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Craig Fry
Trad climber
So Cal.
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You will have to ask Yabo
apparently only he knows about that FA
maybe Randy remembers seeing his chalk up there
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philo
climber
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LOL.
Oft regurgitated BS is still BS.
I was fortunate to be there then. It's a stunning route, a demanding line and an aesthetic passage over superb stone. Everyone involved deserves praise and appreciation for their vision, commitment and drive.
Thank you for the route my friends.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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All this talk of scary traverses and no mention of I Can't Believe Its a Girdle! I have done Figures twice with no problem but found the Freak Brothers traverse required much more focus, especially as we climbed it on a very windy cold day.
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philo
climber
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ICBIAG is a silly route isn't it.
Unique multi-pitch experience but nowhere as cool and engaging as FOAL.
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Craig Fry
Trad climber
So Cal.
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I never did ICBIAG
I had no interest in a dicey foot traverse on the edge of a roof with no handholds.
Climbs go up, ICBIAG does not, it goes sideways
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philo
climber
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The thought of taking the swing off the dike and straddling that shark fin below gave me the heebeejeebees to be sure. Just like Dory in Finding Nemo it was just keep traversing just keep traversing.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Figures is a very special route for me, but not for the usual reasons. I typically connived to do super early ascents of the instant classics from that time -- the drill dust was still fanned out under the bolts on Solid Gold when we did that, and my friend Guy Andrews and I quite literally smoked a few bowls on a sunny kickback slab as we watched the last few bolts going in on that shaded brick of patina bliss Run For Your Life, before returning to climb it a few days later; hell, Kevin Powell dragged Mike Paul and I up to do Taxman something like the day after he found it -- but anyway, as for Figures, I didn't get around to doing it until 1985 or '86. Jocelyn and I were climbing 24/7/365 at the time and were tuned up. We were sitting around HVC one morning and I was like "hey, we should go do Figures, never been but it looks awesome" or words to that effect. NBD, just a lazy Sunday sort of thing.
What I do most remember about that day is just really enjoying the route and the moves and the setting on a perfect day with my best friend and my best climbing partner while we were crazy in love on a stellar early spring JTree day, out in the still-magical Wonderland with not another soul in sight. One of those days when it's warm enough to be t-shirts (but just barely), and a sky so blue it can't be real, a nimbus of chalk dust brilliant in the sun as the wind whips it away and it flashes in the liquid desert light -- the climb was for me, and that day and with that person and in that place -- a deeply sensory experience, and an emotional experience, a perfect moment that was just utterly emblematic of something, about being alive and aware on this earth. It was of a time, and of a place. And I'm not waxing nostalgic here, or suffering from euphoric recall; I was aware of the transcendent spirituality of the moment as it was happening. I never did the route again.
So, I have not read the Alpinist article yet and I look forward to doing so, but Spencer, Randy, Craig, and Dave -- I gotta tell ya guys, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for that.
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philo
climber
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Beautiful bvb really beautiful.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Proud climb, and a compelling article by Brad Rassler in Alpinist 52!
Congratulations to all involved. I am just glad it was you guys who discovered it.
Regarding Brad's theme about memory and its fallibility: think of the vivid experiences recounted in this thread that would have been lost if someone else had found it and sport bolted it.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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You've captured the essence bvb . . . this is a bucket list route for myself, on lead of course.
Thanks to all that have contributed to this crucial conversation.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Feb 17, 2016 - 01:14pm PT
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Damn, still whining over a two pitch route almost four decades on.
In 1977 I was working on the first ground up rope solo 5.10 FA at the Leap. I climbed the first pitch, 70' feet of the second pitch which included the crux, then backed off since I had used all my 2"-3" hexes below and more were required to protect the crack above. My mistake was to be doing this route while the first ascensionists were putting up the neighboring Hospital Corner. Two weeks later when I returned to finish, my high point anchor and pitch one anchor were gone. I never whined to the scoundrels who completed my route, the same ones who did the FA of the aforementioned neighboring FA. You snooze you lose. I guess there is something wrong with me; I don't hold grudges.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Feb 17, 2016 - 06:08pm PT
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As Craig told me "the article will vindicate me."
Looks like everybody is happy now.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Feb 17, 2016 - 06:29pm PT
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"They stole it".
Sounds like whining to me.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Feb 17, 2016 - 06:42pm PT
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Sounds like you are whining mr. rick
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Feb 17, 2016 - 07:09pm PT
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40 year anniversary ascent coming up soon. I can't wait.
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BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
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Feb 17, 2016 - 07:39pm PT
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Good Rte!
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver CO
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Feb 17, 2016 - 07:56pm PT
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The only route I really remember from J Tree, from 20 years ago when I climbed there. It was out in a nice part of the park, and untraveled enough you can get lost in the maze. It was steep and it must have either scared me or been right at my limit, otherwise would just have faded out of memory like 99% of the others.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Feb 17, 2016 - 08:30pm PT
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Hey Rick
In the early 80's I moved up to Sacto. I had a great year climbing at and exploring all the highway 50 and 80 climbing areas. The Leap, Phantom Crags, Eagle Lake, Donner, and all the piddly areas in between.
My buddy Tom Smith and I looked at the Leap and went to the widest spot that had no routes (left side). We saw features and a line and buckled down to climb it.
We climbed a great 5.9 route and had a great time, I think we placed one bolt and maybe one fixed pin, but otherwise clean pro. The route was good and fairly/very challenging, maybe an R rating. I reported it and subsequently found out that the locals of that time didn't appreciate outsiders usurping their crag.
The route faded into undeserved obscurity.
I guess we both got our due.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Feb 19, 2016 - 06:23pm PT
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G'damn Fry!!! Yabo did it first. Vogel and Evans took the reins and finished it off in a fine style, even with the added bolts. Quit yer weeping over this pile.
Save your tears for when Trump has his truth filled tongue hopelessly enmeshed around your paltry nuts in a gordian knot. That is worthy of tears, not this 38 year quest for some hollow glory that is just not yours.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
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Feb 19, 2016 - 07:44pm PT
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Oh, PS.
Off line I have received praise for bringing into the limelight the arrogance of the LEAP Locals of the day. They haven't yet stepped up and had their say. Some said it all stemmed from Royal (the big guy). I'm not sure about that. Just waitin'.
But, no response yet.
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