although I haven't seen him in many years, I happen to know that Karl is a professor at CU Boulder where he teaches structural geology.

I just remembered another time when I couldn't do hear my train a com'in ... I remember a chipmunk looking at me kinda funny, and then like, the sun was in my eyes or something. My hands were extra sweaty - they're always extra sweaty on those Woodson .11c finger cracks. I remember thinking to myself, I don't have a chance.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 21, 2007 - 03:24pm PT
Greg,

Would love to boulder with you at Woodson sometime or anybody here posting to this thread, just shoot me an email and let me know when you're in town.


Awesome,

You guys have just solved my snapshot photo problem after all these years. I'm thinking who is the guy that I gave my camera to and asked him to take a few shots? Karl Mueller. I would see him from time to time up there. I do remember he was a UCSD student, and yes I believe he told me he was a geology major or going for his masters?

Following shots are of me (circa '78/'79, age 17) and Karl climbing the Woodson, roadside face climb just south of and on the same side of the road as "Don't Rock the Boat." Keith Brueckner and Tim Umstead, my climbing bud, are both watching. Although everyone jumped on it. We called it 5.10+, although Kennedy's guidebook now calls it 5.11+. Now, there is a big Laurel Sumac in front of the climb, although it is still climbable. Typical wear for me at the time: EBs with leather covers, OD green Army pants, and wearing my Forest Harness from climb to climb regardless if we were bouldering or top-roping it, function over fashion.


Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 21, 2007 - 07:01pm PT
Nice Candor, Riley! You expressed soemthing I've felt a number of times. Robbins crack fit me like a glass slipper, I was up and down within two minutes of fire™-ing up. But supercrack, and the first, wide hands part of Spectreman, left me uneasy and wondering why they seemed so easy for everybody but me.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 21, 2007 - 07:51pm PT
Yeah BVB!! Remember the '70's!!

yeah vawto! remember the great mid-week winter session of '77 that came to be known as "Big Wednesday?" one of the top ten days of my climbing life...all of a sudden realized that the sky was the limit!
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 21, 2007 - 08:06pm PT
bad lighting, lousy shots of silk bannana from a couple winters ago...standard woodsun socalflyweight elevensee warm-up. 'specially when those interlopers from roo-bee-doo dared come down from smell-eh to tread our holy ground!



Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 21, 2007 - 09:16pm PT
BVB,

Sweeeeet. "Silk Banana" definately named appropriately. Never could get it. I have the build, tall with long legs. I better start doing my situps now in preparation. I'll be ready in about 6 months, at a 100 situps a day (lol). Nice beta shots.

Here is Boulder 13. As we know the start is easy, it is the finish that is hard 10d-ish. Photo of me, by my good friend George Tabler also from Poway. Circa '77/'78, at 16. (I date photos by HS years for that period of time in my life. Only damn way I can remember the dates)

Bandana on, and at least I'm wearing underwear that day. Good thing.

On-edit: BVB, after rereading your post I think you are definately opening up some old wounds from the SM threads, and days of yore. The turf wars continue . . . (lol).
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 21, 2007 - 11:57pm PT
indeed. someday kp and hensel and mike paul and eppi and i will be sitting around the old folk's home beating one another with our canes....SoCalFlyweights4Lyfe!!1!
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Jan 22, 2007 - 12:14am PT
A two-step knee jam, cool. Looks like tip-toeing until you can move that lower foot up and then - locked. Very nice.

[ Edit: Ooopppss, now that I study it more I see you're actually doing a knee bar traverse - never run across a beast quite like that. Interesting. Have to hand it to whoever came up with that one... ]
crotch

climber
Jan 22, 2007 - 01:15am PT
For anyone who's tempted to come down to SD and hop on these clean splitters on immaculate granite, Chris Hubbard, co-author of the San Diego County Climbing Guide has posted his Woodson topos over on http://www.climbingtoposofsandiego.com. Also some beta here.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 22, 2007 - 01:57am PT
Crotch,

Thanks for the links.

How the heck did I miss this thread?

So-Cal climbing beta (near San Diego)
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=262374&msg=290729

Must have been really worried and stressed by the up-coming election in November and I was drinking myself dizzy (thank God the elections went the right way) without checking into SuperTaco. Another worthy thread to link to this one.


eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2007 - 10:09am PT
Dang bvb, so you can (obviously) do Silk Banana as well. Sheesh, for my home turf, there certainly are a lot of classics that I could never do.
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Jan 22, 2007 - 11:24am PT
Hey, Bob, you frickin' lightweight. The way Rick P. showed me (on said Banana), you weren't allowed to grab the edge of the fruit at the end as shown in your pic, rather you had to--given that you're half a man--go to bunk face edges and huck to the top. Now go back and send it properly.

JL
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jan 22, 2007 - 04:11pm PT
Uh-oh.

I see the makins' of a virtual brawl or gunfight in the works.

BVB/"Poway Mt. Boys" vs. the "Stone Masters" or is it the Stoned Masters? I don't recall.

Quick, all woman and children take cover.

Real men lock-n-load. Smoke um if you got um.

I think I'll just hunker down and pour myself a whiskey . . .

This is gonna be good . . .


bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 22, 2007 - 04:27pm PT
goddammit largo, you and your roubidoux interlopers! that's the last straw. it's time to settle who masters the dimes, once and for all! spare change at 20 paces!!


p.s. -- healyje -- the problem starts way back in the flake- even tall guys like me have to do three or four pure power undercling moves before you get the kneebar -- which ain't as good as it looks. that sucker is one tough problem. you wanna hit it when you're fresh, 'cause "if one could harness the torque required to send this problem, one could concievably turn lumps of coal into shining gems."

(or words to that effect}
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Jan 22, 2007 - 09:13pm PT
Bob, I grew up on dimes, but at 205 pounds I had nothing on guys like Hennie and Powell and Muir and Ricky and Richard and all the rest. And there's another guy from way back (circa '71), named Ben Borson, who was also insanely good on the small change. Naturally, all of these guys were Roubidoux locals . . .

When I think of Woodson, I think of cracks, possibly the best spread of granite splitters I've ever seen in one place.

JL
henny

Social climber
The Past
Jan 26, 2007 - 01:06am PT
'specially when those interlopers from roo-bee-doo dared come down from smell-eh to tread our holy ground!

Why was it that the 'roo-bee-doo interlopers' were always the ones who were going into the other guys hood, and not vice versa? And it wasn't any of that drive-by stuff, we always gave ya plenty of advance notice we were comin' at ya, just so you could get ready. Seems like just recently someone (bvb) was at roo-bee-doo without sufficiently informing interested locals when he was going to be there. Same as it ever was.


goddammit largo, you and your roubidoux interlopers! that's the last straw. it's time to settle who masters the dimes, once and for all! spare change at 20 paces!!

I guess that would need to be settled at roo-bee-doo since dimes and Woodson don't go together in the same sentence.


Naturally, all of these guys were Roubidoux locals . . .

Naturally.


bvb, You just had to go and start something you can't finish. Or win.
Curt

Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
Jan 26, 2007 - 01:17am PT
...goddammit largo, you and your roubidoux interlopers! that's the last straw. it's time to settle who masters the dimes, once and for all! spare change at 20 paces!!

Hey Bob--I want in on this too.

Curt
goatboy smellz

climber
boulder county
Jan 26, 2007 - 01:21am PT
Holy quads, calfs & bahdunkadunk!

GOOD GOD!
Klimmer, stop teasin'
We know you still have tha goodz.
Don't forget the pushups.

pyro

Big Wall climber
Ventura
Jan 26, 2007 - 01:32am PT
Mt Woodson is a very fine place. I'm making time for this place because of its local.
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 02:28pm PT
I hope to make it up to Woodson this weekend.

Since I am still recovering from a tendon injury sustained back in October, I will only crack climb and wide stuff at that.

What are the best Hands, Fist, and OW cracks at Woodson? I would like to stick to stuff that is longer, since I get my rocks off of leading more so than bouldering, so please include the approx. length of the route. Right now, considering my current condition, I am really looking to do 5.8-5.10 wide crack stuff.

Thanks for the help!

Darshan
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 03:06pm PT
I did a little a research at www.mountainproject.com and here's what I found for Hands, Fist, and OW cracks in the 5.8 to 5.10- range (that are 20 feet or longer):

Robbins Boulder:
Robbins crack (10a hands) 35ft ***

Rockwork Orange Boulder:
Rockwork Orange (10a wide-hands) 40ft ***

Tower Two Area:
Tower Two Chimney (5.8 chimney) 45ft
Tower Two Crack (5.7) 35 ft

Sickle Crack Boulder:
Sickle Crack (5.9 offwidth) 20ft ***

Poison Oak Boulder Area:
Poison Oak Crack (5.7 offwidth) 35ft
Big Grunt (5.9 offwidth) 55ft
Elsa's Crack (5.7 tight hands) 20ft

Uncertainty Principle Area:
Eric's Crack (5.9 offwidth) 20ft

The Summit Area:
Crucible (10c offhands, fist, offwidth) 25ft ***
SW Crack of Ogre Boulder (5.10 fist)

The Cave Area:
John's Crack (5.9 hands) 18ft
Bat Flake (5.10c fists, forearms) 22ft ***
Greg's Crack (5.11 offwidth) 17ft

Please add to the list if you can!

Thanks,
Darshan
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2007 - 03:38pm PT
Big Grunt, 5.9 offwidth/chimney 90'
Bat Flake, 10c Hands 35'(one of the greats).
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 04:17pm PT
Thanks.

I added those climbs to The List.

I presume you meant 9ft for Big Grunt, not 90?

Darshan
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2007 - 04:23pm PT
No, I meant 90 ft, but now that I think of it, 55 would be a better estimate. It's 5.9 offwidth to get in then maybe 5.7 chimney to the top.
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 04:29pm PT
Wow, that sounds like a must-do then...
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 04:41pm PT
Do you have any information on these climbs?

Sunday Afternoon Boulder 5.9 hands
Grainstorm hand crack 5.9 hands
Out of Sight 5.9 hands
Monkey Crack 5.10c hands/fists
Ride the Lightening 5.10d cupped hands, wicked steep
Mariah 5.10d OW

Also, does anyone know where the San Diego Climber's Coalition Website has gone? It used to be at http://www.giantsoftware.com/sdcc/ but now is gone and I can't even view the cached page from google... Also, when I try to use www.archive.org to view archived versions of the site, I get a message stating that the site has been blocked... http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.giantsoftware.com/sdcc/

Darshan

mtwoodsonguide

Big Wall climber
San Diego
Jan 29, 2007 - 08:15pm PT
Dude your killing me, take your meds.
Grainstorm is V5otd face that should prob. be toproped
The rest of those are good. Out of Sight is stellar
Don't even ask about the website there weren't any Woodson topos there anyways.
If anyone wants to look at hard offwidth boulder problems that they've never seen before let me know. I still have a couple I haven't gotten around to doing yet.
Whats the use of listing crap your pulling out of book here with no topo.
Here's the top of the hill 100 problems, where old guides had 10-15. The V4 upside down offwidth is very unique.
you have to log in to see or open the 4 page text doc. that goes with the crappy topo.
Tahoe climber

Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
Jan 29, 2007 - 09:35pm PT
I just moved to SD.
I love this thread.
My palms just go sweaty reading it.
Is it okay to chalk up in a retail store?

See at the badass splitter cracks!

OP: good TR.

-Aaron

ps: hitting up Vertical Hold gym tonight, and for sure Thurs nite if any SD climbers are still following this.
Busy during the day, so the gym will have to hold me over!
Woodson next week sometime, for sure.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 29, 2007 - 09:48pm PT
¿"Here's the top of the hill 100 problems, where old guides had 10-15. The V4 upside down offwidth is very unique.
you have to log in to see or open the 4 page text doc. that goes with the crappy topo"?


Where, exactly?
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 29, 2007 - 10:34pm PT
wannabes.

all your sends are belong to me.

--pitansk

p.s. grades mean nothing at woodson. 5.10d = V0. so maria's OW is V0?? even tho it's overhanging, insecure, with a very bad landing, and it's 25' up before the business is over??

heh.

have at it, homeslice.

p/s -- if you like wide, go do sickle crack (first pic in this thread.)

remember, it's 5.9.

if you don't do wide cracks, bring a bro (spotters don't do you no good at 30+ feet) who has a cell phone. you can join your name to the long list of idjits who been choppered out of woodson on their way to meet the grevious angel.

watch your back, don't get in over your head. woodson ain't the happies. it's a "bouldering" area where people have died.

i'm just sayin', is all.

Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Jan 29, 2007 - 11:06pm PT
Right on BVB! Just send 'em peeps!
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 30, 2007 - 01:20am PT
I plan to lead. I got big gear, and a rope. Might as well use it! Even if that means only using three pieces.
mtwoodsonguide

Big Wall climber
San Diego
Jan 30, 2007 - 12:53pm PT
[url="http://www.climbingsandiego.com/forum/index.php?topic=227.0
"]Over the Top of the Hill[/url]

wups forgot the link, topo sucks, it's a work in progress
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 30, 2007 - 01:40pm PT
Hope this is ok with you, Watusi... Here's a better map of Woodson, drawn by Mike Paul and posted by Tarbuster in another thread.
Hootervillian

climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
Jan 30, 2007 - 01:54pm PT
nice way to enjoy woodson without losing the contents of your vehicle!

big grunt straight up? yuk. all this time i thought it was heel-toe, heel-toe, sliiide sliiide, all the way out the back door?

have i been doing it wrong?

which ones of ya'll have third classed uncertainty/curtains? could never sack for either of those problems sans cord.

who did airstream first?
darshahlu

Trad climber
Irvine, CA
Jan 30, 2007 - 02:56pm PT
Thanks all for your posts. The topos and route descriptions will be particularly useful. Man, I am psyched to get on these cracks this weekend for my first Woodson trip! Its only Tuesday, this week is going to be long...

D
Josh Higgins

Trad climber
San Diego
Jan 30, 2007 - 03:08pm PT
I just repeated Hear My Train A Comin last weekend. What a classic line. I can't wait to get on more of the hard stuff out there. My friends and I tried to make it to Boulder 13 too, but it's WAY overgrown from the way we tried to get there. I'll have to go back with clippers or something.... Is there a trail there that I'm missing?

