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Title A name given to the resource Person with carrying pole on a street Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1963 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource .jpg Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available American Alpine Club Library Subject The topic of the resource American Mount Everest Expedition (1963) Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Color slide Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource James T. Lester, Jr. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. 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Title A name given to the resource American Mount Everest Expedition 1963 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1963 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Himalaya region, 1963 Subject The topic of the resource Everest, Mount (China and Nepal) Sherpa, Nawang Gombu Hornbein, Thomas F., 1930- Unsoeld, William Francis, 1926-1979 Whittaker, Jim, 1929- Bishop, Barry Jerstad, Luther G. Dyhrenfurth, Norman G. Nepal Mountaineering American Mount Everest Expedition (1963) Sherpa (Nepalese people) Expedition China Visual Materials Visual materials and three-dimensional objects. This item type includes elements for local fields that do not map to Dublin Core. File Name File name of the digital object. 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Title A name given to the resource American Mount Everest Expedition 1963 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1963 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Himalaya region, 1963 Subject The topic of the resource Everest, Mount (China and Nepal) Sherpa, Nawang Gombu Hornbein, Thomas F., 1930- Unsoeld, William Francis, 1926-1979 Whittaker, Jim, 1929- Bishop, Barry Jerstad, Luther G. Dyhrenfurth, Norman G. Nepal Mountaineering American Mount Everest Expedition (1963) Sherpa (Nepalese people) Expedition China Visual Materials Visual materials and three-dimensional objects. This item type includes elements for local fields that do not map to Dublin Core. File Name File name of the digital object. 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Title A name given to the resource American Mount Everest Expedition 1963 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1963 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Himalaya region, 1963 Subject The topic of the resource Everest, Mount (China and Nepal) Sherpa, Nawang Gombu Hornbein, Thomas F., 1930- Unsoeld, William Francis, 1926-1979 Whittaker, Jim, 1929- Bishop, Barry Jerstad, Luther G. Dyhrenfurth, Norman G. Nepal Mountaineering American Mount Everest Expedition (1963) Sherpa (Nepalese people) Expedition China Visual Materials Visual materials and three-dimensional objects. This item type includes elements for local fields that do not map to Dublin Core. File Name File name of the digital object. 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Title A name given to the resource American Mount Everest Expedition 1963 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1963 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Himalaya region, 1963 Subject The topic of the resource Everest, Mount (China and Nepal) Sherpa, Nawang Gombu Hornbein, Thomas F., 1930- Unsoeld, William Francis, 1926-1979 Whittaker, Jim, 1929- Bishop, Barry Jerstad, Luther G. Dyhrenfurth, Norman G. Nepal Mountaineering American Mount Everest Expedition (1963) Sherpa (Nepalese people) Expedition China Visual Materials Visual materials and three-dimensional objects. This item type includes elements for local fields that do not map to Dublin Core. File Name File name of the digital object. 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Lester, Jr. Collection https://library.americanalpineclub.org/files/original/d9ded4aa31be8b77b26725bd49b476e5.pdf 5760309d7919c5507b7d676d0928692b PDF Text Text Half Dome First Ascent of the North West Face Jerry Gallwas Royal Robbins Mike Sherrick 1955 Attempt 1957 1st Ascent 2007 50th Anniversary Reunion Selected Readings and Photos 1 �Table of Contents Acknowledgements 4 Introduction and Personal Recollections 5 Players 7 Inspiration 8 1955 Attempt 9 The Saturday Evening Post Publication, They Risk Their Lives for Fun 14 The Saturday Evening Post Photo Session 15 Harding, The Saturday Evening Post Photo & El Capitan San Francisco Chronicle Photo 17 Background of the 1957 1st Ascent 18 Equipment 20 The Adventure, Telegram, Post Cards , & We Made It 24 Robbins’ Mugelnoos Article, September 1957 27 Robbins’ SCB Article, December 1957 28 Guinness Book of World Records, pp. 128-9 and Van Aken Aerial View of Half Dome 29 Sherrick Photo Record of 1957 1st Ascent 30 2 �Dean Potter Free Solo Photos from Huber & Zak 38 Sherrick 1st Ascent Article, SCB, Vol. 43, No. 9, pp. 19-23, November, 1958, The Northwest Face of Half Dome 39 Half Dome Northwest Face 2nd Ascent Note, SCB, Vol. 46, No. 8, p. 60, October 1961, Fitschen 42 Half Dome Northwest Face 2nd & 3rd Ascents, MN, No. 331, July 14, 1960, pp. 4-5, Fitschen & Robbins 43 Royal & Liz Robbins’ 10th Anniversary Ascent Photos 44 50th Anniversary Reunion of 1st Ascent 45 Yosemite Climbing Association Exhibit, Granite Frontiers 53 Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Exhibit and Inspiration photo with 50th Anniversary Picture of Gallwas, Robbins, and Sherrick 56 Burton, They Risk Their Lives for Fun, The Saturday Evening Post, February 25, 1956, pp. 34, 35, 99, 101, & 102 57 Meyers, Yosemite Climbs, A Rock Climbing Guide to Yosemite Valley, p. 145 Rowell, Climbing Half Dome the Hard Way, National Geographic Magazine, pp. 782-791, June 1974 63 Ament, A History of Free Climbing in America, Wizards of Rock, pp. 73-75 69 Roper, Camp 4, Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber, pp. 59-60 Roper E-mail: Early ascents of the North West Face of Half Dome 71 Huber & Zak, Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing, p. 42 73 Sherrick Photo Sequence 74 Harding / Gallwas Letter of October 16, 1956 82 3 �Acknowledgements and References People Many people are to be thanked for assistance in the assembly of this document and include: Royal Robbins and Mike Sherrick for their friendship, participation, publications, and photos recording our Half Dome adventure. John Ripley for his assistance and access to the Mugelnoos archives. Mark Powell for his recollections of the discussions he and Warren Harding had in their preparation for the attempt on Half Dome that never materialized. Steve (Crusher) Bartlett for the inspiration to couple original articles and photos with my interpretive comments and his meticulous proofreading. Doug Robinson for his assistance in identifying and labeling of the Sherrick photo record. Sandy Krishnamurthy, my wife, for putting up with all this nonsense and proofreading with good humor. Publications The original publications recording the first ascent are generally obscure and limited in their availability. For that reason and to give the reader easy access, I have copied the articles into this document as well as selected reading and photos to give the reader additional perspective. Mugelnoos (MN), a monthly news bulletin published by and for the Ski Mountaineers and Rock Climbing Sections of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club. Sierra Club Bulletin (SCB), a publication of the Sierra Club, San Francisco, California. The Saturday Evening Post, Philadelphia, PA. Roper, Steve, Camp 4, Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber, The Mountaineers Books, Seattle, Washington, 1994. National Geographic Magazine, National Geographic Society, Washington DC. Huber & Zak, Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing, Menasha Ridge Press, Birmingham, Alabama, 2002 & 2003. Meyers, George, Yosemite Climbs, A Rock Climbing Guide to Yosemite Valley, Chockstone Press, Denver Colorado, 1982. Guinness Book of World Records, 1987, A Bantam Book / published by arrangement with Sterling Publishing Company, New York. The American Alpine Journal (AAC Jr), an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, Golden, Colorado. 4 �The First Ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome Introduction and Personal Recollections Original and Selected Publications with Pictures from a Variety of Sources Jerry Gallwas Much has been written about the first ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome. With each writing, there seem to be erroneous or misleading embellishments. This document is an effort to bring the original publications, pictures, and my recollections together in one place; an effort to clarify the record. I had not thought much about rock climbing for 50 years until Royal Robbins and Pat Ament asked for pictures taken on the second ascent of the North Face of Sentinel Rock. That led to my searching for photos and recalling events during my brief climbing career in the 1950s. The photos accurately captured the moment but my memory was not as good! Further inquires from Joe Fitschen and more recently from Steve “Crusher” Bartlett led me to collect all of the original publications. They included Mugelnoos (MN), a monthly publication of the Sierra Club Los Angeles Rock Climbing Section (RCS), the Sierra Club Bulletin (SCB), and The Saturday Evening Post which provided both original source materials and an accurate chronology of events. Then one evening in May 2007, my wife Sandy and I were enjoying a glass of wine and it occur to me that it had been 50 years since the first ascent of the Northwest Face. That prompted phone calls to Royal Robbins and Mike Sherrick which led to a memorable reunion in Yosemite orchestrated by Jeannine Sherrick, Linda McMillan, and Liz Robbins. It was that weekend when I met Ken Yager, President of the Yosemite Climbing Association, and Dean Potter who at that time had reduced the “Regular Route” to less than three hours climbing it free solo. As we discussed the events of 50 years ago, I realized how fortunate we were to have Mike’s photos and his article in the 1958 issue of the SCB documenting the first ascent. That inspired me to contact John Ripley who maintains the MN archives to trace the chronology and accounts of those climbing days. Again, we were fortunate to have records contributed by Royal, Don Wilson, Chuck Wilts, and very particularly Bobbie Lilley who reported on many of the events of the San Diego RCS where I began my climbing adventures. I have added my own recollections to the original publications included in this document to both amplify the record and hopefully correct misinformation that has crept into the record. Photographs are from several sources: mine from the 1954 reconnaissance with Don Wilson and the 1955 attempt (Robbins, Harding, Wilson, Gallwas); The Saturday Evening Post photo session in Yosemite Valley during September, 1955; Mike Sherrick’s black and whites from the first ascent in 1957; Royal’s from his and Liz Robbins’ tenth anniversary ascent; Ray Van Aken’s aerial view of Half Dome from the west; and very importantly, photos of Dean Potter climbing free solo on the Zig Zags and Thank God Ledge from Huber and Zak’s book Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing. �On the 1957 ascent, Mike’s camera failed on the third day. That left us with no photo record of the last two days including the meeting with Warren Harding who greeted us with a canteen of water and ham sandwiches at the summit. I have added the Zak photos as they show the upper portion of the climb not recorded by Mike. These illustrate the advances in rock climbing technique exhibited by Dean Potter’s free solo ascent and provide views of the Zig Zags and Thank God Ledge. In addition, I led both the Zig Zags and the trip across Thank God Ledge. Like Potter, I had a rope but it was around my waist providing a belay. Since the 2007 reunion, the “Regular Route” story has been told with displays by Ken Yager in the Yosemite Museum (Granite Frontiers) and Nina Johnson at the Bradford Washburn Museum of American Mountaineering. Granite Frontiers opened in an expanded version on June 10, 2009 at the Autry Western Heritage Museum in Los Angeles with plans for a national tour. Background Royal Robbins, Don Wilson, and I began our climbing adventures in the early 1950’s. The benefit of nylon rope was well established but climbing gear in general was still rather primitive. Pitons were of soft steel and bent easily, climbing shoes were simply tennis shoes, and the techniques of free and aid climbing were still under development. Royal and Don started at Stoney Point in Chatsworth north of Los Angeles and I in Mission Gorge north of San Diego. The three of us met and climbed actively together at Tahquitz Rock near Idyllwild, California beginning in 1952. We went on to Yosemite Valley in 1953 where Royal and I did the second ascent of Yosemite Point Buttress and the three of us the second ascent of the North Face of Sentinel Rock. Those experiences led to discussions of what we might consider as the next step in our climbing aspirations and two ideas surfaced. The Northwest Face of Half Dome was obvious for Yosemite while the sandstone spires of the Four Corners area were intriguing. Don and I went onto explore Half Dome in the summer of 1954 and the desert spires during Easter week of 1955. Don and I had met Warren Harding, a fun loving guy from Sacramento, who obviously was accomplished and committed to rock climbing during our trips to Yosemite. We had watched as he worked his way up the North Buttress of Cathedral Rock and then the East Buttress. Since he had not climbed at Tahquitz Rock, we invited him to a scheduled LA RCS outing over the weekend of October 2/3, 1954, where he and Royal met for the first time. During the afternoon with many of us watching from Lunch Rock, they did their first short climb together on the west side of the buttress that forms the base of the White Maiden’s Walk Away. It was a time to remember with the two of them finding themselves hanging from one short, poorly placed piton. That meeting led the four of us to attempt the Northwest Face of Half Dome the following summer in 1955. 6 �The Players Royal, Lower Spire 1953 Bobbie Lilley photo Warren on a Louisiana bill board 1962 Gallwas photo Mike, Tahquitz Rock 1954 Sherrick collection Mark Powell 1957 Dolt photo Jerry, Tahquitz Rock 1954 Gallwas collection Bill (Dolt) Feuerer Totem Pole 1957 Gallwas collection Don, Tahquitz Rock 1955 Gallwas photo 7 �The Inspiration View from Le Conte Memorial Lodge, 1954 Gallwas photo Looking down the NW Face from the notch Gallwas photo 8 �Half Dome Northwest Face 1955 attempt During the third week in June, Royal, Warren, Don, and I hiked to the Northwest Face of Half Dome via Vernal Falls and bivouacked at the base of the face. The next morning, an unfortunate route selection for reasons I don’t remember led Royal to spend an exhausting five hours on the first two pitches. Our progress was slow and frustrating. We spent the night on a gravel covered ledge and struggled on the next day. Warren wanted to continue until our food and water ran out which would have been by the end of the third day. Don and I could see little benefit. We just didn’t have the combination for success! Simply stated, we were not at the top of our game! So on the morning of the third day, we rappelled to the base. The dynamics of the climb are revealed in the picture of the four of us in front of Government Center, page 12. Compare and contrast the body language differences between the four of us, particularly Warren and Don; Warren guarded and pugnacious, Don with the smug look of control. MN No. 271, p. 3, July 14, 1955, Don Wilson 9 �1955 Attempt Don, day 1, climbing up to Royal’s belay Gallwas photo Royal, day 2, with a view of the Visor Gallwas photo 10 �A Sobering Experience! Royal rappelling on the morning of the third day Gallwas photo Looking down through the chimney that should have been chosen as the route on the first day Jerry’s foot with Royal below Gallwas photo 11 �A Picture Worth a Thousand Words! Warren Harding, Jerry Gallwas, Royal Robbins, & Don Wilson in front of Government Center after the 1955 attempt Notice the body language difference between Warren and Don Gallwas collection Warren from The Saturday Evening Post photo session 12 �Comments on the 1955 Attempt Since the story of the attempt by the four of us in 1955 has only been briefly reported, three additional comments seem appropriate. First, we lost the first day due to poor route selection. On our 1957 climb, the chimney seen on page 11 just to the left of the 1955 route took only a matter of minutes to climb. Second, the discussion on the morning of the third day about whether to continue or not was philosophical in nature. Warren was a “slug it out” style person while Don was a “go light and fast” guy. I think Warren made the decision there and then that any second attempt for him on Half Dome would be without Don in the party. In his book, Downward Bound: A Mad Guide to Rock Climbing, Warren writes “This was my first experience of being the junior member of a climbing team…I began to correspond with Mark Powell about forming a team to go on Half Dome. Mark and Dolt were very agreeable, and we began planning the climb in earnest”. (In my recent discussions in 2009 with Mark Powell, he indicated that Warren only raised the Half Dome issue in the spring of 1957 when he was planning to return from Alaska.) After two long days on the 1955 attempt, the climate of consensus was gone. Warren and Don had very different perspectives as has been noted. Third, a humorous incident happened when we descended to the car parked at Mirror Lake. A crowd had gathered with a lady excitedly pointing out the climbers on the face. She was describing every move and exactly where the climbers were some 3000 feet above. We passed by with a good chuckle and packs overflowing with climbing gear. Warren on the morning of day 3 “A time when the great decision was made” Gallwas photo 13 �National Press Coverage Our attempt generated some press coverage. We were contacted by The Saturday Evening Post for interviews and a photo session scheduled for a weekend in September, 1955. It was a memorable time and we took pictures in the Valley, on the West Face of Sentinel Dome, and Glacier Point. The article, They Risk Their Lives for Fun by Hal Burton, appeared in the February 25, 1956 issue. A spectacular photo of Warren taking a posed fall was printed in the San Francisco Chronicle as part of a story on his attempts on the Nose of El Capitan, page 17. The Burton article can be found on pages 57 to 62. 14 �The Saturday Evening Post Photo Weekend Simulated sign out at Government Center with Royal, Don, Jerry, & Warren, ranger unknown Talking & thinking about Half Dome Don, Jerry, Warren, & Royal 15 �The Saturday Evening Post Photos Don, Warren, Jerry, & Royal at Glacier Point Royal & Don on the West Face of Sentinel Dome 16 �The Saturday Evening Post Photos Warren was a great showman! He used The Saturday Evening Post photo in a press release to the San Francisco Chronicle. 17 �1957 1st Ascent Background Don and I were both students in the mid 1950s while Royal was employed at Union Bank in Los Angeles. The three of us agreed on Half Dome as the most desirable first ascent opportunity in Yosemite but for some reason Royal’s interest was not drawn to the desert spires. Don and I had visited the Four Corners area to assess the possible ascents of Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly and the Totem Pole in Monument Valley over the Easter Holiday in1955. I had met Mark Powell during Easter week of 1954 when the two of us climbed the Lower Cathedral Spire in Yosemite. Mark became an avid climber and visited Tahquitz Rock where the three of us discussed the desert spires. So it was over the Easter Holiday, 1956, that Don and I drove with Mark in his wonderfully faded chartreuse Ford convertible to Canyon de Chelly. Later that week amidst high winds and cold temperatures, we climbed the higher of the two summits. The following Labor Day weekend, we did the first ascent of Cleopatra’s Needle in New Mexico, and in June, 1957, the three of us again teamed with Bill Feuerer joining us to climb the Totem Pole in even higher winds but warmer temperatures. At this juncture, the bonds of friendship and loyalties had begun to stretch. Warren living in Sacramento and Mark in Fresno, both had easy access to Yosemite and Mark’s talents as a climber had undergone a revolution as his experience and accomplishments grew. Warren had taken a surveying assignment in Alaska during 1956 and with school and jobs, Royal, Don, and I did not think much about the upcoming climbing season of 1957. Don was a graduate student in biology at USC and was committed to a summer curriculum at Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts so would not be able to climb much during the spring or summer. Royal and I had not climbed very much that spring but according to LA RCS records had attended one scheduled climb at Tahquitz in May where we did the first ascent of Step on the weekend of May 18-19. MN, No. 294, p. 3, June 13, 1957, the Step first ascent, Bobbie Lilley. 18 �The following week while I was studying for finals, the phone rang and quite to my surprise, it was Royal. His message was simple. Warren was returning from Alaska in a few weeks and intended to make an attempt on Half Dome with Mark. While we had not been planning a serious attempt at that time, it seemed clear that Warren and Mark were. We concluded that we had better plan and act swiftly. Certainly, if we included Warren and/or Mark but failed in the attempt, it would only be a matter of days or weeks at most before they would return for another attempt or series of attempts that we believed would ultimately be successful. Such an opportunity was not available to either of us. Royal had only one week of vacation and I was committed to work at Mammoth Lakes for the summer. Royal suggested Joe Fitschen as a possible third member of our team to replace Don (we were not ready for a two man attempt) and so we agreed to invite him. Further we agreed to meet the following weekend at our favorite breakfast spot in Idyllwild, the Koffee Kup Café, to finalize plans. At breakfast, Royal told me that he had talked to Joe and Joe could not get off work long enough for the climb. Royal suggested Mike Sherrick as a good third member of our team. I knew and had climbed with Mike at Tahquitz, so it was decided. We planned for a five day effort and each took assignments. Royal contacted Mike and I worked on the gear. That included hand forged, heat treated steel (4130 chromium molybdenum) horizontal and wafer pitons, wide angles, some Wilts’ knifeblades, and expansion bolts and drills all of which I had a supply. I bought two water bottles (plastic was expensive in those days with a gallon polyethylene bottle costing $16), the hauling bag was made from a Navy duffle bag which we named the “torpedo bag,” and with Mike’s acceptance, he volunteered to bring a camera to provide a photographic record. Many versions of events leading up to the first ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome have been written. They often explicitly state that detailed planning and training with specially made pitons were all elements of a grand, well thought out plan on our part. The truth is that it was very spontaneous based on Royal’s information that Warren and Mark were headed for Half Dome and his phone call to alert me. Had it been otherwise, we would have already selected a third partner knowing that Don was not available and planned our water ration and rope requirements more thoughtfully. The original published accounts of the first ascent of the Northwest Face included in this document are: MN, No. 295 July 11, 1957, p. 1, Chuck Wilts; MN, No. 297, September 12, 1957. pp. 4-5, Royal Robbins; SCB, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 12-13, December 1957, Royal Robbins; SCB, Vol. 43, No. 9, pp. 19-23, November, 1958, Mike Sherrick. 