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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2007 - 02:11pm PT
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I’m glad I could stir up the old thrill memories for a lot of you.
Bvb, I think Munge may have eluded to perhaps there’s more to the Windowpane story as well but as far as my son knows it’s just a piece of glass. Unless Largo wants to embellish us of course.
After weighing through the “Museum Climbs” thread I thought it was significantly important to note this kind of route is still sought after to this day. Jan, you are right about this new generation. Ian has a posse of friends, gym climbers, sport climbers who are all chomping to do these mental test pieces. We did some harder stuff the next day but he was the most proud swinging leads with me on TCG or is it TKG?
Anyway I like all these young climbers...real character’s have been built on these kinds of climbs.
Thanks guys
Oh yeah, Munge be assured you can paint in any one of our pants :-)
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
In the mountains... somewhere...
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Sep 19, 2007 - 02:20pm PT
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So Mike, I keep seeing Bolton in these nice white capris and I am insanely jealous. When might we see some of the new Stonemaster line of clothes available.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2007 - 02:29pm PT
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Jan, I keep trying to be stealth on where to find our new product line with the odd link slipped in here and there.
Try this to get you there quicker Bolton’s Capris are here
Cheers,
Mike
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Sep 19, 2007 - 03:31pm PT
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on another note, does anyone else remember the profile of graham that ran in mountain magazine sometime in the late '70's, titled "the quite american"? seems MG hit britan and repped the SoCal posse, big time. blew through every hard freeclimb in britan without breaking a sweat. nobody over there had even heard of the guy. haven't read that articles in decades, but i can still quote it from memory:
"have you heard about the yank, been doing all the hard routes?"
"british pride sputtering inside me: all the hard routes??
"profit of doom, footless crow..." and so on.
mike, you are the very embodiment of a "class act". thanks for just being here, whenever you post up you make the day a little brighter for all of us.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2007 - 11:39am PT
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Thanks for that Bob VB
I would have liked to have taken credit for doing Footless Crow but that's a story... as I was down climbing ten feet back to a semi-rest place I fell and pulled all the hard work out and went sailing. Too knackered as they say in Britain to go back up that day and then never got back to Goat Crag… That’s life` I guess
I might not be so quite anymore though?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 20, 2007 - 11:51am PT
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The Mike Graham appreciation thread has the "quiet American" profile that you are after bvb. Not a lot else in the mags about Mike otherwise but that visit made a big splash for sure.
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PMS
climber
Woodland Park, CO
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Sep 20, 2007 - 12:06pm PT
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i saw a guy (Rundy Vogel?) one time free-solo it, he was "Shaking like a dog shitting razorblades".
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2007 - 12:20pm PT
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WOW! There have been some wild solos for sure. From the sound of your description that may have been hard to watch. If on sight you could get suckered into going the wrong way on that one.
Amazed every damm day!
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PMS
climber
Woodland Park, CO
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Sep 20, 2007 - 01:26pm PT
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Yes Graham, it was hard to watch. But now that I think about it, he was probably acting to get a rise out of the peanut gallery below.
I have high respect for those who climbed ANY of those Weeping Wall routes with EB's (or less) !!
I remember taking some LOOOONG sliders even on Serpentine with EB's on !! Sloooowly watching the bolts go by, one by one, on my way down !!
Nice trip report, brings back memories.
Thanks
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2007 - 06:35pm PT
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OK I feel dumb now. PMS I thought you meant you saw someone named Rundy solo Footless Crow! Some strange British name, thought it was curious his last name was Vogel. I think my mind was there after my last post. Yikes…
For sure Randy was pulling everyone’s leg.
Jeff, you bring up two guys who are Icon’s of California climbing. Dave Evans and RANDY Vogel. Both I am very grateful to call close friends. Randy must have had his oats get to him that day on TK
Still feel dumb though.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Sep 21, 2007 - 03:11pm PT
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Nice story Mike, I hope I get an opportunity to climb it with my son Jake. Maybe in a few years!
