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Ferretlegger
Trad climber
san Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 29, 2008 - 09:18pm PT
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Back in around 1974, my partner John Shervais and I were planning to do the Salathe Wall. This was before cams, and we were really hoping to do a clean ascent. We had gotten a hand-drawn topo of the route somewhere, but were a bit anxious as to its veracity. We were members of that shadow group of serious climbers who had long term committments to careers and schools and who could never really get as much time off to climb as the valley "gods". We knew a lot of them in a vague sort of way, but not really well enough to just walk up and interrogate them about the route.
Anyway, Rodger Breedlove came wandering by while we were sorting gear and stopped to chat. We screwed up our courage and finally asked him to look at the topo and make any corrections he thought appropriate. After taking a few minutes to carefully consider it, he asked for a pen, allowing as how there was a crucial detail we had not included. We handed one to him and he wrote for a minute and then folded the topo, wished us luck, and walked off.
We eagerly unfolded it and to our horror, there on top, in bold letters he had written: "Aaargh, Mateys- them be the lucky ones that die!"
Well, as you might imagine, this raised the hair on the back of our necks! None-the-less, we set out the next day for El Cap, and after the usual argling and bargling proceeded upwards. Things were going pretty well until we got to the Hollow Flake. The temperature was really spiking. It hit 115 degrees that day in the Valley, I believe. I led the Hollow flake, feeling a bit like a BallPark Frank- grease oozing from every pore. The anchor was a single bolt on the right hand edge of the ledge. I tied off and John started to follow on Jumars. About half way across, in the bottom of a V in the rope (lowering out from the right), he suddenly gave a horrible gurgle and pitched upside down, passed out from heat exhaustion. I was sort of pinned to the ledge, with no rope to work with. I called and shouted, and after a long while, John came to. I managed to get him to return to the original belay, and finally I rapped off that single bolt back across the Hollow Flake pitch. We then went to Heart Ledge, drank 3 gallons apiece (all of our water) and then rapped off. Rodger had been right!!
The next year, we tried it again in October. This time things were going well until we hit the Robbins bolt ladder, or rather what USED to be the Robbins Bolt ladder. As I understand it Mike Graham had freed it and then chopped the bolts, and we were looking at hard slab climbing with no pro above an "A4" crack. Ugh!! I managed to free climb way out to the right and eventually had to put in a bolt waaaay over there. After heinous groveling and rope tricks that an Indian Swami would have envied, I got over the pitch. Someday I would like to hear the official version of how those bolts got chopped...
Things proceeded apace, as we dragged our sorry butts up the face. I remember using the whole rack (a zillion pins which we were not using, and a zillion hexes which we were) as a chock in the 5.9 flare above El Cap Spire. I just heaved the whole rack in there and clipped it off. Walls are so cool...
John was leading the pitch above Sous Le Toit and as we were still clinging to the hope of a clean ascent, he was using hexes to aid a parallel sided crack. As he top looped a piece, it popped and he fell about 12 feet, ripping the hell out of his ankle when it hit a small ledge. The ankle was clearly out of play for the duration. We managed to get to Sous le Toit ledge and took stock of our alternatives, Rodger's admonition hanging like a sword over our heads. We looked down. UGHHHHH!!!!! No way! John could not put any weight on the foot at all. We looked up. UgHHHH! The headwall loomed above. We thought of calling for a rescue. UGHHH!!!! The worst alternative. At that point, we had exhausted our choices, and suddenly we felt a sense of peace and a curious exhaltation come over us. We were in for an epic and that was it. We were going to climb off or join Rodger's "Lucky ones". So I started leading upwards, while John jumared along like Festus, coming as fast as he could with a single leg. The roof passed, as did several of the headwall pitches, but we ran out of light and energy a pitch below Long ledge, in the middle of the headwall. By this time we were really getting into it. We were HARDMEN! Belaying in slings (no hammocks or portaledges in those days) on an overhanging wall SEEMED reasonable. HAHAHAHAHA! That night it snowed! We were sitting in our belay seats, squashed against the face, with a howling wind and snow flying all around us all night. At first light I started leading upwards, and got to Long Ledge. John followed, but couldn't get on the ledge with his bum foot. I hauled and he yelled, and eventually we sort of barrel-rolled him onto the ledge. The next pitch was a real winner. There were rurps and old bashies and all manner of strange things in the crack above. I remember standing on something fixed and awful, watching the ancient half inch sling, as if with a microscope. Tiny, tiny hairs of sun ruined nylon were breaking, one after another, and the next move was a 5.9 face move with the temperature below freezing, snow on the holds and me with RDs on my feet (remember those? the original roller skates on friction). Somehow I did the pitch, and eventually we pulled onto the top. There was snow everywhere, and no other lunatics in sight. I got John into a sleeping bag, gave him all the water, and headed down the Falls trail to get some help getting him off.
