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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jello-Thanks. That picture of me on Superpin was taken by the late Pete Steres on a road trip we took in 1982. I did not think it was too hard technically, maybe 5.9 or easy 5.10, but I gratefully clipped the one tainted bolt that had been added after Henry’s ascent. My understanding was that Pete Cleveland’s route went up the middle of the side facing the camera and it is clearly steeper and harder than Henry’s route, which climbs the left skyline in the picture.
Jgill- Thanks for joining the ST conversation. We look forward to stories from a legendary career.
Another Superpin story involving ST regular maldaly. I went to the Needles with Malcolm in the 1990’s for an Access Fund meeting. We stepped out of the car after the long drive from Boulder and Malcolm led Superpin and then Hairypin for his very first climbs in the Needles! No warm up necessary for the talented Mal.
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pc
climber
East of Seattle
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Rich, Great TR. Thanks. Is this new writing or did you write it at the time?
Cheers,
pc
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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mammaric trance has forever entered the lexicon.
Way to go, Rich! Very well done story. Quality thread, too.
Even more tittilation from a place that evokes hushed tones and moods of magic.
Someday...
Doug
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Strange that Oli should ask what a mantle-stand is. The only one I've seen done was by the same person who was roped to him when I first met Oli, but later in a different place.
When reaching the top of a climb he finished off with a mantle but did NOT put his foot next to his hand.
Instead, after doing the press up part of the mantle, he showed incredible gymnastic strength, balance and control by levering his legs backwards and continuing into a handstand which he held for some time.
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I'm hurtin . . .
Ice climber
land of cheese and beer
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Great thread regarding Superpin, which scared me sh##tless the first time I led it about 25 years ago. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to be able to reach the summit (and occasionally stand on it) many times.
When doing Henry's route, the crux (5.10a/b) is getting past the fixed pin (now a bolt) and getting to a reasonably secure stance with fixed pro a foot or so below your feet. (The bent and twisted pin was replaced by a bolt 3-4 years ago) From this point and with no additional pro, Henry went straight left to the NE ridge, and then up to the summit wich involves some 5.9 climbing.
Pete went up and right from the stance and is solid 5.11. And as others have stated, I do not believe this lead has been repeated. Pete Cleveland exerpt from Piana's TOUCH THE SKY:
"Looking up from the bottom after the climb, the route I chose appeared to be the most unlikely way, especially since it required climbing a near-vertical section that was made all the more memorable because several of the moves could not be reversed, the holds were small and occasionally loose. I can still remember the sensation of my fingers starting to perspire and the holds feeling moist and less secure. I put all thoughts aside and climbed with full commitment and intensity over the new difficulties to the top, to the considerable relief of Ron"
Just reading this description make my fingers perspire!!
When climbing Henry's route, it is possible to step right about 20-25' above the .10a/b crux and clip a bolt (there are two bolts actually) and then either continue up and right to the summit or go back to the ridge and up.
Dave Rone
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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I used to do mantel stands (note the correct spelling, as opposed to mantle), if you mean doing a mantel and then pressing into a handstand as you continue upward. Both Rich Goldstone and GIll have seen me do that. That wasn't too hard for anyone who was a practicing gymnast. Certainly Candelaria didn't pretend to think he had invented that little press. But, Rich, is that what you meant when describing the Sylvan Lake mantel stands? I'm curious.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2007 - 12:43pm PT
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No, no, not at all. I was trying to convey Don's midwestern enthusiam and naivete by quoting him exactly. My amusement at his use of the term "mantel-stands" has lasted lo these 43 years. Don was an excellent climber, but self-taught (as many of us were in the late fifties and eary sixties). Whatever books he may have read (and there were hardly any, at least not in English), his vocabulary was not quite contemporary, and "mantel-stands" was his made-up name for...something Gill did that amazed him.
Perhaps John will correct me on this, but I only remember one problem on the Sylvan Lake boulder that might have involved manteling, and even that had manteling as one of the options rather than as a requirement. Moreover, the serious difficulties began after one pressed out, since the wall above bulged, and so that particular mantel was not an occasion for any feats of balance.
Thinking of Don reminds me of another aspect of climbing with him. He was so enthusiastic that he literally rushed at the rock as soon as we arrived. This often resulted in him being fifteen or twenty feet up, as often as not in a bad position, without any of the gear and, indeed, without having roped up yet.
Now various people would, over time, extract some lessons from these experiences. The lesson that Don learned was to be extremely good at tying a bowline one-handed while standing on poor footholds and clinging to a greasy crystal with the other hand.