Josh
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Jan 30, 2007 - 03:31pm PT
hootervillian -- greg epperson was the first guy to get up airstream. had these huge, flat, ultra-sticky first generation fires and perfect woodson conditions -- sunny, cold, and dry immediately after a good winter storm cleared out.
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 30, 2007 - 04:18pm PT
Josh,
The trail that used to go to Boulder 13 was absorbed by the private home owners who built between the road and the boulder. Might have to crawl on your belly like a reptile through all that stuff!
Hootervillian

climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
Jan 30, 2007 - 04:26pm PT
thanks bvb.

studly, i'm sure i couldn't touch it in Fires.
mtwoodsonguide

Big Wall climber
San Diego
Jan 30, 2007 - 04:40pm PT
You just walk through their back yard from boulder1 and hope noone comes out and yells at you. Then it's just 20' of thick stuff on the W side of the bouder.
Splater

climber
Grey Matter
Jan 30, 2007 - 04:43pm PT
Boulder 13:
You get there from the entrance boulders near the entrance gate.
Do NOT go next to the house.
Josh Higgins

Trad climber
San Diego
Feb 5, 2007 - 03:38pm PT
I tried Greg's Crack since Boulder 13 has access issues currently. I got my ass handed to me spectacularly. It's going to be a long hard road to get that son of a bitch. I plan on making some sort of trail out to Boulder 13 that avoids the house sometime this season (if I can't find one, I'll look again before snipping).

Josh
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Feb 5, 2007 - 04:05pm PT
Wow Greg! That's a super old drawing! Done before my guide was published in 1988, in Craig Fry's "Southern California Bouldering Guide," and subsequently copied by every author afterwards. Next time someone looks at any of these guides, cross-reference it with mine, and you will definitely see what I mean!
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 5, 2007 - 04:22pm PT
Anyone ever come across a tiny little plaque with a lost arrow pinning it to a boulder (not far from Boulder 13) that is in memory of (I think) Stephen McKinney? I used to know his brother a way long time ago, and wondered if that little plaque that his family installed was still there.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Feb 5, 2007 - 05:48pm PT
Yes Mike Paul, I had some "other" real cool drawings you did during the early 80's besides that sleek Woodson Topo, but shucks, I mean -I disposed of them a while back to keep us both out of trouble, if you know what I mean. Man they were gems. I think Bachar and Fish drew up some similar "Topos", remember?
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 5, 2007 - 07:27pm PT
c'mon roy, share the love. post 'em up under a NSFW link......
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Feb 5, 2007 - 09:41pm PT
Sorry Beebs,
They went out along with a super polaroid of The Fish doin' that hang board thang: showing an alarming degree of plumber's butt.
...regrets, regrets.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 6, 2007 - 12:20am PT

Eee onk ee Grug, the Boy From Cameroon! That gobbler, Jum, still hasn't given me your phone #, so now I have to get ahold of you via supertopo. (This is Bruce Adams in Redmond, OR.) (Not to be confused with the Colorado "Bruce Adams," who is actually a closet cousin of the Lowe brothers...) Give me a call 541-350-3139. I may be able to get out to Colorado this year- want to bolt ladder all the Kor classics in my boxers and RRs.

I approve of your beautiful photographer!

Thought this Woodson thread would be the best place for my first supertopo post. Do you know how to find Piggott? Heard he was doing stunt work in some of the new Eastwood flicks.

I can easily reach back into smoke-ringed shadows of early Woodson adventures: Blood was always involved. Rattlesnakes, poisen oak, and horrendous manzanita forests were just as fearful as the nasty landings and highball nightmares. Offwidths were tough with our hammers and plastic "dolt" holsters attached to two-inch leather belts, our rack of stubai pitons and aid slings at-the-ready. We seemed to prefer these joys during mid August at three o'cock in th eafternoon. "Major" discoveries and ascents were the results 100% of the time, but we usually were barely able to navigate our way back to the road, much less return to any of our nameless hero-makers a second time. And it didn't matter, because in any direction, glory could be found, or at least gory could be found. Thank God for the large sack of golden, seedless manderines from my Dad's tree in the Poway lowlands.

Kinley, my brother Brian and I were up there in 1966, long before we met RR at PHS; when Denny boasted to him of Tooth Rock while ascending the vacant and curvaceous Ramona Highway up to that Great "Alpine" Massif. On some mornings, one could look out upon a vast, mystical ocean of clouds below- I expect that is still possible for the would-be Woodson devotee. May there me many more. BA
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 6, 2007 - 12:38am PT

Yea Mooser, TC has mentioned you quite a few times. I could sure tell you lots of stories of his climbing--we called him the "Friction King." He possibly still is the Friction King, but maybe now a different kind of friction.

One fun climb was the regular route on Fairview Dome which we did at age 15 in 1970.

Hope you get down here in Central Oregon with Tim someday. I do expect to be in Seattle this Summer however!
BA
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 6, 2007 - 12:41am PT
Hi Bruce. It'll be good to connect with you and "the Friction King" together. Tim and I have talked about coming down your way quite often. I think when he and I were at Leavenworth, it was the first time he'd been on rock since his accident in JT. In any case, see you sometime in the not too distant future.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 6, 2007 - 02:12am PT


Ooooo, Mooser...I was there. I can still hear his bones crushing! BA
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 6, 2007 - 07:54am PT
BA. EEEYONKEEE! Glad to hear from you. Finally, another Poway Mountain Boy. Coming to Colorado? No way. Sending you my number.

Don't know how to reach Piggot. His name gets mentioned here a fair bit - he just kept getting better while most the rest of us trailed off a bit in the 80's. I'd love to see some old Woodson pictures - or Tahquitz/Suicide/Valley for that matter.






426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Feb 6, 2007 - 09:59am PT
Englekirk might have Rick's contact info...and Reno/Tahoe locs seen RP's big red rig lately?
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 6, 2007 - 12:56pm PT
Thanks 426. Englekirk is in Mammoth, right?

Both my parents grew up in Tennessee. Where is Buzzard Point? Near any climbing? How do you survive summer? Ever been to Woodson? BA
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Feb 6, 2007 - 03:21pm PT
TAR! Oh yeah I remember some of those...A while back Mussy said he still had some of the really gnarly ones. They cannot fall into the wrong hands! Or else they might be coming after all of us with the butterfly nets!!
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 6, 2007 - 03:56pm PT
"Ooooo, Mooser...I was there. I can still hear his bones crushing! BA"

I think Tim still hears them, too!
426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Feb 7, 2007 - 09:10am PT
Hey Bruno-

Try looking up Doug in Zephyr Cove, NV--RP was doing some work for DE. Tearing up all the areas around tahoe a few years back

Buzzard is up by Dayton (famous for the Scopes trial). Pretty bullet for sandstone but of course no where near the "density" of Poway graniticas. Lots of buzzards up there. Where'd your folks live?


I've been to Sweet Eggs of woodson a few times eons ago, way before "my bros could call with a cell phone". Had high aspirations, did a few standards (Robbins) one of Longo's cracks but mostly got shut down-pawed at MS, Gregs and a number of other fissures. Pretty lucky not to get choppered out, actually. Werd, bvb, I still use "woodson landing" as a benchmark...
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 7, 2007 - 09:03pm PT

Thanks 426 for the Piggott leads! My parents grew up in Henry County, West (flat) Tennessee, near Nashville. Dad joined the Navy after high school and found himself at Pearl Harbor just in time for the invasion. After twenty years in the Navy he bought a house in Poway, at that time just nothing but small valleys surrounded by boulders. I can recall my first day in Poway at age five--my brothers and I climbed some boulders in our neighbor's back yard.

Grug (eee-onk-eee), also in Poway, actually had boulders in his back yard. In the mid sixties we had several favorite bouldering spots in Poway, some of which are now in the yards of private residences. For any high school kids out there who want to ditch class and boulder like their Poway ancestors, prime spots were: Rattlesnake Hill (by the cemetery), Big Friction and Flakey Edges (below the RB watertower, Tooth Rock (the definitive Poway Boulder, atop a hill just south of High Valley and prominent when driving to Romona), Molar Rock, (South of the High Schol on the east side of Espola rd. School) and the RB Safeway boulders (intersection of Pomerado Rd and Espola). I'm not sure which ones are still accessible. But these places are more interesting than the gym!

I would love to climb in Tennessee someday 426. I'll make a note of Buzzards.
BA






mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 7, 2007 - 10:39pm PT
Oh man, BA, you just listed all my old favorite in-town haunts! I remember the cops giving me a really hard time at the Safeway boulders because of the funny white powder I was carrying. The local residents eventually had it all fenced in, but there were some great little problems in that pile. My brother John and I did Tooth Rock with pins and corduroy knickers, and thought we would make Rebuffat proud. My folks followed our "summit bid" through binoculars in the backyard. We got chased out of the boulders up by the water tower more than once, and now I think there are some McMansions up there. And (though I never knew it/them by this name) "Molar Rock" had some really good stuff on it--especially the face on the southern one facing Espola. I sure wish I had something like that around Seattle.
426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Feb 8, 2007 - 08:11am PT
GL BA, we got a few crags with better access and more routes (ie T-Wall). A few boulders, too, but nothing quite like the splitters down 'Poway'. Must've been fantastic cuttin' class for some graniticas---!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2007 - 09:35am PT
Big Friction, Flakey Edges, Tooth Rock, Molar Rock, ...and Mt Woodson. You couldn't ask for a better place to grow up. The boulders in my back yard included several 5.11 mantels.

And let me tell you all, Bruce was probably the best climber of the Poway Mountain Boys (after Piggot).

(Bruce, check your ST email account)
mdavid

Big Wall climber
CA, CO, TX
Feb 8, 2007 - 09:57am PT
Great problems on the north facing hillside behind pomerado hospital. Also east side of espola after going down hill southbound there are some great boulders with cool friction problems, believe we had to get permission though as they're in a yard...but just off the road.
Seems the rocks around poway were inspiration for quite a few of us.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 8, 2007 - 04:06pm PT
Greg, Bruce et al.,

Man you guys are stirring up memories:

'70/'71 3rd grade: The movie "SOLO" changed my life from team sports to outdoor adventure. Involved in Y-Indian Guides, Cub Scouts, and Wheeblos (sp?) while living in Pt. Loma.

'71/'72 4th grade: My family moved to Garden Road in Poway. Boulders galore on the South facing hillsides and up the canyon. I thought I was living in the wilderness. Poway changed my life. Started climbing those Boulders and even rappelling with a hemp rope using the through the legs and over the shoulder method (Dusseldorf tech.?). Burned my neck bad. The hillsides still are open and climbable although definately more homes in the area and now up the canyon.

'72/'73 5th grade: Moved to Midland Road area and joined Scout Troop 608. Many of the older scouts in the troop were into climbing. Troop 608 was very active; we went everywhere backpacking, hiking, and even bouldering. The summer of '73 I took the class "Geography of California" from my 5th grade teacher, and we backpacked up Mt. Whitney at the end of the class. Bouldered in the Alabama Hills with my dad. Near our house was "Butt Crack Rock" on the Eastside of Midland Road on the West face of the hill. Climbed on that a bunch. But the real gems were the boulders all over Twin Peaks Mountain, but mostly the Southside. Bouldered all over Twin Peaks Mtn. for the next 7 years, and my dogs would almost always go with me. Tooth Rock: got up there and looked at it a few times, and saw the fixed pins in it. Never climbed it though. About this time was the first time my dad and I went to Mt. Woodson and made it a family outing. Our church just off of Espola Road, "Pomerado Christian Church" we helped build it and even to this day it has these fine boulders on the East side of the church. I had a whole circuit worked out on them. To the North of the parking lot is a fine hilltop of boulders and good climbing. There is a cross erected there. This is just south of the Safeway boulders in RB. Climbed on them a little, but it was definately private property even then. To the North of Espola Road as you drive from RB back to Poway, there are a large group of boulders that was near one of my climbing partner's house, Tim Umstead. Climbed on those a few times. Then the boulders at the far East end of Lake Poway, on the western end of Mt. Woodson were pretty good also.

'73/'74: 6th grade at Twin Peaks Middle School. Scouts, backpacking, taking the Sierra Club's "Basic Mountaineering" course. I still have the little red "Bible" from that great course I took with my dad and older sister. Many trips up to Mt. Woodson, but it was always with my dad and sister. So I didn't get to go as often as I would have liked. The fashion at school, Vasque backpacking boots with red laces, levis, and my big puffy green down jacket on cold days. The backpack of the time was my A-16 "Hip Hugger." I still have my A-16 backpack including my dad's. Cigarettes were cheap down at the U-totem near TPMS.

'74 - '80: Eventually stopped scouts but the backpacking, skiing at Mammoth, and climbing were my life. I could only get up to Woodson as I could convince my dad to drive, or my other climbing partners' parents, but in '77 when I got my license we were up there nearly every weekend until I left Poway in 1980 for Beaverton, OR. My family moved in the middle of my Senior year at PHS. So my picture is in the yearbook, but I did not get my Phd. However, I did get to see Mt. St. Helens blow on May 18th, 1980. In fact, my climbing buddy and I were on the South face of Beacon Rock doing a route on 5-18-80. The PHS library was great with a good view of the Western ridgeline of Mt. Woodson out the windows in the back of the library. They had a very good mountaineering and climbing section. I think I checked out all the books multiple times. You guys were probably instrumental in PHS having such a good mountaineering section in the library - yes?

Growing up in Poway was awesome.

Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 9, 2007 - 12:25pm PT
Got to kick this thread with another great link to the Stonemaster, Poway Mtn. Boys, and Scumbag history . . .

Reaching way back into SuperTaco history . . .

StoneMaster Stories (Part 4) continued onward farther
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=157408&msg=157441#msg157441

Kickitty-kick-kick
Dimes

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Feb 9, 2007 - 03:46pm PT
bvb, give is the scoop on 10a on the outside, was that in tennis shoes or what's up with the Lie Detector-seemed pretty straightforward-perhaps 11b oh how about the "Emergency Broadcast System"?
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Feb 9, 2007 - 05:30pm PT
Welcome Bruce! Hope all is well. If you are serious about coming to Colorado, it would be great to get together.