Well, as it happened, I hadn't eaten much for several days and the headlamp ran out of juice, so descending the Falls trail in the dark was a bit of a Carlos Castenada deal. I finally made it down around midnight and reported to the rangers. We decided that the best thing would be to bring in a horse for him to ride out on, and I was to meet the ranger with the horses at 5:30 the next day. I was starving, but there was nothing anywhere to eat. I scoured the Volkswagen van we had driven up in, and finally found a jar of Wheat Germ. I had no idea what that was, but grabbed a handful and tossed it into my mouth. It instantly congealed like quick setting cement. I eventually gagged it out and passed out in the back of the van.
The next morning a nice ranger drove me up to Tamarack flat with two horses. The plan was for us to ride in together, and then he and John would ride out and I would walk out carrying the haul bag. Even more than 30 years later I am amazed and appalled at how climbers can be soooo optimistic!!!! Fortunately, when we finally found John, he had taken off his climbing shoe and the Ace bandages, and his foot was a purple volleyball. The ranger decided that the horse was out, and called in an ex Vietnam helicopter pilot (and chopper). They soon landed and strapped John into a gurney on the side of the chopper. I asked the pilot if he could take the haul bag too, and he asked how much it weighed. "40 pounds" I replied, and he said that I could put it on the opposite side from John. I went down to the top of the route and crammed everything into the bag- rack, clothes, ropes, etc. Then I tried to lift it- the load I had been planning to carry 8 miles out to Tamarack flat. HAHAHAHAHA! I couldn't even lift it! I started dragging the blasted thing up the hill to the chopper. The ranger saw the pathetic scene and offered to help, and eventually we got the pig up to the chopper. The pilot had been observing the spectacle with a certain grim amusement, and after a few snide remarks about the "40 pounds" we got it strapped on and he took off. One minute he was on top of El Cap, and the next he was in the meadow, and they were loading John into an ambulance. John later reported that it was the most astonishing thing he had ever done. That chopper literally dropped over the rim like a stone, with the tail rotor sticking straight up in the air.
The ranger and I rode out, and several hours later I made it to the hospital to see John, still without having eaten anything. The weasel was eating and drinking and telling the nurses jokes and regaling everyone with tall tales of our derring-do. I loaded him into the van and eventually we made it back to Santa Barbara. Our ascent of the Salathe still ranks high in my memory for grand adventure. We were young and crazy, and tough, and it sure was fun!!!
To this day I remember with great fondness that moment when we read Rodger's prophetic words that "The lucky ones be them that dies!". That phrase has sustained us for all the years since, and has lifted our spirits in many a scary moment on many a sketchy climb ever since.
Thanks, Rodger!!!
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Anastasia
Trad climber
Califlower
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Jan 29, 2008 - 09:30pm PT
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Oh! That is too classic! Thanks for sharing!
AF
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Double D
climber
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Jan 29, 2008 - 09:44pm PT
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Classic tale Ferretlegger!
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martygarrison
Trad climber
atlanta
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Jan 29, 2008 - 09:57pm PT
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great story! I especially like the RD reference. I had completely forgotten about those.
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E.L. "One"
Big Wall climber
Lancaster, California
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:23pm PT
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Ferretlegger,
Absolutely riveting story. This is what I most enjoy on ST. Welcome aboard and keep contributing. That was great !!
Cracko
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E.L. "One"
Big Wall climber
Lancaster, California
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:40pm PT
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Many years ago while climbing in England, I was at Millstone Quarry at Stanage Edge trying to knock off some classic HVS and E1 routes when up walked Jerry Moffet (sp?), who walked to the base of "Master's Edge" sans rope, and proceeded to effortlessly glide up this infamous and featureless arete. When he came back down I asked him, "How did you do that?", His reply, "If I knew I couldn't tell ya mate!" I've always laughed at that one.
Cracko
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:42pm PT
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hey there.. say, this is what makes supertopo so wonderful... say, thanks for the share... so glad you were both well, after the long haul...
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 29, 2008 - 11:15pm PT
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Thanks for a great story! I wonder if Roger will remember?