19 �Half Dome Equipment Gallwas collection 20 �The Equipment Publications that include some write up about the first ascents of the Northwest Face of Half Dome or the desert spires often comment about the pitons that were used. As an example, in the Bjørnstad publication Desert Rock, there is a comment about the “special aluminum channel pitons that worked in the often flaring wide cracks, made for Jerry Gallwas at the suggestion of John Salathé.” Layton Kor in Beyond the Vertical, credits the angle pitons used on the Totem Pole to Bill Feuerer. “The first ascent of the Totem Pole was by the Californians Mark Powell, Don Wilson, Bill Feuerer, and Jerry Gallwas. The climbing was almost exclusively artificial and wide aluminum channel pitons (the forerunner of the Bong-Bong), made by Feuerer, were used extensively.” More recently, Huber and Zak comment in Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing “They forged their own Lost Arrows as well as early Knife Blades.” To clarify the hardware issue, when I began climbing in 1951, the only commercial sources of pitons were those from Europe and Holubar in Colorado. Both were nicely designed, relatively expensive, and made of soft steel so were short lived as they bent easily. The benefits of hardened steel were clear from the Anton Nelson article, Five Days and Nights on the Lost Arrow that appeared in the March 1948 issue of the SCB. A picture of the Salathé design was included in the article, see page 22. A fortuitous event in the Spring of 1952 provided a solution to the soft steel piton problem. While on a backpacking trip to Carizzo Gorge with Omar Conger, we found a blacksmith’s anvil in a deserted mine. We discussed the possibility of forging our own alloy pitons in the style of Salathé and decided to carry the anvil five miles back to the car. A friend of Omar’s, Bud Bernhard, had a machine shop in Coronado so we found ourselves on non-climbing weekends learning to make pitons. We developed a Salathé-like design using aircraft steel, in this case 4130 chromium molybdenum, which I bought from a local metal supplier. Another climbing friend, Henry Mandolf, arranged to have the finished pitons heat treated to the hardness of Salathé’s. The angle pitons were made from soft steel, as were Salathé’s, and were in two configurations. One was a standard triangular cross section angle piton with a rather sharp taper for flaring cracks of the variety found at Joshua Tree National Monument. The second was from channel stock with a slightly rounded but nearly flat back and a more slight taper for cracks found at Tahquitz Rock and Yosemite. They ran up to 2.5 inches in width and could be placed back to back to span wider cracks. For very thin cracks in granite rock, we used knifeblade pitons fashioned after the design of Chuck Wilts and made at the direction of Henry Mandolf by one of his machinists. These were of 4130 chromium molybdenum steel and hardened as well. 21 �Salathé certainly influenced my design but unfortunately, I never met him or had direct contact. Lost Arrow brand pitons appeared in the 1960s and the name is a trademark of Chouinard, today, Black Diamond. However, characterizing the pitons we used on Half Dome as “Lost Arrows” communicates the design much more effectively today than the much more obscure Salathé reference. We used the standard “Dryvin” expansion bolts with a lead expansion shield and nail available at most hardware stores, 3/8” x 1.5”. Bolt hangers with holes for the bolt and carabiner were made from standard 1/8” aircraft aluminum sheet stock. The bong or bong-bong, originally of steel and later of aluminum, first found extensive use on El Capitan and was independently developed by Tom Frost, Dick Long, and later, Bill Feuerer. Salathé Gallwas Lost Arrow Salathé 1940s Gallwas 1950s Chouinard 1960s SCB, March 1948 Piton comparison 22 �Hardware Comparisons Salathé horizontals “Dryvin” expansion bolts 3/8 X1.5 in for granite 3/8 X 2 in for sandstone Salathé angles Notice the flat backs Gallwas horizontals Mandolf copy of Wilts knifeblade Gallwas angles sharp taper & flat back Wilts & Sherrick knifeblades Bolts designed for volcanic rock use by Omar Conger 23 �The Adventure The fourth week in June 1957, Royal, Mike, and I met in Camp 4 and quite to my surprise, learned that Mark Powell and Chuck Wilts were climbing the North Wall of Sentinel Rock. Wayne Merry was working as a climbing ranger in the Valley and agreed to help us pack our gear up to the point where we would descend to the base of the face. He then would go on to place a warning sign on the Half Dome cable route advising hikers of the climbers on the face and not to throw rocks and cans off the top. The story of the ascent is well recorded in Mike’s SCB article, Vol. 43, No. 9, pp. 19-23, November 1958, and Royal’s MN article, No. 297, p. 4, September 12, 1957. There is one error common to both articles, that being the date of the 1955 attempt with Warren and Don being erroneously stated as 1954 when it actually was 1955. Variations and embellishments from those original articles in more recent third party publications are many. A final point of note is a further quote from Warren’s book. “There was a dramatic meeting with Mark and Dolt in Yosemite Valley. But we were shocked to discover that a party (Robbins, Gallwas, and Sherrick) was already on Half Dome and appeared to be making it in good order! We grumbled around the Valley for a couple of days waiting to see what would happen, but there was little doubt that Robbins’ party would be successful.” When we reached the summit, Warren greeted us with a canteen of water and a bag of ham sandwiches which were most welcome. His greeting was something to the effect, “congratulations you lucky rotten bastards.” Warren, Mark, and Dolt went onto launch the first attempt on the Nose of El Capitan. National Park Service press release appeared in California newspapers The telegram Jerry sent to his mother 24 �Post Cards Mike and Jerry both sent post cards home, Mike to Natalie and his parents, Jerry to his mother (Auntie Pete) 25 �We Made It! After the last bivouac at the base of the face, we carried our gear down to Mirror Lake and headed for showers and lunch. I went to the Post Office and sent a brief telegram to my mother, page 23. The spelling errors are just as she received them. What still puzzles me is that we failed to take a photograph of the three of us when we returned to the Valley. Considering that Mike’s camera failed sometime on the third day and we were without any pictures taken high on the face or a summit photo, it is hard to imagine why we missed this last photo opportunity. My Argus C3 was in the duffel bag that I left locked in Royal’s car but somehow we just said goodbye and left the Valley without any further thought. I was two days late for work and Royal and Mike were under similar pressures. Warren, Mark, and Dolt remained in the Valley to begin their effort on the Nose of El Capitan. The first report after the National Park Service press release to the news media appeared in MN submitted by Chuck Wilts who was in the Valley climbing the North Face of Sentinel Rock with Mark Powell when we started the Half Dome climb. MN, No. 295, p. 1, July 11 1957, Chuck Wilts. 26 �Royal’s MN Article No. 297, Sept. 1957, p. 4 Sherrick photo TriM lrotfl'H'I.:J$tl ?.!ICE w i.II\!R 00<~ In tato Jw:w , 1951~ tl\0 t o\Jl'llQI'I_, ot DO'!\ \ltl.noe, •tan-en HAI'41nA, Jerr1 O.l"liiO so"- ito:l'nl Roli.>'-to:. H~~Q ot~ o~t.Clnpl; to ol1nb ~bl Hllr>~IDU!It lfaco or llalt Jlof,o. T~~n t'ISlJ. tu Y""w:.~c:- !'IU'\' l' 1tllll ~ f'.:!l '- , 00!) reet abovo l ta baoo Cit R:l ON~lo r.ot li>e!l tl!An 'l'lrt lo<a, 'rh., att,lla~t 'fa.t GbOi'ttve , Af ter tM'Il ~r.l' o l;t;H' ~1 :md Clll.i.)' 4So reet or pro~o;Nn , tbar turned boo~. pLn~~t~ 8 ruture a : tem?~- Tbte year, in thD lato a!~cr~oal et Sun~, Juno 2)t Rt.~ Sherrtok , Jerr'f Oul11au an1 Bot;~l noh\ 11.1'10 OTt'\.V:Id ~::..::....: -·~--- ot tlio 'baoo ot ttlt I'.. Gfl t:xr r. Je·.<0:~:4 or MO\ld.w.)' go(l WYO'..Ve<1 th~ \ISa ot l'tlrgO aGO\U:Itll or stxth ol11:1f<l teoll"&L~u.e . 'l'b.o nl.ftht .,.all ll!l'\!'1'\t QD ~ ::.~ At.cut SO rest allo•o tl!B 1tJ~ hif¥• ~o,i:rit, OJ' e'l>o"'t ,SGO toet abo>lo the prounc1. '.rl:\e ol1Mb1n~ 'fa• &OliC'Tha~ ea!Jtan 'l'uau- · . ::::::::::::::: ~ 0. ,., .,~~ ~ . ""•"1.j,f"- l'ro~$11 ~tP* fll~1 b'o~t 8t&t1<1l' on ·- •· • • • - • ,._,,.,~ I'UI'PO~ tllill llt t<;!;'!Qt 1\"jUj I t o prcbo t 'lo d!!t'an!laa <.1' tire- "J&J.:t a.- I dccplJ 38 l'CIIJI.Cllllbl«, am, t"a!l\Jlf!: to • reooh tbe top , to oxt.!l b1 l e-.;1 \lli( t h0 f qco On th-o la~ ' 1.,:>.{10 r~ ' 1..... Up . 'il'hoy clt.elmD J.JO fill?"; S\i.~ , an/1 l.ei~.,1n~ u raoll ·l:"ul(o ,~1vo.:;oo~d at tho 'baeo or tho rot.~~ . attaillr.t . ••• El::Uf.J~ ....._ )( t "' ,. e.rr ") l c lr•:• ~?'' ·. ' ·~ /1/ 'j j I 1!..) f ~- ·,~ rl1 1 / 1 / uy II!OM11n,g A'lld tho,- asaetu\ed aboUt. - 400 r.e~ ~eet by lsCo p .o. , at ~b~oh ... •. ~ y / ; ;· ~ - - ·, / ttme trwsr N<~o:!led "'':L"l-t b:~u leclalod !'l'OP - - - ·bel.DW to b e ibo orux o! the ol..~~to . It WliR 11 JOO-:I"oot d1&Dlnal tr•1verao .oorouo a hlr.llk onct\on ot t~-. rroU t-:» n o;.;:r~oa ot tl.a'koa wM.I)b tom o oonnootl»c netlfor:t or ::li'tlcku ror t ho next $00 fn~t. 'rho t 1r~ pttoh Of' thh trover010 lt!iiO cot l'lul'd. but tM ••coll:tl ~oolr tho ri!Bt: ~r tlle uy nnd. \n•rc:.t vi!D pl.ao11lg n1.C"bt Plt.:mc, W.&'ft!n rol.ta :tn4 t:M MJtktn11 ot a 6.trnoul.t, Q1.t1 tm!S. ep~t~:a.::uJ.:uo ar.1n,; trJO'Ir~:~n:tl. The -n'lj¢11: -rea 11pr.nt t.a:U otal/ Qoro-3S t' 1e tNo'YIIMO lltl\\.01\ 11"011 later o~od tho ·~at Trav~roo .• An:.l' :<:eplAt\11(: t!W trtneram 'fel!aaod.a1 nart~~.n« , t~y a:to.rte11 up tbe or:tolim oc t~ c~ ot tt. t'lill clll!l!)\ng tMtJ C:a~ lfAD coDtsn-.oualJ' d1f1"1Calt. aTt4 nr~W ond 1nvr.t ve<l n"lderata s1xth ~bu ~~ otreJ::WNi rl.rtt~<:laiUI 'lfork. ~,. .nieht·tnll t ooy bad ~acho4 o p~1nt obott t ISO t eet btll011 t.h.e top or th.o flake · ssate11--a'D®t 500 t o<>t l:l"'-o'~ ttwl ounn1.t . A daRc:>&nt troc t!lilr 9'Q1llt , tl\O'.Illb poes ~bl"l "nlll1A bo ,-nther <lit:r i cv.l.t, a von 1f1.tb tile rued l!.ne •lt\1::!1 lmd been ~.ett :~oron t.b1r t r ll 70"J' DC . 'l!hul>edtl:r , the t'~h My, W811 tlha !1C!l'Rtl. 1'tto~ Gpont t-'1.e o.ctbe day oL~b1~ leea then JOO fR~ •~ b1Yocno~ 50 ~uot bol~ thc1r ~1gb po1.nt. 1'he ollnb lnK, alllolt &mti.•·~ l.,y 4.1~.~~ IIIli!, rra~ I\()O!)Ho;,tttd b7 rut l~~~ (fl)d fll\vo:rvn l:lr.J'. an;:o raYII . :er-r:t dld ao:rt or the lll c"U~~>• Friday morning the pack conta1u~ ul1 goar no~ esser.t~al to olit.b ~g C:" S<:fe~y ViaS t~l!"O'I:n do•-m. It fell .a f~<~.l l, f!.OO f ,, et ~4it:?tt:.llt tmtohtq: the •·ta~l 3nCI. lan-:Jed UllQ.a:naged. .a:a ~:i ~.nctn:.;; t ·::1!'! dily ~~o.s dUfl.- calt si:r.th ola!ls. A}>Nl~~ 100 fee't. abc.ve -~;·lj.e l·i·;ct.iv spot ·;;;:ey rfm i~to a b-lank :·Isll. luc1ct2y, t:1GZ"3 trv:? . a 50-r·oo t Th!:ll:K tlod" le<1.ge w!;ioh "ras trave~sed hy :-ralk1ne; ar:d h1.L:d-"::rs"7el'<>~n::r.. 'l:~ 1S ~.OdJe saved a o.:.ry of oliooing. One of tna h~r<"tl1Sf. · ;.H<~hes ? :J tbe cli:-!1) ·~a3 encot1ntered shorT-ly aftE:r.-rards enc 1:-.vclve:l t~-~ I) 1.::":}'lng of s Ol!\e rat;her poor pitons and four exoaru11on 'bolts . Tt-.e .s~m.'"lit tvas re.a~hed at abnut 5~)G p.m. Fr1 ~ay. It ru. d t:aken ?he r>.t.!.:! dnyff to climb tn:\.R 2, 000-foot ge;..u1.nely perpen dio\i:!'ar f'ace. Tna ti:·C'U"f··:ri'::•l•-'tt.::lr:by I "!1':)3'1 b::f•:-"!7'iltm ~)0 s;;nd~ 300 p1. ~prts atid. us9d 20 ~pan.:Jiou b·0:!:t·s, o.l..x. 'Yf :1hi''lh 1·r::!~~-9 Itlr<><1>::~ i.:-1 flla:::<7 . :i\ little more than thr ee ~;;Jll:ms cf '!'ftt1ier w.;.:: ~.'lk~:r, a n<l p:r:-cpC•l•tiotlate amount ot' :fo·orl. In add1.t;tC'lt ·r;o a lF.re.e ~m!l!?l;t cf ;.•o!'& t•l!J;i ,O::i:r'~; ~·.{>d 45 ritona. rPt;lJ:.:.:Ie in s~~:e f ..:·on h'nife-:b).a:te " c.:hl ~IJit.'I!I·)Jyn,. to t•~~><r­ tnnl:l "tri!l.a a~les, snd -;:,;ry durabl:c.. <..'utst!;;~.d:!.ne; c"hal•ecto::iR·H"• ~ce of the cli:nb t-rere its c·cnt1nual ver&icality and its seldom -reoitt!ng oHI!Ib1.~ d1ff:l.oulties . ll.R. n 27 �SCB, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 12-13, December 1957 Royal Robbins the base. By this time the combination of fatigue, strong sun, and continuously difficult climbing had so slowed them down that they took two full days to climb the last 500 feet. They reached the summit late on the fifth day with only two hours of dnyHght lo spare. To expedite progress on tltatlnst day, the team had thrmvn off the pack containing all gear not essenaial to climbing or safety. Il fell the l ,SOO feet to lhe ground without touchii!f the wall (bu~ was later retrieved undamaged r). Even enthusiasts must admit a c~rt:iin amount of calculat.ed risk on a climb of this HALF DOME, sl.owi11g route a11d bivouacs A use/ Adams Half Dome -The Hard Way rot~. young climbers stood on placed a fixed then descended and biW top ofUuec Half Dome on a late J une after- vouacked on the ground- their lost conlact .f 1£N noon, it was the climax of a full five days of arduous climbing. Jerry Gallwas, Mike Sherrick, and Royal Robbins had just completed the first ascent of the northwest face of this stupendous monolith at the head of Yosemite Valley-a climb that bad until recently received little serious thought because of its length (a full 2,000 feet above the base), its steepness (genuinely vertital), and the apparent lack of a feasible route. The first serious attempt by any of this group of Sierra Club members from southern CaU fornia was made by Don Wi lson, Warren Harding, Gallwas, and Robbins in 1954. The attempt yielded experience and information: the upper and lower portions of the wall were probably climbable, but the JOO-foot diagonal traverse in between aj>peared disconcertingly smooth and fissureless. The second (and successful) attempt began whe11 Gallwas, Sherrick, and Robbins arrived at the base of the wall on Sund ay afternoon, J une 23, 195 i. They managed, that day, to climb 150 feet up the face. They with it until five n ights later I In t he next day and a half, moving as fast as possible, U1e party climbed 900 feet. T his brought them to what had appeared to be the crux of the climb, the Great Traverse. Getting halfway across it took the rest of tile second day (Tuesday), required many pitons and expansion bolts, and necessitated a difficult and spectacular swing tra,•erse. (A swing traverse is a maneuver resorted to when there is open or othenvise uocUmbable sp.,ee between where the climbers are and where they want to be-a climber becomes the bob on a sel f-propelled pendulum and tries to swing out far enough, on a rope suspended from a piton or ot her anchor , to reach the distant holds.) 'the trio completed the G reat Traverse Wednesday morning and le£t a ftxed rope to facili tate retreat, then spent the rest of the day climbing a network of conncctiog cracks that occasionally resolved into a chimney in which more normal progress was possible. At the end of this thi rd d ay the cUmbers had attained a point about I,SOO feet above kind. The party re(ogniz.ed that the difficulties of removing an injured climber from the face might be insurmountable. Therefore the emphasis was on climbing as sarely as possible, and the ascent proved a great and successful adventure. About 275 pitons were placed, and 20 expansion bol~. The bolts (which can be placed only after arduous hammer-and-drill preparation of holes to reccive them) were used only where they seemed es!>ential for progress or safely, and shou.ld be sufficient {or parties making the climb in the future. RoYAL RoBBINS SIERRA CLUB Bt:LL£TL.'J, DI-:Cil.~tni·:R, 1957 n 28 �Guinness Book of World Records pp. 128-9, 1987 Half Dome Aerial View from the West Ray Van Aken photo During the summer of 1980, Jerry’s daughter, Heather, called home from summer camp with the exciting news that her dad was famous. She had climbed the cable route on Half Dome with her friends and on returning to camp looked up Half Dome in the Guinness Book of World Records. Needless to say, it was Half Dome that was famous rather than her dad. 29 �Sherrick Photo Record See page 74 for photo sequence Jerry, day 1, first pitch, #2 06 Jerry, day 1, #3 07 #) �Sherrick Photo Record Looking down on Royal from Mike’s knee, day 1, #4 08 Royal, day 1, #5 09 31 �Sherrick Photo Record Royal, day 1, #6 10 Jerry, day 1, #7 11 . 32 �Sherrick Photo Record Jerry looking east from ledges below the bolt ladder leading to the Robbins’ Traverse, day 2, #9 13 & #26 30 (last photo taken before the camera failed. 33 �Sherrick Photo Record Left, view of the chimney system from the 1954 reconnaissance Gallwas photo Right, the chimney system, Royal belaying , #24 28 & leading below, #22 26 34 �Sherrick Photo Record The Visor from low on the bolt ladder leading to the Robbins’ Traverse, day 2, #19 23 Jerry placing the bolt ladder leading to the Robbins’ Traverse, day 2, #18 22 #* �Sherrick Photo Record Chimney System & Visor Jerry, day 3 at the end of pitch 10 after the pendulum, #21 25 see pp. 63 & 66 36 �Sherrick Photo Record With the loss of Mike’s camera, we are without photographs of the top portion of the climb. Thus, I have taken photos #18 22 & #19 23 and made a composite with a little blue sky and a dab of red on my hat. “The promise of the summit!” On pages 38 and 39, I have included pictures from Huber and Zak’s book showing Dean Potter on a free solo ascent. The Zig Zags and Thank God Ledge show the drama of the upper portion of the climb. 37 �Heinz Zak Photos Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing, pp. 120-121 Dean Potter’s free solo ascent: Zig Zags left, Thank God Ledge above & right Schneider, AAC J, Vol. 41, 73, p 217, 1999 38 �Heinz Zak Photo Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing, p. 119 Dean Potter climbing up toward Thank God Ledge The Northwest Face of Half Dome, SCB, Vol. 43, No. 9, pp. 19-23, Nov., 1958 Mike Sherrick 39 �Sl£/!RA CLUII IIUI.U!TIN TIIB NORTIIWI!S'T PACE OP II ALP DOI/II quaru o! water (alitUeless t.ba.D ooe quart per man per day). Food was kepl to a minimum- a few C.illlS of tuna, rnfslns, nuts, lemon juice, choco· tote, and some partleululy desirable packAges or dates. We carried 45 pitono, Including 18 horit,ontal pitons, t6 angles plus knife blades and wafers, and nbout ZS c>pansion bolt& We bad more than 1,200 feet o! nylon rope-two UO.Ioot '!4e·ineb climbing, one ISO.foot ~. climbing, two 30Q.Ioot ~. raw<!, ooe ISO.foot ~e hauling, aod one 90-loot ~l. bouling. Jerry Galhru h.:ad forged about balf or our borizontal pitons out of Cllron>Uioly sree: alloy. 1bete tough pitons survh·ed a beating on almost every~; $0n>emust bave beal uoed IS to 20 times each. Jerry also made mo6t angle pi:ons, which would fit cracks up to 2~ ioebes or wider; they too btld up, despite being used perhaps a dozen times each. Our geor w:u hauled :rp in a oo-callcd torpedo bag whieb was girdled lengthwnys by 6 to 8 so:parate ropes lor atablllty. Tbe bag was covered with a duflle bog to minimize wear on the main ports. To prevent foiling rockl ""much as possible (usually thrown by aomeone !rom tbe top) , Wayne Merry placed a sign ballway up the cables warning people against throwing Jtones because there ..-ere climbers below. " 1e carried a lirsl-aid kit aod a !lasblight. Tbe latter..-... wed to R&sb to the ground an elaborate system or prtarraoged Spis at the time of the 6refall. The time was ebostn wbeo people 1l1l1lld be watebing the firefall and we would attract 1<u att<ntion.. Thus we make kDown our plans, progress and condition. Tbat Saturday e•wq we made the !anal arrongements with the park rMgerS, to wbom we are indebted for their helpfulness. We pa<;~ed our equipment into rucksacks in prtp:~.rntion (or th~ next morning'~ r~dc in to the base o! the climb. Wayne Merry volunteered to help us carry pnrt of our equipment to the spot where we left the trail, alter which be would climb h~l!way up the cables to place the warning sign. On Sunday, June 23, after an untasy night in our sleeping bogs, the !ou.r o! us oboulde..OO o..- pads at Happy Isles and hiked up the Vernal and Nevada Falls trail where we toolr. the braneb whicllleads to the back tide of Hall~. Just before name to the rock massif itstlf, we parted company with Wayne and proa:eded down to the right along the base ol the tonring clilfs earryL-.g the extra ~. X..te in the afternoon, desiring to get a good start, Royal and Jerry climbed obout ISO feet up the cliff and tell a 6xed rope. On!y the llrst30 to 40 feet were 4th- and 5th<la.u; from there on it was mo;Uy 6th·cla.u climbing. We ate our supper cold, having brou.Rht no stove, and we bivouncked at lbe base o! the clill-our last oonlact with the ground lor 6ve days. Monday morning, June 24, we packtd the gear which was UnnKt!-o sa.ry lor climbing, into the torpedo bag and Oiled Olt canteens from a small lO streamlet issuing !rom the rock. When all was r.. dy, one or us started to prusik up the I so-root rope and when he reached t.hc top the second man would stori. When the first two would be at the top o! a pitch, they would baul up the torpedo bog, which at the beginning of the climb weighed 55 to 60 pounds. If the bag became stuck part my up the pitch the third man would free it on his way up the piteb. From the top o! thi.< rope we !oUowed the complicated route pioneered by the first atten>pt iD 1954. It 1r.IS all difficull, strenuous, 6tb·closa climbing; when we came to the first blank, slightly om-banging strt'tcb, the bolts were already in place. Abo,.. the O\...rbang we rtaclled a $mAll ledge with an e"P'!nsion bolt lor "" anchor. In 19S• Warren Barding bad climbed SO loot !rom this ledge and bad lelt anotber bolt Irom which to rappel at their high point, about 450 !eel !rom tbe ground. We managed to climb another pitch be lore dark illld reached a small sloping ledge about 500 feet above the ground where we spent our first uncom!onnblo night tied to the rock. The ledge was large enougb, bat it sloped down at an angle o! about 20 degrees; any movemeot coused a tendency to slide o!!. On Tuesday morning, June 25, the climbing bocnme somewhat easier. By one o'clock "" had uemded 400 feet o! mioed, moderate Sth- and 6tb-closo pitches, generally 1e>s oteep in angle, and arri'....t at the base or the "Robbins Tra,-,...,... obout 900 feet abo,.. the base o! the rock. From all past reconnoitering, this !)3rt looked to be the C1Ul or the climb. We had to traverse an exoepUonally blank wall lor a diogonal distance o! aOOul 300 feet1 wiUJ a verUCRI rise orabout 125 feet, to reach a prominent series of chimneys a.nd Onke.'J ascending the center section of the cliffs. Our problem was to cross this 1ra.ver5e wil,b a minintu1n o£ time. Royal started at obout one o'clock and found the first pitch not too difficult. A zlgt.