A walk with McCarthy in the Winds

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Messages 21 - 40 of total 45 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Jul 2, 2009 - 04:32pm PT
Rich
We need more of your stories. Just great. No, better than
great. And I'm sure someone has some equally thrilling story
about what you did in another situation.

Thanks for the writing.
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Jul 2, 2009 - 04:52pm PT
Thrilling vignette Richie. Thanks. And why ever would you post over at rec.climbing; those people haven't even discovered fire yet. But you really should give a nod to Patey. "A Short Walk with etc"
rgold

Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 2, 2009 - 05:48pm PT
Peter, I thought the allusion to Tom Patey's A Short Walk with Whillans would be common knowledge among the climbing literati of Supertopo (an assumption you adeptly confirm) and so would require no more attribution.

But you are right: for the record, the title is a play on

A Short Walk with Whillans
in
One Man's Mountains
Tom Patey

The currently available edition,
Mountaineers Books (1997)

klk

Trad climber
cali
Jul 2, 2009 - 05:51pm PT
". . . I thought the allusion to Tom Patey's A Short Walk with Whillans would be common knowledge among the climbing literati of Supertopo . . .."

hehe.
Chiloe

Trad climber
Lee, NH
Jul 2, 2009 - 09:16pm PT
Different mountains (Colorado's San Juan) in a similar mood.

scuffy b

climber
Sinatra to Singapore
Jul 2, 2009 - 09:24pm PT
Outstanding, Rich.
Thanks so much.

This brings to mind Mr. McCarthy's closing lines in his account
of Lotus Flower Tower.

I wonder how bad that really was?
Porkchop_express

Trad climber
the base of the Shawangunk Ridge
Jul 2, 2009 - 09:28pm PT
I recently climbed Yellow Belly in the Gunks which was one of the earlier 5.8s in the area, put up by McCarthy...I have never considered myself much more than mediocre skill/strengthwise, but it took all I could muster of both to get up that route.

I would hate to see what he would rate a 12 or 13...


respect.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 3, 2009 - 04:13pm PT
Not very bad at all, beyond Jim's hammock episode! LOL A couple of my favorite Frost shots from The Lotus Flower climb.


Looking up at Jim and Sandy Bill traveling light.

The team after feasting on the Lotus Flowers.
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 3, 2009 - 04:24pm PT
Scary stuff, and some climbers who really worked together for their common good.

I've done some McCarthy routes in the Bugaboos, and always had good adventures.

I've also had similar experiences to his and Rich's on Wolf's Head, and in the Bugaboos. Terrifying.
guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
Jul 3, 2009 - 10:02pm PT
Perhaps some of you "oldies but goodies" out there can post up on the the Climbers Camp in the Tetons in the early 60s and the Cult of the Vulgarians. McCarthy, Kraft, Suhl and other wild characters.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 4, 2009 - 12:32am PT
You have to go to the Gunks thread for those tales.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=454584&msg=814408#msg814408
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 5, 2009 - 03:15pm PT
Perfect cracks and lots of bumps...for your feet!

Guido- were you in the Tetons back in those days?
Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Jul 5, 2009 - 03:45pm PT
Bump to a great mountain storm story!

My best hail story occurred back in the early 1980's at the aptly named "Lightning Dome" on Idaho's S. Fork Clearwater River.

On our second try at finishing a new route: we had made our way up two leads to a previous high point. Three of us were watching our "rope rocket" work diagonally up a very blank friction face.

I always was very nervous about thunderstorms, and I had been anxiously watching a small dark thundercloud, just down-canyon. To my relief, it turned and headed away from us.

After a few minutes I uttered the fateful words: “at least we don’t have to worry about a storm for a while.”

There was a 10 second pause: then the first hailstones started bouncing down the rock------from a cloudless sky. Strong winds were blowing the hail from a storm north of us.

Our “rope rocket” froze in place for a long few seconds on 5.10 friction, then washed off, and fell down and over a small roof.

It kept hailing as we lowered him to a ledge, put on rain gear and rappelled off. Of course the storm quit as soon as we were off the route.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Aug 16, 2009 - 01:56pm PT
Wind River Bump!
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Aug 16, 2009 - 11:51pm PT
Rich Goldstone and Jim McCarthy,
two people I most respect in this world
of rock climbers. You guys have always
been the example, truly great spirits.

Pat
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Sep 8, 2009 - 11:11am PT
Steeple bump!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 9, 2010 - 12:04am PT
Primak Goat Bump!
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Sep 19, 2010 - 01:55pm PT
Alpine Climbing Bump!
tonesfrommars

Trad climber
California
Sep 19, 2010 - 02:36pm PT
wet batman bump
GOclimb

Trad climber
Boston, MA
Feb 22, 2011 - 02:39pm PT
Wow, epic story! Missed it the first time around.

Talk about touching the void. You guys were 3/4 of the way into it, and fighting for your lives to keep from becoming statistics.

Wild.

Glad you survived to tell the tale.

GO
Messages 21 - 40 of total 45 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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