Those sorts of things do seem a human tradition - a bit like actors encouraging each other to "break a leg" when starting a performance. Partly to relax tension, partly as a caution.
I tried the Salathe in September 1976, and also retreated from Hollow Flake in blistering weather. We were able to get back across to Heart Ledge, luckily.
Edit: I thought Roger was just a BHM - Big Hairy Monster. Not sure if that meant he was a Valley God.
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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Jan 29, 2008 - 11:24pm PT
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If Buzz finds out he's a valley god he's gonna be pissed!!!1
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john hansen
climber
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Jan 29, 2008 - 11:29pm PT
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Best story I've read here in long time.
Thanks.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jan 29, 2008 - 11:53pm PT
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What an epic! Thanks for the story.
Waiting for Roger to chime in here.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jan 30, 2008 - 12:00am PT
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a wonderful story... what a rogue, that Breedlove...
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Jan 30, 2008 - 12:03am PT
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Two very cool stories tonight. This was a great read. Thank you for posting.
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 30, 2008 - 12:18am PT
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jan 30, 2008 - 12:36am PT
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A real adventure!
-Jello
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jan 30, 2008 - 10:35am PT
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I had just about given up on SuperTopo for lack of good climbing tales—or at least climbing tales, I could relate to.
But Fetterledger’s tale has every thing essential to living the climber’s experience—the whole climbing dream, in its wondrous simplicity. So, if any other campers have a hankering to tell a grand tale here is the best outline ever:
The fifteen step plan to climbing transcendence:
1. “None-the-less, we set out the next day for El Cap, and after the usual argling and bargling proceeded upwards.” (Whatever argling and bargling actually mean seems clear enough.)
2. “We then…drank 3 gallons apiece (all of our water) and…rapped off.”
3. “…and eventually had to put in a bolt waaaay over there.” (‘waaaay over there’ is an incantation to ward off style and ethics spirits that might otherwise ruin a good day.)
4. “I just heaved the whole rack in there and clipped it off. Walls are so cool...”
5. “…he was using hexes to aid a parallel sided crack…it popped”
6. “…we had exhausted our choices, and suddenly we felt a sense of peace and a curious exaltation come over us. We were in for an epic and that was it.”
7. “We were HARDMEN! Belaying in slings…on an overhanging wall SEEMED reasonable. HAHAHAHAHA! That night it snowed.”
8. “…standing on something fixed and awful… Tiny, tiny hairs of sun-ruined nylon were breaking, one after another.”
9. “RDs” (No other parts of speech are necessary to convey the full terror.)
10.“…descending the Falls trail in the dark was a bit of a Carlos Castenada deal.”
11. “…Wheat Germ. …instantly congealed like quick setting cement.”
12. “…climbers can be soooo optimistic!!!!”
13. “…his foot was a purple volleyball.”
14. “That chopper literally dropped over the rim like a stone, with the tail rotor sticking straight up in the air.”
15. “The weasel was eating and drinking and telling the nurses jokes and regaling everyone with tall tales of our derring-do.”
Now, regarding my memory. Ander's seems to know me pretty well: I don’t remember my role in Fetterledger’s Salathe epic. But of course I remember the catch phrase, and the fifteen step plan. Hey, two out of three ain’t bad.
I cannot come up with who started saying "Aaargh, Mateys- them be the lucky ones that die!" I knew him at the time, but cannot conjure up a face or name. Does anyone else remember? It seemed to fit lots of basic climbing situations. Maybe it’s the sixteenth step.
Great story, Fetterledger. Welcome to Supertopo.
[url="http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=500604&msg=500814#msg500814
"]Another great story by Fetterdledger[/url]
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Ferretlegger
Trad climber
san Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 30, 2008 - 12:45pm PT
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Hi ROGER! Sorry about misspelling your name- a brain fart after a long day at work. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. That adventure really was one of the seminal episodes in my early climbing days. Things seemed so simple then- Uh, see rock, grab gear, go suffer, have fun. There was a great naivete in those days, at least for us. We were too dumb to see all the potential problems, so we , as Nike would say, "Just did it!"
Your pithy comment on the topo really did have a long lasting impact. I cannot count the number of times my climbing partners and I have paused in the midst of some horrible spot, looked at each other and uttered the dreadful prophecy. It always brings a laugh and lightens the mood. I always recall the moment you wrote it, and with that memory comes a whole collage of memories of Yosemite in the late 60's and 70's; the great climbers and characters, the smell of the bay trees and the color of the lichens as one desperately clawed up some obscure dihedral, the fear of the long runout past inadequate early "clean" gear, the tincture, chalk, and gobies, sitting under a tree in the late afternoon exhausted, with blown arms, drinking a beer with friends. Anyway, thanks again for giving us a hook to hang so many fine memories on. I have been reading Super Topo forum for a long time, and it has been wonderful to hear from so many people who, whether they know it or not, were such an important part of my life.