-.g series ol cracks led diagonally to a small ledge about 80 to 90 feet away, !rom whieb a belay was made. From this ledge a small crack led up the blanlr. wall lor about 30 to 40 r..,t where it <nded in Oil'DOOth panite. Afttr d$hl vi~ cc. ~ of 511!'\'fll expansion bolts was plated with arduous banuner aod drill work by Royal and Jerry. n.brougbt Royal, late in the afternoon, to a meager aetwork o! cracks which led nowhere. After placing 3 pitons he descendtd about SO feet on the I SO-foot climbing rope and proceeded to attempt a long and difficult, not to mention urury," pendulum traverse in order to reach a serit5 of cracks about 40 feet to the right. Alter lour attempts ho flnally reached a hold and placed several pitons in time to return, leaving a fixed rope, just before dark. We spent our !teond night out on the ledges at the loot o! 40 �$1/!RRA CLUII IJUUZTIN TNI! NORTRWI!ST PACR 0/1 HALl' DOJIIJ. the Robbins Travax, our moot cocn.lonable biVOWIC because "" bad ample spau to sit. On the third day, June 26, we rtltt.Ced the previous a.lttmoon's climbing on fiaed ropes and proceeded up \be crult to a small ledge where we placed an expansion bolt lor an anchor. One more loog 6th-class lead brought U5 to the large ledge or the great chimney system which was so apparent !rom the side ol the rock. From the ledge a "fixed" rope was lclt tied securely to the highest expansion bolu to lt.cllltate a retreat baclt across the traverse if one proved n«les.sary. Let this serve as a warnillg to luture parties: il iJ not {uwl • ~ IM lot. At 10 o'clock we started up the beginning of a great chimney and flake system which was about 1,000 feet above tbo base ol the climb. Some ol these ftakes were huge in size and either leaned aplnst the rock leaving a crult, or ,....., sq>arated from the wall forming a chimney. The fi.rst large chimney enckd in an utmnely d.ifficult chocUtone about 80 feet abo,.., the base. Imtead of climbin& the chimney we took a sttaicbt.lorward 6th-class cru1t about ~ to 1 inch ~which ran several feet to the left ol the chimney. The flake was "'joined about 20 feet above the~ From this poiot, streuuous Slh<Ws and some 6th-class stnlches led to tbe top of the chimney system about '00 feet above us, 1,500 feet abovt the base of the climb. Olthe p!tcbos following the chocl<stone, one in particular deserves mention. Above the chockstone tbo chimney Is filled with very large blocks ol rock. One of them sticlu out ol the chimney about 8 to 10 !eel at a distance ol 6 Inches .!rom the wall. Royal led up about 40 feet, placing 4 or S pitons. At the bottom ol this block with a aecure piton in place, he gr•'f)(d up underneath the Inside edge ol the bottom or the block with his bands and "walked"out the vertical !ACe of the cliiJ, working his way up around the Up ol the block to a belay stance some 20 feel higher. Several pltcbca higher, wh.h darkness rapidly approaching, we bi\-ouaced behind the last large ftate ol the chimney system, about 1,500 feet above the base and 500 !eel below lheSUJJUDil The fo•.nh day, Thursday, June 27, was the worst day. By this time lack of suflicient water, food, and ~. plus the enervating hot sun rays bad fatigued us. With Jerry doing moot ol the leading, we climbed only 300 feet. but we bad to bh'OU&C SO feet belew our high point in a small ind<Dtatioo sloping downward behind a Bate. Although stralghtfonn.rd, this JOO feet was composed ol extremely ~uous and tedious 6th-class climbing. In the morning we had ltlt behind tbe part of the Oake system where the ftate was out away from the wall, giving a chimney elfeel The flakes were now 3 to 7 feet thick and were ftat against the waD leaving a crack ~. to 2.5-S iDches wide. As the cliff was ahtolutely vertic.al, the climbing ol the ftakes followed a peculiar patten~; they would tlpag from Jolt to right and bact agaiD across the face giving the eiJeet ol climbing one overhang of about JO degrees lor about 20 to 40 feet with angle pitons drh-en straight up, then up a 60 degree sloping ledge with pitons driven down lor about 20 to 40 feet, and so on. This 250 feel of lodlous work took almost a whole day. Before dark Jerry led an additional 50 leet, leaving his pitons for the nest morning. That night was estremely uncomfortable, but we were exhausted <Dough to doze a good part ol the time. On Friday morning, June 28, we packed into the torpedo bag all our cear that was not n«lUS&ry for climbing or safety and tbrewlt out about 30 feet. It fell the full 1,800 feet to the base of the dill without touching the rock I Although we we"' only 300 feet from the top, some of the moot difficult 6th-class climbing was sun ahead. Jerry roltt.Ced his steps and climbed to the end ol the Oake system about 100 feet abow. There, to our luck, was a SO-loot "Thank Gocl"ledge leading oiJ to our left, saving us !rom the prospect ol a bla.ok ....!1 leadiDg up to a tremendous I SO-loot overhang. This ledge was tra'-.rsed by walking and band tra•..,raing to a xries of 6th-class cracks, which led up to the left-hand aide ol the base oltbe overhang, ending ill a smaD ledge ba"'ly enough lor us to stand on. From this point, the obvious thing to do was to travtrse to the left out !rom under the overhang. This led to one of \be moot crucial pitches ol the entire climb. With a bolt lor a belay anchor, Royal led outward on several very poor 6t~lass pitons, and then placed 4 C>Jqlnnslon bolts which led to a small ledge where the angle lessened considerably. Je.rry then made a curving traverse along a shallow crack which led to sorne easy blocks just undtr tllesummiL We landed on topat6:30P.w. Warrtn Harding was on band to greet us at the top, whence we aU proceeded down the cables. Warren went down to the valley while the three ol us returned to the base of the climb to recover our equipment. Since It was too late to return to the valley before dart, we spent our sixth night out in our bh'OU&C suits. Saturday, June 29, we returned to the valley and checked In with the park rangers, fortunau to avoid publicity about an accomplishment which would only have been nwle Into a !~ft~Salion. Some bave said that we did the ''imposoi.ble," and it is unfortunate that lor deeades the word ;,.touibl~ has been such a common term in the mountaineers' vocabulary, being applied to that part ol a mountaln which presents"' extreme in difficulty usuaDy too demanding lor the equipment and technique ol the day. But improvements In technique and equipment just keep on happening. 11 41 �Half Dome NW Face 2nd Ascent SCB, Vol. 46, No. 8, p. 60, Oct., 1961 Joe Fitschen 42 �Half Dome Northwest Face 2nd & 3rd Ascents MN, No. 331, pp. 4-5, July 14, 1960 Joe Fitschen and Royal Robbins HAI:I' DCIIBl - liOBTH FACE by JF ~he lJth of June was pi~~ed by Tom Frost, Chuck Pratt and Joe Fitschen as an appropr-iate t i me t o commeuc:e the second ascer:~; of •;he No;,·th Face of lfalf Dcm~. The trio hLked to t he base of the 2000' vertical fa~e on t he afternoon of the 12r.h aud after a reasonably ~nc~fort~ble bivouac cha~sed t heir environment fr~m hori~or.~al to vertical. l~u.ch to their su'rp:rise they ::.c-0. t'-:omp1e.ted the trave::-ose hil.lf way " ll the face and ~one one pitch lip the chllmte;y Syll~t):n by ~ha e:'ld of the f!~~~~t liay. 'r11-:- ,,.J.-t day pro&ress was slowln" but still steady c.••·l :r:.: ._c;ilttal::. found t he e1•.:mp only 175 1 below the summi t. '.me bivouac was quite t·;•co~.:;-'(lrtable being 01. a~. o,J1.f!,!l.t een inch ledp bu.t on Wednesday morninc the remah\i:ig t:-:r ee pitc:tcs \~P.re o·•e:·come i n t wo houn. ~his enabled the climbers to r et·'..U"n to the valley floor. i n ·:·.;i.l'le to watch tourists watching them on the face. Vital statistics inClluO.e 25 pH·.:l;;es,lOO pitons and the opinion that this cl imb, oGnsideTing all aspects, i s the ce~t in the country. HAtr DOME - :NQUHWR§f FAOil Mildl y astonished by the terrific sho~~ng of the second ascent part~ on Half Dc-.e. Royal Robbi P.S conn.ed Dave Rearick into an atte~~~pt on a third ascent of the great face. A.ccoll'.pa.x:::.ed ·oy Kerb Sltedland aad. Uort Ke~~pel 1 they spent the Jlight o! June 29 at the baGf! oi ~he face 1 the .late a!tnnoon haviniJ: been spent in e:fforts to obtain. water fr- the tiJI7 trickle flll"'"&i11C :f':rOIII the start of the climb•• Results were finally c'!ltai ned by uSiJ!C a1\ &J!€l e piton as a sluice. That ni&ht a eampfire th~owing li~bt. gg~i~st t he ·wall elicit ed flashlight signals from the Valle~ and Glacier Po:i.~\t o !lhe ne:~:t il.a;r the pair sw~tnt: leads to a point tffo pXTehes above the Great !rra.verse. about 1.300 :teet 12p. fhe first pi.tch afte1' the Traverse was climbed. .Sth class, but thi'll is dancero\1.8 b (?C.'l."llSS of a loose chOckstone at the top which !Mist be uset. Much safe..- is to piton '-'P an easy crack outside the chi~mey. !!he Mxt dey the two reached the top at 6:1,5 pa. !'he descent to }ft.pw Isles reqaired 21 hours {a !ew days later ~ill Woodruff, & friend of Dave's, t7aveled~ the tra.n to tlw top. of the ])oae in 1 hom- and 47 llliml.tes!) Jm 43 �Robbins’ 10th Anniversary Ascent Robbins’ Collection Liz looking up at the Visor and Royal approaching Thank God Ledge Liz and Royal enjoying the summit. Liz was the first woman to climb a Yosemite grade VI Liz crossing Thank God Ledge 44 �The 50th Anniversary Reunion Late one afternoon in May 2007, Sandy and I were enjoying a glass of wine in the patio at home. It dawned on me that it had been 50 years since the first ascent of the NW Face. I called Royal and Mike and we discussed a 50th reunion. Mike’s daughter, Jeannine, took the initiative and between her, Liz Robbins, and Linda McMillan the reunion was arranged in Yosemite with Lodge reservations and dinner plans. It included an evening slide show at Yosemite Lodge recounting the climb. Jerry & Sandy outside Yosemite Lodge with Yosemite Falls in the background Gallwas collection 45 �Wine at the Ahwahnee Hotel Royal, Liz, Jerry, Sandy, Jeannine, Natalie, & Mike Gallwas collection 46 �Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel Jerry, Royal, Liz, Jeannine, Natalie, Mike, & Sandy Gallwas collection 47 �50th Anniversary Presentation at Yosemite Lodge The three of us spent the morning recounting the climb and reviewing pictures. Basically, the 50 year tune-up needed to tell a coherent story. Royal opened by summarizing the history of climbing on Half Dome. Jerry followed with an account of the 1955 attempt and Mike concluded with a detailed description of the1957 climb. Gallwas collection 48 �Nick Clinch Added Perspective At the conclusion of the evening presentation by the three of us, Nick Clinch brought perspective to the ’57 ascent. Why did we take all that equipment and so little water? His answer, in short, we were scared of getting into trouble and not being able to get off the face if worst came to worst. There was no reasonable possibility of rescue. Our hardware was the best available, we had two 300-foot rappel ropes, a small first aid kit, enough food, and the Salathé “water standard” of a quart per man per day. Not enough water! Potentially a fatal flaw! The climb was every bit as big as we expected but it was longer than anything we had done before. With more experience and better planning, we would have traded rope for water. Nick, Jerry, Royal, and Mike Gallwas collection The story of the Hinterstoisser Traverse tragedy on the North Face of the Eiger was certainly on our minds as we packed our gear. That is why we left a rope across the Robbins’ Traverse and carried the excess rappel rope. Plain lack of experience on multiday climbs and the faith in the Salathé water standard of a quart per man day left us with blind faith that it was enough! 49 �American Alpine Club Award Presented to each of the three of us Special thanks to Linda McMillan & AAC 50 �Coffee at Camp 4 sponsored by the National Park Service Jesse McGahey (Climbing Ranger) Mike, Jerry, Royal Gallwas collection 51 �50th Anniversary Hosts Tom Evans & Linda McMillan Natalie & Mike Sherrick enjoying coffee at Camp 4 Two Super Rock Climbers Dean Potter & Royal Robbins with a guy in a red hat! Gallwas collection 52 �Yosemite Climbing Association’s Granite Frontiers Exhibit Created by Ken Yager Gallwas collection Jerry & Ken Yager Sandy & Jerry 53 �Granite Frontiers Exhibit Yosemite Museum, 2008 Gallwas Photos The pitons we used on Half Dome were not made especially for the climb as has often been stated. Rather, they were what we used on all the other climbs in which I was involved. The horizontals and wafers were made with the tools shown below from chromium molybdenum 4130 aircraft steel while the angles were of 1020 mild steel. Wilts Sherrick Above are examples of the pitons including knifeblades by Chuck Wilts and Mike Sherrick. Also pictured is one of the gallon water bottles which at that time cost $16 each at a chemical supply house. I still find it difficult to throw away a gallon plastic jug that is standard for orange juice or ice tea. Somehow, they just seem too valuable for that! 54 �A Final Glimpse The view as Sandy and Jerry left the Valley after the 50th Anniversary Celebration Gallwas photo 55 �BWAMM Display Gallwas photo The 1954 Inspiration Photo from Le Conte Lodge with Jerry, Royal, & Mike in 2007 Gallwas collection In 2008, the Half Dome Northwest Face story was told at the Bradford Washburn American Museum of Mountaineering. A companion display covering the life and climbs of John Salathé ran simultaneously in collaboration with Ken Yager of the Yosemite Climbing Association. 56 �The Saturday Evening Post Vol. 228, No. 35, February 25, 1956 pp. 34, 35, 99, 101, & 102 They Risk Their Lives for Fun, Burton 57 �There arc, huwcvc&·, ¥lubborn people in this wol'ld who t•cfuse to ndrnit that (lnything is im~ble, among them a few Allhouch he it CMr (t.fty )'Cb.r$ old, buAi~n Fribt Wje.mer finds " an escape from che pruPJra of W wur1d." in r1'ldc climbi.ns. Here, Wae&&nU atCO:lCk the formkl&ble Indian Face, in New Yort'"s Adirond.adc. Mount-aim. tho\W.nd Amer- Icans who purauc the delicate and exacting fogurc iJ neoeosarily •pon of rock diwuiug. ftexible, sine(: advttncing y~•-. and increasing prudenc.c CftU&e a certain number of rock climbt:rs w retire annually to less sU'enuous n.e punuh:a. Thc;rc alw"'ya An: rcplQ¢eJ))eats, who earry on the tradition that a cliff is 10 be esteemed mote highly thAn a mountain lNDl111it. Among lhil group, lhe norlhwcst face of Half Dome i& n:j!io.rdcd as OllC Of lhe most tantalizing climbins problems in the United Statts. demand;ng a ~J)«tful approach and a paiDstaking: rcc:onoaiaancc. Rock climbin{, a Brit· ish authority un the subject once obsttvtd, uis a ~arne pl=-.ycd 1lowly, which gocs not to the swift, but co the sldll(ul and levelh~.adcd." The m~n on Hall Dome, who had already 3Cf'amblcd up the wuldcr slopes now were crawling up the ahcer difi'j or the northwest face i\t the '"''" or only f(X) vertical feet per clay, or about one acventh the h.eirhtoC the t::mpirc State Building. To storm the cliff in one sublime Uurst or speed would have been Stlieidnl, j()r r.he rock w3& far too dUiicuh. A l'llOt'fl: sensible conclusion was rcuchcd -tO M:arch fur a pc.milJic.: way to the top and to mukt the u~~:~auh h'Hel', nfttt eareftt1 pJanning. At the end nr two ond one haiC da).., Royal Robbins, Warr<>n Harding, Jerry Calww and Don Wibuu hud fiUulngcd to rise exactly +tiO feet lhi"UUl(h a (C'.ondnucd :m Pa~ \1'1) Do11 Ct,:~tmch (right) bebys Pete Scbocn• ins at~ he c;.lollmbt.ffl up Croaked Tower, an !nho<pil•blc litdc peak on me oide of Catbcdral Mountain, in eutero Wasb.mgton. 58 �They Risk Their I ,iVPS <eon,;nued rrom l'•g• 34) ~ bolu and - ..,_,. 111a"""' , for .Fun maze of cracks and a long two ledges, each of which pmvided somewhat rudimcnta.y lodging for the night. Where holds were scant for hands or feet, they hammer·e d in thin pegs of steel, called pitons-pi'Onounccd "pec-tons" - to which the climb· ing rope could be attached for· safety. From time to time, to the annoyance or everyone, the cracks ran om and only a smooth wall bulged above. Rock climbers have a way of dealing with such problems. When pitons are useless, the re is always the expansion bolt, equipped with a ring on its outt:r end and a collar of lead on the inne r c11d. Six times, standing ill sli11gs of l'Opc, Robbir\s used a hammer a11d d rill to bore into the cliff; and then hammered in bolts. The lead collar, expanding as the bolt was tightl:n,-d, sealed .iv;clf solidly to the mck. The result was a 'v irtual laddet· of steel up walls so sheer and holdless that most mou11taincers would have g ivc11 up in disgust. The supply of food, the watc•· in the canteens and the time available all gave out simultaneously the third morning, but the party had found what it sought: A r·oute that would "go," as nearly as a pr-acticed eye could tell. A fine u·acery of c•·acJ.:s led up to rhe top. The climbers turned back. This ... .-,,WJ.. !;co - " ' r,.,.. lllnp btl41 •'14 ,.U<ml ololo. 5pring, whM tn. """"" """" mrltrd fmm the valley flo<>r ~nd the n igh r, 11"" ""'"" enO'.Ith JO t!uil a 111•o ~n tlcotp on • otlllf, RobbiN lntencb 10 tcad !he: llrs1 oomplccc diwb ul II~~: tlOtthM:St fa«. At bdt, tlloc will be six l;uvo u ac.a-ouw and. llae:JI \VIill lp8l"e otnoogl\ co sit down, but more olten ~tMd ln~ uprlr,hr I n I'Oj'll! llllnf!:.!!. The I'll· ward , II you wbh 10 ~.illllt dial , wlll be 1he «>r>q..etl g( th.c bnj)I)Sllbl¢. Son'lclhing ~ dOK 1.0 shctt mlxrt, 'lt'ith such an dtment ol cal<lulatcd riak ~ swru:ly tl'~ ,.,..,,.."1\,e uwn·~ dirJJ uf I!!L. ~~ rod ~imbcn ure " ~1irlrl:niy ten"rit,.... bKed, wtlo ~~ tl\1:11'1~1·~ lnrn rhe mo:o• bair-nisit\s am:dl~ts in Older tO u u L ut l&m tti.un¢wuly. 'll'oe Y<ltelllll< d iiT.-nootb, s~taculat and bandy 1.0 thr- hi&l•w.•ys - tm,.,. irlljlin..'<l • m rr. lltt..Ugiow climbing, billiC<l. on a laviah 111!oe ul' artifidl\l akb. l'\trl1ts, w i\CI refer to d~ "t YCliCI!Iite ~n u "roek cn;lncm," &Ht'H>wl~c pa.LtuCt~f\&1)' uJit: o! "mccha· niltd cliD\birlg," CCI\dueiCCl up aladdcrway of 1url Wltkltr.,?.r C..Ca.ltm ·- - Ull> tn..: gllll" pc'l . bo.th •.gm: thllt Y(JI!lemite ~ts an ~~rinJ 4Hl'J1(11.Q!\ f(W l'OI'Iit l"limbr"" lool.-...,.rd! \lo,r-r., '*'- lllu:l It •hot wor. \101} AM M101~ .,..,. • . . . -...... "'!• lw'tlr t• YII"JJIltr l"'l<k. Mu.,. ~ ...W. a ..t•«y ThU ~ best (~ ....l»l Q1l 1. . LOL} rr... 59 �P'tbr\1.,. 91. ·~ to-_ _ ,."' ~ ~ the. Ma'dOrial O..y ~ 'flo-beG huodmb:JC.rt ...... tt.:.w wp•ishrapa. ....s Nebo<bl« ~~><......, rod<-cli'"'"os oudlc t:l the: $terra Oub,. u Ol"pftia.tion oJ a~ IOJXX) OXIUCitainec:rt. h ill u ~ ~ cbat QIOIC nxk dimbm are \C'Cfl-. dom:deYik wilh t10 or lhe men """" ~. Robbins was a ~ tne&OJ oltuppon. AlCOI'lnoitcrtd twr bill'ller, Hatd~~ ao engin«r, W~bon and Otlfwltl cr-Ju.at.e tWdc111J. Au--. aede.o· .ary tporu, the bat cou.n~rporn Is-a rouslng of <bas. wbteb ealb for irn.en..e ctrt:oo ra.me btation and an Jlroo~t ptyeh1e ki'IO'ollkd&e t'lf whtu lka ahead. 'fbctc il orx a..W.w.tial dlffcn!nce. A wrOng nw~-e oo the ~ board b tddom more than hutniliating; a ~ movt Oft a clllf tn~~y ~ r.,al. nW: poi.nt oC divergcnoe was neYtt more t!karly iUuttated lba.u: tc Al.lc'»\o l~, whmject Amc*J, Aft.II()Q }li'd;toft &net Frlu: dimbod lh< ...... Am;w, • u ~oltod<oooof«th;p,""*"'c OUI fn:.m the c;ti!' midw:ay bet~ Y OleiD- ralb. (8co, w. eu.- .... - · · ....... by Flloz A. ~ Th<S.Iunlay £,.,. ~ " - ' and Upptt' YoteeaiK ""'C Poa,Junt Y8, t!K7.) Thil...ooch aNi ~ ~o~D&~ jpUt: had b«n at· llmlptcd devet: liata p.aiot.dly. AW:t 6¥C .,.,. .... - ~..Uy """'&'d .. ~ tbe ll.lmmit &om a J'W'UU 01'1 rhle v:alley \Qlla. Two o1 chc:m dek:tnded to a nooch tOO r~, dtt~ ..epal'lltil'l8 the 1.o&t Arrow l'tom the ml•in nxll u.a., aod then \lJ) lO the 4M• ,unc <'Ddt or the ro~ asec:odirc it 1o the top. M er the rope vr.u mlWfe faat, i.n tho manaer of the dtolt pttforl))l!r sca,gins. a ".tide ror life," Uppmann crossed 0\ott the 'oVid und juuted hi6 COO.lp1t~5ol'll atop the 1\m;yp~, l 1our ~""' Laru, itli Ju.ttt, 19$0, AWl 51Ccl< Mel John Snhube oompktcd what Stoek ealb ..an orde<aJ by pii.OI•,'' fClltndlns bar nichtt and Ji-.,e da:yt on the wAll o!Scndod Rcdt. This I .tOO luol modctt projed UMd up I~ pilleaOI mel nUIC ~ borJG. •nr:l ''I'm •till ,.., qui.IC tt.~.rc why l did It,.. Steck .old me recenlly. 1a ...... oltimc~pmtaad«SUUtt~ Smw.:l R.uc:L • • ~but Ha!l Domt ,_th .... ""' lh< ldll ...,qtll--1011. of '1lw \IIIOiurbe ol \Utic:a.l ~ ia YC*t&ili& P~k bccd the Na.donal hrlr ~ 10 ~ & n::IINC a= Cll (1m ft"CU't .U of wbom •~ t:rtiotd ia tbc - * cocnptica~d rode C«<\niqi.M:I. ''1lte upuicnt.cd dlnlbtrt ra.rdy caux us JMaCh trouble,.. ..i~ R.. :{. ~khtycc, adm.iJl"tl'llti'le U· .U.ant 10 li'IC park Npcrintcacknt. "'What gl~ '" • heMI.aehe is lhe bt chiktren and lJK pcopk wh9 \la;ide tq ~ a .t10tt cut off .he !roils. They're the OO<S who alwayo set chctnldva: studc on a diff-ean•t 10 dow-n; can'tSQ\Ip-atjun about dark. h's lucky lor uslha<this nllcy is., small.l\nyone who holktt lor help, once p<Oilk have gone 10 bed, can be heard for oil< mila around." h is poeslble \0 cwerdo a good 1hi", ~. as one rttcue established laM June. Mkhacl Simon, .aixtoal, was hik· ing alone the 101> of the cliffs with a group or rncnd.t when he dcdd.«<-what elte?- a ahott cut to the valley. He wound Ul> In n c;luatet ol 1•'«' Md sheer l«lget known at 11 thc Jungle;• in tl\.e middle of' tho Roy~ I Ar()ha1 one of the most diff''lCUh IQ tt~kc: cliOi in the park. so either up or down, Simon Uable to pn><ceded 10 .,....., lor hdp -"' long and a. badly thai the rangcr1 were unable: to break in on hit: monologue to let him know that tCKUe was at hand.. n.e caoopbony lulcd untilonldn;gh~ when he leU inoo an w.au.ICd alc<p on a broad and safe ~cdc<. but it tcancd arpin in the morning. A res- cue 1nm hcad<d by rancct John H<:nne> bersa, meanwhile, was cond~ a most delical< climb ol the Arth<s. "The rangers could hear Slmon, but they tt~uldn't bear cad\ other-a diffic:uh situation when a climb is being c:onducuxl in pitcb~artc:nest with occuional aid from a fbohligbt. "He Wall in lhC midst of his last and biggest 'Nclpl' "1..'\id Henneberger, " when l finally stepped out from behitKl a trte and tapped him on the ahoukl~r. Wt: got hill\ up to the lop ol the Arches and walked him d()Wn ~r • fool trail, but I'll bel that boy had a tore throat for a month after.'' Two other I'CICUC expeditions lase )-'Car \O'er< kat bu.,........ On April eighth, Ann Potti,.u, ninetcc:n, a arudent at Stanford University, Jet out wilh two boysc to climb the '--"' C.lhedral Spire. A ,_.,.,..., threatened and the r.onga'5 at park head· quancn had warned the party-which rqiltcTed In advance for the climb, .. ~ qwml by park rqu!ationo--10 tum bode il the weather wonen<d. At 10:!0 that night one ol the climben ·~ intO hudqu.arten again aod .said, ul'm afraid Ann is in uoublc. We had 10 ave her II the root c1 the Spl~ and come down ror help." &, midnichl, In a blindins mow· •term, a rc:ocvt IUm t<ad>ocl the girl. Sbe wu dead from expoourc-probably be· eauoe her doching oonsistcd ol ex>tton jeans, a COlton b l and a Licht poplin jacket. At the <ncl ol May, the........, crew faecd lu ~ teVfrt 1e11. Hdcne von Rycker..,....1, a sraduo<e tludent a1 the Univerahy cl California, ''"' leading a climb on 1he Royal Areheo. This wall, rising dir«l)y above the Ahwahnee Hote:J* is one vasl alab ol rock inclined at teventy 10 eighty dqrca, with few placet when: a climber can hold on. In auch a aituadon, an expet1 fla11tn1 his feet and hanclt on the rock and movca ahead 10 the ....,.... IOiid ledge. This i.s known u friction climbing. Tile pn::s:suR cl rubber aolct and ~ palms on the rock iJ JUI!icienc10 prevent a slip-in most cases. But Mill-. Rydc<n<>ntl ren oinecy lec1. She wat h<ld by the ........S man on the rope. "'bo had b<actd IWmdf on one cl the few available ouiO'Oppinp.. It toolc IUJ>C"' vilinc ~John Mahoney and !he r<S<Ue crew al fi"" m<n moot cl the night 10 miCb her. ... , have. never aeen Sl..llth. injudes, .. aid park naturalln C lenn CalliJon, a member O( the rac:uc e;rew. ''There \\'U a hole in the bad< of her head, and there were tO many bones fractured thai I'm surprised she didn't die right ~ oo the cliff." dragged • mesh·and-aluThe minum rc:ocvt Iiiier up 10 the scene ol the I<:Cident, dcd themtelva on 10 lhe roeb wbi~ !hoy admlnlttm:d lint aid, and in two and a hallhouro bnJucbt Mits R)'d<cr· vond cbo., 10 the valley. R......, though dramatic, intrigue doe rancm y_,.,;,e ra~ro .._ chan the eaJe cl the T"'O MJocinc Men. On July go, 1954, WaJ. ce< Cordon, a 11udent at the Univetlit)'•cl CaliJomU., bouaht .teub fo,r an outdoor picnic In one ol the c:amf!IP'OU.nda, told his compenioll-. " I 'll be b.ck bd'orc dinner?' and eec ~u on • hlkc from whkh he MYC:r ~tumt'd Th. rauh wu one ol lhc moM COft«nl,..,Wd -.rchft me park h.u known. "tbe nc:~~.t O.y. blood~tldt wuc: puc on Cordon'• ti'IIIJ. T'My kd tM ~tt up che J)llth 1t0 ClK~ Point whkb o•<• I k• the valley, • nd dowt\ the Four Mik trail co the hfehway. Ttw:rc th<e ~~ttru appan::ntly vanlthnl. At. many u th.ltty rans~n bhw:·,kc.ned thecun·, , tcMrchlnc fOI' OMdon'a body, and for d•y• a hdleoptcl' new u p and down the v11lley white Jfloucn ttal'(l(l thtOuah Rekl al att~t-. ~n,etutch w~' hope.lctt: Cordon I• ttlll mJMina. lhree n l.OIHhl lt•ter, on October 9, 19.51) C.Hrorni.a ..udent atiQtl\.et Unlvt-,..lty wu walkln1 alo"' a footpalh near the Ahwahnee Hotel with hit wife, fa~er-in" law •nd mother-ln•law. '"'nlat loob lntundna up then-."' u Jd Orv•r YOn La.u., lhlny, modonh'C 10 the uppo- pan ollbe Royal A~ clllr. " I 'JI tee: you a Uttlc t..tef'... lie w..Sked on huo tht u.nc:t.erbtuah and obi"""*'- WhMn th'nttn hour$ the bloodhoundt plckC!d up hll~~ttnt at the bMe clt.he Roya.IAI'Chetc:llmb, and ttkd !rand· uUyt.oac.~uptherodt, Raevct<tamt roptd t.IP and (lOW:~ the: who&t dUf. with nqatiYC f'nll,l ltt A hc.lkopu:r flew .Jona'· tide thee Atdw.. ~anecn ••rehcd for two tolid W«"b.. kttpln& an eye peekd for .a c:onCCitllrMtlon of C'»f'1''on birdl th<at might pinpoint the locatlon or • body. One cllmbl"f pt~rty dlKowrcd a be11r, which de:pt.r1ed whh a ttattled anort, but nobody found von l..tta~. "l'he PO I, c:aUed In ~C'Ili.ICl VOttJnhe It Jre<Jeral pmpc!tty, check«& cwry JX*Ible lehd whhout l't':tuh, In quie t hourt, which ~ ·oe lnl'req~nt, tl\o ran~:;~n are apt tO tpceulat~ about Cordon and von l..au. Pcrl\ap~, they think, the bodlet lie _,.newhc:re on the Yotemite dlffi. wedaed behind a rode whi.ch nobody '\Oo IU J)Mt 1M 100 fU"- 8\M:.h a time lapae lt no1 out of the quttdon. In &ep1Wllxr ol l " t M• ~ flarqutt.r, Juk"f &kihhom and R k hard l..c!Onard, of the Sl.erra Club., made the Rn1 attmllpt 10 clltnb \Vuhlnt'ton Oolutnn. " \Vay up~ Ott &he dUfa... .arl...eoonard, ··~'C b.tnd ,.n cl a human skulL Ou.r 1\lai wu \hl,1 It d.at«< !tom ptd\ii.&Ork dma. 8u1 wtw.n we lOOk It co the~ pantl'lltnt ol A.tuht'OpC)IQJy at the Uni·Yn'had •ity c1 0.11/or-n\a, thtv •kt ttw. bftn tMte about a hundred yc:a,.._jutt about th.cl dn\e the tift\ fur u•appen '\Oo"Cn: expll>t'lf\1: th-e tlt,h Sierra. 1 1\avc ollen wondered who the poor (dlow wu who lo&t hi• rood "land died, all 11.lone, up there aboYcYo.cmhc Valley." A fc:w yc:arslatc:ra cllmbcl' r~nc;l tome hunum bone~ in a lht~ or •w• 60 �101 lhc: d.if'U opposico WO>hmc..., Column. In II><...,. pool o( watt:t ·wrr·;ue. an inltWcd "ouc.h 4\.nd u old hat lmprinecd whh the name cl a ftCW'C: ift pt~ ~ \~th the hdp ol the 1-"81, l.bcownc:r wu~ Part heacl· q~·•~ t.._.l)cd his mothr:r- in PI~Qenix "'> extend condolcucu. "Tlt~~t-.ttrarcc;" She &1id. ··H.c j....c ldl ror I!Ghool. l~n he dkt come l»ek rrom Yottl"(;am tumbti..Qg down t~rrmu~ b.M )'ellrwitho!Jt hi$ hat.''The bones appMCnt.ly "-'<=~ thOIC ol a. IIWI who bad v~~;ni1t\ll'd twenty )'l"8111 ('JlrJjer. 'flO" nl(! or ror.k di.mbin& already Aourbhins In lht Ban, W'M irurodua:d to C.JICom1tt. in W:U by U.obtrt L.. M. Uo· dethlll, a pro(«l!!!r at H~rd Uoi~ly and a mountaineer or di.Jtin"lon. The Idea oltyin.s on 11 I'Qpt to $") up dit'fi( ,llt dif't'!l had not herelOlon: occurml to \he ~ bm of the: Sierra O ubt but or.ce it <;a\!Sht on, lhc. rupan-= war. i.mmcd~te...Tbt eli· ~ wm ~ wbc:n wt" propoetd that 1.he d ub establish a nx:k~ ICCdon,'" KCallJ Belcor ~ DOW rn;rc(l • • t.,..k clinila, who prxcico bw io Oalolor4, Calitomla. "l'h<y sUd ....d be axd into blnk'rupDCy in eue ~ Alii acQ.. dc:ru. and a6dcd lhat W cham:r didfl.'t SNke any ~ for iL But tlx uiOUtbt btcr we had a rock-di.a2blt11 kCtioo.., Robimon and f"-:tdi romped ju)·(ulty owr chr California mouOtaiN,studkd pon- dc:r'OU3 German texts explaining ~ ccd Wl)'l fA bcoldit\g 0010 A rod; Of' of \1-TigglJJ'IC \tl~ a tt11tk, orde:recl pnom rrom :a $f10rlinggnoda t hn-p in Munich1 and ~ed to tc:l \1() 1 lrulnlns llrtll on CragnuJin Rock,"' ··litf Ill tli"M' or lhe & .-ke1ey park&. This ltd 10 JOint compJicatioru. A Lady whmlc home Ill)' din·ct1y bdnw the rock <:alk...J. tlie park ckpartnwnt to Jay, " I d10n't waat any bodiC'f rnw•• in my btlek yard 1.. NoM enr dkl, but one dimbu cook :t mocknw:: ~ ln\'QM~ :.br"a.oUQn$ *nd tonll.l&iom. Since the aaicknt occurred on dry propMy, Rnbif'IP'. had 10 n:.port il 1D the polic:c. '*· The O'IILinn~tr; dUnla IJ,n:W ullllt: and tnOte aub cbbonw \I.Otil ~ s~ Idt compdkd w ~n up ~ •)~" ~ d;.m;if'~.-. bu.d 011 ~ (l.uo I w._, dl.mbt ~ simple h:ik(f; a. II 'l!o'tte - ~; a... Ill fO<Iuitod !he..,. eNION I ~;~te a' a rope; (.]a,. IV aUod for roptc and catdul cuppon Cro;n above'; 0•• V rc:quimJ pitom. aod Claw Vl- •n "'' HaU Dome-demaOOed pjtool or bolts ~r direct •Jd. Some hundm:b ofQilifomiot clirnh• 111we 1'1C1W 1x:ar meticuloUJiy d~~M.i• fled a.nd ~u.nd lll.lO a, ;uidebook. From me: vcpu. a ol die dub, it mar be xcuratcly Aid. 1bc United Staus ArDf dn..topcd much o(;:s~ . _ one! a ""'-"•doctriD< r.. o:acbiDc,_ .. c<t up. ditr, ; { - be. n.;, da!a ..-.. lin< ;,puud 10 !he IOih MGW1Wn o;-. wiUcb bogh1 trio tiaa<ly In haly ~World W or II. Jle. ~ lhc end ol ll1c war, oome 9.5,000 olhcr toldicn h•d lxoen ouctu how to di:mb in ouch pbcrs as Uncoln, :-<cw H>.alplldrc; Na1ural BridiJ". v.rg;n;a, a:od M.ou1h of Seneca.. \\rctt Virginia. Tbe old docuincJ still arc C*fried on in the- can) - of Cll<)'enn< Cr<d<, QUISlde Colorado Spriogo. Cok><U<Io, ,.m.: lhe Anny mamtit.lnll mOtmta.in·cnining area. One great contribution was the Q)'kwl rope for d..imJ>. itlc· l:ntil jutt bd:>ft: 1M war, no climber ,.."GUkk coN.ider ~ his life on an~'lhtrlg but a t ~oo~h~ ol ~1anib rope. ~"icm rope, which had jusc: c:ome on the mar'.kcc. was rqudcd wilh IUspicicln by Eastern - _.,eel dimbm, but ihc Siern Club decid.d 10 uyhout. 'The mclhod ol ...U.S was oomcwha1 uo....at. ~ Ltonanl and Dava R. ~'Ct. now the dub•t teereta:ty, fouod 1hemltJYCS a tuitable ~ about thlny hlsh. ;, • llcrkdcy parl<. One mao would &it down, bracing himtelf solidly, and poa rope around IUs body for a be- r... 1ne llty-meflnin; a J)08ition ft01n which he could 5101) the: (aJJ of Atsolhec cl1nbe.t. The teOOnd nun woukl de Jnto the rope and jump off ·l ht cdco of 1he rod<: AI he EeU, tho rope WJ" • llowed 10 $1idc, and th~n uradually tiehcened untO tM second DUn came w a. lltop not far •t>ove kvcl (J'Ound. AI t« twtl')ty tats, the Manila rope broke. with toMe ditcOM&on co the JCICOl.'ld man. "'llc nylon rope, however, WN Rill JO!nc 11"""1 ~ tOO ptactic< falls. 'Th< ..,. crew J~ to ptO(~t cNt at tbe end of itbt uptrlmmt lh< ....,..j man could leap dpi«< r... "'"' "'""' belo<c ...... hol\cd ;. fti$hl, and lhtn to.......S llowly 10 eanh. 'The nylaa rope adopccd .. •. . - by II>< Quam=wt..- Corpo, .. h. whidl both Rolli.... and l.oooin!ICNCCI » olfictra.. 'Tk prac1ioc ~ speetJodar \0 watch, ltlll popped the eyes of~ recruits the J.ut tiuie l -visit«l ~bt Moumain a nd ())kl WtAtht:r Command at Camp Ctr1<m, Colorado Sprlngs. 'The sliding, or dynamic,. belay h.u now virtueUy suppiMted 'the method originated IJY the Swill, which wu 1u hCIOk 1 ~ fOpe firmly around a proj<ct:ion of' rock.. Too ~en, th( rope bn>ke. The Army developed few new climbers (I( the 6tst rank, bu1 a good many )'QWlgsten with prior mow>Wn eoq>eric:oc<: emerged from lllc IOih Mountain Divilion as mature and keen rnountainee:rs. Tbe mea impn:lllvc veteran it a elimbc:r in his early thirUcs, named Fr<d Beckey, who has led more than iOO fint ucents ()(cliff's and rock opirca in the Pacific Northwe:sL By virtue of gelling there fintt Beckey ha:s been able to n:amc a number of peak$ hltherto identified only by altitude. Slnce lhowands were already christened, he had to use in· gcnuity. O ne range in the northern Cascade Mo"ntaino, named by llcckcy, reads like the wine llu of a de luxe hotc:l. Chianti, Pemod, Burgundy, Sauterne and Chablis are amorag the litla to captivate a thirsty climber, d>ough Beckcy is no winebibber himsdf. A man oC I""*I pbysicals~Rtlgth, Beckey dcQded laJt year to climb the wat 10"~ o( ML Coode, a opin: 8100 feet high, risU>g 3600 f«t from itS baoc ntar tho bead of Lake Olelan. With Doo Oauneb, another Seattle climber, be departed from Seattle at ooe r .N. or a Sarurday, arriving by car at the fool oC Cutade p,... at five P .>o. The two climbers then walked up over the pass, down the other side, and in to the bue of the peale., a distance o( sixteen miles, aniv· ing at 11 :$) P.W:. They slept until scvem A.w., Sunday, made the first ucent or the west tower, climbed back over !he pa.13 10 their car, and reached Seattle at two A..M. on Monday. lleckcy then went to work in the advertising depanment ()(the Seatlle Postlntelligeoccr at eight A.M. On a la~et weekend, bored wilb the walk over the pass, he loaded a cawnaran on a trailer, d.ro\.--e lO the foot l..alte Cl>clan, and blithely sailed up 10 Sld>ckin, the otaniDg point of IUs climb. The "-cekcnd fuUshed, he sailed down the lake again 10 .... bimxlf. Bedey'oi'C<lOt'd (I( lint _ .. is now oorag cb.allcngcd by Pete Schoening, another Seattle climber, who distingudhed hlmseJ( in an attempt on Ki, i.n the Himalayas, a few yean back. or aimbt:rl Paei6c llnlc: lauocntifoc than . in the Nonhwat are a in the Sicm1 Nevada.. The lnfonnal . _ ! > was cpi•ocnized in 19'S by l.iond O..U., who led lhe lir1l climb o( tbe North f'l<ak o( M L lnd<x-dcvation 5400 " " - - the mitt• es~ llwory thai a c:uh I'<WOid was ~­ volved. The rumor had ~ pcnillcd thai the Gttat Nonhcm Railway,~ wnncl under the mountain il one ol the longest in the oou.ntry, wu ~paruf to pay from S 1000 toS5000 for the fint climber 10 ruch 1he 1op o( the North Peak. Prcoumably, lh;. would be ptOfitabl<: advertisitJC~ Chute, ap-ply;ng roc- '"" n:word, round the railroad affable. but. not oreoarul w dio into the till. Now ll'll hl.t fUtiea, U h.u a nioe letter from the Creat Northem and the satiJf.aotioo> o( J>avms ecmplclcd on.e o( tbe moot diffi<ull dlmbl o( h;, era. In the Northwat-a country ollimidess stae~cn anc1 ..,..,. ot ,.._ clirnbod .,..-~~>= an .UU plcnl)' o( c:onquetU lor thole who ha...-e nen-e and lllill. 'The best Wuwalloo was povidcd, "......, h""' ......at ,...,. ..... by • Seatllc: named David thmh. In 1!15i, ,.iUJe climblns ML Ycn~paja, one ol dte ~>;ghat in PeN, li.aJT~·· feet wtre fro~tbinen. He 1M l1'IOIC of his ~a di.Julcr. h woukl teem, 10 a rock dimbt:r, wt.c. must depend eo lhorousbiY on delio.•c balance. Not long after, he led a cllmb up the 5000·Joot north·· wes1 fooe of ML Joh•nnlober.g, In 1he Cascades, apcndins one night or. the di.fl". Latt tunu:ncr I w&lked rrom the ~ of lhe road into Cucadc Pa.a and looked acro11 tllt valley at johanniJberg. The "t".uy" route lca.dt up an ~moc:t vuUcal sutJcy ot .._, with no sound ploce for a bday. Harr:ah't route z,icz;ag£Cd up a but-- .,.. 10 lht lei\, hlcJ> lniO the douds, 10 ahccr thai I had 10 crane my oodt. I hove rock-di.tDbcd in my t~ ~rt thisdiKwas 100 rich r.. my blood. Noc - rich r.. a man with abu.oAzn will po"Mott. ~-u. 'The l<'oacily d;,pia)'Cd by Harrah ;, 10 be found, 10 a puccr or tc. dqrec, ia ev· ay rod< dimbtr. Pabapolhia ~why adimbing dubin ta-·awilltpenditt....ukentb on My-r001 cliffJ along the M"...;mpp; Rivu or why tome: thouunclt of aapnen In ll1c Easl wUI wooit t.. ppUy on rod< raca ra.nging in heiaht from 100 ro 800 venical feet. 61 �Tbe mc»t notabk- and most populated area is a wall ol cliffs in the Shawangunk MountaiN. about 100 miles north of New Yodc City, on the v.est side of the HU<bon River. lien the New York 0\apter oi me Appalachian Mountain Cub b.asde\ldoped til\y teparate routes rising a maximum oi too feet, but ernbod)ring the most hairra.~ dikmmas to be encountend in tile Rodcies, the Sierra Nevada and the Dolomites o( I t~y. J( regulatioDJ did not {Qcbid it, New York mountai~ would do their climbing on the PaJiA.des, whicll rise ma· jcstically jldt ICl'()M the Hudaoon in New Jertey. Too many looee rocb, rolling down on m-oUen along the ri~ide, cawed the authorities of Palitades InterState Park to close the area to roclc climbc:nc yeanc ago. ~ Shawangunk climbs ~redeveloped by Fritz. H. Wlc:&1ner, now president of a chemical company in Stowe, Vermont. A short and balding man in his early fifties, Wiessner was-until he began to $low hi.t pace- the best rock climber this country ever bu known. As a young man in Getmany, he led-without pitons-sotrle of the cWsic rock climbs in the Alps. Rod: climbing in Europe and .Engt.and, as distinct from the uccnt great $00W-~-i~ mount:ains. began in the 1890's, but thespon ofJC&ling dill's did not become a science until 1910, when the piton wu invented by an Ausuian dim bet named llannes Fieehtl. As a yot.Ulg man in Druden, Wiesmu ab!orbcd the fine points o( the ~pon, and brought to America in I~ an entirely new technique, involving delicate and rhythmical r:novemc:nt on cllHs with no visible holds {or the hancb and feet. A m.n whQ bdi~ in "dean" climbing as a greater ten than the lavish WIC ol pitons, he made the 6m uoent of Dev:il's Tower, in Wyoming, with only one piton, where later climbers \lied them by the dozen. He: abo climbed IS 1i60-foot ML Waddington1 in Brimh Columbia, which had been.euemptcd fourteen rima previously. Wiesmer .is th.at rare being, an articulate climber. or "Rock climbing," he fcc.b, "is the mou satisfyi111 and f.ucioating sport in the world. The lancbc:ape oC mountains, the a.rchiLCC> rure ol mountaiN. is aomethin& toO few oi us know. It is a sport and not a c:ompetitibn-match[n& )'OUrld! againat JOmething much ~ than a.ny human being, against nature. h is a way or enjoying what one's ov.•n body can do, much as OW' anc:at.on wbo lived in trees must ba\<e enjo)-cd the easy movanent oi swinging from limb to limb. You !Ire away from ~iJll mechanical, and it makes )'OU fed like a king, perched on a Little spot up in the sky. You ba~ OVCI'OiliJX: physical as wdl as mental difficulties. ''To be a good rock climber, you have to put everything into it-t.o figure out your moves as you would in che~~, e:Mcept that on a cliff you are playing with the biggest queens, bi.shofl', roolcJ and pawna on the planet. E\·cn on the smallest cliff, there b aomething JOphiltic.attd about the delicate movcmc:ntl imp<liCCI on a climber. 1'he mechanical stuff- the pitons and boll$you can enjoy for a whUe, btu in the long run you get )'Our vllues from your cloleness to nature, the realization how small we humans are compared to the big mounrains. It is something you can enjoy with the eye, the.brain and the whole body. And it is an escape from the pressures of the world. out \"Vhen those great walls of rock above you, it is like sitting in the quiet and calm of a Gothic cathedral. "The man who leads a rock climb must recognize that there is danger involved, and he must keep it in mind, but if he has the talent, he can win through. He needs judgment as well-the ability to know what one ought to be able to do in a difficult spot. A good man climbs up and down such a spot a few times, always a little bit higher, until he knows how he can safely get through it. Many men, not strong or patient enough, try to rush a cliff, and those (\re the ones who fall. They take chances, and they lose. A leader has to be able to fight against his own ambitions; be able to . turn around ana to go home if the climb is too much for him.:There are those who race to climb the big faces or who hunt for notoriety, hut in five or six years you don't see them around any more. Most of them quit. The real climber sticks with it all his life. When the big ones are too difficult' for liirn-well, he always can do the smaller cliffs and be just as happy." arch It wu on one ol these smaller cliffJ, a few days later, that I saw this philosophy put to the test. Wiessner and I had met in Chapel Pond Pass, near Keene Valley, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Above us, 6s!ured and seamed, rotc a rock wall 400 feet high. No ooe had climbed it, but 'Wi&ner was rudy to do 10. We lied in to the rope, and Wiessner started swiftly up through ·a naiTOw crack, the classic rock climber in action. Above him the waU leaned outward, for a space of perhaps fifteen vertical feet. J could see a few tiny handbolds, but no easy way past this obstacle. With the utln0$t precisen~, Wiessner worked his way upward, paused for a moment, leaned out from the rock and craned his n~k. There was something about the route he didn't like. Silently, he came down again to a wide IO(Ige, thought for a momut, and started up again, this time selecting a slightly different oollection of holds. Again. he paused to study lhe problem, and again came carefully down. " ll will go now," he called cheerily to me. So rapidly my eye could not follow his. move· ments, he flickered up lhe ledge, hooked three fingenc over a thin flake oC rock and disappeared over the ledge above. 1 followed, but not with such ease. From his stan<lC above, Wiessner wu exerting a firm but steady pull on the rope. With this a5S1,lrance of safety, I managed to claw my way through a maze of totally inadequate holdJ and to crawl on my belly over the top of the ledge. Off to the right a &e<lOnd wall led up to a projecting pic« of rock broad enough for a man to sit on. How to get there? This one was easy for Wiessner. He moved upward on scant foot· and hand· holds, turn~ his right h.and so that it rested palm down on the proj~ting rock, fingers, facing outward and wrist facing inward. Then he gently swungoutow:rspac:e, reversing his body, and sat comfonably down. When I followed, it was the triumph of bnne strength ovu an obstacle that de~~ mo~ gtntle treatment. I made a Junge·for the rock, hung on for deariife and hauled mysc.lf up. The rest was easy. A few more ledges, a few cracks to be climbed by jamming Ul0$t of the body into them and inching upward1 and we were on top of the cliff, with the Adirondacb spread out in front of usrange after range of hills dark with spruce and pine. ''Look, Hal," said Wiessner, sweepiJl8 his arm to encompass the horizon. "~n•t it THE E N D make you feel like a king?" 62 �Meyers, Yosemite Climbs, A Rock Climbing Guide to Yosemite Valley, p. 145 National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 145, No. 6, pp. 782-791, June 1974, Climbing Half Dome the Hard Way, Galen Rowell 63 �Climbing Half Dome the Hard Way MtTIC U! AND 11140TOORAf'IIS 6Y GAL.EN ROWF.LL.. SualcJM bel- tt• 1.600 llld .I taN an o\\1(1.<1,'1 ..~ ---400/HC ol pttpmoloe..t.t CI'UIIil r llllrd dll)· on. YOM•._,., follllfld Udl' O...W., whoM~ n...,. .. JMWdrloW$lwt ~ 1WVW t.don '"• "c~ ttua•-o. ¥, WII!Mul drW\111 ...,..,.._...,..,..,_... .._.w.. .•. ...,.,....,._..., . _ k....,...-_. ,....., . ,.._.o._._.... r.~_.f.t.l ......_..,......_ . .oW dt«b. n,., f- ..,.._......., _ _ _ ... u.-b .arlkNd.~t, t~w~~~adllillrll"t ........... MAW_f....__~..,-..__ fl'l 64 �C..t1511.-rotcl Ull(li...Wie lor ~­ ,.,.,. lt41t m 19Ji lilT ••• ,,.., ,..,.1\.Nno-·. .,..,~ RMtblllt folktwtd '-I•B)' -~"''·-"""" 11Ukn• to •na_., !.n tatt, t~ llatt l)cmw'• crile:).t bur tbr .,... ,.lblly tttl!lte Kan (If (I!Nintlrill f!IIOM \\'t )ooj:C <Jtkn wllf kol'"' our uu,plit fll Ore ...,. ...._ ...,1111 tbocb , ..... l)fllftJitt-' (richiJ kM tlw ar6d ·~· ..,..IUIOG .................... (t.ili _................ ,._. .. u-....-. .,_....,.....,,. _.._......., .. bo'rDtMh•-·-' .,.&.."i! _ _ _....(.1ft_ "-" I IIAT£D TO LEAY& ,._ H<~trhy of" ~ foothold. A f'09t' , .. ~tack (rom my wwt di~r down the dall', entll.naln tlw hlUI!ds ot Dmnh H.t:•uwk. wtlo uood teoturely a.n(horcd oo a l'o\"0-loot•Widr ktfu Bct,.,'t!en IU 11. .wriu o( nu'llblntn •!Qmrd like ovnslrc safety llint.,allnthln& the rope tO varioui lllldJOr$ in the roc-k Thr IW'..mt tt'n f«t ~low me. t'rom tbl:rr 11 wat lUI *"' Cit~ My fett to ~nrut.a"" tbtn a •holt~ fftt .-~ai.J,tll down to tbf bMtom of thtt nol1h· •'tSI fauo(Balf l)ocn,r, tht INMI\'f ftll:k wall «!ltd ~b..IIW • v-~ fro• iu bait,thti ~ c:litr .,,... 111 \'Okfl'litot tbu john ltuir f.ro. clot.Mh 1.0 dr'lh. llik a ~ .,....., ~ ~ ~'ff 160 ,~.... ll(ftt '0 . _ ~ fail10 -.vd a1 ~ ~ lofcu tar'\~ • llwouJtl llw ..... ...... • ~ iO'talll ftlltiDC. ..... t:f.to,al . ....... ..... a(~~-. To"~ dw.., sac. l.,ooo..toot wall tt ~'II To a N<~ ca....lla It a ~ \\t • t f t ._. ,.,. ....c:o.d .by fll oer oucmt. 'flle .-dlwest £ace ol HAlt Domt wu Ant di.mbed ift 19$1 and bd oftt• ""'"' $1lakd u... .. , tln«, but llt'\'ft . , w wen- cloifiJ: it hOW I klok.td l.n (toM ot 111C at a (Q(t in tht rock .,. ttJbUI Gl •n 1nca. wide and dttptr than I roold 1« l'rom the equipmt:IU han&· h11 hom my 1hwldcr I pick«! out • uny atumlnml'l wtd!CJt, tmal ~ th11.n a thumbn<\ll. baHiy 1w rhthlh or an incb thid: From h h•mll" ~tetlloop lhlnntr than a lbl>daclt Gtntly 1 tbrtadtd lilt ~'~~ ii'II.Oa l'lurow lfl(ll ln tbt (:tfltlt and IU#,Jf'd hU'Cf (1ft •htol obk klop h w'OUW ha'~ ,_. bold my fu.ll •cl«lrl• .-..'al.t I ~W r.a. "'" -'•. \li•Oo: ~-Act« r.rtt. I (: I Pl'f'd In) l'Op' am. lblt c:abk Joop and >..t;W &o ~ "l.o•'U ,..... 11w topf' b-~ I kft _,.. footJaold ud WJIA.td ....,_..,. do... tk wal to a ClOY .,...,~tu.