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wootles
climber
Gamma Quadrant
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Excellent account Rgold! And excellent work on the route, it was pure visionary.
I made an ascent of that route in the late 80's and remember two things: I figured it was going to hurt an awful lot when I hit the pavement, and that Mr. Goldstone must have a real steely pair.
Does anyone know if the summit register is still there? It would be really cool if some entries could be copied out and posted, the earliest ones in particular.
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I'm hurtin . . .
Ice climber
land of cheese and beer
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Hey Wootles,
The summit register on Needles Eye is long gone . . .
Rone
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Rich,
You're right. Even the north mantle problem on the Sylvan Lake boulder only requires that you to somehow manage to rock over a high right foot placement.
Curt
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Thanks, Rich, for clearing that up for me, about mantel stands. I hadn't heard the phrase before. By the way, John did some very difficult mantels in his day. I was with him on any number of occasions when he manteled up and over some horrific smooth bulge or did a mantel on some really small thing. He alway said he didn't like mantels and avoided them, but he was so gifted at climbing, as we have all noted, that he sometimes simply did them. I remember one particular mantel of his at Split Rocks that really seemed next to impossible when I first tried it. I got it finally, but it wasn't easy. That was before I got much better at manteling, though I expect if I had returned in my manteling "prime" I would have still found it to be a challenge.
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Hammer
climber
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The Needles Eye is a classic in this area and is climbed many times each summer.
For those of you who don't know, there are two pitons at a horizontal crack about seventy feet up that are the only protection above the flake and that represent ground fall potential if they pulled or if someone were to fall before clipping.
The local "climbers Coalition", a small handfull of people who dictate Needles "ethics", has decreed that pitons should not be replaced with bolts in order to keep the Needles "pure", perhaps the ultimate "living history".
I know of one incident in which a crystal broke off about fifteen feet above the pitons resulting in a thirty foot fall in which the pitons held but I wonder if they can be trusted after having been in place more than twenty or thirty years.
Should this route remain a museum piece or should the protection be upgraded before someone dies on this route?
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wootles
climber
Gamma Quadrant
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uh oh.......
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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Hey Hammer,
Good point, but maybe for another thread. The history here is too good to get mired down with politics. IMHO...
Anyone have a picture of Don?
Prod.
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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the idle rich said "We also top roped the ridge directly above the start of the climb. It seemed much easier than the other route, but the rock quality was questionable."
Thats basically the route I took in the early 90's. The questionable rock (?) was fortunately pretty moderate. I too clipped the added bolt without remorse, but in retrospect its too bad that it was added to such a unique climb. I may not have done the climb without the bolt, but then again, I dont need to climb everything either.
My climb was important to me because on my first trip to the needles it was my main goal. But after looking at it I was a bit scared and kept putting it off. On my last day of the trip the fog came in and it was looking like I could blame the weather for my lack of balls. I took my kids up a spire across the road and up from it, a 5.4 something or other. DAMN! there were two guys climbing Superpin. I could not in good conscience then blame the weather for my lack of sacking up and I decided to go for it. The mist was swirling through the ten pins and it was pretty cold and threatening rain, a magical moment for this average climber.
It is those moments of overcoming doubt and fear that become etched into my memory. I went back again and it was no big deal, the fear of the unknown had been overcome.
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RhoadsClimbs
Trad climber
Madison, WI
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Xciting! I put this one down to the horror of several touristas after proclaiming "That was the most terrifying thing I've ever done!" And it was.....supposed cam placement to the left of the fixed pins in a crumbly notch is worthless. Enjoy!
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diggler
Mountain climber
Oaktown, CA
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(in reply to the original post) Thanks & congrats- excellent story.
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Don S
Mountain climber
Hockessin DE
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Thanks Rich for telling the story of our great adventure! Just happened to come accross this forum by accident. Those days of climbing in the Needles were indeed wonderful. I will add a couple of pictures and additional comments shortly.
First I am most concerned that somebody might get killed on this climb so I want to offer my vote to encourage the addition of a couple of really good bolts to prevent a possible ground fall.
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jstan
climber
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Don:
I have long wondered where you got to. Welcome.
I still remember our first meeting. You and Pete Cleveland were running down hill with big packs on a trail coming off the Tetons.
Don't tell me, I know. You still have that permanent big smile and you still run uphill faster than you do down. Right?
Stannard
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Welcome, Don.
Pat Ament
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