For those who don’t know him, besides being an original Poway Mountain Boy, Bruce was also a close friend and climbing partner of Tobin Sorenson. My memories include great times in Yosemite/Tuolumne in the early 70’s and Bruce’s moving eulogy for Tobin at the funeral 1980.

Rick
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 9, 2007 - 08:59pm PT
kp -- 5.10a on the outside -- woodson 5.11a

lie detector -- sheeit, once you get something so wired you huck laps on it, how the hell can you rate it?? woodson 5.11d?

emergency broadcast system -- got a new pair of anasazi velcros and 6" of too swole foam. going to woodson next weekend. SO SENT!!! i will prevail!! bringin' a chisel, by god!!!

but these days, i'm pimpin' on a different tip......new deep-water solo routes down by lake poway....



eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2007 - 10:14pm PT
I worked at Lake Poway for two years just after it opened in 1973. Rainbow trout, large mouth bass, bluegill, and catfish....no sharks (could be new management).
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 9, 2007 - 10:52pm PT
great whites, imported from NorCal. stocked 'em myself. keep it sporty, guys n' gals!!
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 10, 2007 - 05:39pm PT

RICK...Is that really YOU!??!

Yes, I am hoping to get to Colorado at least before next winter. but next weekend I'm planning to go to Moab for the first time. Is it far for you and Greg? Don't know about the weather.

Yes, we have somehow survived our climbing exploits, marriage, career efforts, and raising kids. Yet we climb on! Viva Stonemasters and Poway Mountain Boys (also known as Poway Klimbers or Poway Mountaineers).

Rick and Greg--which of you is leading me up "Naked Edge?"

Klimmer...Helium Kudos to you for your Poway resume, especially the Scout Troop 608. Yes Tim Stelling (Friction King) and Frank Green (The Aid King) and I can take some credit for the PHS library climbing book stock. The librarian was the mother of our buddy, Kevin Dalby. Kevin Dalby has gone into the annals of Poway History for, among many other compelling reasons, executing the most noteworthy gasser in modern times. In Mr. Decanio's sixth grade basic ed class,ing he managed to sound sustained emissions of noxious, lethal quality for a full twenty- two seconds. This time lapse explosive caused the girl sitting behind Dalby to actually pass out and Mr. Decanio was forced to excuse class for the purpose of airing out the room. Yes... I agree with you all--Poway was the most ideal place to (possibly) grow up!

But Klimmer, speaking now in the Spirit...I have to break the news to you that it is tough to recognize your otherwise glowing credentials, seeings how there is now a revelation of deep shame. .. Of course, I'm referring to your admitted neglect of Tooth Rock summit.

Do you really expect the rest of the climbing world to take you seriously?

Get with the program! You will completely redeem yourself if you... ascend the famous "Lost Piton Traverse." It begins on the east side, traverses the aid crack past the Poway Mountaineers legendary original rurp placement at the Northwest corner. (fixed -the "lost piton"). Your belayer must take photos at that same corner, cropped to render el cap-like exposure. Consider the direct finish, another rurp placement on the west "headwall." Talk about your chances with hot highschool cheerleaders on the top, at least imagine rappelling the west face "dulfursitz" (not Dusseldorf that's where Satchmo blew his horn when he went to Europe) from a single blade piton driven in under the east overhand with a direct outward pull on its one inch pinch. This was the first ascent style of Dave Goeddel and Dennis Adams in 1966 or 67.

In this context, I wish to applaud Mooser, who summited without oxygen, Tooth Rock in corded knickers while reverencing Gaston in muted thoughts.

Rick I say...is that really you!? Thanks for the ST welcome....I'm feelin it! Say, I remember hearing rumors of you climbing at Woodson in the late seventies when you were in law school. You are probably also feeling some remorse for neglecting Tooth rock. There is still time!

BVB! Whoever you are, you are this minute, my favorite artist.

Also bvb, about the chisel. It is traditional at Woodson to alter possible routes in order to make them impossible. I have done this personally many times and am long overdue for some credit.

Keep the love going BRO's! Also... we want to hear from KB, Duke # Wimbly.

-Bruce


mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 10, 2007 - 08:59pm PT
"In this context, I wish to applaud Mooser, who summited without oxygen, Tooth Rock in corded knickers while reverencing Gaston in muted thoughts," BA.

Thank you, Bruce. It was, in fact, very difficult to summit w/o supplemental O2, and I've lived quietly for many years with the humble, near-secret knowledge of that achievement. Having resisted the temptation to toot my own horn...I am glad you tooted for me.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 11, 2007 - 01:11am PT



ALERT triple groaner ALERT
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 19, 2007 - 08:24am PT
Brunosafari,

Man where did this thread go? A few days off of ST and a great thread falls nearly to the archives . . . so a rescue is in order.

It is quite shamefull now that I think about it. I better get back up there to Tooth Rock and finally do her. I'm feeling very unworthy right about now as a result. You know, I always thought that Tooth Rock looked like a trundle just waiting to happen.

This is good stuff. I really enjoy getting to know the roots of the San Diego scene. Thanks to all you Poway Mtn. Boys for all those good reads when I went through PHS. I spent a lot of time in there lost to those pages.

Now, how about the Royal Robbins sandbag story on the now classic "Robbins Crack"? From a distant thread I believe Greg mentioned you must know what really happened? Soooo many different stories and versions have been told on that one over the years; it is high time noon and the REAL story should be re-affirmed.

Klimmer
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2007 - 09:41am PT
Klimmer, I think Bruce is climbing around Moab over this long weekend. He will certainly know the Robbins story. I think I'm out of good stories, more from having a bad memory about personal events than anything. I will say this about those days, being in the Poway Mountain Boys was mostly about having fun (commonly at each other's expense). We never took ourselves very seriously, at least up until, say, the late '70s. I can't imagine that any of us ever even went so far as doing pullups or otherwise working out for the benefit of our climbing (until later). Turns out, that there was alot of natural talent. But that was just gravy.

Bruce's brother Kinley (aka Whimp) , lurking here no doubt, was one of the funniest. It came seemingly at my expense more often than not, but funny is funny. I remember hanging out in the Humboldt parking lot below Tahquitz one time, probably 1971, when Mark Powell came strolling by. Kinley had said or done something stupid and everyone was chastizing him saying "Whimp!" Without missing a beat, just as Mark was passing him (and me), Kinley turns to me and says "Whimp!"
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 22, 2007 - 01:20pm PT
Hi Klimmer and Eeyonkee and all Woodson devotees. Yea, I went to Moab and had a good time climbing my first desert tower (Castleton via the Kor route)!

Last year Royal Robbins showed up in Bend, Oregon, and gave a slide show and lecture to benefit an environmental cause here. After the show I visited Royal briefly and reminded him of when we first met at Mt. Woosdson, which I think was in 1969. He lit up immediately and told me that he "keeps hearing about a crack called the 'Robbins Crack', yet does not know or recall it." So after thirty- seven years I had to come clean and confess to him the truth of that moment...a sin of omission, yet bourne of respect and innocent shock.

You have to understand the mindset and stage of development of the Poway Mountaineers at that time. Our principle source of knowledge was "Summit" magazine, and in those days, Robbins was regularly submitting accounts of his mind-blowing big wall first ascents. Absolutely nothing in life could compete with our adoration. He and Chouinard and Pratt and Frost and the other Yosemite climbers were to us as Hercules and Odyssus and Apollo and Mickey Mantle. At this time I don't think any of us considered ourselves to be real climbers. It was all still a game of mainly imagination and desire. Yes, I had already climbed the Open Book at Tahquitz, but after all, real climbs had crevasses and Pendulum traverses and grade 6 nail-ups and
deadly hoar frost bivvys. Real climbers had things like ice daggers and fifi hooks, and were utterly fearless. Dave Goeddel's Dad had copies of the Rebuffat books with their spetacular alpine photography. Mt Woodson did not at all resemble those photos. We had heard of the theory of "jam" climbing and even saw pictures but it remainded elusive to us, something we thought was only possible if one was really extra muscular like those superhuman Yosemite climbers. When we bouldered, it really was like we were all play acting, hoping none of our family and friends would discover we were just like kids playing pirate.

Then I discovered that my freshman algebra teacher, Gary Hepler, had done some rockclimbing. We found out that he personally knew Royal Robbins from activities with the Rock Climbing Section (RCS) of the Sierra Club. He knew that Robbins was visiting San Diego to show his slides of Tissaack, so he called Royal and arranged for us to show him Mt. Woodson. Robbins was looking for places to serve as climbing lesson venues at that time.

Most of the Poway mountaineers were far too intimidated to actually meet Robbins. I can only recall Dave Goeddel and my brother Dennis and myself wating at Poway HIgh School for the rendezvoux, before going to Woodson. I think we must have been expecting superman to show up, only wearing the famous Robbins sport cap. We were utterly nervous and afraid he would laugh and spit after meeting us and seeing our silly little hill of boulders.

By and by a car pulled up and man dressed in casual business clothes walked over to us. We did not for one second realize that ordinary looking man was, in fact, Robbins. He asked us if we, by any chance, knew about a group of rockclimbers. Dave, suddenly realizing the inquisitor's identity, tried to talk. But out of his mouth, about ten octaves higher than his usual tone, came a shrill and paniced,

"You're Royal Robbins!!!???"

As he said this, he tried to remove his right hand from his own pocket but he was so excited his hand actually became stuck and he was using his other hand to try and help remove it.

That was, without question one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, but one one of the best. I'll wait and see if this thread is still alive before telling...

the REST OF THE STORY. I am traveling once again however and it will be a few days likely before I can return to the internet. -----BA




Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 22, 2007 - 02:32pm PT
Brunosafari,

What? What??? After all these years hearing the rumors and so many versions of what really happened, and you are going to do that to me/us? Come on! Out with it!! Of course this thread is alive!!! I will kick it until the fat lady sings!!!

YOU ARE A TEASE I TELL YOU. A TEASE!!
Tahoe climber

Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
Feb 22, 2007 - 03:48pm PT
Aarrghhh!
Cliffhanger here!
Please, please tell the rest!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2007 - 05:03pm PT
Geez! Get a hold of yourselves Klimmer and Tahoe. So, uh, Bruce, I was almost certainly told this story at some time, but...uh, what DID happen next?
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 27, 2007 - 02:21am PT
Brunosafari,

I can't hold on forever. I'm slipping man. My strength is failing . . . catch me . . . I'm going for the long lonely leap . . . I'm starting to fffaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllll!

This is beyond a cliff hanger.

Get er dun :-))
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 28, 2007 - 02:14pm PT

Fear not Klimmer, I gotcha spotted!

I was thinkin' Klimmer, maybe I was too harsh, dishin' up crap at ya for not yet climbing Tooth Rock. Why don't you postpone your immediate plans for redemption and wait until I get down south and we can do it together. When a rare, lofty summit as Tooth Rock is concerned, historical continuity is of primo consideration. I have sensed myself becoming more and more continuously historical these days as I drink my Postum and gnaw at my Melba Toast and down my anti-schizophrenic pills.



After the awkward introductions with Royal, we separated into two vehicles at Poway High School for the drive to Woodson. Goeddel and I were in one vehicle and Denny and Robbins in the other. When we arrived at Woodson, Dave and Denny and I all at once excused ourselves to piss. With Robbins safely on the other side of a boulder changing into climbing clothes Dave and I anxiously asked Denny what happened on the drive to Woodson. Denny said he "showed Robbins Tooth Rock." (For non-locals benefit, the drive from Poway valley to Woodson lends a dramatic "helicopter view" of twenty-five foot Tooth Rock perched atop a steep hill). We felt humilitaed even further and upbraided him in hushed tones and demanded he tell us exactly what was said.

Denny proudly stated he had said "That's Tooth Rock, a Poway Classic!"

Dave and I almost started to cry, realizing any hope of recovering a pittance of dignity had now been punted into the bleachers.

"What did Robbins say," we demanded.

"He said nothing."

Dave and I squeaked out the word "shit" about three hundred times while shaking double clenched fists over our heads.

The pissing counsil did not end in a double suicide however when we ascertained that Denny had somehow managed not to reveal to Robbins that our Dad had climbed Tooth Rock and also our dog, POGO, via Yosemite Big Wall Hauling Techniques.

We walked up the Woodson road a ways and came to small friction boulder. Robbins did a few warm up moves on it and then calmly spoke:

"This rock reminds me of Yosemite!"

In his mercy, Robbins had with that one gracious sentance, supplied us with enough cause for positive self-esteem to see us through all personal testings of life for the duration of life. To this day, when I tell somebody here in Oregon about Woodson, I am careful always to say something like,

"The rock at Woodson bears a striking facsimili to some characteristics of glaciated and exfoliated Yosemite granite."

For our first real climb though, we made our way to Sickle Crack, the climb we felt had aesthetic appeal, but was not too showy. Still we were a bit anxious. Dave and Denny had done the climb before, but with the benefit of a top rope. I had not climbed it yet at all. Of course Denny and Dave insisted that I go first, obviously hoping that I would make them look good.

I still consider that one of my most psychologically demanding climbs and I still refer to it for confidence when I today try to trad the Smith Rock sport routes to an audience of famous-name international quick draw artists.

I liebacked and squimmied up the off- width as gracefully as I possibly could, definitely placing the requirement of style way ahead of safety, yet I really could not even see the rock. In my minds eye, I could only see Robbins behind me trying to contain facial expressions of alternating smirks and frowns.

At that time Goeddel rated Sickle 5.8. Almost everything we climbed we rated 5.8 if we never fell and 5.9 if we sometimes fell and 5.10 if it was impossible. Maybe that provides some understanding of Woodson grades.

When I mantled the top of Sickle, I recklessly skipped and jumped down the back as fast as I could, not wanting to miss seeing Robbins climb. I made it back just in time to see Robbins execute the final mantle. It probably took him at least thirty seconds.