~blll(v ........... I btdtt.rd a .... el noW Tlw 6nt part .t tlw ~ fac'f' tl Hal' o...r. ..., 0\'a' ,......ww. ....,.,. .,. • """"' ~ Ro,oat Robbun.. 11w kil\'ffM kadn ol • ,..._,_ party tJw AWMk lk '"" ..Cffll "' lk c• ., 16 1"" bdOft OUI' •U•mP' .\t t•» llftllt It 1II"U the lortps~. mott dlllkt~h fO(l cbmt. .,,.,. .aoe~pfu;htd 1111 ~h Amtriu .. <W tbe: &..,.... cb)'f and four nl&htt on Ott wt.l&, Rbbbinl Ntd. " W~t Wt~ 1'4'1111)1 k1tn~d btc&uJt~ Wt holdn' dOIW &n) tltl111 hke It brfOtt-.. I lllloi'W ltow lit (('1\, re.-r b norm11 for ••>9M attt'mptlftl tltt: unknown. and w~t too 101m'! lr)i.,_l ltOrllf:thlnl 1'('\'ft lUtPtptcd belotf a cll.mb of •ucll ltr~ll)! ud d~ A tlltota •• a .t.«l wppon to be hammen"d i~ti.O a « Kt unt tilt rif!ll\ til.;, a ra.ltro.d spd:~t­ '*" ..... roii!Sidtftod ._pou.blf I'Uc dl•bt had ll'l6ti and t1puuMcl -·t~ bok~ AI the "*a&. achlllbtt .....W ~ l.belll ....., ,... . . talof, - --·· " " " " - . . . l'"er' .... ~.~ ..... w..n..-s.rtot """'...... '"Ut una ._ aJIIhet • -. ,...,. ...... ~ Sot ~- liaJ, .-ca tl • ..._ allo) daataabr ilwru4 * .vlML' p&.cu !Ia .....,Pd. to Mf''t u • uJ~ •mhot ~ MIU afll' ~U.M~(ec:tu.f'fd ll)tQiklii)' Un')\ft. rtO IMIODJ. _. hnk a!u:muu.1.m "'' I<~• ('OCIW ta the form of rtatrow- Wtcltcn{PAI't 710)Md lit mulbfiKeted The UM oi1U1U dtvfk)~ morll' thAn a d«ade' 110111 t~ P..nal•,•l..al.e OU.tridalld '" WaJH. 861~ or the llrt.1 nuu ~'~tn> p.clttd liP &Jon• the S!tti"'·•ton rail•">' by dimlxrt on thtlr will) Ia 64:illot \\'d,h (f'~Wo With • small rop.r lool)f'lll throod1 UJ bole-, • fll'llubr machhllt' nut could tw J•mMtel h110 • crwk a.u ad ltWd ._ ..... - · · . - \ . .~Mf. CNitd r._l.t ., e.b.. ~ reaurbbk r. <limbtrl. '" vart.out "t6to ra~. <nt'• up ...u ii'Cha v.·wk- ht . . . . ..a~ ..1(11. • ~·..a)' lu'~ «''""ii"ft fiiiOft hokttna pow'ff than a ptCO.. But ........ " IMo ,.., ...... Jll.iw& 1116& ....u. Ml.., sto.d. l ~ tht s.,..,._ I ......""'".,.. ...... • • 1 . . . . .tltff'MOII ot .., ~. llllU aebl dw b "'"''' ... IMkd • ..,. Drrluh ,...,.. . , .. - .... Uw INo ..,,.., ~ .. bdlk ·-Me. ,...,. n.y ........,... ._. irft ......_ .. .,.,..... lk!WW\ (M\1acl. . . . . ..,. " \'ttnitA., c&on. ,; tiiiUh:ld..y rl..... ,.._. tk o\n.tk. to tht A!Mkt. k • • r. too ,., 65 �W•ll·w•tll~o· tovb Wduok Jl;l(.. ):ndi.opc-blt kinl.b ol c:hod<~ M st~rJ.(Id\), -.Ju mils"m ~e' l&¥k Ut .top)- if )'011 (:ail. TheM: Mel W.Ubt dt\'I(G ~ d109Ptd0t ~hf,d into c:r.dts and ~u:ttd wital downwwd j~rb (1/ !.her sttd or eylo111 <~~ Up.. Wl'ltd )'Uikl !UIIllily liiiM<e 1.0 ~-~ 11wt11 0. Mil no~~.alkt'l\lit~l bat b«n Jet tnro • <hl;k (ff•~ er) • r"w i 11(1lq fl()llll • rw.t1 ~~~~ klt by ~lkr elltr~bt"' A Nft't)..pin11~ w..t.ion tri tl14) (liJit tk aM.bot co tile' <I~ ro(lf Dout (oppoSjtll") !Nke. .-. u ....~ ,.i!lo !':» vln(lry ttl ""tfull)· ra.c:ll~ luonl~ duoah.na v>d dalscilla exl)(rienucl IUld cardul to h~t.ve leh pito1u bdltnd-cl.n.leu bt did it pur~ly. He and our other comp:u~iocl, Doug ROOintOR, h.ad 10rted the dimbing toqUipmt-llt te>tttlhtr. J ruli~ed wbll.l £1rt.nni$ rl)tallt,: 'rhJt tl~ 'llo't 111-ere flQt cclff)ina 04-lr ~ra~e:ln ou.r r11dt· e;a(lt~ We ~re <Ommincd 10 an ad..-~nt-ur~ ~. 111'(:11 Uuo our S«Oftd dl)·, it 'llo'llb D<>u(s turn. to kad. from nt)' ltd~ In tbt middk of Robb!M 'fta\'(':Nioe: I ,.,&UI~ him without dir«t !UfiPQn from rope or :uwboors. Soon he: rta<lltd a Ptrlc:tl slotlllhtre at last h(. pla«d a flut th~t not rvcn th.c -·rlabt of a c.u wuld lt;a\·e bi.NI~. nw. nut Kll~ Oou.J: Ole> conlldetlce 1.0 con· dnuc fr~ dlmblllj. S()ol) be: bad hb hands oo a IN~ a bul'ld~ Ce~ lon~ Attd luU u wi<k u a d~y !-idewall. 'M1c: chtric:uJUts ()(the RobbJns Tt•\~rk lll"tte be-hind us. s:LI\Igak. Ht trkd \'.,.BI)' 10 piau a nul ten Dout(l Jd~•l: tlw! Mo.1nutn C~Mt feel aboo\'C tnc In a nill'rOYI crack w\lb fl~rln.s Dou!J lbcd !Oe"."fflll nub (or aMbon. and s:I<Jcs.. Wu this as tu ai 111-c <Ould tto? Oc>ug's richt leg ~lj:;ut co shake bk.~" -.n old· (:ublooed wwlng nuchbw. lie carne down and mlt'd. ihiJ S«l.ion b uw.lly climbed by poundin& in pit.oos !Lnd uWn& ditett aid auacbi."'J :. nylon !addu w a pil.oo and ttkwinl up•-ard 1.0 place another. Oc>u~ dKiid 6nd no nut tbol lbe fl~ri111 crack III'Ould ,.ccept, • he tried a dill'ercnt ,.,ay. A, Dennis fed out tOpe. be tr.ni'$Cd downw.lrd to a cr:.ek or~ly l\ few inchEf \\ide. Our )pirits lihM M """watched l)out'"frte dimb'"'~"insfoe'ltboldsand finvrboldf~ty. on an btra ropl" be luuled up our 1111'0 . -.k$ holding Jbpin&ttcar, food, an4 four cltllottS ol III'IIIC't in pb!lic boltla. Dtn.nb and I joi~ bim, l~ftin& ou.1 the nu.u Oo111 hAd rtl~ ((W prO(f't'tiOft fin bi$ lf.afi. Happy nbout tb~t morninj(• J)TQ«fCStt we: lun<b(d on sawa.p, cN:¢St, and blVd t.a.nd)e$. 1 thouKbt back I.Otbedl\)'l'd "-lktd Doouc ifhr 111.'()1111(1 ~ lnttrt':Sted In d imbinc Hal( Dome: He: had polittly ret~ l.l«"lols-t his fttl· i".P about pioons aDII ..dirett·aSd dimbin.c.• 11\Stcltd or $.Widin.1 in a nylon laddtr whllt dn\·lnJ • ro"'' ()( piulnt evu bl3bc:r, be or 66 �Thel'(l are .:lwayos .trin,p llllllitbed -dimbin.t roi)H. b1111l litlel. Jlin~;,~. If )'OU Ilk web liftltnn to l-UPJ'IOft )'OUr ••«-ishl.. it's calkod ..ditt<t·aid dunbintc-"' If )VU use thtm. only to <:ateh you in c:~ )'OU tal.__ an acrobat ~ bis IWl- il ' f (alkd "(ru dimbine,• 1'bn't Me t(llr left) ul'ii«~«: dit«t aid Oft a thttr JfM}te £ace. Wh.at '~ llold· i~g tDit up' Not the dimbiftll fOPt:, but ·~ Jtrit.r-o. nylon loqp a:upporud by a nul 1\~ jw.t IUIChored. IMo whkb .ny ritht loot frb 5tinup-f• hion. ffft: dimbin;s up a ttulc s)"tem, IXnnb (mid dle left) .faiN lba ancl ff!C't into the lil$urt i11 a t«faniqu~ called "jlt.lllmi ns." After a d.ay't JUII.Kk-numWng lllbor, we "tic in" to a hl.8h·rbe JC'd~(abo,·e) and enjoy .omt food, rts.t. •nd d~¢ lwury of ttk.ltlg olf ow s.hon. In t.,.J ,~rtkaJ "''Ofld )'01• ha'-e to bt' Pftl)lirtd for "udden ()OH and downs. Tryh~,: a too·risl:y short·w.t t!Cat tbe 1umrnil, 1"p«l," or !All, b1,1t 011lY about ltn fttt CutJir JeJI). The rol)t:.andlortd from abo\·e, pulls ta~n :u'ld nopa aw jlbt abo'-e • 6uk ltd~ AOMU! ,.. Climbing 1/tl// 1)(),~ rlt~ Hard Way 189 67 �Pft{~rred to dimll lih a rnoonuin goat, f)n skin ~Jont. u$int; tbe tQJlC oaty M • blldmp. Doug ft'IO'Wd ro the mountairu ~nu colic~ to makf_ bi:s lhi11.1 by S'Jiditlg and writins.Si.mptid~y k(l)·noto hb. life, He aM a fritnd Ol)tt &tt out Oft skiJ from the JO'\~th end or the Jnbn Muir lhll, ncu ~Jount Whitney, and arri\'Cid in Y~mik Valle)' mo~ tb.:w a month l~lt.f. The)' wmt i.n winter, v.ilhout .ttl\~ lb«IIIOf!W(u, w;~~tdl, or compas&, to nf)trit~ lht I\'IOIUntaiMOII dtelrowo t~ ncK )wt on IIW'I'$ wt.)' of lfiCA!uriiiJ 1bc-m.. J kMw that Douc • •u in superb coOOition and h:ul the d~Ul to dltnb l:ialf l)ol!)t. I tokt him th.at sort~e rt«:rn a.t<-:flu had bttT!mote thl.n SO ptl'(tntfrec dlmbina: by w.fl:ll n\IU, we •-ould not need mllJI)' pil.Ofl5. Artn m~X:b ll!Ott~~. Dou,g ~...1'11 10 If ""'t<llm'bit dean." Meaning fl() piton.t at ~It I sAid. "Let's try it clu.n., but well Off)' jOIQt pitons jwt i.n c-." ~s ~rt'td. voc ~k hand.s, and met a wctJc.lal.t:r in \'OM'mlte. The idea of 1.1$l111t null i~ of pitons lmptics much more ~31111 wi$b roc &implicity. Tbe Jut mAll in a dlmbinog party Uliu:ally !'\"• moo.·~ the pitmu., so tbcy can be wed apia. by tbt b.tot 1960's, thoasanth of e:timbc'n had fl~ a'"d ~YMOV«d "'"or 1ho11J.'IJICb pitofiS in \'*mite Alont., -~rill$ natural uub into ugly -..·hitt' IC:IU'$. Wikl and once!~ rci.'!IOU difb ~ f~ b«orninc -..'Orn pq· boozcb in a.n open-air pmn.uh,un. One e:ou.ld, ot COO\Ir.w, *'-<*I uatk dam• by ka,•rnc tbc plwru In place. Bitt that would rob a climb of much or iU aoch'eflt\11'\". Climb• ins h CJ6entilllly a wildcrncn uthity, and a rvw of pitoru. $na.kl.f'l.5 up a rodt wall dctracu ~.tll)' Crom the ccs.w;ritt~et ot btln,J part or a or I\IIU.I..-1 f<tfle UI\IOtK'Jwd by ftWII, Clin~nlt to~ alld O.ill&'"'~ \\'ilh lu.ncb 6ni$1wd, we turned our u.. tcnlion bMk to cracb and climbinsCrack ~>~~:ens IUt lib ri\-erJ In IJ~e: rod:. J\lktll'la trt.flk ~·cr \'f:rtkal tttraln. mak.iar rli!Tiblnc J*SIWt on ~~·i~ bla~1k. clilb. Abo\·e RobbiM 'rta\'fl'.st •~ folkl•'td a l.up uack !)'Slt.m (« 600 (ert., m~»tl;y in cbl.roDC)'l-C:r¥b •·ide t :.uou,c;b to crawl I~ Wdc altd MCctld by prtMlnJ t.tliMt \Ito $100 with Jllouldtr,. h!ldc, &riN, or q,. By lhe ate:ond f'\'eains we rud!UI a ~riH of ltdstJ. only <&00 f~t bdow l.bt stunmit. In the Jottlinl )U• we (ou.nd Mmp~ Joy In • •alldog bad: lind forth. dra.~111( 011r bare ~ throulb 1bt nnd dci)Odttd on tbt klfty, "" two-roa~ -wide kdtu by (4'1\turit:~ or troOOa MU>Ch or • climb b quid and refkctiW:. So it W7.l now, 1,600 (~t abo\•c the b.uc o4 tbt dill' attd •,.soo fm ~·t: the d1m, haey floor. We spoke liult dllrit~r; • )uppu ol pnli~ uisim., Md wmtn. No we bad done tile ~loU t\'enii!:A 01) a IIArTOW ~ II. t.hollWld rm ~tow,""" bedlkd down for tbf night. rOI)ilftl oursd'I'H to tbt wall tO u to roU oft h~ our slt't'P (paf't i89). "*"tY '* \\1~e01 All e h f: Ft.it(, Try 11 "Sk)'b.ool.:" In tile dnr air o( tk third moornlng we looted do~n inlo the \"alley allnOISI. a mfle: below. w~t(ih.il'lJ aftl.llkc Jl(OSlk, e«1nJ them c.lt&rly, fetlin.J: dost t.o tlw111. •~'~~~ )'tt $0 far, I began the firM lead r.owanllhc Vif.or, 1111 ovcrllang o( the tummh tbllol juu !0 fctt into '~»" (dillJnun, pap 114). The Mtq) rod: to0e1 bce:arnc so di1l'lcu.lttbat I (Ould IW lo~S,~tr (m ditnb. World"' my way UJ'IW#d with t~)iofl ~" au3<-h «J co flu!$, I came to a 1pot I CCM~Jdn' pll.'$. Norte o{ the nutt 'A'OUJd hold in Ibe ...,bll)' O\"C!rbMging crxk. Dennis y-clkd up, "Can you goet a book inr I Jpottcd a nubbin or rotk 1101 miJCh l~r tlllll! my tkumb. IL had a ftat till) 0<n w-hkb I ~~otd to h:..na • "ik>iiOOit"--' •t~l boot to be tbe key to the ~ucccu (If faiJu.rc of tbe e:limb Irucclld ol poumrl illt orw: Crt!Ck at a tam~. be now bad 10 ckal witb dbcood•11101d e:~~ ~lumblnt 8 root Of ,,.,.. 11p one. crac\, and the-n reae:hinJ; 10 a ('Omp&ttdy ditftrenl ont, t••o ot tbrct: f«>t to the 1ick. u,. J:o;li was • Led~ tbat klok«< ~pti,·elydow but wu in '*''1'fmc JO feet Uo\·c b.ha .k>Cm«< to&l&lld Jtlll u Dtoni$ leads .wpanu,«< us from oot wtU1ina: frie11di. I led oat:, Otnnb the nut. lltld .tOOn "A'(_ "A'C«' hauli.nJ tl~ 'bl hll.jf.l)nto du: 1!-.c ) ummit At du$k wt v.•alktd dov.·n alonatbc cables. oo t_l\(> blliC:k of tbt do~ .ahd kl up ump In the: forttt nu.r a tprin~r:o Wt bad IW)t had boc food or drink for 1brec days. and the tf'.a wltll ib lb\~ of tbt ••uminum poe ~mcd tlw- ~)laced ruJut Qquid -..-e cou.ld h•\'t ~t<l Our bed$ • U:)•boot. Tb.cn • ~ spc<iaJ n.ut-dtc J.mlllleat oC all, matk of chr~·mo1~num (I( phw l)ft(l)fi ~~ ~ <:omfott.ablc tbiUl .lt~d and only • silttl'tnth or aa iDC:h thick.. Final!)' aMther tl.ny ....~.his moit SK'ure IIIIC.hor in lO fet:l. A11 th!« of In Yo"'t~ jQ en1r:~ th.tl to us t.ho$r lt'l(lt'IW-nU tst)a(lde:d to contain 1111 reality. Tlu:: (J'Uit or the climb wu io Jkn_n h'' hancb. t"inally ~ >'C-11«1 down. "01f bel~ Ut kad tltd Mt rOJMl to jC)Ikl IU'ICbon 01'1 tbe 1-htU aboV'('.. Now oB!y two moderate •o.r tnal lttS.SU •-e <:ould {~oe. In the morclna: we w~tcbifd the Nnriseunder brcwinx -'orm doutb as .,..., biked tbt nmainins ~ milu to tbt v:alley &oot. At tile end Lhl' trail l'"'t boud«< the public ~unk bill wilb O!JI heavy l)a(:k$, d10t. and odor$. We fdt ~tl~td all(! )'t'l *''"""JtiY de~ btauw-our ad\•o:nlu ~ Wll:l 6n.it.htd TI~&L fcelins will diapptv ew~ly ••bt.n tile or nut ad~un ~pru. 0 )'OU UK Whet! )'OQ'd titt 10 Ust )'OUt lin.str• Mil$ but klH>"' chcy Men' •tr1>e1s n.ou;~b. On a nytol!lladder au.acbed to 1M boo&:, I moved up lo •·bert I coukl pbn• another nut. Dmnh aDd .l)cwl e:acb kd for a $Ctll0fl until we: re:.ac.bcd the btcinninc ol '"'"" k God l~p-. 50 rumed by llw Robbin. Jl~Ut)• becaux it erubltd tbcm to aV<Iid the V~r Sf,•tral dll'l\bti'J b:.~ ..U.cn tbc IWIIIW tO ~~ a .dldf big e:ootU.h for bi\'~M'· The 1i1ty kdl't wu 11. stwrc di!~p)IIOintmcnl to the-m h is only IS in(bt;t 111 iu •idtst. Dou1 ltd nm:w l~ led~ <nwlii\S PMI the utTO""~t p;a.rt. f-'rom ib end, be p&actd a nut for S&fdy u b~k a. be. could bde~« frtt tJimbl~ • \'ef'Y dlJ!k,tll c~ \\'(' wtTe flOW only I .SO ft'tt below the i.Um• mit. FricMs who had Wlllked up the Cll.bJt· .ecurcd p:llh••ay on 1M lHick of lhc donx (page lJ~) ""'8\'C'd (rom tbc wp. Rut oour c;lirab tuC' W.U f'(IC 0\'d 1'11e fUC:b W~ ftlltfOW aftd ~n.ild.Qd('(! 1udwncroics of I'IUt plac:il~ Dt1:u:li. led oil' delintdy, pladn,; ti.ny Yri~ -..'fd;set. tort~Mtdy the- rotk fa« wu rou' ' allow;"' a C:OCrlblr»don of frt'C abd aid tlimbinc. He 1UPP<lf'cd {lartol b.i• wftshl oo tll.c rod:, tbc: me on the meager Wt'CICHSoot'l bt t'*#'IC: to a pbcc tbllt would pro\-e "Ther.. iJ n.o upnoen tompa~ 1.0 lb• mout~l¥,_,.. wt«c Sifrn lo\"1nlt jolla Mu], HiS w«.h llirror out rcd:IIS' as . ... •und-Do\l~o ~11b. Uld •Halt Drotnt'• Mlm.mlt. w.. art: .,.wd ri~t CSO. n lO IN IIWIW o( Ooi.f ac:hln1 bona tNt we- not ooly •hie:\~ thit llfllll!•~ o. 01.11' o<r~~, bru1 thal 'It"' did It Wllboul miorti"' tho ......,. of those wllo follow ,., 68 �Ament, A History of Free Climbing in America, Wizards of Rock, pp. 73-75 The Gallwas interview on the following page is accurately quoted by Pat Ament but my quotes are flawed. It demonstrates the need to rely on and refresh one’s memory from original publications, gear, and photographs. Had I done so before the interview, I would not have given him misinformation. We naively took only 13.5 quarts of water, not 5 gallons, although we should have! We did have a first aid kit but it was only enough to satisfy the NPS requirement. We recognized that rescue was not an option. 69 �with his hands and 'walked' out the vertical face of the cliff, working his way up around the lip of the block to a belay stance some 20 feet higher." In GaiJwas' words: "We chose these light, lug-soled boots because you could stand in slings for a long time, and they were easier on the feet tha.n tennis shoes. We also had to carry our packs up to the wall, so the walking was better in boots. I built a hauling bag from an old Navy duffel bag that we named the Torpedo Bag. We didn't understand what we were getting into. We thought there would be more 6th class than there was. A lot of the climb was done free. This climb was pushing into the unknown for us. It was Royal at his very best. He was spectacular. Being there first on that wall was a lot of fun. We took 5 gallons of water, no first aid kit, no walkietalkie. . .. For food we had Triskets, dates, and nuts, and we were big on tuna packed in vegetable oil. I still like that. Whenever I think about tuna, it makes me want to go climbing. We had a few candy bars. For bivouac gear, it was a warm time. We needed only sweaters and light wind-shell parkas. The great tragedy is that I didn't take a camera, and Mike's camera broke about half way up." (Interview with author) 1951-1958 75 One feature of the HalJ Dome climb was Psyche Flake, requiring that the climbers chimney up behind a massive 70-foot-tall, detached flake they fonnd balancing on a small ledge. The huge flake seemed to cling to the wall miraculously. Exercising faith, they ascended with backs against the main wall and feet pushing outward against the flake. A few years later, the flake would fall off, apparently nnder its own power. According to Gallwas: "Psyche Flake was a dannting, frightening situation. We bivouacked behind the flake the second night. When you slapped the flake it sounded like a ripe watermelon. Someone far above on top dropped a small film canister in the middle of the night, and we could hea.r it falling down behin.d the flake. It was amazing it fonnd its way to the top of the flake, and it was an eerie sonnd and feeling. We didn't find it, though." 70 �Roper, Camp 4, Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber pp. 59-62 steveroper@aol.com Sun 9/05/10 4:51 PM gegallwas@msn.com Early ascents of the northwest face of Half Dome: 1) Robbins, Sherrick, Gallwas. June 28, 1957. 5 days. 2) Pratt, Frost, Fitschen. June 15, 1960. 2.25 days. 3) Robbins, Rearick. June 30- July 1, 1960. 2 days. 4) Layton Kor and Bob Kamps. 1961. 5) Frank Sacherer and Charlie Raymond. June 1963. 6) Robbins and Lito Tejada-Flores. June 17-18, 1963. 7) Mark Powell and Steve Roper. July 18-19, 1963. 1.5 days. 8) Allen Steck, Dick Long, John Evans. July 29-31, 1963. 9) ?? 10) Galen Rowell and Phil Berner. 1963. [three times in 1964, according to Pratt in SCB, Dec. 64] [only once in 1965, according to Pratt in SCB, Jan. 66] ["nearly a dozen times" in 1966, according to RR, Summit, 3/67] ["over 100 ascents" by July 1972, according to RR in Summit, July/Aug 72] 71 �CAMP 1: llec:oUectioos of a YOKmice Rockclimber Robbins, the aclrnowledged leader on the ha.r d climbing, "walked" out this block, with his foot on Lhe main wall and liliJ hands grasping the underside of the block. Higher was what became known as Psych Flako, a fortyfoot-high shard of gran ito the men had to chimney behind. Although this pit.ch was easy, stones ratlled in the black depths of the slot, indicating that the flake was slightly loose (and fragile it was, parting company with the cliff during the winter of 1966-07). On day four, with Robbins feeling somewhat enervated, Gallwaa did moet of the leading up the Zig·Zag Pit.chcs, three ropelengths of highly strenuous a.id climbing. Theu led to · an absolutely flat.-but disturbingly narrow- ledge that shot across to the left, just below a dead-vertical blank section. By squiggling along this ledge for about 61ty feet, the trio was able to bypass the blank part. The Thank God Ledge is now one of the most famous pitches in Yosemite. Easier climbing tho next day led to the top. At sundown on June 28, 1957, their fifth day, the tired and thirsty climbers pulled over the edge and stood on t he broad summit of the dome. On band to greet them was Warren Harding, who had hiked up the trail. Harding, along with Powell and Dolt, had plsnned to try the route soon, but they had arrived in the Valley too late: tho others wore already partway up tho wall . Harding, however, harbored no resentment-a t least no visible resentment. "IJlllide, the ambitious dreamer in me was troubled,• he later admitted. 1\fike Sherrick, describing the climb, wrote that the trio had returned home "fortunate to avoid publicity about an accomplishment which would only have been made into a senSation. • Ironically, the Sierra Club BuUetin in whjch these words appeared was dated November 1958. In that same month, massive publicity, generated in large part by climbers themselves, erupted over the first ascent of the Nose of El Capitan-the prQject to which Warren Harding turned a few days after the Half Dome climb. 62 72 �Huber & Zak, Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing, p. 42 Two years later, Robbins and Gallwas had far from forgotten the wall and its difficulties. They began thorough preparations for a further attempt in June 1957. They forged their own Lost Arrows as well as early Knife Blades. On 24 June, Mike Sherrick joined them for the next attempt. With the knowledge gained on their previous attempt, they reached the 1955 highpoint on the first day. Their progress was swift and by the second day they had already d imbed 300m and now stood fadng a compact and featureless wall. Above them to their right lay a set of chimneys that presented the obvious route to follow. After placing seven bolts, Robbins was in a position to see that below him to the right was a small ledge leading to the chimneys. Sherrick lowered Robbins ten metres from the highest bolt. On this ridiculously exposed wall, Robbins then began to run back and forth making several attempts to get a handhold until he finally reached the ledge. With this, the most extreme pendulum traverse to date in Yosemite, Robbins found the key to the next section of the wall. On the fourth day, Gallwas mastered the next hard section: the celebrated cracks known today as the Zig-Zags, a feature created by the large-scale exfoliation of Half Dome's granite mass. Then, on the fifth day, just as progress again grew more questionable, a solution appeared as if on cue. At the end of the Zig-2ags, a horizontal ledge, the 1hanl:: God ledge appeared on the left, about fifteen metres long getting narTOWef as it went. This weakness allowed progress across the steep summit overhang known as the Vosor, first by precarious walking, then on one's knees. and finally by handtraversing - all on the most exposed part of the wall. After this marvellous climax to a fine climb the three men reached the summit just before dark, to complete the first ascent of the great face of Half Dome (A315.8 now A 115.8), at that time the longest and hardest rock dimb in North America. Warren Harding was waiting for them at the top to offer his warmest congratulations on their great success. Harding, with Mark Powell and Bill "Dolt" Feuerer, had also come to Yosemite with the North-West Face of Half Dome in mind but they arrived too late. Ambitious dreamer that Harding was, he was left deeply wounded by the loss of this first ascent. Despite this, he did not bear a grudge- at least not in public - showing noble character. Back in the Valley, Harding drove straight to El Cap Meadows, and gazed up at the monolith-like granite wall in front of him. There were plenty of challenging goals to undertake, but apart from El Capitan nothing compared with the North-West Face of Half Dome. To appease his soul, he had no option but to take on the last great problem - The Nose of El Capitan, the greatest of Yosemite's big walls. 73 �Sherrick Photo Record Sequence 4 08 1 05 2 06 3 07 5 09 6 10 7 11 Labeling: 1-27 sequence #s 05-30 film #s 8 12 �9 13 11 15 10 14 �12 16 13 17 �14 18 15 19 �16 20 17 21 �18 22 19 23 �20 24 21 25 �23 27 22 26 26 30 24 28 25 29 �Harding / Gallwas Letter .I C'ler./<} /,.·~ _s,,~. . . . . ...c; ;tl.e~J,.,~. ;;,..,..~.... .., /~ ,;/,_,- N'.;/.-v/ ~, / ~,; ~.,. ,._ ,K;U/1' ~, ~- <:::,.....,...,,~/ ...,......, ~,., ,e;..n:J ~~/?-<Y-,#-/-.1 ;';.::;-.,,-. ~"""'~ 4 ..,,..,,_ p;,~~"f/ ..,~#_,.,SI'Jild urr~, ,:::Vff? ,.c,,- K _, ..- R~e ~,...,,. fi'..s-4r/.., ~._,,. ~ ~'( ~# ~ .:;:;,- ~m'...-4f: r.,~HI'/' ~ """"" ~ ..,.,.. ,p,..,.,..., ,;9.,tv,~,,." 0,,_, _,_,,., f<~~.~·,.,~-.,.!? ,. O;r _ , _ ..,.,,...,.,..:,:.....-~ ~&,,NIP; ~~--,-----~ ~.,.,...,/ ~.,,, -..,;'~~ /.-p JI!Av',lf-'..-.'0 ..,,.,..,.,~ ~ .,., "' ~ ,., -"' -'*'- ~"""~"-- - .,..,.. /~ ~, .--. ~.,....,._, ~""'?" ~r ,..~_, 11/oH' • .,.,ft.,.,, / ~, / ""'7~_,,..,­ ..;S:e+...-~ ..<4o......-.-""" .......... ; , . ·-'V't:tl4' ~//-'~.::1/A#,;:.,..,.(Av-Y~ /~/....V 4~ ~r ..l.r.u~ • • 04-'~~ / ~..-~ //N_,.,, p,,c .... ;,._ .. ...., .t:V';,<,r ~,.,. . "+f/~.t~o,d ,,., ,_, - /?F. . . ~ ~&>API ~.,#N:,,I ....__, ~., ..,~....,., .a,.~ .S:.;.H'r ,.,.,NI"' .~ ft;,,..f,Y".:T.L_,_.,~, ~fi--~ 6_., NAI'sr .;9,..._., ,.._,. ..Qv . ,_. ,. ,. ,. ...rNJ ~ ~, ... 4a-..... ~ ....:>"'.,_.,,_.,,~ .,,_,.. ..:c...,......,......-..::::.,_,..,.,.. ~,.,) ..;,;A3...- / / - / ~ r. ~; ~ ;li".,J, Gttlf-~::r H,.,..;., / r ..., _,,_,?"' ........-~,«.,..,. .4/h -$ ~_,)?r.-' .,..,4"',_, M;,J~..e ~, ~ A"" $ e::;.,_.-. ....,.......,...,.,..,. _, , .J4,~ ~;. _,$..,..,._,~ ..