I hope I can post a few more stories. John Shervais, my partner on the Salathe, went on to do a first ascent of the Kamikaze Couloir on the Monk. That story is one that would be well worth hearing!
All the best,
Michael Jefferson
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jan 30, 2008 - 02:39pm PT
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Hi Michael,
I have a saying that I still use today in non-climbing settings. It was coined by Phil Bircheff. One summer in the early 70s, Phil brought his stone sculpture to Tuolumne Meadows. Sheridan Anderson would spend some time in the meadows drinking, fishing, and hanging out. His genius was capturing moments and quips in his cartoons.
He captured both Phil’s dark mood and his quip in a cartoon he whipped out sitting at the picnic table.
[/
I kept it.
All the best, Roger
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couchmaster
climber
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Jan 30, 2008 - 03:29pm PT
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Damn thats good stuff!
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scuffy b
climber
Stump with a backrest
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Jan 30, 2008 - 04:02pm PT
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Roger,
did Phil also do things like constructing human figures out of
cobbles? Like stick figures on the ground?
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jan 30, 2008 - 04:17pm PT
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Ha… great read and funny, thanks!
Roger, you should get that thing framed fast.
Cheers,
Mike Graham
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jan 30, 2008 - 04:45pm PT
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Hey Scuffy,
I don't think that Phil made any other art except cutting stone during that time. The block he had that summer was big--not as big as Sheridan imagined it--and he was very hesitant to let anyone 'help,' lest they crack it.
Hi Mike,
I have two Sheridan cartoons--the other one is a play on Lloyd Price's penchant for bragging and trout fishing. Both were whipped out as jokes. Most of us talked, Sheridan drew. Unfortunately, they are drawn with markers on cheap newsprint and the acid is discoloring them and they are falling apart. I am working with the Cleveland Museum to have them repaired as best as they can be and mounted for long-term conservation, then I will send them to Ken Yager.
Sometimes I will be in the middle of a hard discussion with my colleagues at work and it will get to a point where they all look to me and ask what I want.
Every once in awhile I can say sotto voice: "All I want is a new life and day without fear."
It always gets a laugh and it secretly reminds me of all the great times we used to have, none of which my colleagues know much about. Takes me right back.
Best, Roger
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jan 30, 2008 - 05:46pm PT
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I hear you Roger.
That was a fun day we had up on Phantom Pinnacle, you, me and Bridwell
Great to still be in touch, even if its only on the internet
Mike
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
the long, long trailer
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Jan 30, 2008 - 07:15pm PT
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Ferretlegger-great story and great writing! Hope you will share more of your stories here.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jan 30, 2008 - 08:35pm PT
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I find it interesting that you were using pirate patois back in 1974.This was well before Pirates of the Caribean, (the movies, but maybe even the ride) and predates by decades recent fashions for all things pirate-related. What inspired you, Roger, to be such a trend setter?
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jan 30, 2008 - 10:39pm PT
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Well you know what it's like, Rick (and Mike, Carolyn, Steve, Jeff, Werner, Ed, John, Ryan, Anders, Clint, Crackco, and certainly Michael) .
You are just hanging in the Valley, getting up stuff, falling in and out of love, feeling all that natural high (okay, maybe some was enhanced), and the future just seems so crystalline clear.
Anyway, that's how I remember it.
Buzz
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 30, 2008 - 10:49pm PT
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First rate Valley epic man!
Regarding Graham's motivation to alter the Salathe when he did, a Nov/Dec 1978 Mountain 64 interview by Audrey Salkeld contained the following commenmt.
