First Descent of the Nose of El Capitan (1969)

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Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Original Post - May 14, 2008 - 10:47pm PT

The following may be of interest to anyone who's still around and interested in talking about climbing. It is an account of the first (and second - to be posted later) descents of the Nose, by Tom Rohrer and team in 1969 and 1971. Tom Rohrer being the MAD BOLTER sometimes seen on SuperTopo - not to be confused with madbolter1, the Wings of Plywood guy. :-) Their descents installed a reliable descent/escape route on the Nose, which by then had become fairly popular. I imagine it's gradually been upgraded since then (Werner?), but it's probably saved a fair number of climbers, and helped others.

Caution: Story features rapbolting - on El Capitan at that. A via ferrata, of a sort. :-)

Tom originally asked about how to post photos and scans to ST on the "Some quotes from Wayne Merry on the First Ascent of the Nose" thread. I sent some information, and in the end he sent a 14 page account of the adventure. I suggest it be considered copyright (c) Tom Rohrer, 2008, unless and until he says otherwise. Edit: I see from SuperTopo news that Chris has posted the account elsewhere on ST, in better resolution - I was away for the last week and missed it. It's at http://www.supertopo.com/topos/obscurities/RohrerRapBook.pdf But I'll leave this here for now, as it may stimulate interest in a memorable non-obscure event.

I've only read a bit of it, but it appears to have been written down at the time, and more recently typed onto fresh new white paper. Perhaps there's an original that could find a home in the YCA's museum, and I'll give them what Tom sent.

The pages and lettering may appear at different resolutions - all were 8.5" x 11", but several had only a few lines, so I tried to minimize blank space.

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2008 - 10:57pm PT

And here's the second descent. (This is really the sort stuff that Steve G usually does.)

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2008 - 02:20am PT

Sheesh! That other thread about rapbolting and stuff got 2,300 posts, not to mention all the spinoffs. And this one has almost fallen off the front page. Maybe I need a more imaginative/provocative title?

And don't be telling me that it's old news, that you all read Chris' original post about it and wrangled it to death. THAT thread only got two posts!

Edit: self-bumped, because it's about climbing. I'm getting very tempted to bump a whole pile of climbing threads.

MAD BOLTER

Trad climber

CARLSBAD,NM

May 15, 2008 - 09:44am PT

I have the original report I typed long ago and am willing to donate it to the "museum". I don't believe it was capyrighted. Being the originator, I should know if it was!! This activity is not what is referred to as "rap bolting". It was done to get down the wall, not to set up sport-climb type anchors.

Delhi Dog

Trad climber

Good Question...

May 15, 2008 - 11:54am PT

Hey, I for one appreciate the time capsule!

A samsonite case...whoa.

6 months to "train" yikes, how times have changed.

Thanks for posting.
Having been "down" the Nose (at least partway...he he)
I can so easily "see" it happening.

Cheers,
DD

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2008 - 11:58am PT

Thanks, Tom - I think it's wonderful that you've provided this for us. An important bit of our climbing history.

I was only joking about rapbolting, as that's quite clearly NOT what happened. But after all the recent fuss, it was tempting to title the thread "Rapbolting on El Capitan", just to get attention.

I put in the bit about copyright just in case you were claiming it - when it comes to other's things, I prefer to be on the safe side.

Now if you could fill us in on how you came to be known as the Mad Bolter...

rick d

Social climber

tucson, az

May 15, 2008 - 12:21pm PT

that would be first controlled descent right?

who rap'd off the end of the rope on the nose rescue?

scuffy b

climber

watching the flytrap

May 15, 2008 - 12:34pm PT

Thanks, Mighty Hiker and Tom.
I've only made it a little ways down so far. It's going to take
a while, reading it in stages.
Definitely, some serious stoppers on the rope ends.

MAD BOLTER

Trad climber

CARLSBAD,NM

May 16, 2008 - 01:42pm PT

where is YCA museum? I am now using a 2" bong horizontal tied on a figure 8 knot loop as a positive run-off prevention. Been doing this for about 40yrs. would you believe about 75+miles of rapping? I have a movie of my only trip up the Nose in 1971. It includes several rappell trips joined to show the whole route. about one hour long.

climber

Ocean of dreams....

May 16, 2008 - 01:52pm PT

"Sheesh! That other thread about rapbolting and stuff got 2,300 posts, not to mention all the spinoffs"

Yes MH, but that other thread turned into a messy food fight between those who used different utensils to eat their supper. I know you don't want that to happen here...do you? :-)

Cool story there, Mad Bolter.

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - May 16, 2008 - 03:13pm PT

Tom, the Yosemite Climbing Association (http://yosemiteclimbing.org/index.html); is a climbers' group based in Yosemite. It has two main projects at the moment. One is the annual Yosemite Facelift, at the end of September, which is the largest climber-organized volunteer event in North America. (Hopefully you can make it - there'll be a large contingent of SuperTopians there, camping and working together.) The other project is the proposed Yosemite Climbing Museum, in the Valley.

Many many well known climbers from Yosemite's present and past are involved with the YCA. A main driving force is Ken Yager, who sometimes posts on ST as "Chicken Skinner". They're working to fundraise to build a museum, and persuade the NPS to allow space for it. In the meantime, Ken has accumulated a wealth of equipment, artefacts, oral history and documents focussing on the climbing history of Yosemite, but also climbing history in the western U.S. and elsewhere. Some it is sometimes displayed in the Curry Village sport store. Ken has some AMAZING stuff, and occasionally scans and posts pictures and letters which he posts on SuperTopo, to the astonishment of all.

I suspect Ken would welcome anything you might have that would add to the museum. For example, the 1971 movie you mention.

MAD BOLTER

Trad climber

CARLSBAD,NM

May 18, 2008 - 08:48am PT

I probably got the title because of "you must be mad(not angry) to place such quality anchors(for the time then)- or mayb mad to be doing long raps with multiple "pull-downs". I was talking with Warren Harding about the title and he said "you should feel honored-not many are a legend in their own time".

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - May 20, 2008 - 04:27pm PT

For those who don't want to bother with the link, plus are interested in the origins of Tom's name.

Repeating the descent in 2008 and cleaning up on the way would be fine; it will be the 40th anniversary in 2009, so we HAVE to do it at the FaceLift then.

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2009 - 05:47pm PT

Hmm, looks like this one should be bumped. The last post even mentions the FaceLift.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Sep 16, 2009 - 05:55pm PT

Nose rappel from anchor No.3, over big top overhang
(taken on one of Tom's trips down the rappel route)

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Sep 16, 2009 - 05:58pm PT

What's the speed record for descending El Cap? Do base jumpers qualify? How about suicides?

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2009 - 05:59pm PT

Perhaps you could experiment, and report back. You will be allowed use of one #3 (blue) Camalot, and as many hero-worshipping nOObs as you can persuade. You can tell them that it's a "multi-pitch".

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Sep 16, 2009 - 06:03pm PT

Don't know if a #3 will break my fall. Do you think there is a multi-rappel aura similar to the multi-pitch one? Actually, it could be worse.

jstan

climber

Jan 26, 2011 - 09:53pm PT

Actually the NPS has had a "rapid egress" rap line built by mammut for rappelling the Nose. It is 3000 feet long and while it is 3mm line at the top it becomes 9mm line at the bottom. To give the rappeller a measure of control. I won't tell you who proved this invention out for the NPS, but we all know who it was. He made it to the bottom in 19.82 seconds only .03 seconds slower than suicides. This intrepid gentleman is now working the issue of body position to cut down air resistance. If successful the NPS will even be able to restore suicides to full and satisfying function in our modern culture.