&..v 4¥1"'/~ ""'-""~ "'.,,,,/_.,,,./~ ~'.-J/ hi(:,...,.,.,.,. ,, /.Ai"'l,..;'tt)""A"_, ..,v',_- ..~ G"' ~-.-4" . _,, . ,_ ~ ~ ..c.,,,. ..... ,.,~ ~ 82 �Memorable Notes: • Each evening during the Firefall, a tradition of pushing burning embers off of Glacier Point, we would signal our well being to Wayne Merry at Mirror Lake. We used this time as visitors to the Valley would be focused on the Firefall and thus our signal would not be misinterpreted as a sign of distress. • At dinner on the evening of the 50th anniversary program, our waiter in the Mountain Broiler Restaurant asked why all the women in our party were wearing Half Dome earrings? We explained that we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the Northwest Face. He commented that he had stopped climbing but that his unknown ascent of the face a few years before had taken five hours; a note worthy effort even compared to the record times of today’s free solo climbers. Very impressive to the three of us who had spent five days on the first ascent. • The ongoing mystery is how Royal learned of Warren’s return from Alaska and his plan with Mark Powell and Bill (Dolt) Feuerer to make an attempt on Half Dome. Royal does not remember and Mark recalls that Warren only contacted him after he returned to California in the late spring of that year. It could have been that somehow during the planning discussions between Mark and Chuck Wilts for their climb of the North Face of Sentinel Rock the weekend that we arrived in the Valley, the secret was passed to Chuck and onto Royal. At this point, we can only speculate but that leak put the three of us on top whereas we might otherwise have only read about the first ascent In the newspaper. September 6, 2010 Yosemite Firefall Viewed from Camp Curry Curry Company photo 83 � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data PDF Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Half Dome First Ascent of the North West Face Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jerry Gallwas Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 6, 2010 Description An account of the resource An account of the first ascent of the North West Face of Half Dome Subject The topic of the resource mountaineering first ascents Half Dome (Calif.) Yosemite National Park (Calif.) Rock climbing Language A language of the resource English Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Extent The size or duration of the resource. 83 pages 8.9 MB Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Jerry_Gallwas_Half_Dome_Pictures_9_6_10.pdf https://library.americanalpineclub.org/files/original/6539f5b3995eefb63989215748c09cc4.pdf 96202940ce06850036faaf3ddffd88de PDF Text Text Desert Spires Spider Rock, Cleopatra’s Needle, Totem Pole Climbing Pictures with Original Articles and Selected Reading Jerry Gallwas Mark Powell Don Wilson with Bill Feuerer on the Totem Pole 1 �Table of Contents Subject Page Introduction 3 Acknowledgements 4 Background 6 Players 7 Equipment 8 Spider Rock 13 Cleopatra’s Needle 29 Chimney Rock 36 Totem Pole 37 Appendix 52 2 �The Desert Spires Spider Rock, Cleopatra’s Needle, & the Totem Pole Introduction and Personal Recollections with Original Articles, Pictures, and Selected Reading Materials Jerry Gallwas The desert spires of the southwestern US were little known to the climbing community prior to the ascents of Ship Rock in 1939 and Agathlan in 1949. It wasn’t until the mid-­1950s with the first ascents of Spider Rock, Cleopatra’s Needle, and the Totem Pole that more widespread interest developed. This period has been well documented by Eric Bjørnstad in his classic climber’s guide to the southwest canyon country, Desert Rock, published in 1988 by Chockstone Press. In recent years, I have been asked for my recollections of the early desert spire climbs made over 50 years ago. I find that my memories have faded and the Kodachrome transparences have degraded. In January 2007, I had a call from Steve (Crusher) Bartlett about photos taken on the first ascents. I took most if not all of the Spider Rock and Cleopatra’s Needle pictures and Bill (Dolt) Feuerer took all of the Totem Pole photos. Steve spent two days capturing high resolution digital scans of my collection, some number of which are included in this document. The Totem Pole Dolt photos, besides the ones given to me by Dolt after the climb, are in the possession of Don Lauria. Don graciously spent a day with me at his home in Bishop, California going through the entire collection and a number of those photos are included herein. The purpose of this document is to bring together the original publications, many of which are obscure, with the photos of these first ascents for use by family and friends. I have added my comments to elaborate and in some cases have tried to correct misimpressions. There is no commercial intent. Beyond that, copies will be sent to the American Alpine Club library along with the digitized images to provide the most complete record possible in one document. 3 �Acknowledgements Publications The original publications recording the first ascents are generally obscure and limited in their availability. To give the reader easy access, I have copied the articles into this document as well as selected summary documents to give perspective to those not familiar with the subject of these desert spires or the Southwest. 1. Mugelnoos (MN), a monthly news bulletin published by and for the Ski Mountaineers and Rock Climbing Sections of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club. 2. Sierra Club Bulletin (SCB), a publication of the Sierra Club, San Francisco, California. 3. Ascent, the Sierra Club Mountaineering Journal, Sierra Club, San Francisco, California. 4. Summit Magazine, Co-­Publishers & Editors: Jene M. Crenshaw and H. V. J. Kilness, Big Bear Lake, California. (Summit Magazine rights now owned by Jim Ellis of Eagle, Idaho.) 5. Arizona Highways, published by the Arizona Department of Transportation, Phoenix, Arizona. 6. The Utoco Torch, published by the Utah Oil Refining Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. 7. Desert Rock, A Climber’s Guide to the Canyon Country of the American Southwest Desert, Eric Bjørnstad, Chockstone Press, Denver, Colorado. 8. The National Geographic Magazine, National Geographic Society, Washington D. C. 9. The Saturday Evening Post, Independence Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 4 �Acknowledgements People Many people are to be thanked for assistance in the assembly of this document and include: Mark Powell and Don Wilson for their friendship, participation in these ascents, and publications recording our desert spire adventures. To Mark, also, for his review of this document. Bill (Dolt) Feuerer for his wonderful pictures of the Totem Pole. Don Lauria for his assistance and access to the Dolt photo archives. John Ripley for his assistance and access to the Mugelnoos archives. Steve (Crusher) Bartlett for the inspiration to put this document together, the superb digital images of my Kodachrome transparencies from the desert spires, and his meticulous proofreading. Eric Bjørnstad for our brief telephone conversation that led me to read Desert Rock and learn more about the desert southwest than I had previously known as well as his publication of the Eiger Sanction Totem Pole article in Summit Magazine. Then of course, there is the retrieval and return of the Totem Pole summit register which now resides in the collection of the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum in Golden, Colorado. Sandy Krishnamurthy, my wife, for putting up with all this nonsense and proofreading with good humor. 5 �Background Royal Robbins, Don Wilson, and I began our climbing adventures in the early 1950’s. The benefit of nylon rope was well established but climbing gear in general was still rather primitive. Pitons were of soft steel and bent easily, climbing shoes were simply tennis shoes, and the techniques of free and aid climbing were still under development. Royal and Don started at Stoney Point in Chatsworth north of Los Angeles and I in Mission Gorge north of San Diego. The three of us met and climbed actively together at Tahquitz Rock near Idyllwild, California beginning in 1952. We went on to Yosemite Valley in 1953 where Royal and I did the second ascent of Yosemite Point Buttress and the three of us the second ascent of the North Face of Sentinel Rock. Those experiences led to discussions of what we might consider as the next step in our climbing aspirations and two ideas surfaced. The Northwest Face of Half Dome was obvious while the sandstone spires of the Four Corners area were intriguing. Don and I went onto explore both Half Dome in the summer of 1954 and the desert spires during Easter week of 1955. We were both students at the time while Royal was employed at Union Bank in Los Angeles. The three of us teamed with Warren Harding in the summer of 1955 to attempt what is now referred to as the Regular Route on Half Dome. However, for some reason Royal’s interest was not drawn to the desert spires. Don and I had come to know Mark Powell. I met him during Easter week of 1954 when the two of us climbed the Lower Cathedral Spire in Yosemite. He visited Tahquitz where the three of us discussed the desert spires and over the Easter week of 1956 climbed Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly. That began the sequence of climbs recorded herein. 6 �The Players Mark, Jerry, Don, & Dolt Totem Pole summit Gallwas collection Mark Powell in Yosemite Dolt photo Jerry Gallwas in the Sierra Gallwas collection Don Wilson at Tahquitz Rock Gallwas photo 7 �The Equipment Publications, that include an article about the first ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome or the desert spires, often comment about the pitons used. As an example, in the Bjørnstad publication Desert Rock, there is a comment about the “special aluminum channel pitons that worked in the often flaring wide cracks, made for Jerry Gallwas at the suggestion of John Salathé.” Layton Kor in Beyond the Vertical, credits the angle pitons used on the Totem Pole to Bill Feuerer. “The first ascent of the Totem Pole was by the Californians Mark Powell, Don Wilson, Bill Feuerer, and Jerry Gallwas. The climbing was almost exclusively artificial and wide aluminum channel pitons (the forerunner of the Bong-­Bong), made by Feuerer, were used extensively.” More recently, Huber and Zak comment in Yosemite, Half a Century of Dynamic Rock Climbing “They forged their own Lost Arrows as well as early Knife Blades”. To clarify the hardware issue, when I began climbing in 1951, the only sources of pitons were those from Europe and Holubar Mountaineering Equipment in Colorado. The pitons were nicely designed, relatively expensive, and made of soft steel hence were short lived as they bent easily. The benefits of hardened steel were clear from the Anton Nelson article, Five Days and Nights on the Lost Arrow that appeared in the March1948 issue of the SCB. A picture of the Salathé designed pitons was included in the article, see page 10. A fortuitous event in the Spring of 1952 provided a solution to the soft steel piton problem. While on a backpacking trip to Carizzo Gorge (east of San Diego) with Omar Conger (a climbing friend) we found a blacksmith’s anvil in a deserted mine. We discussed the possibility of forging our own alloy pitons in the style of Salathé and decided to carry the anvil five miles back to the car. The anvil was heavy but there were two of us. A friend of Omar’s, Bud Bernhard, had a machine shop in Coronado (across the bay from San Diego) so we found ourselves on non-­ climbing weekends learning to make horizontal and wafer pitons. We developed a Salathé-­like design copied from the pictures in Nelson’s SCB article. They were made using aircraft steel, 4130 chromium molybdenum, which I bought from a local metal supplier. Another climbing friend, Henry Mandolf, arranged to have the finished pitons heat treated to the hardness of Salathe’s. 8 �The angle pitons, in contrast, were made from soft steel, as were Salathé’s. They were in two configurations. One was a standard triangular cross section angle piton with a rather sharp taper for flaring cracks of the variety found at Joshua Tree National Monument. The second was from channel stock with a slightly rounded but nearly flat back and a more slight, nearly parallel taper for cracks found at Tahquitz Rock and Yosemite. They ran up to 2.5 inches in width and could be placed back to back to span wider cracks. To deal with very thin cracks in granite rock, we used knifeblade pitons fashioned after the design of Chuck Wilts, made at the direction of Henry Mandolf by one of his machinists. These were of 4130 chromium molybdenum steel and hardened as well. When expansion bolts were required, we used the standard “Dryvin” with a lead expansion shield and nail available at most hardware stores, 3/8” x 1.5” for granite and 3/8” x 2.0” for sandstone. Bolt hangers with holes for the bolt and carabiner were made from standard 1/8” aircraft aluminum sheet stock. For climbing on the volcanic plugs along the Colorado River north of Yuma, Omar Conger created some four-­ and five-­inch bolts. One style was made from a 3/8” piece of standard screw stock with the end ground to a taper which was driven into a lead expansion shield. The second was from 3/8” steel rod with a welded eye and four teeth on the end created by cutting parallel to the axis of the rod with a hacksaw, then grinding the teeth to sharp points. For the desert spires, angle pitons were the most useful as few cracks were narrow enough to take even a wide horizontal with the longer and wider angles serving more effectively. Aluminum bongs only appeared later and were independently developed by Tom Frost and Dick Long for use in much wider cracks such as those found on El Capitan. 9 �Salathé certainly influenced my design but unfortunately, I never met him or had direct contact. Lost Arrow pitons appeared in the 1960s and the name is a trademark of Chouinard and later, Black Diamond. However, characterizing the pitons I made in the 1950’s as “Lost Arrows” communicates the design much more effectively today than the much more obscure Salathé reference. Salathé horizontal and angle pitons, SCB, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp.102-­103, March 1948, Anton Nelson Gallwas horizontal and angle pitons used on Half Dome & the desert spires 10 �Hardware Comparisons Salathé horizontals “Dryvin” expansion bolts 3/8 X1.5 in for granite 3/8 X 2 in for sandstone Gallwas horizontals Mandolf copy of Wilts’ knifeblade Gallwas angles Wilts & Sherrick knifeblades Salathé angles Notice the flat backs Bolts designed for volcanic plug use by Omar Conger 11 �Picacho del Colorado Climbing on volcanic rock required 4” or 5” expansion bolts created by Omar Conger Gallwas photos 12 �Exploring the Desert Spires When Don and I toured the Four Corners area over the Easter Holiday in 1955, our first stop was Canyon de Chelly. We arrived just at dusk and stopped by a low rock wall at Spider Rock Overlook to view the canyon. We stepped up on the wall and just three feet away, the canyon dropped off over a thousand feet to reveal the stark beauty of Spider Rock. We would return! Spider Rock, March 30, 1956: MN, No. 280, p. 2, April 12, 1956, Don Wilson and SCB Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 45 to 49, June 1957, Don Wilson. Easter week, 1956, Mark, Don, and I drove Mark’s chartreuse Ford convertible through the night to arrive in Chinle the following afternoon. After checking in with Superintendent, John Aubuchon, we went to the canyon rim to give Mark his first glimpse of the spire. Don and I held back letting Mark view Spider Rock as we had done the year before in the drama of the late afternoon shadow. Yes, he too was impressed! I had written the Superintendent requesting permission to climb and he in turn presented our request to the Navajo Tribal Council. Accompanying the request was a copy of the Saturday Evening Post article (February 25, 1956, by Hal Burton, They Risk Their Lives for Fun) about the Robbins, Harding, Wilson, Gallwas Half Dome attempt the year before as one of our qualifications to climb. Much to our relief and appreciation, the Council approved our request. It was a cold week in the canyon with freezing temperatures and high winds. We camped by the river, our only source of water, which was heavy with red silt and required boiling to both sterilize the water and precipitate the silt. There were many memorable moments but after a long cold week and an exhilarating view from the summit, we returned to the car late in the evening to find all that was left was a can of peaches and half a jar of pickles. Chinle was without a hotel or restaurant in those years so we downed the peaches and pickles and crawled into our sleeping bags. The drive home was filled with talk of what we might climb next. Mark had seen a picture of Cleopatra’s Needle in a travel advertisement. That became our next target. 13 �Canyon de Chelly Spider Rock from Spider Rock Overlook taken in 1955 during the reconnaissance trip. Superintendent John Aubuchon was our gracious host during the week in the Canyon and facilitated our negotiation with the Tribal Council. We were very grateful for the opportunity to climb on this sacred ground. Most appreciated was his driving us down the canyon and back to the car after our decent from the summit. Gallwas photos 14 �Spider Rock As seen when driving up the Canyon The climbing route begins with a chimney separating the two summits Gallwas photos 15 �First pitch The perfect chimney between two summits Don led up the chimney Gallwas photo Mark followed Don then started up the main spire Gallwas Photo 16 �SCB, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 45-­49, June, 1957, Don Wilson (right) MN, No. 280, p. 2, April 12, 1956, Don Wilson (above) 17 �SII'.RRA CLUB BUU.ETIN TUB Flli$T ASCBJIT OJ' SPJDBR ROCIC In this country. Climber.> had been aware of the large number of fantastic towers In the desert canyons of W Four Come-rs area; howe\-er, except for the volcanic plup, Shipro<k and Agathlan, which are more mountain· ous than spireUke, the deoert was an und....Joped cUmbing cfutrict. Now with n..rly all granite summits cUmbed we wore accepting the c:ballenge. In addi:lon we bad ad~ a desire 10 li~ up to the faith of those Indians wbo bole~ we eould dimb Spider Rock, or to show those wbo beliewd we eoui!ID'L In the momin3 we made a reconnalssanc:e Into the valley by way of the Bat TraiL A little later in the season we could ha\-e ridden up the c:&D)'OD in a jeep, but only a week before a \-ehicle had been loot in the quicbands of the rh..,. It was dear from the ba!< that the most feasible route started oo the north side, in chimneys which led toward the notch bet,.... the two tower.> of the ro<k. A ''elY blank wall, bowe.-er, sq>arated the nol<h from craclts on the main spire. These cram approached the chimne)'t lower down, and above ended in a dark ucess whicb we named the Block Hole. The roof of the Black Hole o~rhung horizontally and the overhanging bollomlcsa chimney that followed looked as if it might be the au• of the climb. Beyond this, the cfutance pr~nted a gnod judg· mcnt olthe probsbllllles, although it was encouraging to see that a large ledge about 200 feel from the top provided posoibiUty of a comfortable bivouac. We returned to park headquarter5 aod informed M r. Aubuchon that we would try the climb. Monday we packed our gear into t he <Anyon and made a <Amp a t the loot of the dirt slope around the rock. The muddy river served as water supply; thb early In the year the I ndians had not yet moved thelr animals Into the CAnyon. Our packs were heavy with climbing equipment. Thb included nearly a thou !!and feet of nylon line, pitons, carabiner.>, bolts and hange.., and bivouac clothing. When It was later assembled at the bivouac ledge we were omaud how mucb we had carried up. Much of the hard· ware was nevtr wed. Tbe bolts were star drive-ins, two inches long and three.efahtha In diameter-a large size appropriate in ,..dston.. It took only a few minutes to place one. All of them wore left with hangers except a couplt that I ell out. ln t.h! afternoon we started the climb. Two pitons got the leader off the ground and into the Initial narrow chimney. This chimney, although t<Ch· nically easy, turned out to be one of the miseries of the trip. It wore out our shoes and abraded our knees ao that they wore still sore and tender a week later. Above the cbockstone ending the first pitch, the chimney narrowed to about eight lacbea and ovubung a tr!Oe. As Jerry on the ground encour· aged me to try It, Mark and I lised up a ledge around the cornor and 011 the face. This looked til<e a more comfortable way out and Mark reached loc a handbold from whicb he mi&ht swine 10 the led~¢. The bold fell off, ltaving smoothotu. Now a bolt wu ......ary. Above the ledge was no real cnc.k, but t®&b st«l pitons made one. High« a ...,00 bolt ....., needed and Mark chipped an.y a oqoare surfoce about an luch deep ill ordor to get less wealhored rock. The bole driDed last, and wbea the nan wu dri- ill Mark was able 10 pull it out with his 6Dg<n. A secood oue bold bettu,and we came down ltavin& a fil<ed tine. The climb bad begun, but ~ far our ropes 'l)llnncd only an insignif.cant fraction of th~ .spire.. The following morning Jerry and I prepared to continue the attad:. Ma.rk was to bike to the car for food. Our milk was frozen in the river but we neglected to acc<pl thlJ warning and started up in our usual tee shirts and light parkas. We were surprised to tind that we were still cold wbtn we roached the top of the pru!>i.k lines. Alter gaining about 30 feet we wereoo cold that we could hardly bit the drill holder. A belay stance 'OrA.' ~~tAhli'hM with hnh~, Anti .,,. m[WI Mwn and rAn nut intn lhP. ~un . Our morale wu now very low a,nd our vaeatlon half gone. We were un.. able to fort~ettbe climb and appre<:late the day of!. While we - • feeling lonely we hesrd the falntoound ol an engine i.n the distance, and a little later Aubuchon arrived witb our first jeep load of visitors. Tbe canyon was now open to jeep travel, and although It wru; about 10 miles and took an hour ond a hal£, spectators came !rom Chinle to watch the climb. Today we dl!!appolnted them, but our ropes showed that we had been wherr it didn't look posoible to go. One Indian asked if we would leave our ropes fi•ed when we finished the climb; he would like to climb Spider Rock on them. \Ve said we were .sorry, but that it would cost a hundred and fifty dol1a11 to do to. We entertained the Indians with a demonstra· tion ol the we of pitons-the kind which hold a person's weight but pull out wbtn jerked. Later in the day news reached us that it would get warmer, which rabed our spirits. We enjoyed and photographed the beauty of tbc canyon In the late aftornoon. Wednesday was a big day. We reached the Black Hole and worked to the top of tho overbanglna chimney above. A Cued tine ,.... needed hore even for the linal dexent, for without such a guide line a rappel would have ended on the blaDk face 30 feet to the le!L We were now high enough that hours wore loot In pn1$ilting up in the morning and rappelling dOWD in tho afteroooo. Tomorrow we would reach the big ledge and spend the aighI there. 