After Dave climbed the route and Denny declined because it was obviously now too easy, we sauntered over to the boulder and crack now known the world over as:

"THE ROBBINS CRACK"

Less known worldwide is that previous to this incident we referred to the crack as:

"THE AID CRACK!"

That's right, none of us for even one nano-second ever imagined that crack to be a potential free climb. Instead it beaconed to us as the perfect training climb for future Yosemite nail-ups. This was not long after we had saved our milk money and bought our first precious "chrome moly Chouinard pitons. Some of them were angle pitons, up to an inch and a half, much wider than our soft iron Swiss Rings. Heck, with Yosemite angle pitons and runners hooked together like rope ladders, we reasoned anything could be climbed...even inch and a half cracks, aid syle.

"That's the way it's done in Yosemite! That's how Robbins climbed Tissaack!"

In all fairness, remember, we had never seen jam crack climbing demonstrated. We could barely conceive how one could climb an inch an a half crack by jam or lieback and still be able to place and hammer and clip a piton. It went without saying this was an aid climb and we wanted to show it to Royal for his approval. And not wanting state the obvious, none of us mentioned it was our "aid climb."

I can still recall this moment just as precisely as if I had never smoked weed.

I can still recall this moment just as clearly as when Mary Jo Fisher kissed me behind Meadowbrook School in seventh grade.

I can still recall this moment just as profoundly as when I saw each of my children being birthed, red, and roped up and covered in juice of emancipation.


We had no intention of climbing the crack, we just wanted to show it to Robbins as if to say we were aid climbers too and had places to use chrome moly pitons.

Robbins walking toward the crack. He inserted his hand. We witnessed a rhythmic cadence of blurry, ascending, and silent motion wherein he tagged the summit and then rapidly downclimbed. Upon touching the ground he took a step, tilted his head, smiled, nodded, and in perfectly even breaths, calmly remarked,

"That's a good one."

We were unable and unwilling to say a word. We were in flabbergasted shock. We could not move. We avoided eye contact with Robbins and with each other. We were enveloped in a thick fog of shame. If Robbins found out that we aided free climbs, we knew we would one day be laughed out Yosemite before we could ask a ranger the location of Camp Four. It was an understandable case of the thin ice of human pride.

Finally, Goeddel suggested we go elsewhere!

Later Dave showed Robbins a face climb problem. It involved a reach and Dave was six feet four inches I believe. To our happy amazement, Robbins had to hesitate on that move. And then it was time to go.

Robbins had unknowingly opened the door to making our dreams a possibility. By 1973 Goeddel had climbed the Nose and Denny had climbed Half Dome and I had shimmied my way up a few routes myself. But Woodson was never the same again after the cracks began to speak aloud.

Over the years I have heard quite a few disparaging remarks and have observed some lofty attitudes and tones of judgement toward Royal Robbins. For me they are explained my the injustices of history when taken out of context. Like when I bouldered once with the great face climber, Bob Kamps, Royal Robbins will always be to me a personal, touchstone of greatness. I will never forget his kind, even respectful attitude toward we dufuses, and the inspiration of his climbing style. At the same time, I recall Robbins never actually stood atop the Robbins crack. What a frikken' poser, man!











mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 28, 2007 - 02:27pm PT
Bruce:

Fantastic account! I've only heard others' stories through the years of how that all went down, and your "authoritative version" beats 'em all. I can't wait to read your first book!

By the way, I prefer to think that his feigned indifference toward Tooth Rock was simply because he was intimidated...
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2007 - 02:35pm PT
Mary Jo Fisher, huh.

Bruce, you're a helluva good storyteller (along with all of the other gifts).
crotch

climber
Feb 28, 2007 - 02:48pm PT
Awesome tale, Brunosafari!

Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Feb 28, 2007 - 02:55pm PT
Bravo squared, Bruce!
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
Feb 28, 2007 - 02:59pm PT

I'm flattered!

But good grief Mooser and Grug...do you guys have super topo alarms installed on your computin' rigs? You responded within five minutes!? Had do I get one? And later I might ask you how to post photos. Have to go now on a trip again for several days.

Hey Grug...why not mention a tale of you climbing with KB and maybe he'll tie-in on SuperTopo. Like maybe Middle Cat North Buttress at age 15? or Tahquitz offroute epics? Unfortunately, I have to be gone again for a few days. Have fun lads!

BA
scuffy b

climber
The town that Nature forgot to hate
Feb 28, 2007 - 03:14pm PT
Beautiful story. Dramatic element, historical significance,
humor, humanity...

The poser!!

And remember, he was still in his 20s at the time, demigodly
status or no.

Incompetence style edit: in his 30s
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Feb 28, 2007 - 03:30pm PT
A well told tale like that is a prime example of ST at it's best. I always loved Robbins Crack, partly because it was one of the few things I could consistently get up out there, thanks for the definitive back story.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Feb 28, 2007 - 04:12pm PT
Yes indeed, a very entertaining nugget of common heritage.
Bravo Bruno!
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Feb 28, 2007 - 04:51pm PT
Crotch: did you take that shot of Robbins? That's a great angle I've never seen before, other than just the view from doing that face on that same corner. Great shot!
crotch

climber
Feb 28, 2007 - 05:53pm PT
mooser - That's the angle you get when you're rapping off the bolt anchor atop Robbins.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 28, 2007 - 08:18pm PT
at last. dude, i've waited 34 years to hear the story firsthand from someone who was actually there.....

at last, i can die a happy man.
Rick A

climber
Boulder, Colorado
Feb 28, 2007 - 11:40pm PT
Bruce,
Wonderful story and worth waiting for. Robbins is inspiring for the way he pushed the standards wherever he climbed: whether it was Yosemite, Alaska, Chamonix, or...Poway.
Rick
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Feb 28, 2007 - 11:47pm PT
Brunosafari,

Wow. I'm stunned. That is some incredible story telling. You have an incredible knack for it Bruce. Like bvb, I've been waiting a long time to know the real and the whole story. I think my eyes are getting misty . . . that was just beautiful.

I would love to climb "Tooth Rock" with you. Just email me and let me know when you come down and we'll do it. It would be great to climb it with one of the original Poway Mtn. Boys, and one who helped put it up.

Funny you bring up Meadowbrook Middle School. That is where I took the summer school class "The Geography of California" with my 5th grade teacher Mr. Dennis Bucker and Mr. Eddy Lindros in '73, just prior to 6th grade with the culminating grand event --- backpacking up the tourist trail to the summit of Mt. Whitney. Great memories. For me it was Kim Swecker at Twin Peaks Middle school. I was in 6th grade and she was in 8th. I can't say anymore about that, except our hormones were out of control.

I can understand the reverance you have for Royal Robbins.

Have any of you ever said something really stupid to a hero of your's, and the moment the words left your lips you were immediately, desperately, and unsuccessfully trying to stuff them back into your mouth and erase the moment forever? Well, I had that experience with Royal Robbins once. Not unlike Bruce et al., except it all worked out for you guys :-))

In the late '80s, I worked at A16 while attending SDSU, and Royal came down to give a talk and slide presentation. It was a wonderful show and afterwards climbers were huddling around him listening with respect and admiration to what he had to say. A friend of mine was one of the disciples huddled there and I saw my opportunity to join in. I came over and patted my friend on the back and said, "Kevin, what are doing asking Royal if he rap-bolts?" Oh-sh#t. What did I just say? Absolute dead silence and all eyes were starring at me. What an uncomfortable and very ackward moment. The attempt at humor sank faster than a seafloor bottom trawler. The cold stares toward me said, "How could you say something like that in the prescence of God?" I blew it bad. Note-to-self, never attempt bad humor in Royal's prescence.

I'm probably really brave or really stupid, but I tried to redeem myself and eventually I was able to ask him about Mt. Woodson, and the famous local tale of "Robbin's Crack" and if he could elaborate a little about it. He said something to the effect, "I do remember something happening on Mt. Woodson, I keep hearing about it, but I really don't recall the details of the story."

Well, now we know. Thanks Bruce.

Royal, if you ever read these threads on ST, my attempt at bad humor was just that. It was a moment of insanity on my part. I'm better now. I hope you can forgive me. I was nervous and just trying to break the ice. Apparently, I plunged through it.

ground_up

Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
Mar 1, 2007 - 12:23am PT
Bruno....to me , this is the single best post on ST in a long time...thank you for that!

Like others , my climbing started at Woodson in the 70's and I have always wondered about how the crack that tought me how to jamb, got it's name.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Mar 1, 2007 - 12:47am PT
wonderful story indeed!
bravo!
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 3, 2007 - 02:38am PT
Hats off to Greg Cameron! He and Rick Piggot were my main mentors in San Diego - still, Gregs Crack and Crucible ropeless is - well - Greg Cameron style!

Greg, I'm glad to see you're staying in shape; I recall doing Gregs Crack with Epperson and the Almodovar brothers - I tied in w/ a one wrap swami so I wouldn't get stuck. Always liked Mother Superior the best of the wide ones - Adrian Almodovar 3rd classed it.

Anyone heard from Rick Piggot? Is he in Tahoe?

What's my finest day at Woodson? Tough to say but the day the Watusi and I 3rd classed Drivin' South in front of some "locals" who were "working on it" with a TR is up there.

Great shots Greg - thanks a lot.
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Mar 3, 2007 - 12:04pm PT
Ray! long time no see!! Hope you are well. e-mail me sometime!MP
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2007 - 01:53pm PT
Yeah, Ray. Good to hear from you! Seems like our paths cross every few years. I know that last time we talked you had given up climbing. I hope you're over that phase.

Edit - I undestand that Rick (my mentor, too) is in the Tahoe area. Haven't heard from him in, oh, a coupla' decades.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Mar 3, 2007 - 09:43pm PT
Still tall and lean (RP) last time I saw him-maybe five years ago.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 6, 2007 - 07:04pm PT
I think I'm heading back into a climbing type thing - I had to concentrate on skills and finances for a while.

I want to find an interesting means of athletic expression suitable to my years like ski touring...

Hey, Greg, is it true you soloed the Lost Arrow Chimney?

That was the legend, the story about you and, I was always afraid to ask.

bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 6, 2007 - 10:24pm PT
yeah ray, cameron did solo the LAC, in '77 or '78 i think. but he's too damn humble to spray about it here.

me, i have no such inhibitions, so if ya ever wanna here me spray about myself just give the word and i'll slather you with blather about my many trend-setting and historic exploits.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2007 - 09:54am PT
Aw shucks bvb, thanks for saying so, but people who know me, know I'm not humble. You just need to give me a chance. In the end, the Lost Arrow Chimney is only 5.10. I was never all that great a climber, but I was pretty sure i would never fall on 5.10 wide back then. Jeez, Bachar would have to wear skates and a clown suit or something to even make it interesting.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 7, 2007 - 09:26pm PT
It was the stuff of legend back then and did indeed elevate you to the status of "Local Icon" a highly influential figure.

Tell the story Greg!
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2007 - 10:30pm PT
Ray - For you, I copied this from a post I made a year ago or so. I changed some of the dates because I got them wrong the first time.

Sitting here recovering from shoulder surgery and going through this site is bringing back a flood of memories. Only a few friends know this hopefully interesting free-solo story - so here it is.

The inspiration, really, was Henry Barber's free solo of the Steck Salathe - in 1975 I think. I was intrigued by this, and in 1977 I too, free-soloed the Steck-Salathe. I did it the same way Henry had done, I brought a long sling and a carabiner with me to protect the one scary piece of face climbing. The whole climb took about an hour and a half to complete.

The Steck-Salathe was a climb I had done several times before, and, frankly, free-soloing it did not seem to be such a big deal, in retrospect. It occurred to me that an on-site free-solo of a Yosemite classic would raise the stakes. I don't remember what made me think of the Lost Arrow Chimney - it wasn't a climb that was really on my radar or anything, but I was very confident in the wide crack arena and figured there was no way that I couldn't free-solo 5.10a.

So, sometime in the late Spring of 1978, I let some of my friends in on it and told my buddy Alan Chase that if I didn't show up for dinner the next night, to walk up the Falls trail the following morning and throw a rope down to the notch so I could prussik out.

I left in the morning, excited, of course. I brought a paperback book, "The Myth of Sysiphus", that I stuffed in my cotten warmup pants, just above the ankle. The climb went quickly and rather uneventfully. Because I figured that I might have to hang out at the notch all day anyhow, I took my time - hanging out at certain ledges - but still the whole climb took only about 3 hours. Like on the Steck-Salathe, I took a long runner and a carabiner. I used the runner on a fixed pin at the scary, flakey section discussed in this post, and then abandoned it.

When I topped out on the notch, there was a party setting up to do the tyrolean traverse of the spire. Two clearly inexperienced guys were at the notch, and one guy in particular, was really spooked and could not believe that I had soloed up to that point. I asked if I could use their ropes to get out. Both guys ended up jumaring up to the top of the wall. I was expecting that maybe they would send jumars down for me, but after the second guy went up, nothing happened for like 15 minutes, in spite of my yelling. So I got out two small cords and prussiked their rope to the top of the wall.

I hiked back to Camp 4 with little fanfare. I do remember John Long congratulating me the next morning.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 7, 2007 - 10:52pm PT
like i said, too humble.

has anyone soloed it since? greg, you are a true master of the most difficult size there is -- off width. that solo blew us away -- i was in the valley with watusi and off white that whole summer. a congrats from long in '78 would have seemed like a holy benediction to me.

i can't beleive how low-key you are about this sh#t. from what i gather, you soloed the crucible just recently. you gotta be at least 50, right? know how many peeps soloed the crucible, in their prime?? four that i know of, that's it. and here you are, doing it when most duffers our age are tr'ing 5.8's and talking sh#t about how things were back in the day.

you continue to inspire me, motherf*#ker.

i'm gonna go burn some pull-ups in my garage. right now.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 7, 2007 - 11:09pm PT
Thanks a lot for the story Greg.
You're still the man.
What I'm wondering is, where the hell is Piggot and some
sick El Cap photos.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 7, 2007 - 11:49pm PT
That was a rather perfunctory report of quite a milestone there Greg.
You are way too humble, but I'll take it.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 8, 2007 - 12:29am PT
Cameron gave San Diego climbers and San Diego climbing status it never would have had otherwise
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Mar 8, 2007 - 10:02am PT
I was around the Valley when you did the deed maestro Cameron and I too was blown way back. No surprise that the all time classic routes would become the all time classic free solos. The DNB, Steck-Salathe and Arrow Chimney were the icebreakers followed by Astroman and the Rostrum not long after. A very short and distinguished list to say the least! You really are too understated about your level of achievement on that day and in general but I am cut of similar cloth and can respect the humility in your presentation. San Diego's finest fa shure!
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Mar 8, 2007 - 10:05am PT
Yep, the above comments are all true. When I saw the Crucible photo I thought, "whoa, unroped, that doesn't happen much" but then I realized eeyonkee=grug and thought, "oh, it's Greg Cameron, okay, makes sense then." You may not have been a magazine quality self promoting personality, but you're certainly an icon to us folks of San Diego extraction.

eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 8, 2007 - 12:10pm PT
Aw shucks guys, every one of you who commented is probably a better climber than me (outside of offwidths, maybe). I've only done a handful of maybe 5.12s in my whole climbing career. I would feel lucky if I was considered the 4th best climber of the Poway Mountain Boys.