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Sep 21, 2007 - 07:27pm PT
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I'm going to bump this because it is so much sweeter than much of what is on the front page. Ten Karat was one of the looming climbs of my youth, and I've got a son who is much like Ian, smitten with the resonance of history and the notion of climbing as a crucible for distilling the dross from one's life. Thanks for the lovely tale Mike. The kids are alright.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Sep 22, 2007 - 03:34pm PT
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Very well done, Mike, but especially Ian. What a wonderful world to be able share mountain experiences with our kids. I am waiting for the TR when Ian drags Dad up Valhalla!
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 22, 2007 - 04:19pm PT
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He’s eye balling it Rick. Ian and I did Largo and Clark’s direct start to Hesitation after TKG which was a new route for even me. I said we’re pretty close to Valhalla if he wanted to check it out. Told me he didn’t want to spoil it.
You know the last time I did Valhalla was with you and Henry Barber. Henry stills tells me that was his most favorite day climbing ever. I remember it like it was yesterday, Hot Henry crammed in the back seat of your Pinto telling us all about his last trip to Britain for two hours straight. I'm guessing that’s a big reason we both went there in the years to follow.
Dave, how old is Jake now? I had Ian on the rock kind of early but it was just the two of us most of the time so we were pretty limited with what we did. Coming down the chimney from Pisano the other day there were some people on Surprise which was good to see. He thought it looked pretty good and I told him he did it when he was eight. He say’s how did I belay you? I told him I don’t remember but I may have just dragged a rope along. Made me laugh because I feel the same way today if I’m leading a pitch with him. Considering my weight there’s no way he’s going to stop me!
Raining pretty good here in Ventura today, hope we still get our October Indian summer.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 22, 2007 - 08:15pm PT
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A Tucson climber named Marty Woerner (later Sadhana) put up one of my favorite routes on the Weeping Wall, Duck Soup. I recall some bolts being placed on rappel on the FA and a little controversy at the time. The route winds around a bit but samples some of the best stone around. Any of you guys done that one?
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hashbro
Trad climber
Not in Southern California
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Sep 22, 2007 - 09:54pm PT
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Ditto Mike, great thread! As we all know, the weeping wall was not only our primary hangout at Suicide, but also our
slab technique hone-zone.
I quite recall finally getting up the Cajones to jump on Ten Carat Gold, but just before roping up Sybille took at 35 to 40 footer on the thing. The weekend crowd stared straight up at her as regained her composure.
My jets were a bit cooled and it took a few more weekends for the testosterone to re-build. Luckily there was no shortage of the stuff in those days...
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captain chaos
climber
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Sep 23, 2007 - 08:57am PT
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What a great time for you and Ian, Mike... I think that's one of the greatest gifts of having kids, and that's getting to do the things with them that you love and shaped your life. From what I can tell it looks like he inherited your head and talent on the stone, great to see... you bringing him to Nepal?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 29, 2007 - 04:28pm PT
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Well Mike, it seems that your little adventure made the grade. From Richard DuMais' Great American Rock Climbs, 1995.
24 Karat at this point brother, nice job again.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 1, 2007 - 02:00pm PT
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Hey Steve,
Where do you find all these old articles, your library? Never seen that one above, thanks.
Going back over this I’m thinking about the Duck Soup route. My recollection of the time was that we thought it was some good climbing. I don’t think I knew it was placed on rappel when I first did it and when I found out it didn’t matter that much to me. The oddest thing I remember is the guy that put it up never ventured back around as far as I know. Anyway it wasn’t like it was bolt ladder with odd clips at your knees and all. In fact it was maybe a little thought provoking. Pretty sure I did it with Rob Muir and I also remember getting a second degree sunburn on my back that day. That part of the wall can be like a reflector oven.
I’ve heard it called California’s first “Sport Route”. Interesting no one ever chopped it or for that matter anyone I knew never even talked about chopping it. Good thing because it’s a great climb.
Thanks again,
Mike
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Not Calif, but about fathers and kids. My daughters never got into climbing and unless they change after high school it won't happen. Too bad as it must be one of the best things to share.
One of my friends here, Chris Perry, is about 64 ,moved to Calgary in the 70's and put up many routes in the bold Brit style, no bolts allowed. Now he puts up new routes with his son top down with a Hilti. Old dogs can learn new tricks.
The son, Ian,is the rope gun for the 5.11 stuff though Chris does well on 5.10.
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