18 �Mark below the Black Hole Gallwas photo ( ) 19 �Jerry & Mark above the Black Hole climbing to the bivouac ledge Gallwas collection 20 �View of the canyon from the bivouac ledge Gallwas photo Postcard sent to Jerry’s parents Mark with Don in the background after a cold bivouac on the morning of the last day Gallwas photo 21 �Mark above the bivouac ledge Gallwas photos 22 �SIH.RRA CLU!l !lULUITIN Since thtrt was s.now in protected corners on the ground and the ri\'et froze .-~ry night, we knew we would need lots of clothing. 1n the .--...ing we prtl)ared bh'Ouac itemJ, placing tbetn in • duflle ba& with a heavy • ipper and braced with nylon line. This Is better for hauling than •• angt~lo.r pack which gels stuek in every corner. Witb sweaters, nylon overalls, food, a hendlamp, and one gallon of water the sack weighed about forty pounds. The plan wu lor Jerry ond Mark to signal me to bring up llle sad when they were sure they could roach the ledge the next day. Tla.e following doy, thepitdl above tMow.rUn,s: tumed01.1t lobe aloog Don and Mark on the summit aacl, too wide Cor pitons il.Dd too narrow to get into. At the top, a rotten gJIIy entered a tunnel under a block on which we hoped to bivouac. I n acbed the top ollhelowen rope and pulled up the pack band over hand. 1 renllzed that I could not do this for several hundred feet. In addition, at each anebor a rope must be coiled and added to the load, as well as hardware which bad been left behind. SomtOnt left me a <Oat for good ~U&S~Jre. With thU w<i&ht 1 ....., worried about dropping O\-erythlng. A!so, if it sot stuck l would not bave the help necessary to free the load. The only ufe t.bln.g was to attach it aU to my waist and let it hang down a Sew f<el. Then, with hall my own weight added to me, 1 pruslked 300 feet to the Block Hole where Mark took the lo>d with a rope from above. We aU got to the ledge, and .. the day ended Mark made a tilth-clasa !tad •• the ...n abo\'e. Alter 10m< eanntd saUJ>g<s ond gnmdrops, "~put aU our clothing on, ud tried to sJ..p as mueb as possible, not so much for rest as for shorunil1g the period of consciousness of the cold. But u large as our ledge wa.<, it wos not smooth and a comfortable position was not pOssible. We were litd in, of course, to prevent rolling on, :tnd it Wil!l this ft'Ct that la:ttr became dramatized In the neW>P"P"" to "they spent the night Wbed to tle cliff." We watched the sunrise and then walttd for the SUD 10 hit us btfort brealdo.sting. II was only 200 more f..l 1>0'11'. The rtmaining face wu wry smooth except for a fracture zone to our ri&bt. The crack divided nicely into lour pitches, with spacious belays In caves !omed by falling out of rotten rocks. The price wns p:1ld for th.,. b<lay• in the overhanging roof• which hod to be p:lSS<d to start the nec<eding pitches. It looked aslf II would be dill\cultto get bock Into these hoiH on the rope.<~.,...-,: and we were happy to see a small led&< hal!,...y 10 the summit on the Olh<.....U. blank lou above the bi,'Ouac spoL Jerry lat<r placed two bolts on it and we bad tbt thrill of slipping from a seal«! position off the ledge and Into the mppel. The last pitch was lifth·clllss, Gallwas photo 23 �Don and Mark on the summit with Spider Rock shadow Gallwas photo 24 �Views from the Summit Mark & Don with the cairn Don Gallwas photos 25 �Spider Rock Summits from Spider Rock Overlook. Note Don in the white T-­shirt, see p. 23, and Mark on the right side of the summit next to the cairn. Aubuchon photo Gallwas photo 26 �Mark rappelling from the summit Gallwas photos 27 �The NPS press release found its way into many newspapers Dolt Photos Mark, Don, & Jerry from Ascent, 1970 page 31 28 �Cleopatra’s Needle MN No. 286, p. 3, October 11, 1956, Don Wilson On Labor Day weekend, the three of us and Don’s wife, Nancy, bundled into Don’s VW Beetle with our climbing gear and drove to the Valley of Thundering Water. See page 13 for background. This travel advertisement attracted Mark’s attention Source unknown 29 �Cleopatra’s Needle was Elusive! Mark had first seen the picture in a travel advertisement but finding Cleopatra’s Needle took some searching. Notice Don’s comment on the postcard below. Google Earth was not yet available! 30 �Cleopatra’s Needle The spire as we arrived in Don’s VW Beetle seen at the base Gallwas photo Viewed from the opposite side Gallwas photo 31 �Cleopatra’s Needle Don scrambling at the base just after we arrived Gallwas photos Viewed form the opposite side 32 �Jerry replacing the piton ladder that Don had placed the afternoon before Gallwas collection 33 �Mark placing a bolt at the overhang Gallwas photos Mark and Don on the summit 34 �SCB Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 63-­4 June, 1957, Don Wilson Mark and Don on the summit Jerry rappelled from the top to take this picture Gallwas photo 35 �Chimney Rock, Bill Williams Mountain On the return trip from the Labor Day weekend 1956 ascent of Cleopatra’s Needle, we stopped at Bill Williams Mountain and climbed Chimney Rock. Right, Mark and Don on the summit, Jerry is at the base of the pitch. No sign of an earlier ascent was found. It was a short 6th class climb. The first free ascent was by Mark Powell and Bob Kamps (5.9 or 5.10) July 28, 1967. Gallwas collection 36 �Totem Pole Summit Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 4, April 1958. pp. 8-­11, Mark Powell and SCB Vol. 43, No. 9, p. 72, November 1958, Don Wilson. The first ascent of the Totem Pole was the culmination of the Easter Holiday scouting trip that Don and I made in 1955. In June,1957, Don, Mark, and I returned to the desert with Bill Feuerer to climb in even higher winds but fortunately higher temperatures than we had experienced on Spider Rock. I was a student at San Diego State College and had final exams the first week of June. Don and Mark’s schedules allowed their arrival in Monument Valley early that week. I finished my last exam at noon and left for Monument Valley in my recently rebuilt 1942 Ford Jeep. I had made a test drive to Idyllwild three weeks earlier and had driven it back and forth to school so I felt confident in its reliability. It had no top so it was quite wet during the thunderstorm driving north of Prescott but I arrived in Flagstaff that evening only to have the Jeep starter solenoid fail. I spent the night in a hotel and had the solenoid replaced the following morning, then drove the final miles to the Goulding’s Trading Post. During the family style meal that evening in the trading post dining room, Don, Nancy, Mark, and Bill brought me up to date on the progress that had been made. Don and Mark had graciously saved the summit pitch lead for me the next day. Meeting Bill was a surprise. I had only expected Don, Nancy, and Mark for the climb. Bill turned out to be a very likeable guy and a great photographer. That was fortunate because he captured a wonderful photo record of the climb. The following morning, we piled into the Jeep and drove to the base of the Totem Pole followed by a caravan of sightseers and the Goulding’s green, four wheel drive tour bus. The wind was fierce. The story of the ascent is well told in articles by Mark in Summit Magazine and Don in the SCB. So ended a great climbing partnership between Don, Mark, and me. A few weeks later I climbed the Northwest Face of Half Dome in Yosemite with Royal Robbins and Mike Sherrick, Mark teamed with Warren Harding and Bill Feuerer to begin the ascent of the Nose of El Capitan, and Don went onto become an assistant professor of biology at Stanford University. 37 �Mark, Don, and Nancy waiting out the rain in Monument Valley Dolt photo Jerry prusiking on the way to the summit pitch, Summit Magazine, April, 1958 Jerry with his 1942 Ford Jeep Gallwas collection Dolt photo 38 �Summit Magazine Vol. IV, No. 4, pp. 8-­11, April 1958, Mark Powell Four Californians Scale the Spectacular 14 ..Totem Pole" -- _. ..,.... .. _.,.._. _.... -............... .__.. ••dor .......... ._ .. ......_Aft Tte. . . . . .. .......... .. ...,.._.,. \'oP..,, • ,...,....,.~ oJ. _ .. •ftftoot.A.e ... ... - · ......... ,., ,_,. ·-- ........... ,..w. "'-"'"'•'··~-· .. c..oM ..._., n.,~oo,. 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"'Cff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..,....... . ~ •K•• &II u c:ttk. c .... ct...._, ..-1.11 4lt:c_, • - Lot'-" ,_, '"l"'"'''· Ft"9 tpeuoc• 40 �SCB Vol. 43, No. 9, p. 72, November 1958, Don Wilson. (Right) Totem Pole viewed from the north Swift photo 41 �Don leading up to the base of the spire on the afternoon of the first day Dolt photo Mark climbing above the bolt ladder Dolt photo 42 �Mark leading with Don belaying Dolt photo 43 �( Mark leading up to the base of the summit block Dolt photo 44 �Mark leading to the base of the summit block Mark approaching the base of the seamless summit Dolt photo. Dolt collection 45 �Summit block Jerry and Mark profiled against the sky Dolt photo 46 �Jerry at the summit Don prusiking Don and Bill prusiking to the summit Dolt photo Dolt collection 47 �Totem Pole Summit Photo Mark, Jerry, Don, & Bill That’s urine in the foreground No place to pee and lots of tourists watching Gallwas collection 48 �The film box register Recovered during filming of the Eiger Sanction. Now in the collection of the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum, Boulder, Colorado. Directly behind the cairn is a green speck which is the Goulding’s tour bus. Mark, Don, & Bill (below) Film box register & cairn Mark, Don, and Jerry (above) Dolt photo Dolt collection Goulding’s four wheel drive tour bus (above) Dolt photo Summit register Bartlett collection 49 �Totem Pole Navajo viewing the cairn Jerry arriving at the summit Gallwas collection 50 �Last Photo from the Totem Pole Adventure Mark, Jerry, Don, Bill Dolt collection 51 �Appendix Article Page The Utoco Torch, No. 189, pp. 5-­8, July 1957, Monument Valley, Tom Broadbent 53 Ascent, Sierra Club Mountaineering Journal, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 30, May 1970, Four Corners, Steve Roper 57 Mugelnoos, No. 313, p. 1, January 8, 1959, Totem Pole – Second Ascent, Dave Rearick 58 Desert Rock, Desert Climbing History, pp. 16-­19, Navajolands, pp. 373-­377, Cleopatra’s Needle, pp. 377-­380, Spider Rock, pp. 383-­386, & the Totem Pole, pp. 414-­417, Eric Bjørnstad 59 The National Geographic Magazine, Vol. CXIV, No. 6, p. 830/831, December 1958, Better Days for the Navajos, Jack Breed 71 Summit Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 24-­29, June, 1976, The Totem Pole and the Eiger Sanction, Eric Bjørnstad 72 Arizona Highways, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 29-­35, February 1985, Clinging to a Crack on the Competitive Edge, John Annerino 75 Bartlett E-­mail, Totem Pole Climbing History 79 The Saturday Evening Post, Vol. 228, No. 35, pp. 34, 35, 99, 101, 102, February 25, 1956, They Risk Their Lives for Fun, Hal Burton 84 Superintendent Aubuchon Correspondence, Spider Rock 91 Postscript: Cleo Perspective and a Fun E-­mail from Steve Roper 92 52 �First Publication Recounting the 1st Ascent of the Totem Pole 53 �MONUMENT . / , A VALLEY ~,_ _ -· _ .......... .. ~ _...._ - ..... _ , _ . . dlwn. __,..._. ~-C""<'<Iw.....,_._..,. .............. ~__,._. •......_ A..~ .... ......... ..... ,....._,_.tw_.. .. ..,_.,_ _...., ..... ....,.,..,...._.. *~· b}!~ ..................... I'!,..A(_r~ha~........ hrmr,~ lnf!OI ~ - · l'fw , ...... ,.,., .,. • ,.._,. ~ wsnhar¥.., o.tr•nr. ht ~hn.J C...... ft...._ ~ t"<l ....'"1 U '..... -.tw ,..... _"'....,....l"'.t.--. J~ 'U"' 'f),r, ~- oA rile ..... rhn:Jinl 1 ••d ~-" ,...., C\.'v&J ..,orr t~J,,.. ..,,.. \;~o lrr I• • n.• wheN, 1o . . llt I,....,, . ."·-flllll' ~'r I<U, th.....,._ ...... w.lf,.... ·~ Jllj ... ca., .......u .... ,.,. ,.,.. ...-n ~ '""' ..._ ~""' .,........_.h -·..,.-.,,.._n_ """ '"•'· !he h.." ,...,... ~ " Ji.JKra;""CT T-•..,... liM" 0.~ f•nt ~w rhot \U. ~~. Aam.:w \\\,.fw-."f1h kT .n • t." ....,, Un .,. 19;1 ~ r---'fl BuiJ,D;nc, h<;<e: buc- ~· ....... ......... ,., ,. II_, .... \Wt • •• --. ..... ...,. ...."-* ,....., ~ lw "'"' ....a ..w.J .........~ "" tor"'! H..., fridtd l'lu ',.,..,... o!\1.., htw ...... th...-h hf' M~a.J ilmJ dhl _,,,._..., ~" "'' CWI~"'*'f" """rwlf 1t." lho-Y '"' N"al ,,., m•J.. ,./ ""'.. rhtrt lo "'""'rc f,., tilt tar ko1 rolri'WII' •hill h tWo...t..,J 1n h.. ftorlorr twn Mlll~·r.•lf ffl"- t~Cof"l"'' lw rht .,.,....._ TIM·n io t.11k .,. ""'"I r~rt rlw Jrv. '""'Pt.........., ........... """"- ,..~ 1ht«, "'Tlw ""'"'' tlul'ftl'fui..Joooh '""' C'l'\'f'k d lfwo L'nlllftJ ''' •n"'""' •• •IW ,..,.. otw-, ,..,.., "'' ,._ \nd!;lll'lllo" H. - bioi •• ,.,~, IIW!h the"''Ill .... 1111..... ·~""·~'~~ ,.., "'"'_,.r, c-:..rAt• .ft' ............. c:,,.,..,. • _," ,..., ~ ""' I ·• ~~ tho-r. tlwy ,,_..,,,.,. lll'lf'IIMh y ....., .... ,._"*' ....._,- ............ ac'CWC'..., '""""" "' ...... ,._.. ,....,,~ N 1lw \'•llory UII'ID .o,mn ,_, .... Mill )''lf fll-\1'4 t.1 ••"""' ..,. .......... Tiw'\.....,... ..... ... s,.,,.. ·- ,,r '"' 'i"'"' _,..,.,ftN~~. l'l'lik-hltlh ...." lifo " ~ltlr 11'111 II f!llll n 1lw •rHt rrJ .. ,._C<t1Wif tnd nrkf<oh-.'• h1.:l "'"'til"""'- ,.,. IYI''"" '"'"'"'IIJIIIII" ''n'"' thc'l _,,. lonall'r f'lt-v.l. .. 11'1! QIJ, "'*" ~l'fltml(!!l V11lky'l 'fbc. N.fljjlol ••• • r"' "'~' 1111..t ,, •11\'11 ~~ ' '"' •".,,,_,, • th..>n N"~·'-" t<> t<'t~ PJ""CC'tln~otm rnM! t~>lk, by n..v" lf'lln hb r'hm tiiN W 1\1 hiiV<I t YO'I(Il !Riht 1!1111? .,.,,..,.,.,, ,~ ('fc-fntll'!tl '" mak tl~or•r •• thdt •11•1' ' I hu•• '' l..t .,.n •:n, 11'1 rhtJr ll'lly, T'-.111 •vn,..'" ~ "thtll tlll'fll t•'Wkll hll• ....,...., ""' 11nJ \llllltivm .,..,,~•v ncor tiM: 'IQf\1 .lu•k, aho~t~•) mtnv ntiiR IIUY 'lllfl'ft h•lttf"r "'tr '/'I'U, •n•rtndv '' IIC'U ......,. ,,, lht "'"'' k~llht~· ...."' ''"'' ''" a'lolld h.Pr ' " c<t.... 1f l•OU '"" 111 •"- '-'rll•to.~ !rtMf"." """ .,l;~rtd t<l ~1\.'111 llllhl d~~t tolf'l\tw', fie ~•rot.vnc. ,,f M,,,~~.~- Vtl· an f"'''C'II(IWCI uol\f'IV ,,( 1h11 icy 4t fiVC ~ h il Nil"-" llw.rt 1)11•. v.tl"r ''"' ~·r..Y!.kd- ..<t.l..d ,.-tr. (,,.. itoJ ~·,..,.j.M, m •..._.,. fmm 1........ flo" It t111 \oc.ro <lilld ,,f 11\w \ •I *T th•t thtr. '"1 mt ,,.nr;t, •t!IJ •no.l •1"*--t """" ,_,,.. llw m•llo.•~ ,,( ..,.,. ...-d .,.w 'lilt~ wnl'l 1i'w .,.,.,If (•llltf''ft' jf """' " ' "'""" , .... tt<hn: ~~1 ,,l..l't(t- to~ 11o~ork • I'I'I'(M,,.,.., d•••.,. 1o11 1M n1.t"trr rhtr(. l'eol'ltl' ti-lt t• tlv oo!eft'l ,.( thr ~'" ,.ur~:t •....! JII'I'IIIY of llw """\'l.lf'lllllffy •IX )hll'l• ~ ~.\ ..,. wlwo In,. •n rht: \'•lin fhrTY G:"'""""' To~ 1\• tl'lli t,.o..:t.," t'-. ,...!,. rr..,. ......._, '•''"""--"' ""~ .. ..,,,. II•'""''/"'"\loll! --"'r..v Ham~" If'! ' " ' 1 ' •• , ..,.,...... .. .. _--.-............. ..-_ ....... .... ,_ .. _....... _.......--.-r...,....o.....,..-, .....,,~,.. _, ....._ "'- .-._., .,.. -... • U101l0 10RCif 54 �Mooumtrn Vlll<'f 1£\,. chlrJty by hcrdfnQ Jh«p AI:Killl.-.IJ and bJ Wtl'l• i~~~t fw fUllll, •nd blankw frOm tht In tMr l!»ft tift'W,, the Motn nut.:. huw:l~e fn,odry. ThotM •h• tflt't l1*<lt 11 tht: p.,:.c for w~t~r. C>31· '"'· floor, and ~<>.11\l«d shim. Hury G.luldins k thdt bef.t cau1•1• ln r~tm $iPf rh.J --~~ to «lwT p!Kta l.:w a lt . ~ at ~ldifli• ~. which un aoron:tl'l'ltdue ~hay, are t:lQtemt• ~ and ..,.,.the» h••lxm o:ll•nk t.:r~fot ''' •l•an. h •II DX~ ro !he N~va;io Tribllt CuuDCll It Wtnduw R.ock, where it " ~ eo ix:ncf'u the crctt ,;1 Ntvaj.,,. - w!» ln'C '" Ma""' "'" Arho)fll 11ld New McX'IO'), Tlx IP' proxim.t1dv tOO N~'\'lj() f•mil~ott m l\.._. 1.1:1'1. ,_., •·•tch dlot JUn oxanr: u;p ~·~• them. and whn'• ~. he: W\'Ut.l J.• It &aail'll The roomt have modem lh3wet, barb aM ~ f.Wuws T heu .rot no tdtpho;voo, lt D w_..,~ •bk to write aMad for informotk.'WI uwt r«MriON tO" Oouldtne'fl.otft,e, ~x.~ ~nee .dt.tm~~~ro. Ka~a. 1\f'i)l'ci"'You will be ht.locry .mr~ tM d•~:~· l'ltf bell '"*'· and you d.,.~·· "" i( e:MII&h, Jl Will be 11""' own f•ult. DiM« 0 fll"'iJ)' M.,fC IWUfld I Jon£ lv M<Xktn ud ~nl,•ublt. Si:rtl'lj:l '" nat&. p«nded 0'>'« by IIC'UIIi H1ny any room l\'lU u.n draw ba.::k tbe dnre- and l.......dc OUt 1~ 11 &I• Willi 11 :a htutllul1rw -1<-,111'10 l'l •1.'CI hii'!Votlf. The cort\lMIDY tro.">d IHDnT fWd w 1h11 ~t•• Mrd W\."'lk '"" be un- friendly., ~k_.mrot v.nq>. ~ monl&~ ~- cbe ~1 10 the iJ a \'lrittr of ckticiout rood, a.nd •II tan. Tbi& writtr C\'M up a.~ t1l0 ~Oono,_j- ...... ! I) -.-c -·-·..._..,.,-..... -·-""".-.._,-"'"., ......-·-... -·· ··-tJ--.. A . ._.~,..,...,.._ --· "•""" .,«.,. -·'-•..to61•9 ~··· - (- "'"• - ·- ·••let. r.. ll• -_ I U I ._, I f~ J' .......- . Ill . . .., _ _ ......- ioool.... "''__.......... - .. - .......... c.w..,.,~o..- left .. ,... o;..,.. _ _ _ ..n.o .. t;U - · · - · · ~~~ no... ..,.._. <MI......... oA .................. ..... ""l " " ' - - _.,. . _ ..,.,_. ,..._., • II• . . _ , .. II.. \110 ( 0 fOt(ll 55 �Climbing the Totem Pole has become problematic! The Bartlett E-­mail, pages 79-­83, records the history of early ascents. Gallwas photo 56 �Ascent, Sierra Club Mountaineering Journal, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 30, May 1970, Four Corners, Steve Roper ._._,9oc)-~•~-v--.. ,., • ,., montb\ bolt! .. . . ... . &110 did 1 I'(II,IW • ll.ldl &all)' r.t•d ... ,...... _..., ._ IOd.ct.llllllt• n•..... ,. tiOft rocl. ~ _., •• :50 fctt hi... (ioofM (n"t NNdit it.OM ol dl.. diaD ...~..• .oa ooly otwn .,_,........................ u. T oou btl!(' .. ClllfotiiiNM. lloo , ...... . Jmy~W-­ Ihf ....,. 0..., • 195$ . . . . . . . 111 ~ d• ('he0Y N•I•OIItl )konv· - l tlwr h.cl lcum dw ~1!)'011 ................ ,...,.......,... loY.,,., .uamc:. udr • ~ foe. dw: U... /JI • ....,_ , tot'OIIW I)OII. ..... ._ ................... an~~p tMi 4il1W" "'t ...,.,.. AIW 1 tii<Ht '"'' ~ton, "''ihon. hf (1(1 M tM IMiflllt p~ch • 1-IC).f.oot cudt • . _ .... fGr 60h.t be'-~ . ....,. ........... ,. •• '*' "'· lillfd tU..t""Sfi*' ..... 800 fttt.Md ~ ... u..r..~~flffoe«'l,.. ,.. dw , . . f't(o~<ooc4 ~dl )obot f'o-.d. to eelltrll. u dlr\llii'Oilo .,_. M.lt. II~ unan.tfflld (t.- . , tup pt wrltd,. "1 . . . . . . . . . . . .- . . . . . . h ... .................. ....__ ................... .,1r ,., tl!. ...-r nc-"'Qw.kty · 11 .tw11_. •hlfl•ll. 11w V.'lbc. W!IOU btft , 'OW. \MWilb ll()ll ro.nb Wd Mil ....' hot onw I _ , ..._.. .,.. ea tOft r«k ~u· tMW"" _.o-f pi'* NMt di~t .Jdlud ""a ..-oiJird In lhK ~··r El«pt 6t ""*- ' ..... ~ .. ~. ta.ow ...,.., I ~ *"'"~~ ._ ilw Wp '* ~ . . .otte wt!"* '- ••nt 'I'I:IQPed~ldllil' lhM tpll'fbk, 11\t _ ... WM . . ~ ke- MO M - ~ ·••"""'*' • .... ,.,... .......; ... , fdl ..... 'lo'CIIIIid llfll (Jill)' " p;.r:.u ""' liP' f0116t l)ul abo wt~fllll I IICW . . . • . . . Ia • .....,...t...a. ..... .. . Sw......- ... ~ Slli&r't flnt pltdl tht)' le.m\101 -~~~~~~~ ao.t ...... dMrl ~ .,. ., .... ....,,... .. ,._, I:M•III I tt.at t~now'• ltacltr h., ,........ blk." W1lr8 ~WM - _... M .............. ... rirt..JI) 'f"'!l)'p ttflll bNtoW ~ llf .,.., ti.Oppt4 •t I lo061of n,.kt, 110 Powel . - l lifo ,._.. I kh ... ~ the pt~ ....,.lb' .,,~ tu. b~~t:lmull• liy tiW IIUI )'fll, I'JS1, IN 1~\'lt ('_. ._ .... ~ .. * - .ta... O.C ..,., ~ .__ .- ar the chrot n""" dant lht Tolftn l'111e' Ill M.-m tnt f t . - "" ..a, ..... ... lhtll ,.. ...... v..,. n. '* •• --~..,._ f • 1loh hllla ..-.hi be dr.W. tM ~.....1)' dot 11111! cwf4 be wiiWno•• -.i6 . . a..n.~- dw dtltll ~ ...,. ..... ... .......,. ooW . . . . . du'4. Httont ilfll• .." IIUIII!fbl , ..,. lllllt'tl•l !ltll «tl~ l fldbM will~ • · .....,",_of.. _ o/ti'O)nl.""" \:IM ...... ... ~.. - . . . . - to~n ~w. ltltt tht ll!.oiiJhl of <lm"* ' _. ~mit ~" llw..... th• body 1114 illdted .,..,_.._. ~w~• ......._....... ---~.,.. luJh • SptOei.Kta ptobii!IJ"tll(ll't dlf. !kllh. M4«rt.lllly-••'~· o- tpc:DQ f'll..-m l4o'-.. ... ........."___.. ... ....,. ... .__ .... pl.lll OWl tiiWn ~~ C)n tll.t tb.rtl dq thtJ' 1!1.11 dim.._ M - . . . . . kw "'-"' ""'"bohM. o. fll(! &:o11i• 4tr••n,, 1111111\4 thdt fl\fd !ina, IIW)' fUchM J ~.alb (ft( ~ 11M""· Al'lc! . . . . .....-r. ........ -' .. . . . . llld •...,.,.., ....... .. ,,, Ulf1~11pdw,-.&. tllldlml :llllfl _....,I!IMt f't~""IY•tlli""..U,tfe'MI ,.._( r__..er..,~U.-*" F~r • .-rr~...Howr Jllid(M"'I..,..., Tirlll)' ..b)' ..... 1pPftN 4 ....,. .-.. .c.- ._.......Clio f-10' 11"" .., ~-.-.teM""' d ....... alllt"f'tt~ ...... ..,...,.. hintPJII aid tc~:IIOMo led to tflot wmmlt ~~ jiiUio, ail W t.., 0!1 d1t fiMI da)' ,.CII . , . . $-.lflf4 die ..11\lkc1 lllc\ <linG ...... .. . . _ . , ... fboitlll . ......ay _..,, 11111Thtt!w. .Mby ~ ~.. ckall ..-,. __,11 M .0. ....................... ............... * ...... _ ,.llll.'f• .., .............._........ ,... ~ ..... ...!tAl..... ........ fOOIIt hklr-t' tdf, Cahfot~r i~l...... eaiM ..... ..... ... w ..... . .. tot. .... h -~··-­ nw ''~ ""'' or lhe ~tty )96(). - ~'"' K.of. .0111 JQ Dolt photos 57 �Totem Pole -­ Second Ascent MN, No. 313, p. 1, Jan. 8, 1959 Dave Rearick 58 �llml.OOUC110N - 11 Desert Rock Wuau:h Moun1a1n Club clunbtB l>tul!p S. Mu"'tr and hlf C'Omi'*'IIOflo '"Elmo." ThU iqwobabk Ia c:ht ~ II\ the world. M*ilnc 106 lrn (llm) •boft the Otvtlt Oatdm fC1ion c1 fOC.k dW: r-r\. Jnd """'"" • cliton« «''ly nine: fttc (1.1m) • • a dv ~h ~a footbalJ fwld. Fred A,Tt:lo ahn ~ d~ I«!!ttd ~ Wllh hat llllf'f lrtM lUI retb bttr, doaibcd 1ht r~;pc:!1C'nCC' ol tean01nt: -. me M~m~Nl lt.lt brin&. ...,. lhr •me of • hq •IIJlbnt tabrc <1if • • Af'f'P arck meo the: tCMtwm .a.,.·11w for mtt10n • now cbtd 10 dabmc. 19Sl- dv ~ dWod. ond ................. sa., Rod<, ........ dv liner....~. ....... Tht rode aw ~ 1nfr.c owor lhe nr.., kw yan.. tM ..t..m a..ct Prm ,..1 ~ Roper -ohc86oh.....,,.I96J ...... _....l7--ondU....,...., m....,_...J ~ br, ~ cNt IWC:t to d~ CIOIIJM'IIOn ~ ~ o( I lru Sl.p Rod< Aplob • b . roc::L Tlw f1nc ~ ..,. en 19t9 bJ Hab Conn. ft.,. C.na. and 1UC'P t.. r...lnd, ...... ,..... bJoft Sl>irp Ito<~-,. b< ..,.....1. Wdh ohc""""' o( Aphb. ch< IWO -tor YObnic ~Oft. dw clatf1 had bed cLI!Ihd. They " - f t - " " t ~and not • .u .mw.. nw ~:no-n ~ IOW'm up ., chit tllllat w lft.n CCJnNd,m,d ! , wet, "*' Eric Bjørnstad a-.. 16- WTROOUCTION ..a•••cwty DESERT CLIMBING HISTORY Tht inc~pcion fi rnooncau~wrc '" chle tOUth•-at desttt •"» OCK wuil the: m.id-1930s. •-hm North American dlmblnc ..... ><ul '" us mhn<y. Althouch noal>k .....,. had ....., mad< throucf'.out d~ cotm~.c. thq- •-ctt ~~Sohtd bfl'tly without t«hnic:al know-how. lc was a dtnc when ak rope ~nc. piton ptOC«tion, and multiple: day as«nts O\'Cf c«hnictl rcnatn Wfft far bchuld tht evoluuon of thtar Europnn coumcrp.uu. 8v the ftm (ev.. cJeadeJ ol the twtnt1cth untury only a cbut Or so mounrainccrs m Amtnc:a wert: concerned with tec.hnicaJ tdvancemcnlf.. T'hc pte"vailing C()lnKiou$nes.s ci d~ <-limbi.ng fr.uernity was 1till the Smytlw phi.loeol)hy of puncy; clJmbmg wholly without the ckcadmcc of ft'ICXIun techno~ Then. as now, rcputat~ -~re often the fulcrum &om which the evolution ol t-Hmhina cithtr a«tlerar«i or Magnated. For the avant~gardc, lnaccosibl~ summits, the ..unc:limb:lblt.s.