I had no idea that that free solo made such an impression.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 12, 2007 - 09:45pm PT
Greg,

that free solo meant we were all flying propeller planes and you were hitting the ceiling in a jet.

What's the secret to wide crack mastery Greg?

Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Mar 13, 2007 - 02:14am PT
A long, long time ago, Leroy (also clean Dan) told me that camer-what's-his-name, guy, was a good wide climber ... I'm just glad I didn't have to armbar mother superior.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 02:20am PT
Right, I never would have tried Mother Superior without stacks.

The influence for this as far as I know came of course from Leavitt.

We all wanted to try the "new way" to climb wide.

To me the aesthetics of climbing straight-in cracks always seemed much higher that anything in a corner - personally.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2007 - 10:00am PT
Mother Superior is an interesting, hard climb. Piggot first showed it to me. The first time I tried it (with Piggot) I used arm-barring techniques, of course. Got right near the end of the offwidth but couldn't get my knee above the overhanging part.

Tried it a couple of more times...got the offwidth but fell on the upper part. Eventually I got the whole thing using arm bars on the offwidth. Whenever I screwed around on this climb I had shoulder and elbow road rash to beat the band.

Around this same time I had flashed Bad Ass Mama (armbarring) in the Valley. Tom Gibson and I did it as an afterthought after we failed to negotiate the slabs to Half Dome one evening. I came up with the name Mother Superior to reflect that it was harder than BAM. Ok, so maybe it was in part because I went to Catholic school when I was younger.

Seems like it wasn't until at least a year later, maybe more, I did it using hand stacks. Maybe I was proportioned just right at the time with respect to knee size, but I remember the offwidth part feeling like 5.10 with the stacks. I never have soloed it (doesn't surprize me that Adrian did, Ray). I still have to remind myself to use hand stacks on offwidths. When I do, invariably the climb seems much easier. I wonder how BAM would be with stacks? - I haven't been back to try in 30 years.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 11:08am PT
I'm still spinning w/ the Robbins Crack first ascent account - really great story - finally I know.

There was even some doubt - a murmur of speculation that Robbins had actually been there and done it - that the name had derived from some other means - and been attached to the great Yosemite pioneer through association.

Any future definitive topo guide to Woodson - you'll need aerials -
would of course benefit greatly from as much accurate first ascent data as possible. We can pin all the unclaimed controversial first ascents on Piggot.

Who's got an airplane? Send me the digitals and I'll make them into perfect line drawings - no charge.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 11:15am PT
The last time I was at Woodson -

1998 with Eric Beck, pretty out of shape for rock but in ok physical condition - managed a clean top rope of Drivin' South,
first try. Had to use my feet.

Did Bachar do the FA of this thing? This incredible little gem which has spanked so many "hard guys"?

The "truth" about "friendly" Mount Woodson is sickeningly clear standing there looking up into those brutal locks.

bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 13, 2007 - 11:28am PT
ray --

the way i jeard the story was that bachar on-sighted soloed both drivin' south and hear my train on the same day in 1974, and they were both f.a's.

even for folks like us who've climbed there for decades, the early history -- 60's through early 70's -- sure was murky. by '76 - '77 people like off white and watusi and i were climbing there three or four days a week so if anything went down we were there to see it.

yeah, somebody really should do a decent guide that will actually get people to the routes, and has a good, well-researched history in the introduction. i think a big, big reason people don't go there so much now has a lot to do with the fact that finding anything -- even roadside problems -- without a local showing you the way, is pretty hopeless. can you imagine trying to find widow bereft or the star wall or clockwork orange off a written description?? fuhgedabouddit.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 12:33pm PT
Where's Bachar?

Dude, tell it like it is.

You're only one of the most influential climbers in the the history of the sport, please tell us the story of the first ascent of

Drivin' South

and

Hear my Train a Comin'

Who was there? What was it like? Who's ego got destroyed? How many went home with crippled self esteem?

C'mon John...
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 12:46pm PT
Please see drawing sample below.


In my opinion this is about the right technique to produce an accurate guide to Woodson. It blends geological and topographic features in a clear yet realistic way.

Woodson - I think - has three main faces. All three need aerials.

In addition the various well defined clusters need detailed art, similar to what is above but from the air.

For the user to associate with the topos while they hike up the hill, use black and white photos, taken from the road, with a corresponding index to that found in the drawings.

The hill south of Woodson gets the same treatment.
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2007 - 12:59pm PT
Beauutiful drawing, Ray.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 01:06pm PT
Stuff like the above is of course more convenient to do now w/ modern tools.


Back then I had a single-slide slide projector pointed straight down onto my work table. I could adjust for scale and keep it focused. I'd put paper underneath and "trace" images I needed,
pretty common set up for illustrating.

The advantage of the drawings is - of course - so that the most relevant (key) features can be selectively shown, since photos are rife w/ confusing shadows, etc.
crotch

climber
Mar 13, 2007 - 01:41pm PT
Pretty Deerhorn drawing Ray.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 05:11pm PT
FYI Greg and others, I see Tom Gibson around Boulder now and then.

Maybe it's in this thread and I missed it but, just who exactly were the Poway Mountain Boys - did you go to the same high school together? Can you list them for my edification?

I don't think there were any other climbers down in the Imperial Beach/Chula Vista area except later I met this guy Craig Snortland. He climbed with Ken Turley who lived up in Lyons Valley near Lawson Peak. They did some nice climbs out there - I think Lawson comes up on a google image search.

Craig, Piggot, Carmel and I went up to the Ogre one day. I led it onsight and did a good job protecting it without any real fuss.

Around that time I dubbed Piggot
"the Clint Eastwood of Climbing".

Speaking of google - I have a feeling bvb is going to show up with perfect Google Earth Pro aerials of the Woodsonian and say "get to work froggy".
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2007 - 05:48pm PT
Ray, I can't believe that you independently came up with the Piggot-Clint Eastwood angle. I've always said that Rick's glare reminded me of Clint's. I was glared at by Rick plenty, or so it would seem. Leroy once said on this forum, something to the effect that "My how Rick could fill the room with his silence".

The Poway Mountain Boys. I've mentioned it in a couple of other threads. We all went to Poway High (except for the honorary members). We actually had an official climbing club at school. There were a few others who came and went, but the core group is/was: Dave Goeddel, Denny Adams, Bruce Adams, Kinley Adams, Rick Piggot, Colin Piggot, Jim Cameron, Greg Cameron, Tom Gibson, George Manson (honorary), Dennis Sullivan (honorary).

Edit: Jeez! I forgot somebody...what was I thinking!...and the Big Duke himself, Dan Heiser(honorary).
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 06:06pm PT
Thanks for reiterating the list for my benefit Greg.

Just sitting there, Rick Piggot exuded a powerful presence, an energy that could easily be misunderstood until you got to know him a little. He'd crack a smile, it was amazing.

I took Piggot on a tour of Mother Grundy peak once, my girlfriend Ann was there too. There's this thing that is EXACTLY like Woodson's Test Tube but at least 120 degrees overhanging. It was near the end of the day. I fit in the thing perfect and ratcheted off the moves. Rick, long framed and pretty darn tall got completely shut down. It was the only time I've ever seen him even slightly ruffled. End of day.

Rick is a great guy. I can't even imaging doing those El Cap routes he did, clearly an excellent climber, I'd say in a sense world class for sure.

Thanks Greg.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 13, 2007 - 08:36pm PT
yeah, i climbed with piggot a whole lot between 85 and 89. it was a priviledge and a real eye opener -- not matter how wired a woodson master you'd think you were, one day with piggot would set the record straight. the guy is a true jedi master.

ray, remember, after i'd moved from san diego to yosemite, when i was supposed to hook up with you and piggot and you guys were gonna show me some huge new off-width roof somewhere in the east county? and i didn't show, stood you guys up? next time i saw piggot he briefly mentioned that and i felt about three inches tall. heh. he really knew how to psych a guy out.

so where was that roof, anyway??
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 09:25pm PT
You got me bvb.

Roof?


I can't remember.


hmm
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 13, 2007 - 09:35pm PT
december 1998, christmas break, big, dead-horizontal roof, not woodson, not rainbow, perfect stacking size, 20-footer.

where the hell was that sucker?? you guys had me reeled in...but family sh#t interposed....
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 13, 2007 - 09:40pm PT
must be a Piggot thing.. I'll keep scanning the data banks, maybe it'll come up.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 13, 2007 - 09:43pm PT
Hey Bob Van Belle,
Kinda off topic, but you've lived in some cool cat spots, or at least been crag side such wise, like The New, Capitol Reef. How's comes we ain't seen many pics from those escapades?
Curt

Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
Mar 13, 2007 - 09:57pm PT
Jesus, either be more careful what you ask for--or get more bandwith...

Curt
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 13, 2007 - 10:21pm PT
hehehe.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 11:09am PT
This kinda pushes the thread to include greater San Diego.

Jeff Almodovar enjoys a December day repeating my Deerhorn Valley classic Full Moon Boogie 5.11a/b. Greg Epperson Image.
I did the FA of this climb with Paul Wheeland around 1977 after being motivated by Woodson; pre-friends, pre-Fires, it involved a protracted effort. I recall being so pumped I couldn't untie. Don Reid loved the thing, thought it was 11b. Sustained textbook 1" jams up a really nice and truly vertical wall.

When I see this picture I remember why I climbed at all. If there is any route that has come to represent my San Diego years and my contribution to the crags, this is it.

bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 14, 2007 - 12:02pm PT
yep, full moon boogie is mos def a classic. loved climbing past the loose flake jammed in the slot to get to that splitter on the headwall.

hey ray, what was the name of the 5.11c splitter to a groove, maybe 40' high, on the formation behind full moon boogie? snakefinger, i think? i bouldered that thing on sight (insert sound of vigorous vigorous chest thumping here) and even the usually droll eppi was impressed. man, i've had some of my best crack days ever at deerhorn. in some ways it's like woodson on steroids.

somebody has GOT to get the access to that place opened up again. why was it closed? what happened?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 12:13pm PT
The backside of FMB is Snakefinger 10d, an impressive boulder problem bvb - I always did it as a TR because of the peculiar funkiness when the angle kicks up high - saw Adrian ask for a rope up there once...that corridor is a neat place - cool, always a light breeze.

I gave up on access to Deerhorn years ago and was lucky to get in there w/ Eric beck to do things like African Queen back in '98.

Private development.

I'm trying to remember the name of the other main Deerhorn developer - the guy who did Fang Arete.

I know nothing of the Specifics re: access.



Re: your Q on that roof bvb, gotta ask Piggot. I don't think I was ever privilege to the whole scoop.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 12:22pm PT
re:

"in some ways it's like woodson on steroids"

I always loved the Pinnacles partly because of the awesome places to hang out among the rocks on that steep slope...with the perfect onshore breezes it was like have air conditioning - people have a hard time understanding climbing in San Diego unless they've been there...it's hard to imagine the quality of the rock and the weather at such a high consistency - that's why I stayed for so long.
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Mar 14, 2007 - 01:16pm PT
You've had couple of lovely short paeans to San Diego climbing lately Ray, reminds me of what I really loved about growing up there and poking about out in the county. When I left in Jan. 79 I really had no idea that I'd never move back, and it feels like that place I remember is gone, replaced by something bigger, faster, and meaner. Do you ever think about moving back to that town?

I've certainly become deeply smitten with the Northwest, rain and all, and wouldn't go back, though truth be told, every February or so the notion of a month in San Diego or Tucson seems like a pretty charming idea.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 01:24pm PT
Dear Doug,

I think you summed it up when you wrote:

"it feels like that place I remember is gone, replaced by something bigger, faster, and meaner."

My brothers live there, it's become a big city, still upbeat maybe even with a better more hip cultural groove, but different.

A great place to be from. Guess I like Boulder 'cause there's a lot of things to do here that suit my years -wanna learn to track ski, cycle again, do some Alpine Touring, more backpacking...so this works.

Climbing saved my life.

I'm really lucky I had so much good stuff in my backyard and so many cool people to be active with.

Cheers.
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Mar 14, 2007 - 01:32pm PT
Raydog - Yeah...uh....the first ascents of "Hear My Train a' Comin' " and "Drivin' South".
Jeepers - hard to remember things from the age of the dinosaurs.

I think I did "Hear my Train" pretty quickly - it's more of a highball than anything super technical. I guess I just felt comfy on that kind of stuff after climbing in the Valley so much. Nobody really wanted to do that kind of thing back then - they thought I was nuts anyway.

"Drinin' South" was really an effort though. I climbed up to the 'lip' move many times and had to do the hideous bail out. I think Shawn Curtis showed it to me one day - said nobody could touch it. Man, I remember finally going for it at the lip when I did it - I was scared sheetless - don't want to fall from there. I think Mike and Mari were there - we used to go down there quite a bit in those days.

I did some other stuff down there too - can't remember what other climbs I put up....
Cheers, JB
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 14, 2007 - 02:16pm PT
Jeepers Ray,
You really catch the special feel of these places with your words.