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Ferretlegger
Trad climber
san Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 31, 2008 - 12:06am PT
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Clint and Steve,
Thanks for posting the info on Mike Graham's bolt removal. We must have hit that pitch very soon after the free ascent. I am actually glad to revisit the issue, especially with the passage of many years. At the time we were appalled and very upset at what we felt was astounding, unchecked arrogance. We felt that (at that time) the Salathe was a big wall aid climb and trying to free climb that pitch in RDs with a big wall rack and many pitches to go before we could call it a day was just WRONG! It has kind of bothered me ever since. HOWEVER!!!! If Mike Graham reads this, for what it is worth, I now view it as one of the many evolutionary steps which led climbing from the classical era of aid walls to Lynn Hill's Nose free in a day, and Caldwell, Rodden, Huber, and compatriots breaking all concepts of what the human body can do. Certainly this journey had many controversial moments, and I am sure all of us have done things in our lives we might have done differently if we had the benefit of seeing those actions filtered by many years of history. So after all these years I forgive Mike for his actions (as if he needed it!). It did, after all, provide an hour or two of memorable terror and angst as I wandered desperately from tiny hold to tiny hold across the face, often more sideways than up (I'm a horrible face climber!). If I could have filmed that episode it would have been a popular UTube video, and not because it was pretty! As I recall, the penultimate move was a HUGE pendulum/tension traverse from a bolt I had been forced to place waaaay off to the right of the original route, a LONG way above the last bit of real protection in the "A4" crack. Anyway, that was probably the closest John and I ever came to being part of a real Valley controversy if you don't count being drafted as a deputy marshal during the Stoneman Meadows riot (1970?).
I had gone to the visitor center after falling over a bench at the ChurchBowl in the dark as my partner and I were leaving after doing the "first ascent" of Church Bowl Tree. I think Tom Rohr had been up the crack first, though. Anyway, I was covered in blood from a split face, and went into the bathroom to clean up. While in there, a BIG, MEAN looking Sheriff came in holding a frail looking hippie with long hair, beads, the whole nine yards, stoned out of his head.An obvious menace and danger to society! I asked what was going on, and the Sheriff told us that the hippies were rioting and the fate of Western Civilization was hanging in the balance. I was a little skeptical, but before I knew it we were deputized as assistant marshalls, and were eating donuts and drinking coffee with a bunch of massive redneck cops from Fresno, one of whom confided to me that his greatest desire was to "shoot a hippie" with this horrible looking weapon he was toting. It was the sort of gun that Rambo would have loved. After about 2 dozen donuts and gallons of coffee, we ended up sleeping in the back of a pickup parked in the front of the Visitor center, and never did get to torture anyone.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 31, 2008 - 01:15am PT
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Well, that's two (TWO!) fantastic stories from ferretlegger in his first thread. Salathe stories followed by Stoneman shenanigans. Amazing. I wonder what stories he has for us next?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 31, 2008 - 01:23am PT
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The most hilarious part of the Graham story is Royal demanding that Mike surrender his hammer at the end of it all in punishment! Check out the Welcome to Kevin Worral thread for more on that topic.
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graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
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Jan 31, 2008 - 12:38pm PT
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Michael its good to hear a first hand account and your true feelings at the time regarding the reduced bolt count. Sounds like the experience was even more memorable, being still fresh in the mind after 30 years.
Over time my ideas haven’t changed much but I think twice about something that could have such an impact. Today I certainly embrace and applaud the thoughtful advance in the human ability.
Good to have you on board, I can’t wait to hear more stories.
Mike
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Jan 31, 2008 - 02:18pm PT
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What! You two kissed and made up? In two posts?
Kum Ba Yah, mateys. Kum Ba Yah
Argh. I feel luck coming on.
No WOS runner-up awards for you!
Buzz
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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It must have been that enhanced, natural high that made you so jolly, Roger.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I tried to gently jog RR's memory about the Salathe incident but he claimed to not remember a lot that far back. I didn't pry too hard despite my keen interest in the episode. LOL
Bolts on the Salathe Thread coming right up!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Dec 22, 2009 - 10:53am PT
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In my recent efforts to undersatand the different climbing generations putting up first ascents in the Valley, I was reminded who first said, "Arggh mateys, the luckly ones will be thems that die:" Russ McClean.
Russ climbed in the middle 60s-early 70s in the Valley, putting up some routes wtih Ken Boche and Dennis Hennek.
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Dec 22, 2009 - 11:31am PT
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Awesome story!
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Dec 22, 2009 - 11:59am PT
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Yes, I agree. Great story and a fun read.
I missed this interesting thread the first time around.
What an amazing effort you guys put into climbing that wall!
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Dec 22, 2009 - 04:05pm PT
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Roger
McLean, aka McClinsky, had a way with words in those days. My favourite was, "find the routes Bonatti backed down from and climb them!"
"Thems that die will be the lucky ones"
cheers
Guido
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Dec 22, 2009 - 04:06pm PT
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Aaargg, Them be the lucky ones who read this thread!
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