'Spent very little time at Woodson.
TR'd Hear My Train & Drivin' South, seems a long time ago and we watched as Watusi strolled those things high ball style and he was so dialed. That was about it.

I'll be out there after the Sushi Fest, meaning later next month. Anybody wanna hep me out with a short tour of Woodson then? 'Might be able to get up Robbins crack.
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Mar 14, 2007 - 02:29pm PT
Heh, the old "lower expectations then blow them away" strategy, eh Roy? You still look like a pretty tough and stringy old bird. Samson aside, strength doesn't really reside in the hair, so you should do fine. Start lobbying the Beeb via email, he's usually up for a weekend back in da hood.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 14, 2007 - 02:40pm PT
rouses from sleep at work sitting in front of computer

"uh...did somebody say 'woodson'"??
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 14, 2007 - 04:22pm PT
Darn Straight.
Gonnah be in SD the weekend after the Sushi Fest.
Can yah tie up the kids with a sitter and bust loose?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 05:24pm PT
cool Tar, have a good trip.

bachar, thanks for the word.

It's cool knowing.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 06:40pm PT
bvb,

RE:

"yep, full moon boogie is mos def a classic. loved climbing past the loose flake jammed in the slot to get to that splitter"

The guys that came after me got rid of it, I remember trying everything, Once I went up alone w/ a car jack, Surfer Dave and I had worked on it w/ a crowbar, finally it went. That start is a nasty looking slot that wasn't at that bad to climb..it just looked REALLY bad.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 14, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
bachar wrote:

"- they thought I was nuts anyway."

Personally I'm sorry you were given that impression by the climbing community. I don't think anyone I knew or climbed with ever thought that. It was pretty obvious you had special abilities and were a leader, John.





F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:15am PT
Hey Roy,

Let me know what dates you'll be around to head up to Woodson.

I'd be glad to head up there with you for a tour. I'm in the same boat, haven't been crankin much crack (granite) lately and thats a shame.

James
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:15pm PT
OK,
So far, it's me, F10, & maybe, if we are blessed wit da best, BVB, Mt Woodson, either Saturday April 28 or Sunday April 29.

Anyone else care to join?
Might be fun.
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:47pm PT
Sounds good Tarbuster, I will be there on the 28th for sure.

I am going to have Tom Scott get a hold of Adrian and Jeff bros and see if we can get them up also. It would be great to have BVB and anyone else show up. Maybe even Dan Curley and Brad (Behay).

F whatever
rmuir

Social climber
the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:48pm PT
OK, swell. I've been thinking, too, of Woodson... It's been too many years. (Another Spring Reunion of sorts?)

I'll tell Henny. For real entertainment, let's do a day at Woodson, and the alternate day at Rubidoux. The Chicken can give us that tour, and we can all watch.
matisse

climber
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:51pm PT
Possibly moi, if girls are allowed to join all you old time hardmen. I'm getting my excuses in order now too: I'm so far on the couch I'm under the cushions with the spare change and the popcorn kernels.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 15, 2007 - 10:52pm PT
Sweet!!!
Let's roll compadres.
Woodson Saturday April 28 it is.

Absolutely Matisse.
Let's pump this thing UP!
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 15, 2007 - 11:16pm PT
ooo! OOOOO!!!

i want a peice of this! must go check calendar and inform the dominatrix that the tuscan raiders are preparing to storm the gates, and we must be there to defend the honor of the sons and daughters of woodsonites the world over.

spare change and splitters, comun' right up...




and being the helpful sort, i'll provide a heapin' helpin' 'o mighty-fine beta...

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 15, 2007 - 11:17pm PT
trapped in Boulder, you guys suck.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 15, 2007 - 11:50pm PT
No Way Ray.
You Gotta Bus' Loose!
It's yer DUTY.
Dimes

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Mar 15, 2007 - 11:56pm PT
Tar, BVB & Robs, I think I can make it down to Woodson on the 28th. If I can even hike up the road I'll be psyched. The "Chicken" will be in the Portal with the "Big Head" aka "Deport Jonny". Remember that Raydog?
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 15, 2007 - 11:56pm PT
Reunion Alert.
Reunion Alert.
Reunion Alert.

Git out yer frambloozlers, yer hibootlers, and edgenoodlers.
Chalkbags,
Toothbrushes,
Lil' matresses,
Spouses,
'N Rug rats
& their rattlers.
Old partners,
New partners,
Heck come alone
(and bring your trombone)
and be merry
and prepare ye all teh rip them grips...

Woodson HO!

(sat april 28 2007)
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 12:12am PT
I'll see you guys at Woodson next winter - I'll have some conditioning under my belt by then. Can't go there out of shape. Just can't.
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Mar 16, 2007 - 12:57am PT
Gosh it would just be great to see you folks...but I think I've done all that sh#t before...
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 01:05am PT
Right Watusi, a group photo someday might be nice but there's just a ton of other stuff I have going these days
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 16, 2007 - 01:22am PT
Jeez,
You guys play ruff.
We'll miss ya this go 'round.

Any one else?
Curt

Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
Mar 16, 2007 - 01:48am PT
I can certainly get up anything bvb can still get up. That fvcker's old. So, count me in.

Curt
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 01:50am PT
That's the whole idea Curt, I havta wait until I can smoke bvb or it's not worth the trip...
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 16, 2007 - 09:40am PT
Sounds like fun guys. Wish I could be there - maybe there's still a chance. Dang, this little ol' TR thread just keeps morphing and going. I love the fact that so many climbers love Woodson.

Raydog. I don't have a climbing partner for tomorrow - let's go. If you're not in shape, that's fine. We can do some long 5.9 at Eldo. Give me a call if you're interested 720-939-2525.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 04:06pm PT
Greg, later this year maybe...I really appreciate it and will copy your number down. It would be a gas!


Hey I was just gonna ask - any pics of Shawn Curtis from back in the day...seems like a conspicuous omission.

Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 16, 2007 - 04:16pm PT
I have a few slides that Shawn took & that I had duped, but sadly none of his mug. 'Spent quite a bit of time with Shawn in the early 80's in SD, a bit of time on the East Side & in the meadows.

Mike Paul & I used to visit him in SD when we were guiding in JT, at that time he lived in Corona Del Mar, Solana Beach.

The person who might have something is Watusi's brother Dave; we emailed a bit about a year ago, as he'd wound up with a few of Shawn's slides and was about to get into a scanning mission. He's in Shasta CA.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 06:21pm PT
thanks Tar,

Can't blame him for being up in Shasta, a pretty enchanting little town.

alright were Shawnless for now...
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Mar 16, 2007 - 06:48pm PT
Good to see this thread is still very much alive.

April 28th, 2007
aka "The Great Western Bouldering Reunion"

Notice I didn't say "Comp." It has been a long, long time coming. Should be a hoot.

Klimmer





(ok, let's see, a little more than a month to work-out, take steroids, will have to back-off the beer some, and a few Woodson/Santee pre-visits . . . Damn, it won't matter --- bvb, is still gonna kick all our asses.)
clustiere

Trad climber
Durango, CO
Mar 16, 2007 - 08:51pm PT
Reuinion ??????? email mail me ehh
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 16, 2007 - 09:03pm PT
clustiere:
At this point, its an uncoordinated mass assault on Woodson, April 28, which be Saturday.

At present, it seems the most important thing to have in order is your pledge to show, along with a downright silly performance excuse. Then, you go train in secrit, like by swillin' a beer while you gently press your fingers in a vice, then ditch that asap & show up and flop up some crack with the rest of us.

Are you in?!
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 16, 2007 - 09:05pm PT
woodson4EVAR!!1!!


bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 16, 2007 - 09:12pm PT
"No Way Ray.
You Gotta Bus' Loose!
It's yer DUTY."


no kidding! as a man of independent means, you should have a flexible schedule.

you can bring your computer gadgets and cyber-document the impending destruction of these hapless interlopers that dare tread upon san diego's most sacred ground, by we, the natives, the chosen ones, the knighted guardians of california's holy grail of bouldering blissdom.

or at the very least enjoy a cup of decaf along with the view.....
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:13pm PT
more woodson flashbacks:

badly damaged off white pic of mike paul on the "B1" lunge, in tennies, mid-70's:


moi, 32 years later:


i hear they call this thing veeseven/eight these days.

pffffft. woodson 511c on the outside.......
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:18pm PT
Dang that's sweet!
The Vato before he 'ad any guns or def whatsoever.

Then the Bubba, puttin' out like a randy old clydesdale, hardly gettin' a crinkle in 'is suspendiers.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:28pm PT
Saturday, April 28.

My goal will be to photograph a heapin', heavin', weepin stack of Supertopians, Stonemasters and ratty old SD Elite, punchin' it out and Luvin' Big all over that mountain's glorious Wunder-Pebbles.

If yer readin' this, you gotta show or blow a big gasket tryin'.

Maybe we cud' git them yunger merry cranksters, like James & Lucho and that bunch to show up and hep' turn up the heat!?
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:40pm PT
Gettin in shape???

Anyone one heading to Woodson after the SushiFest ought to be all energized and ready to fire it up. Throw in a little JT climbing and you'll be good to go.

Well maybe, what the F**k give it a go
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:46pm PT
royster, it's jus gonna be me and you.

none of these other dufferz an' loserz an' oldskooerz can handle the emotional truama i'm gonna be dishin' out that day.....

OH GOD, I'M SO IN LOVE WIT' ME!!!!!

(uh, i mean, it's going to be such an honor to join my bros for a low-key, recreational, back-in-the-day outing at that classic training-wheels beginners' area, mont voodsan.....)
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 16, 2007 - 10:51pm PT
Hey any other good pics of Piggot?
How 'bout Carmel w/ a halter top on?
goatboy smellz

climber
colorado
Mar 16, 2007 - 11:18pm PT
hmmmm... i'm feeling an itch that can't be scratched,
How about a neutral area.
Nothing wired but us...

lake isabele,
heheheh...




Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Mar 17, 2007 - 01:34am PT
Was diggin' around for some Shawn shots and came across this one of a couple of The late GREATS!! My Brother (Forever in my heart, Shawn, and my Katy, pup of the late Cody the Wonder Dingo) on Shawn's last visit to see me here in Josh. I'll keep looking though.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 17, 2007 - 01:37am PT
"How 'bout Carmel w/ a halter top on?"

i got one, ray old buddy, but it's gonna cost ya.....damn she had one mighty fine swole pair o' hoots....

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 17, 2007 - 01:37am PT
cool pic mike thanx for digging

thanx bvb you are so right - impressive!
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 17, 2007 - 01:40am PT
is that guy looking at the rock her former boyfriend - was his name Paul?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 17, 2007 - 01:42am PT
dude, were we hippies? I think we were hippes...
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 17, 2007 - 10:27am PT
Paul Schweitzer

Plus, Carmel has to be one of the sweetest gal's you cud ever meet right?
Maybe we'll see her in April.
Ya, Saturday April 28, people.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 17, 2007 - 04:52pm PT
Last I heard - a while back now - Carmel was in the Northwest.

Paul I'm certain later went on to do a fairly quick ascent of the Cassin Ridge. I believe he told me about it around '93/4

Thanks for jogging my memory Tar.
matisse

climber
Mar 17, 2007 - 07:28pm PT
She's in Seattle,
Just had a baby I think about a year ago, but it could even be a bit longer
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 17, 2007 - 09:21pm PT
Hey Matisse,
Your probably gonnah be at Woodson on April 28 right?
Good.

Hey, if you know how to reach Carmel, you could maybe, just fer fun sake, let her know about the gathering? Even if she doesn't make it, but jeepers, maybe she will, at the least we should send her some pics afterward.
matisse

climber
Mar 18, 2007 - 01:59pm PT
Happy to.
I emailed a link to her a while ago about a woodson thread, but I don't think she's the posting type. you never know.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Mar 18, 2007 - 02:15pm PT
Once upon a time, we had a tr on Mother superior at dusk. I'd already hap my lap and my buddy Chris Raypole (i'm sure some of you know him) was hammering away with the unfamiliar technique, When Carmel wandered by. She sat on the rock above and across and talked him throguh the whole climb.
Chris topped out, she congratulated him and wandered away into the darknesss.

"Who, was that?" asked Chris while still gasping for breath. "are there always pretty girls strolling by to give you beta on hard offwidths, in this place?"
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Mar 18, 2007 - 02:42pm PT
back in woodson's heydey, you could always count on a local hottie to feed you beta or solo your tr project.

that just how we rolled, 'g.

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 18, 2007 - 05:15pm PT
I like that story Jaybro...

seems like there were always those magical moments over the years at Woodson.

Also thanks bvb for the image post of Carmel and Paul back in the day - it's a cool period shot and really shows the "inner" Woodson envro-world; foliage etc.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 18, 2007 - 10:30pm PT
Fun story Jay.
We have a rich communal history here.
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:12am PT
The stories popping up are great,

Put the word out and some friends are going to try and round up Ron Amick,

It grows and it grows some more, It's not 4:20 but 4/28 ought to be a good time also

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:15am PT
I have thought about Ron Amick and glad you mentioned him. Cool
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:26am PT
Hey Ray,

Told Tom Scott about the Woodson gig and he is working on rounding up some of the San Diego area folks.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:36am PT
Tom Scott is a good dude, please tell him I said hello!

Thanks.

I can't go to the Woodson thing this spring but hope to visit Cali in the fall. I hope it turns out to be a really cool gathering.
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:49am PT
Ray,

will do,

ya TS a one cool dude, still climb him quite a bit
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 20, 2007 - 12:53am PT
I'm glad he's still active! I'll bet he's pretty fit still.

Cheers!
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Mar 20, 2007 - 03:10am PT
Wow! I haven't seen Tom Scott in a coon's age! And if you get Ron going I'm just gonna show fer sure!
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Mar 29, 2007 - 12:01am PT

One month to go,

Go with the Flow, and start Driving South, I Hear My Train Acomin'
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Mar 29, 2007 - 12:46am PT
RE:

"and start Driving South"

could read

and 3rd class Drivin' South.
BeeHay

Trad climber
San Diego CA
Apr 3, 2007 - 03:06pm PT
You guys should be more careful, you have NO idea who's lurking out here. I got wind of this Apr28 thing, did a little searching and this is what I found. God, sounds like a bunch o' WWII vets drooling on themselves and yammering on about the 'great war'. Been away from crags for years, but me an Curly are Mt Bike fiends, we eat 30 yr olds for breakfast. Legs of iron, arms of rubber! We get Jeff Almodovar out for some well earned abuse now and then. I'm gonna put a fresh coat of shoe goo on my Scats and head for the Ampetheater, listen for some loud thumps to the southwest. BeeHay
F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Apr 3, 2007 - 04:53pm PT

Welcome aboard Brad,

With all this internet crap it makes you wonder you is really climbing
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 3, 2007 - 05:17pm PT
BeeHay what's up man!
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 3, 2007 - 06:47pm PT
yo big head, you gonna show up or what?

"...it's howdy dowdy time, it's howdy dowdy time, he's gonna blow off the climb, it's howdy dowdy time...."
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Apr 3, 2007 - 10:05pm PT
Heh, was Brad there that time Paul imploded from all the heckling and marched down from Stonewall and drove home?

Hi Brad, have I even seen you since that time we went climbing in the valley with the Troll, who downed a six pack before you led Highway Star? His phrase, "remember, your belayer is drunk" is one of those quips that has passed into the lexicon of shorthand that Galen and I use to baffle folks.

Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Apr 3, 2007 - 10:27pm PT
'Glad to see we're all somewhat aroused for the Woods-On Fest.

Maybe we should set a ruff time to meet at the base of the road, for those who wish to go for like, the full value en masse?

10am?
Saturday morning April 28th.
BeeHay

Trad climber
San Diego CA
Apr 3, 2007 - 11:52pm PT
What in the hell is Highway Star?
Where's Galen Kirkwood?
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:18am PT
Jesus Christ! Is that Brad Huys? I don't know if you would remember an ol' sot like me.. Peace on ya mate...MP
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:42am PT
"What in the hell is Highway Star?
Where's Galen Kirkwood?"


behey, might be time to lighten up on the ol' bongloads.....
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:47am PT
I'll buy a huge-ass sack of chronic and we can all spend the day getting baked at Woodson.
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:48am PT
yeah ray. promises, promises....
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:54am PT
Hey Bubs...You get all misty with Ray, Don't you remember me?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 12:56am PT
what are we gonna be like when we really get old?

hey Watusi pass me the bag

bvb, don't bogart the pipe

look, Beehay passed out again...
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 4, 2007 - 01:03am PT
uh, watusi WHO???

burp

/me pours another scotch
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2007 - 09:13am PT
Raydog. You should come to the ST gathering this Thursday evening at the Southern Sun (by Neptunes - see Front Range Freaqhz Gathering thread). Would love to see you.
Off White

climber
Tenino, WA
Apr 4, 2007 - 10:32am PT
Big Head say:
"What in the hell is Highway Star?
Where's Galen Kirkwood?"

Well, I think that was the name, you showed it to me. It's down in the lower end of the valley somewhere, on the North side of things. I think it was the same day you, me, and the Troll did Gripper. Some one pitch 5.10- sort of hand & finger crack. I recall it as pretty fun.

Galen is up here in Washington. Rather than splash his details across the net, he'd probably prefer that I shoot you his email privately if you wanna chat him up. Life is good though.

Also, if you haven't been lurking here long, you may not have made the connection that Watusi = Michael Paul. Mike, you must be trolling, it seems inconceivable that anyone would meet you once, much less over a span of years, and not remember you.
diablo

Trad climber
sd,ca
Apr 4, 2007 - 03:08pm PT
hey ray, what up g ? thought about u lots... just drove by deerhorn on the way to canyon tajo last weekend, man the sh# you climbed... how about the burn what a gas. towering inferno.. black and decker, tar baby, blackout??? bang bringin in the good stuff.Jeff A
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 04:13pm PT
diablo,

that day at Blackout was cool.

you were always such a safe, fun and naturally talented guy to climb with.

more later...
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 4, 2007 - 04:22pm PT
blackout was one mightly fine sweet splitter. i got some slides of the crew crushing it one day in '86. gotta dig them puppies up and get busy with the scanner...man did i look hot in maroon danskins...TOO SWOLE!!
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 04:26pm PT
that would be killer bvb
John Vawter

Social climber
San Diego
Apr 4, 2007 - 04:57pm PT
Ray, Tom Scott showed me one of yours out at Deerhorn, and I couldn't get my feet off the ground. But I never forgot the name: The ABC's of Nazi Dentistry. That was yours right?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 05:16pm PT
Hi John,

Dick Cilley and John Allen did that (and named it) - I showed them the area and what had not - or could not - be done at the time. There was this other thing, The LBJ Memorial, I named it, put in the anchors and I think Cilley did it.

My feeling at the time was that it did no good to leave these things unclimbed and so I invited others who were better than I to come down and climb. It was in this way that Dan Michaels and Alan Watts helped to contribute - there is also a bond of friendship between myself and all of those guys to this day.

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 05:22pm PT
RE:

"Raydog. You should come to the ST gathering this Thursday evening at the Southern Sun (by Neptunes - see Front Range Freaqhz Gathering thread). Would love to see you."


Sorry about the slow reply Greg,

about what time will you be at the Southern Sun??
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2007 - 06:05pm PT
Cracks me up how this little TR thread has morphed into a meeting place for old Woodson and San Diego climbers. Nice to hear from you Jeff.

Ray - It looks like I'll be there between 5:30 and 6:00. Also Rick Accommazzo (I wonder just how many sets of double letters are actually in his name?), Tim Stitch, Tarbuster, and a few others you may or may not know.
BeeHay

Trad climber
San Diego CA
Apr 4, 2007 - 06:20pm PT
Who's old?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 4, 2007 - 06:20pm PT
Greg,

Your thread became the place because you are DA MAN!

Hey I'll probably show up at Southern Sun.
Thanks.

Ray
diablo

Trad climber
sd,ca
Apr 7, 2007 - 12:15am PT
Greg., awsome that you got this going on.
I always thought of you as " mayor of Mt.Woodson".
I'll never forget that day kick it with you and the vato in the four seasons parking lot , summer of 78, you just got off somfthang like.... lost arrow(rope optional)?? watusi , member wees just youngstus den.

anything thin..... we b in
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Apr 7, 2007 - 11:22am PT
Yep!! This be the Sh*t!! Aw Jeff...But to be young again...
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Apr 7, 2007 - 12:38pm PT
YES, to be young again.

Woodson, Tower Two, 5.7 lieback, approx. '76/'77? (My new EBs don't have the leather uppers added yet). Photo by Tim Umstead or? Perry VanVolkinburg (my climbing buds).

Going to set up a top-rope for the face to the right. We called it "Squaks" at 5.9+, newer guides call it 5.10. "Squaks" was my first serious solo one day after school at PHS during the mid-week. Went up there alone with my dog Max, a St. Bernard and Alaskan Malamute mix (may my buddy rest in peace) and as I was climbing, Max started wimpering for both of us at the bottom. After finishing and down climbing the crack to the left, I bumped into Keith Brueckner near Robbins on the road. Didn't know anyone else was up there climbing. Keith just said "Nice Solo." Not the smartest thing that I ever did all by myself with my dog, or at least I thought I was alone. (Ok, not as impressive as bvb or Watusi solos, but it was for me).

We were soldiers of the stone at the time, with little thought of anything but the moment.

Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 7, 2007 - 12:40pm PT
RE:
"We were soldiers of the stone at the time, with little thought of anything but the moment. "

thanks Klimmer!
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Apr 7, 2007 - 01:00pm PT
Yes well said.

I remember Keith Brueckner was once a staple at Taquitz/Suicide and we'd see him rope soloing stuff with his belly, beard, and generations older stature.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 7, 2007 - 01:09pm PT
Yeah Tar,

he was a fixture at Woodson for many. He and I became friends, UCSD Physics professor...
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Apr 8, 2007 - 12:12pm PT
Yes! Keith is a great man! I even had the pleasure of guiding him in France and Switzerland! My favorite place was Verdon!!!!
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 8, 2007 - 12:40pm PT
I remember that Mike!
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 8, 2007 - 12:51pm PT
hey mike, post up some slide scans of you leading "je suis un legand" -- {I AM A LEGEND!) -- in bare feet at verdon....
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Apr 8, 2007 - 05:39pm PT
I ran into Keith all the time at Woodson through the years--great, barrel-chested guy that he was. Is he still around?
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 8, 2007 - 06:19pm PT
good question mooser -

I submit the possibility that Keith has retired - he was perhaps in his early 60s when I knew him - and that was a while back.
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Apr 8, 2007 - 06:40pm PT
Thanks, Raydog. I remember you well from those days as well as Keith. In fact, the first date I ever took my wife-to-be on was to Woodson--1979. I took her up Squaks (thanks, Klimmer for the great vintage picture), and left her there by herself for about 20 minutes. Reason being--my climbing partner and roommate, Dave Hersey (who showed up to check out the "new girl"), had spotted you carrying a backpack full of gear for sale, and insisted that I go with him to check out what we could afford. I can't for the life of me remember what you were selling, unless it was some kind of sewn FROG gear. My wife, who's kind of acrophobic, still tells people about me abandoning her on top of a rock on our first date.
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder
Apr 8, 2007 - 06:50pm PT
Interesting mooser - I gotta admit I don't remember that time but it's cool to hear you were there and enjoyed the place.

not only a nice place to climb with nice people but, a clean one too - I can recall virtually no litter/trash issues ever at Woodson and it's probably the same today.

Regarding the spousal abandonment trauma - get this, my brother who is 55 still reminds me about being left in the car for hours when I was born, like I had something to do with it! ...laughing...
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Apr 9, 2007 - 12:15am PT
Ha! Yeah, siblings get blamed for the weirdest things! You shoulda known better than to be born when and where you were, right?

I climbed regularly at Woodson from '75 to '85, and most subsequent visits since then when I pop in to see nearby family. It is a great place, and I have never come close to getting sick of it.
Klimmer

Mountain climber
San Diego
Apr 15, 2007 - 08:24pm PT
Kicking for fellow Woodsonites I met up with today (4-15) on Voodsun that didn't know anything about April 28th . . . Mike, Barbara, and Bob H. Hope to see you all up there on the 28th.

Pssssssssst. Hey, Poway Mtn. Boys and StoneMasters. Mike Bovee here in San Diego is a pro videographer that produced the incredible film on the history of Hawaiian and California Surfing for KPBS called "Liquid Stage: The Lure of Surfing."

http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Stage-Surfing-Michael-Bovee/dp/1891716026

All I'm saying is guys you should get to know Mike. He is really a great guy and he has a really nice family. He climbs, and he likes to climb Woodson. Just saying!
BeeHay

Trad climber
San Diego CA
Apr 26, 2007 - 02:50pm PT
BVB, yeah I'm showin', are you?

Mike, who could forget the Vato? Look at 'im, he's stinkbugin' it!

Anybody know when/where to hookup?

BH
Raydog

Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
Apr 26, 2007 - 03:19pm PT
Brad there's a Mount Woodson shindig thread - said, I believe 10am at the warm-up boulders - have fun Brad I won't be there but will be down in SD in July we should get together for sure.
Wolfman

Boulder climber
Fort Worth
Jun 19, 2007 - 11:57am PT
Great thread, thanks for the flashbacks!

Joe here (aka Wolfman) from Fort Worth Tx. Just stumbled on this site by accident. Some youngsters at work were talking about climbing and it reminded me of my Poway years when I did a little bouldering on Woodson. I'm a '74 grad of Poway HS.

I talked a friend into taking me climbing with his buds. They finally let me tag along one weekend back in '73 (I think 'cause I was the only one with a car that ran). We did several climbs on that 1st trip up woodson, but Sickle is the only one that I remember. Had to start out upside down and I was the only one that could even get started that day, much less finish.

I remember I even got a pat on the back from Rick Piggot at the next party I went to. I also remember Rick's little brother Collin, who was into dirt bikes. I eventually gave up climbing and started dirt-biking myself, before moving back to TX in '76.

I think I also remember Greg Cameron from Poway. Believe we were in the same class at PHS.

Anyway, thanks again y'all for sharing the great Woodson stories and pix!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 17, 2008 - 02:28pm PT
Love this thread! I hope this article didn't sneak by me here. From Climbing May/June 1981.


F10 Climber F11 Drinker

Trad climber
e350
Aug 17, 2008 - 03:04pm PT
Good find,
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 20, 2008 - 12:47am PT
The place sure photographs well!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Aug 20, 2008 - 01:17am PT
nice thread bump there Steve with solid content.
salad

climber
Escondido
Sep 30, 2008 - 06:51pm PT
bump
scuffy b

climber
Elmertown
Sep 30, 2008 - 07:30pm PT
There must be some Instant Modern Classics going up in the burned off area, wouldn't you think?
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Redlands
Oct 2, 2008 - 06:07pm PT
Brueckner's '87 Woodson guide:

http://illusiondweller.blogspot.com/2007/02/professor-keith-brueckners-mt.html
Splater

climber
Grey Matter
Oct 2, 2008 - 08:34pm PT
Erik posted these
http://climbingsandiego.com/forum/index.php?board=6.0
includes
North side = Fry-Kroegel trail
Over the top
Bottom of the hill

http://maps.google.com/maps/user?uid=102836884681291642250&hl=en&gl=us

West side towards L. Poway
http://climbingsandiego.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=ffb61510c14913f12d9bd75c35c1706f&topic=530.0

survivalmademedoit

Trad climber
Grantham, New Hampshire
Feb 5, 2009 - 03:09pm PT
Talk about major flashbacks! What a great find! Mark Vojtko here. Kinda wild catching up after all the years.

What is the latest on Mt. Woodson? Santee Boulders? Mission Gorge?

Who's still climbing out of the old gang? (Paul Dowdy?, Werner Landry?, Tom Scott?, Dan Curley?, Adrian and Jeff?, BeeHay?, FROG?)

What's up with all this indoor training, hang boards, multiple pairs of shoes, runners without knots, etc? What happened to the good old days when you thumbed a ride to the cliffs, smoked a joint, and started climbing?

Drop a note if you can..........thanks!

Mark
DJMac

Big Wall climber
Bonedale, CO
Feb 5, 2009 - 03:50pm PT
Fun thread. I remember a lot of the photos posted. Climbed at Woodson in the late 70's, then again when I was living in SD mid-80's ... loved that place, and many more in the area.

Thanks for the flashback, and sharing photos!

    John McMullen
scuffy b

climber
just below the San Andreas
Feb 5, 2009 - 04:20pm PT
Hey, Mark and John, be sure to check also:
Hardest Woodson Offwidths
and
Woodson Shindig

They're loaded with good stuff.

How you doing, John?

Moyles
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 5, 2009 - 04:25pm PT
hey mark, i remember you. didn't you take that photo of roger wilson on waterchute that wound up in the '76 edition of the josh guide?
Curt

Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
Feb 6, 2009 - 01:34am PT
Hey bvb, what's up these days anyway? Give me a shout.

Curt

MisterE

Trad climber
One Place or Another
Mar 16, 2009 - 11:20pm PT
bump

Watusi

Social climber
Newport, OR
Mar 17, 2009 - 12:09am PT
Hey BVB, I'm positive it was one of the Vojtko bros that took that shot indeed...
nature

climber
Tucson, AZ
Mar 17, 2009 - 12:13am PT
my eyes!!!!




and think about the kittens!


poor kittens.
eliot carlsen

Social climber
San Diego
Sep 26, 2009 - 04:50pm PT
Bump for Woodson Classics. One of the Top Ten Threads of all time.
gonzo chemist

climber
the Twilight Zone of someone else's intentions
Nov 4, 2009 - 09:41pm PT
Bump for a great old thread and awesome area.

Counting down the days until the annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage!






Mimi

climber
Mar 27, 2010 - 02:51pm PT
Bump for Greg's original Big Teaser thread.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Sep 25, 2010 - 05:54pm PT
Ultra Classic Thread Bump!
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Sep 25, 2010 - 07:24pm PT
Somebody was asking about Ric Piggot(maybe it was on another thread i was reading today).

I started climbing at Woodson in '71 with the RCS and spent 100's of weekends/weekdays up there up tell the mid 90's. i met Ric up there as early as '71 and discussed such dreams as climbing the "N.A. Wall" on our very first meeting...last saw him on the "Big Hill" around '89-91.

The last i heard about "a" Ric Piggot, was of a gentleman who went by that name living in the Escondido area who was exiting the I-15 freeway via an off-ramp(circular)and the truck door he was driving flew open and he, with one hand(left)on the steering wheel, reached with his right hand to attempt to pull the passenger door close. He was thrown from the car and killed.

He worked for the county(so did RP), was the same age as the Ric we know, and drove a pickup truck(so did RP). I assumed it was the RP that i new, but did not know anyone to contact at that time. I did drive down to the A-16 store, and the local R.E.I, but neither of those places/climbers employed within, had ever heard of a RP although they frequented Woodson on a regular basis.

I believe it was the mid/late 90's but could have been the early 00's that i read the story. It was reported in the S.D. Union/Tribune. I just happened upon it. I had long since lost tract of any climbing/Woodson friends. Of course someone like the Linder's(sp) would know.

But since reading these and other posts which allude to Ric being in such various places as Tahoe/Reno/LV, etc. I have come to believe it was just an eerie coincidence/some other guy with same name?

So, that is about all i know. Hope Ric is doing well/living large...
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2010 - 08:00pm PT
I talked to Rick at the first Supertopo Woodson shindig in 2007. He said he'd basically stopped climbing and was back into dirt bikes. PhantomX would recognize this, as I do, as a classic case of the 'itus'.
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Sep 25, 2010 - 08:23pm PT
"classic case of the 'itus'..."

Not sure of what the "itus" is...

But since you Greg, along Ric and a few others were a hot topic amongst the RCS'ers who intro'd me to the finer aspects of feeling like your part of something more significant then hugging a tree(Sierra Club'ers)if you were climbing a rock instead, bitd. And you guys(Ric et al)had built a somewhat dubious...i meant to say reputable name for yourselves, and were known as the somewhat dirtbag(something i could relate to back then)climbers who went by the name of "The Poway MT. Buds"(or 'poway mt. boys' perhaps) i will put the somewhat "dubious" rumor to rest.

Great, glad to here that Ric is still alive as of '07...
eeyonkee

Trad climber
Golden, CO
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 25, 2010 - 08:41pm PT
The 'itus' is kind of an inside thing. Seeing this bumped made me read through much of it again. I'm reposting what I can consider to be the best post - by Brunosafari.

After the awkward introductions with Royal, we separated into two vehicles at Poway High School for the drive to Woodson. Goeddel and I were in one vehicle and Denny and Robbins in the other. When we arrived at Woodson, Dave and Denny and I all at once excused ourselves to piss. With Robbins safely on the other side of a boulder changing into climbing clothes Dave and I anxiously asked Denny what happened on the drive to Woodson. Denny said he "showed Robbins Tooth Rock." (For non-locals benefit, the drive from Poway valley to Woodson lends a dramatic "helicopter view" of twenty-five foot Tooth Rock perched atop a steep hill). We felt humilitaed even further and upbraided him in hushed tones and demanded he tell us exactly what was said.

Denny proudly stated he had said "That's Tooth Rock, a Poway Classic!"

Dave and I almost started to cry, realizing any hope of recovering a pittance of dignity had now been punted into the bleachers.

"What did Robbins say," we demanded.

"He said nothing."

Dave and I squeaked out the word "shit" about three hundred times while shaking double clenched fists over our heads.

The pissing counsil did not end in a double suicide however when we ascertained that Denny had somehow managed not to reveal to Robbins that our Dad had climbed Tooth Rock and also our dog, POGO, via Yosemite Big Wall Hauling Techniques.

We walked up the Woodson road a ways and came to small friction boulder. Robbins did a few warm up moves on it and then calmly spoke:

"This rock reminds me of Yosemite!"

In his mercy, Robbins had with that one gracious sentance, supplied us with enough cause for positive self-esteem to see us through all personal testings of life for the duration of life. To this day, when I tell somebody here in Oregon about Woodson, I am careful always to say something like,

"The rock at Woodson bears a striking facsimili to some characteristics of glaciated and exfoliated Yosemite granite."

For our first real climb though, we made our way to Sickle Crack, the climb we felt had aesthetic appeal, but was not too showy. Still we were a bit anxious. Dave and Denny had done the climb before, but with the benefit of a top rope. I had not climbed it yet at all. Of course Denny and Dave insisted that I go first, obviously hoping that I would make them look good.

I still consider that one of my most psychologically demanding climbs and I still refer to it for confidence when I today try to trad the Smith Rock sport routes to an audience of famous-name international quick draw artists.

I liebacked and squimmied up the off- width as gracefully as I possibly could, definitely placing the requirement of style way ahead of safety, yet I really could not even see the rock. In my minds eye, I could only see Robbins behind me trying to contain facial expressions of alternating smirks and frowns.

At that time Goeddel rated Sickle 5.8. Almost everything we climbed we rated 5.8 if we never fell and 5.9 if we sometimes fell and 5.10 if it was impossible. Maybe that provides some understanding of Woodson grades.

When I mantled the top of Sickle, I recklessly skipped and jumped down the back as fast as I could, not wanting to miss seeing Robbins climb. I made it back just in time to see Robbins execute the final mantle. It probably took him at least thirty seconds.

After Dave climbed the route and Denny declined because it was obviously now too easy, we sauntered over to the boulder and crack now known the world over as:

"THE ROBBINS CRACK"

Less known worldwide is that previous to this incident we referred to the crack as:

"THE AID CRACK!"

That's right, none of us for even one nano-second ever imagined that crack to be a potential free climb. Instead it beaconed to us as the perfect training climb for future Yosemite nail-ups. This was not long after we had saved our milk money and bought our first precious "chrome moly Chouinard pitons. Some of them were angle pitons, up to an inch and a half, much wider than our soft iron Swiss Rings. Heck, with Yosemite angle pitons and runners hooked together like rope ladders, we reasoned anything could be climbed...even inch and a half cracks, aid syle.

"That's the way it's done in Yosemite! That's how Robbins climbed Tissaack!"

In all fairness, remember, we had never seen jam crack climbing demonstrated. We could barely conceive how one could climb an inch an a half crack by jam or lieback and still be able to place and hammer and clip a piton. It went without saying this was an aid climb and we wanted to show it to Royal for his approval. And not wanting state the obvious, none of us mentioned it was our "aid climb."

I can still recall this moment just as precisely as if I had never smoked weed.

I can still recall this moment just as clearly as when Mary Jo Fisher kissed me behind Meadowbrook School in seventh grade.

I can still recall this moment just as profoundly as when I saw each of my children being birthed, red, and roped up and covered in juice of emancipation.


We had no intention of climbing the crack, we just wanted to show it to Robbins as if to say we were aid climbers too and had places to use chrome moly pitons.

Robbins walking toward the crack. He inserted his hand. We witnessed a rhythmic cadence of blurry, ascending, and silent motion wherein he tagged the summit and then rapidly downclimbed. Upon touching the ground he took a step, tilted his head, smiled, nodded, and in perfectly even breaths, calmly remarked,

"That's a good one."

We were unable and unwilling to say a word. We were in flabbergasted shock. We could not move. We avoided eye contact with Robbins and with each other. We were enveloped in a thick fog of shame. If Robbins found out that we aided free climbs, we knew we would one day be laughed out Yosemite before we could ask a ranger the location of Camp Four. It was an understandable case of the thin ice of human pride.

Finally, Goeddel suggested we go elsewhere!

Later Dave showed Robbins a face climb problem. It involved a reach and Dave was six feet four inches I believe. To our happy amazement, Robbins had to hesitate on that move. And then it was time to go.

Robbins had unknowingly opened the door to making our dreams a possibility. By 1973 Goeddel had climbed the Nose and Denny had climbed Half Dome and I had shimmied my way up a few routes myself. But Woodson was never the same again after the cracks began to speak aloud.

Over the years I have heard quite a few disparaging remarks and have observed some lofty attitudes and tones of judgement toward Royal Robbins. For me they are explained my the injustices of history when taken out of context. Like when I bouldered once with the great face climber, Bob Kamps, Royal Robbins will always be to me a personal, touchstone of greatness. I will never forget his kind, even respectful attitude toward we dufuses, and the inspiration of his climbing style. At the same time, I recall Robbins never actually stood atop the Robbins crack. What a frikken' poser, man!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Sep 25, 2010 - 08:51pm PT
Outstanding slice of history!

I bet Robbins would have topped out if he knew it was the FFA. LOL
TripL7

Trad climber
san diego
Sep 25, 2010 - 09:39pm PT
Thanks for re-posting this veritable classic by Bruno. Here's my favorite line:

"I can still recall this moment just as precisely as if I had never smoked weed."

Hilarious...

I remember one story about either your(Greg Cameron), Dave Goeddel's, or possibly Ric's younger brother soloing up Robbins Crack(to the very top, lol)and taking a fairly good ground fall whilst down climbing it. I believe he broke/sprained his ankle or something? I remember the first time(and every time for that matter)thinking about that story while initiating those first few moves on the descent.

Robbins is a good bloke. George M. told me loads of great stories about RR. He use to work for Royal as a guide, and thought the world of him. I only met RR(more like crossed paths with him)a couple times. Saw him solo allot of the stuff we were getting roped up for on several occasions. And on one 5.10 that he was on-sight soloing(a new climb at nob wall)down climbed from the crux(about 80ft.)after asking one of us if we would care to belay him on the climb.

Incredible what his generation of climbers achieved. The free climbs at Tahquitz, and walls like the Salathe' where retreat or rescue from the upper half was NOT an option/possibility.

BTW, where ever i/we went, whether it was Woodson/Corte Madera/Tahq-Suicide/JT, and later the Valley if we heard the PMB's had done it then we had to try(emphasis on try).
Mimi

climber
Sep 26, 2010 - 12:56am PT
Great story, Greg. Nothing like nice aid cracks.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 27, 2011 - 05:47pm PT
Big Ole Woodson Bump!
illusiondweller

Trad climber
San Diego, CA
Nov 20, 2013 - 09:52pm PT
Enjoy the ride Burch!
splitter

Trad climber
SoCal Hodad, surfing the galactic plane
Nov 20, 2013 - 10:21pm PT
TripL7 - Thanks for re-posting this veritable classic by Bruno. Here's my favorite line:

"I can still recall this moment just as precisely as if I never smoked weed."

Hilarious...
LOL

and...
thaDood - Woodson Rules...bump!
Right on, bro!!!

edit: btw, whatever happened to 'TripL7 & thaDood? Haven't heard from them in ages. Oh yeah, thaDood got booted. lol

BUT, me thinks 777 is lurking, laying low, so to speak, Both bad ass Woodson doods bitd, imho, btw! ;)
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
May 5, 2014 - 06:15pm PT
Bump, just because I just re read the WHOLE THING. time to get some actual work done now...
F10

Trad climber
Bishop
May 5, 2014 - 06:35pm PT
Just browsed through the tread, lot of cool posts
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
Jul 18, 2014 - 08:31pm PT
Hmm, I'll be down there at the end of the month (31st), I an eager to see some of this. Anybody around there on Sat/Sun? We're driving down from the Bay so I have a weird timeline. We'll be around through Wednesday but it's family trip, so things are up in the air.

San Diego!!!!

(I'll be camping and then staying with family near the Naval Base on Coronado).
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jul 19, 2014 - 01:19am PT
bump
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Jun 5, 2016 - 05:03pm PT
happy dad bump
Klimmer2.0

Mountain climber
San Diego, CA
May 18, 2019 - 08:00pm PT
This is such an awesome history of Mt Woodson, the Poway Mountain Boys, aka The Poway Mountaineers, and the true story of how “Robbins Crack” got its name.

Bruonsafari is such a great story teller. So funny too. Great thread. 2 thumbs up!!


http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=300496&msg=331909#msg331909
crøtch

climber
May 20, 2019 - 11:41am PT
Amen, Klimmer. This needs to be preserved.
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