• were the (romtcrs from whkh reput:Jdons gttmlNt«f. In the mid tO late 301. Color.ldo climbe-r Robert Orm6 and comrades we~ r~at~ly rurrd lhtonol.-.., •"'> - • ... ..-.~-·-· bock bv oh< "uncllmbabte• boo>lt rib hlsh on Ship Reck. Thb volcanic plug, located ..., the point where the four desert $-lites t han: a common boondary, "'as ~~ first auempt to make a ttc:hokal nlO\Intollleerlns ascent ol a ckM:rl monolith. The Co&orado dimbtrS' effOrtS and a dramatic fall taken by Or1ntts w~rc surrunarl:ed ln an artkk... A.. Piec~ of Bent Lron,"' which appearuJ in rht 1939 Sourrda) E\!Crlil\f Pent. In 1939, Ship Rock. ritlna 1.800 feet (549m) abo>·< • flat"'" of d.,.<t, had amu<d an e$dmated twelve (JJII~ru and w:.s wtll est3bll.shed as '"Americ;~ 's toughe$t climbing problem." lured by this impoilng rtput~adon, Cali(orni" Sterr~ Club climbtrs Raffi Btdayn, David Brower, John Dye<, and llHoor Robin""' jouo""yed 1,200 n>ll., Ovt< mush roads into the •nknown o( the 50Uthwat .ck:$eu. They were among the (orerunne-rs tn rope management and aid climbing on che glaclcr.-chitcled waiiJ o( YOkmltc. To the c~Htrt, and to North American climbing, they ~ht the innovation ol tht txpansion bolt. Four d~~·s, (our bolts, and a 1assotd horn of rock brou&ht the ream ro d~ eludvc 1urnmit o( Shtp Rock, and the threshold c( ~n moumainecnng. Robiruon spoke &n dd'c:rue o( thtir modttn techno~· (t~ bolr), •'tiring: "'We agreed wirh mouncain«:rinc moratim lhat dimbina by dlt': UK ol apans:jon bolts "-as taboo. We did bdirve, ho-'t'\'tf, thJt ~a,(ery knew no «".Knc:tlvt rules." It tS olmt«tte t0 note rMt at the <bwn of American dcst'n climbing, tht- autumn ol 1939 r.nally t«ottd by the s,..,. twn, anotheT -!foam ascent was MOde. Ahhouch mv~:al by companton, one month to tht <by prior ro thf: ascent of Ship Rock, thf: first ...,..,, o( Undtcopo Arch, '" .,_., cloy A<cha N•tional M. "" mad< by Salo Lake wt..n Ship Reck - a.., In 19SS. So...d~~rrn Cah/ori\Y t.hmbrn. Don W•hon •ncl Jerry Oallwu made a rte:OnNi-.nce of Spi&r Rode In C•nyon de ~lly, In the nonht:10l eot1'1C'r of AnJOna. 'The (ol&o-,•inc year dlcy teturi'IC!d with Mil\ 1\)wtll and b«MM tht Om tO dlmb t major sand.Jlone rowet in the deM-It.. St*t Rock, rbinc 800 fftt (l~m) fiotn iu canyon b.. ilfMC'Illf llttq)ttd as the hlihett fr~ j(lnd1"* pinnxlc- on dw North Amette.n tont1nent. TIM: flllt NOtm involv«t fi"Yt dtrt ol c.hmblna _.,,.. • mlnlfMim t:l both bc+•l'll pbcN. The f*l'l' ~mud the tenor cl ph.onl that «M.~Id l"e rtrnowd hom llwt .c:l'l fOd: wllh chr finJUS and bolt hokt m.t coold bt dnlled in halt dte 11me thqo toolc tO drill on dw11 bomt Wlllt <:J Yosemitt. Thb wu a pim b-rbodlftJ ol dw drarl\lf tNt wm 10 bt ~ on nearly CYt'fT AndMone wcmr: ift tbr r..... The .arne lUI Spider R.odc Wll ell~. thr Cald'ornu ctam tt~I"Chcd OUl ~ rhln.. 2i5-«:.ot C84ca) c:::~tq.tn·, NC"td.k, ...tuch by .Mt OW1 tht Nt'W Mftxo bordtt. It ha.i iniriaUy bttn 59 �18 - lNTROOucnoN INTRODUCTION - 19 ""''h Spidn RDc.k, 1n ll ma~ne pho•o. On the liKCnt nf Oro tht- rarer pbctd a loddn o( aid pitons to 'lr.'tthm 40 f«t (Jlm) clthe to~. As thty hGCltd tkw-'1'1 b the C\'tn!OJ!'S bi''O!Dt k'\'Cfll of dlr ~nchort &hrft<'d undtt d~u "'~h(. The foUowinl! motn.tl\# l'ldtly all ol tht' pn<IM r~uittd rtdtu··~ 1MO the fClt ~f'ldstone, .md on the final detcent m:.\ny of t~ pttON 'll.'tt\" t~·N Wlthoot: tht Sid of\\ ~mmtr. d~<UC!d, ~htr }ary Goltu.,, Don was..., <mil I ""'during U.. <wly 1950. oncf. "'g>"anir<-coodiriontd CaJifomia rock clfu>b.,, U.. F.., Comm Rq;on ""' no<only mno« b.c <he so(< "d """"""" apf>tm't<l , _ i".mdi>k. H"""""' }my .,_, lv>d iru,.....,.,, Don was «<mal/y ron.Oncing. <mil l ~ dtrtT'Jllinarion. Th~. in &au Mateh 1956, they led me at dusk too Can:JQn &Chelb ~ ~~ W. """""""'""" momm<arily ..,.....,r as Sp;da Rode. rising nearly 900 f«• loom<d f~ ou< <>f U.. ,.,..;..~ar~c..., below I< uw w <Me u• """'-" ovr fin• kuoru: brolking hmwJ ond foo< hold., i>uimi<lating nd#l swrfa=, l·J" ..,;J, ....lied aa00. jlaring CMmley$, ond rock $0 SO/<oM<, me<rWn ""'"""· boll lool<s for ¥• b) l" noil·tyj>e Srar Oriw·IM could be driiW in ""'minutt, U.. boll ..W. foarc<r .m..... <mil ...... ,.....,...,r ..w. ....,., fingers. In Seprembtr of 19.56 ovr energie.t were~ tO Ckcpurra's NecJk. We u~ initiGUy arrrc.ued to d\Js ~ hlad.Ai!« spi<e lry a pi<.<Orial od...,dsem<>o, of a <fte,~ INJ "' its bose. The n<Mlt ~ a n>4jo. chollao:< h«<ms< <>I"" """'""' /<Mac. Thc<r U, <he only fwfik """"' in U.. fiMJ 100 /«< ""'a ""lied 1<> ~ f<'« splil b) o ,;ngk """"- M.,...... ohe crock appcmcd ro exw-.d entirely ~ Ute $pirt, ~ dlsconct of probcbly no grt'<Un than r.rn fuL With tach h.l.tlter pitOn plooof. ... """"'..,., -Jd loosm. sNf<, .,.j...., faJI ... - '""'"" •• '"IX"' ... fiWu<ning i'O'lib<li<y W. lA< *'<· """ &.;ding i" half. I< uw .,.,, U.. p/«ccmen< <>fa <=ial ond ""'nrl -"""' boll ro avoid a small upanding fiok near Ute swmmit rktt. ai'I.N.taW h dan:tr and auured tAe a$«JJL J stiD .o.tdly '""""""' Jary rajlfl<Ul"C 1<> U.. C"""nrl. racing in<o <he open, .,..j l4i<ing o ~ of Don and me de~!) .scandmgon the rwo-{()0( wkf.e summit. in a IOMrH gusry hr«te, """arms owucrer.c.Mf 10maint'dirt~. Tht spocr.ooaa, 10tem Ptk wa:s, OJ ~. tht tulmination of OUT &ewe ach.'t'7ltwres. Swccw on Tht summic of cht T01nn Pole. 1951 In 19S7, Don \VJlson. ]tttr G;~IIW\11$. -.nd M:ul Pu""dl n:tur~ with 8111 "D:lh" mfkr to lllt(ml"f the most 11we irupmng cower on ~he ddert, the 4\."o.fnot (1 Zlm) Tot~ fulc, m ~4onumnu ~lk,.:. ~· thu tlmt. ft lud aln:arJy turMJ bxl t1•1o ll1trmru.. The CulilornuM ~~ lour dly.s fuul'lg ropd up d\t' soft ;~id end:,., not;f:OtUn~ tht final lead ''I.J i boh !adder. On thdr ~nt, h15:h wtnds bliii!W ttw ehm.bns h:aliwnr J.rc>.•nJ d1~ 2S-&,oc dud: tQW'C'f, currun11: d~ tummat 0\·cfhanc"'C nrpe.l into a n~. l'hdc' eatly pU'If'\«rs ftlt Wt o( tht-n ~~X~nts. $p1d« Rock had b«n the ~t f'OUIC, C~tn's :-\wJle haJ been the most ~t'OI.d. and the: Tocnn 1\,le the mcm dlft'ttu.h. Sj>idn a»d Cleo l..l not only p..n "' c.q>eriena bu< Olso oprimism ond U.. r>«<ssity <>f beinc prtpaT<d. }<TrJ. ""' of U.. early ;• ..,...., irt piton """"'f-.ing. W -..rn.c<cd w><k J!<u-bock ant.!< "'"""· The fW hock oooJd be M <<" fluV. 1<> - side of U.. crock. whJk <he <wo <J,u c'" ll'W"" inro U.. opj)O$i"\g •Ide. <hereby rcduc;ng U.. likdihoocd <>f diru< doom""'" sNf• ond IGurol IOTqWng. We - • joind lry Jj;!l "Dolr" """'" ond reaclrtd U.. summi< of«r 19 harm of c~mbing in '""'· l 9S7. M....,;e, come jloorling hock - U.. ~ /cod "/> U.. fmol croci<. of bl.ddcr probloru on U.. s......Ur u.trh oiQ <m U.. ..,.j ""'""' ond being hlow.. lv>lf woy .,.,.,.j U.. *'< u~ik lanqwi.s"""' rappell'ing mo high wind. climbs"""'""""""'"' '" rtrrooj)<tr, sequ<r<tiol scl«dor. of if U.. Toum Pole W h«o ftnr chosen u.e ~~ u~U how bttn turned GWa}. and 1Mot no doubl co tlu's w:ry &a, r.Mt owr ~onu am he amihv«d ro U.. ..,;q.. "'"""""lion of j><n<JMll...,, acocwlu, <mil abi~ri" <>f )my. Ooro. U.. "Doll. •• and nw'. By tbt" c:nd ci the- d«a.:k the K<ond lbC'tl\t of tht P->k W<JIS made by Oa""t' Reoa.n<k, TM llctbnt. a,nd Tom Condon. and :\pthb had ~n dunl-cJ lilt tlmt'S, ..,th a kCOnd rout~ NN~n,~J bern n.tobluhtd br 1'(1"'~11 and Fn.«er. IA!nnJ the .Jith lb(:tnt C)(Shlf' Rock m Mll)', 1959, Pete: Rot;owd.t <lind Tom. McCalla madt dw f'~Nt Ute tiCeftt t.J tht monobth. but t.~httt tn the dtstn dwrr "''<JI;S lmk hu«e\t 1n t~non. ThlJ clu;nl(td wh<-n H.JnT)' T. Carter 1ntm.luc<d L..rron Kar 10 desnt d!ml:Cnc m rh.e srnna c/1960. In a hlit.:k~ ¢1 enthw~m. Outct, Kor, 2nd JMn Auld (ust \ls.tt«< Color3d..l Na!lon31 MOMtt!'IC'Mt and on COOk'Cuti\'C: daVJ m.a.k W h"' ascc::n" of Rtmn;~.n" TQOAI;'t, Sentmd $pl.~. Sell lOwer, {\nd Pharooh A:Mnt. The team then travelled to Monument Valley and pioncc:tcd 3 route up Sh:.tngri· l~ before making t~ ~d 3$Cent o ( the East Oykco: on Agathb. The $:.11'0e v~ John. Allki returned to Colorado National Monwn«~t with Gary Ziegkr, ~ry Bout htr, and Bob DooM tO cli.mb Egypt Rotk, and Kor rerumed to Monumtnt \'.!Ucy with Steve Komilo and d imbed the: Thwnb o( the lt(t Mitt~n and Thumb Butt~. Shortly aft~r. the seeoctd ~t <I Spider Rock was mad.: by Chuck Pmtt ond Bob Kam,.. 60 �372-NAVAJ~ NAVAJOLANDS I, 1«11 man. ~ fo< imiNdiioey of "'""'" 10 l>riclucn m1 ......, 4l(llin. 10 ~ me ntam r!tt .....Ill - . - .; in m, J«<ttir1l 1m< /oqoc~<n llow 10 donc<. y..., O.O..inanl ~'" .,... Tit< ....I ...,... of dUe....., "'"""' ""' in J«kint ...., lon<b. bwr in ....., wirlo Marcel Proust INTRODucnON The vas<neN, tht alienus, and Incredible starit boauty o( MOIII!ment \Ioiiey and the Navajolands ptrhapo hold tht ar..ttlt myltique of anywhere in tbt Golorodo Plateau. Its pinnacles. labyrinthlne canyons, russ.et c.Llfft, and barren flatlands are a blending of oonn·es(: the larat •nd small, ftr and near. lbere ban overwhelming feeling of quie-t and peacefulness and intimacy as the timtleu land changes moods with the interplay of light and ohadow. Thundtutorm.s brlna a new beaury o( oolor 10 rhe red rook •nd smell of the damp sand. ~lr violence can be extremely lntlm1datina. The be" way to get to know lht: land i.s to visit It and reaHy fttl it, In meny seUON. Learn • little about iU geoiQIY, its people, and prehistOry to more fully experience the uniquely beautiful land o( the Navajos. The western 'a'l'ittr Zane Orty refen to Monument Valley as, ~a )·tllow and purple oonopted world o( dlsrance." In Tit< R<llnhow Trdl1. Grey further lptab of rhe area, • ••• Wre was no scene in all the worLd to equal chat. The [fa.nquillcy of le:Mtr spaces wu not hert: manlfest~ sound. movement, life, a«med to have no fttnes.s here. Ruin was there and deaolation and detay. The meanlna of !he.,., wao Ouna ot him, and a man betame nothing. • l.ocared In the four cornell reaJon of Arioona, New Mexioo, and UtJOh, !he Navajo Indian 1\aervadon spw an area of .-r ZS,OOO oquar<: miles (16 milliOn ocn:s), a chunk of the 61 �374 - NAVAJOI.ANDS NAVAJOLANDS - 315 southwest larger than the state of West Virginia or the combined areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachuesetts. The Navajo, or Dineh - "The People," as they call themselves, number better than 160,000, with about half being under 18 years old. They are an Athabascan· speaking people who began migrating into the southwest in the 1500s. Today more than 90% still speak their native tongue. Prior to their coming to the southwest the area was inhabited by the Anasazi (Navajo for Ancient Ones), who lived in the region about 1,000 years. The Navajo learned agriculture from the Pueblos and acquired livestock (horses, sheep, and carrie) from the Spaniards, who visited the area in the 1500s. John Young, in a New York Times article, tells of a story of a midwester'n couple whose car was stranded in the sand far back in the valley. "The husband wanted to walk out but the wife, who had read many western stories, prevailed. She built a small fire of sagebrush beside the road, added a bit of green brush for smoke and then waited. Within minutes six Navajos on horseback appeared, and, without saying a word, roped the car and towed it to safety. Had the couple known the Navajos spoke English and had asked them where they came from, they would have learned that a sheep roundup was going on just over the next hill. But they d id not ask and went back home convinced of the speed and efficiency of smoke signal communication and of the magic of Monument Valley." The Navajo Indian Reservation is land held by the U.S. Government in trust for the benefit of the Navajo Nation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency within the Department of the Interior, is responsible for the administration of the land. The reservation is not subject to state laws but has its own laws drawn up by the Navajo Tribal Council and administered by agencies o(the Navajo Tribe. Several rules unique to the reservation impact the visitor. Photography on the reservation is allowed for personal use, but permission is required to photograph the Navajo people and their property, and a gratuity is expected. Commercial photography requires a permit, available from the Department of Broadcast Services, P.O. Box 308, Window Rock, AZ 86515; telephone: (60Z) 871-6656 or 6655. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on all tribal lands. Camping is permitted only in designated areas of the reservation, such as the campground at Monument Valley Tribal Park, Canyon de Chelly, and several non-commercial campgrounds such as Coal Mine Canyon Overlook and Ship Rock. One must inquire locally as the camping situation changes. All backcountry travel requires a permit (available from the Navajo Tribal Council headquarters, located in Window Rock, Arizona) , and fishing and hunting by outsiders must be accompanied by a permit, obtained through the Fish and Game Department, P.O. Box 308, Window Rock, AZ 86515. Certainly the best road map to the Indian lands of the American southwest is published by the Automobile Club of Southern California. Most of the minor roads are listed, and the mileages given are quite accurate. Unfortunately, this excellent map is not widely available, being reserved for the exclusive use of members of that club. CLIMBING IN NAVAJOLANDS For nearly 30 years, the Tribal Council has discouraged climbing on reservation lands. While officially only rwo towers are considered sacred to the Navajo , Spider Rock and Shiprock, many of the other rock formations have seen conflict between climbers and the Indians. Reservation Navajos share ownership of the lands but mainrain land use righ ts to separate plots. T he Navajos are a private people who do not seek to be intruded upon .by rock climbers. Since it is their prerogative to ban climbing on the reservation as they choose, it is the fervent hope of this author that climbers respect those wishes. The Indians have on many occasions harassed climbers, often under the pretense of a lad: of backcountry permit. By simply applying for a backcountry permit for specific goals, climbers may risk that they be turned down, or they may, in fact, be allowed to climb without fear oi pcn;I'W(ion. The:- Nuvajo !kllUdvcs have os l'el 001 foonmlatt:<lu cbr pOiocy un the dimhit'lji question. At this point, huwt-vrr, br fi;m:wnrned, drni.o:n ""' al rid. of hlor.oos&nM:nl should lho:v ck<:ick tQ dimb oo N~M~jo lands. Rumen of cht cllmblnc ban fUR ll'icklcd in du.ring the miy 19605, bu.t mM dlmben became aY<m ol a ban (oJiowlnc an ucent of of Middle: Smcr, 1 dim.b that bc:pn, ~Y eJ»Ueh. In Zion Nat~l Part. In March of 1967, afrer ~«mlngJy rod.leR cormpond~n« ~ pclt()m] appcutncca befOf'c the Jupoetint~ndet'l• ~~ Zlon Natlond ~rl.. Fred IX<ke, pin~ the fruition c;l m;any month's dwnu whm t... was gnmted pertnl.oilan to c.limb th., &ont:iol fa« o( th~ O....t White llorunc. Pnur Ju tlou. ;){od)OJrizo.<ttc.-i d.t!re 6d born • bl;on\.c t ban on ell rock ~limbin,g with on Z.On. The: ll'<C('I'Il r.n<Jn mcmbel'$ ~ list~. inclool.rli d~ikd dimbing qU~~Ii.f'JCatloru, in, B krt~r to .m- a~pcrintenr.lcnu w~rrrn J. Hmlm~e, Oelm ~u. Elk 8jf"J~. and Fft'<1 il«kt"Y• ~ 5UJ'PQ"I t~m m=ben who ~ to be on ~II ~IC lM Iletbcrt, .Dou,l:~~~ Tompkit1*, Steve !~.<>per. Olen Denny. AI McDonald, and Charln rr.m, with cbe ~attle Moontain Rtstwuc Counc:IJ being cited u on •tandb~t In addition to several cb'f' of food and wat.,r the d imbinl partf was r~uircd to have at lt-~t one Juppon mcmbu Oft d.e ground and on contact br w..lloe•tallJt. At rlw. laosr minure H.anLng had ro r~md from r}.., rt:am and wat. r~l:.:ed by Pnr Collis. 'The rc~!Rd lrQUP anlvtd on Klo.edo.JJ., 1;u the Or"r \'tlhlTc Thi\XIC had been ptiJqted ~ a week of ~ IN)IUOOO, Ulcc 1'9.ins Afra orw pirc-h ol dlmblr\i B«key referred tO the potOILl NavaJo SandKofle aJ Mvlroa ll«ome ·ct~e eeMR¢11(l ol wet brown S\IPf. • The cum plonee~ a 10111c vp the tolltuY Pulpit at me ~nd of die park road bef'Of'c qrecine that the Thl"lln" - · J:<Hna «< 161'10~ a e.ctoplo ol wttb drylnc rirM. Att:I~JI'I<Jits \\'e~ mw to -er m a larer cbre tot rlu, domb, then Rtw,..,ll r.,ruH'Ied to hit; :l.tlro rql'lot bus.m es 1n tlv San Fnonti$co &r A""' ,...J Bec~er. llJ1l~nY:ad, and C'..:oll i$ rramecl up woth E-i3rvey T CArter and joorncvcd tt• Moooment V.llt"Y. the land of httl• ,.;... iln~ cold "'indy deY$ lvtcr tiK AJmmlt of Micldk SiKcr "''' gained. N tM tewm returned to thrir car ther were I!I«tl:d br the 1!i'bal l'atk poll". A Navajo office: lnnOIII'Iccd !hat me "na~·~• were tt~tlw. •· Anxiow momenu pal6lld btCort tht c.Umbc11 wtte rcle»cd and cfireetcd to inform the climbina WO(Icl that future vlolatiOI'JI ci the 'Limbi.na ban on elK restmdon would wtomatically mult in ,. rtnt ancllor j;all Hnttnet. Nt>td~ to Ul(. aftet the uc;cnt ci Middle S~crchc ban ~Jntd a dimeNion of rt!llllty ,,,t.,lout.lr root r~. Fmi 8cchy wnxc of the cxprrimcc ln • Sommti1 M~ m ic:k utled '"The Na.tlva are Oc:wnc Radcss. • !n cbr may ht ..U of tilt beauty and lure of dnctt towm. "Next IQ the C.bulous Torem Pok. the Middle Sister is the lhlnnm of tM vea.t roek fofmatlons in the \ltllcy. IW~I d~>~»e the Middle Si:scn few our dlmb, not Olllf b«1.use It nlll ul'ltOUclled, Lut to..c.ause d Itt. lllylu.b grace. Ju arrildc dlt gi¥CI the crnt rowtf a Ctitaio tlepnce. ">u Ourol""" ..,.,k d;t£t ckr,;,, r tuwte• a& viu.oriu not: 11.1At because they m3')1 bt d.lffit:ult, hut btc.w.e tlocy Are oebs.u::·&oolofl£. Ln fact. tit&£ rnw.t bt the (.()mpt.llonQ or:asou , tOr the gno;o.t buttes in the u~ lnovo: br~ly '"" l'et bt.!io o~Calal, ..fnli! tloe muce a.Jhetic ftwnmAiOn.• ure 5iowly being d..,llrnf{ed. Thu ~ nnothu ;uxumenl, l ht)s~e, IIIW1tTd the P'CJil(ll5ition th~J;t tht rode climbet li not a m~ llftlrwt, a.nd b uuly affected by the btal1t)' of the JUt!Oiindl~. " Climben ha~ cllinbcd on the rctef~tiOn <lurina th.e full coca.e of the Wn, hov.·cvo:r, eithH throo.tgh iplor.mcc, d~r. or pcrnap6, IOI'I'te t<tticna.li:ation tlu.t allowed tbnn to &0 apirat tM wishoel of the tribe. True, I!WlY lndiviclual lnd~t1* could not: QIC leu wnethtr or not dimlwu$ dimb th..ir •rirn; in fxt, loal Na,.Ajo$ h..ve on ncc:L$Ion $1'1'w.d • "00iflfi()O ~Dd hei"Y""· Not in any ..,.y to KI'Ye liS c:r.,.,urogem¢rll to vmton., the W'<~vrajobnd rooteS in this book aft' ckscoribed only for th~ aokl: o( thr hi$11Jri.c::<l1 reconl ~hop in rfm~ the is;sur oi dimblflll on the ft"K'rvarlo~ wl11 bt- cborill.rd by the Tril.l Cou~il. M11.ybt- IOm.t ~rm of dimblna fl<'l'llllt ~em "''Uid allow dlmbtrs lqilirute ll«lM$ to~'""~ lofmatloru. 62 �NAVI\)<li.ANilS 376- NAVNOLANDS Nru.ell~ lnt~ to~ lanc¥oriN that Nve no ccmAKr with kleal lndlan. lnttrtS.ts. At the woe ri:mt, AJCh clatif'W:d climbini policy would atahliMla~Ut whtft" vbitarion i.J c.ltarly ocx m che best interests ol tht local population. CtrtaJnly. the rtaefv.\tion COI.IId do wid!. the mcn:ased rourbt rew:nut that kgldm.l:o:l d imbina WOI.IJd prodl«, throu&h the sale of both diMhlr\c pamla. <:JOruUmables, and Indian W9.fU. CtlMil OF THE 'I'Q'mM POLE RICKHOR.N Wcan:~cndsei'OC'k~ Th< ,.,., " """"""· fiiiW"l· Coom>t<""""'""~ Tht-ualf sll:zM OMt ~ (IUf ~. &>d>ofMSm"""""'~ Abow <ku>-r fix>< w ,.. ,.,., ,_. • pOoo """"' Tlwn ~in slings aM fOjlt ~ it fn w I'W'I"'W rnac:l¢ p.aq hi$ wtieftt on It, wu h mu~: it. Anod>c> ""'> iloif""' J>0oo p..,.., •. $omdimdfolli"'OWI j ....... H~ lt.SU it, Climb on. ]...,_....d . - . 177 TM ' wmmn ht,,.k ~~ ,•~t~i'ki..' Man) ho&cr,\ J~t.l. 'l'tte sw" is "1."'1 Jow And ;u "'Y' lie r.o.;_..r """" w ...rJey f>mal'ld ro W w:u ddttt /lot;n' p~., cht ,a,ru ..U. """l>o.rra. All U ~and qwitt AJf of r!Qtltrc ~lCJcclling As a dimbtr Aald.s himsdf onco W swmmiL Th< ro,.. ........ In cht""' c( U.... ..loo follow ,;,n..r.-- R"'"'c """""' wdro1gk nilfu. periloosJ) Those ... follow On ..,., """' of rope H....r..ds c( /«tobout deo<r< Finally rk rt.e. c("' Jl"<l <odo otfo<, w Wi<A ~ """''c( des<.nL lnhibiud by rilooglus ~ u srrNon on cht Jummir uu w afl<m>6!h of • """ louie. First man dutencfs &ac.h mr~m~ gon dol.vn rht rope. WNk Wt man ~rs Only ... rope ' "'"'"" lUm .. cr.. •..u. &rA - down. cr.. '""' "p.llcd. M9!< nwcll. <O<il !<'I'< rrlri<ml. ,,...,. ........... 1""11< of~ """• The U.tt c( w "" bo<l< on I hem w nu.trn. 'Bcdics """""""m<n 4tld minds tmaws.rai. ~'"""'""'· n.t fttdr1 is *""· r\011 He is liP 47'14 fius 1/tt ropes. Upwt('C)f'llt~(d w de"" P- Cold black •iifw "'C"lfs "' SIDJ"S in dat wrtl~ ~ ws. Ume pitOn$ rnnotU No<-~..,.. CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE - VENUS NEEDLE- NAVAJO NEEDLE ~o>il<d.~ 8~-~~ ...... ,.. ............ _ Ptuwu rntUtd co t1.e !imir in XJ{t S4ndsoont. We ftd rope$ Qnd ~ oa Wo 016 boctics. We fod IN ,_, ....,. of w ,_., Podo. ~ pladns. food. ....-,, "'""""· w ,_;. blod< " w lrutl'rd\. 0... """ ..,.,. of rope .. w ""' pir>« And no lftOff cmci. &ru m.mu..r """' "" mp~r>«. boll .. bolt Slooi;J ~ ,A;IIfull> Flnrolly ,.. ,.,., ""' wp,... (Point<d Rock - Z,.. Da l<ah) -ANGEL WING: HBtGHTSCkopatn'• N«dl~. 27S feet (84m): V~nus Needlt , 275 (tet (84m); N~vajoNet(Ut, 300 fm. (91m): Angd Wing, 180 f~t (55m). It Is I:IOlc•oorthy th"'t one SO--foot $«don of Cloeopatnll's Needle il only six to ten feet wide. LOCATION ANI) ACCESS Cleop;o""'' N«<<le, N«<<k, 3M Navajo Needle a" located barely in New Mexiw on the Navajo Indian Re-M.rvadon, 17 miles (27.'fkm) north of Foct Dcflanct, Arltona. An,tl Wing bIn the tarM arta an:J it loc::ated alons Navajo Route 12 about 6 mU" (9. 7km) north of W!ndow Rock, Ari:ol"t.J. '0\( nearnt (:irr co the towns 1~ OaUup-, Ntw Mt-xlc:o. t~>Utt\ta:n of the landf<>rnu. To rt:\Ch Cko, Venw, •nd Nava;o Needle t'rom Fon Ddlancc, driw 17 milts (27.4k-m) nOrth on lnd:ian Route: 12 and rurn ta$t on a din ro.'ld (nut tO a ~till ) with figns ro Camp Aauyi and Bowl Canron R«.rtatlonal Atta. AnotJ\cr si~ at the tum reads Mt'xkan Sprinp. lf approaching from the north a $i~ will read Fon D:flanc;.c. 17 miles. A few milu do-.'0 W dltt MOO '-''ill produ,ec: a view ¢1 the towcn co the. ldt. v..,.,. 63 �378 NAVAJOLANDS -379 NAVAJOIANDS r----......J1 nESA Cl~tra'• Needle it about a mik (1 .6km) to the left of the dirt I'OIIId, across Todilto WW. Gnd btyoncla ranch ~. A priV'.lft ro:.d tO tht ranch howe (not to be OOm) is nufl:ed by a rode painted with lhe numbm 829. Ahod and co the ltft cl the "829" road. N~wjo Needle appoears as a $pitt' j('ltli·attac.hcd tO:. mesa. Just right of it if Vcrws Nc:e:lle, a Aut«< (ttt"$tanding toWtt with thue $Un1mia. t~nd :t laxge dihedral on its wt$t face. The best 8PI-'CO'Kh ( I) C leQp.un'S N«<lle- b to hll;e croM ~ntty pat.t Vcnl!S m NIIV);j() N«:dlC$ ;alone the ll06t of the meA and th<tn mw:m acrosr. the opr:n ground to tht towu. HISTORY Frank M<~~Prv writo ol 0t0plltta'$ Needle In !Alyton Koc's book Beyond dtt Vntbal. It was a "'Sisypha'ln snuggk with the rock .•• C leo's f()5le dun ftom. the-~ u tbc:K.¢h it h3d 11f0Wft tilt«, no talus. no pcdcst:ll, onty ont ftl.nt cn.ck $)'Sttm: the pcr(CQ tecMical rock problem $tripped of l\11 other toN.ldemiON . •• I r«chW a short honUty on ~ need for l.'O¢d rQPC ,.>(d •• • we (ace the whok j»noply ol Mcrors.• In the e:tdy 1960s: TM Herbert. <Auck Pnu. and a. dimbtr thty simply Clllltd the Enclishman di.mlxd one •nd a half piteht'S on Ckopaua'& Needk. The foUO\\ina day they murn«< «t dltir fixed ~ to find that all the pitON and c:ambinm pbt:td be~ bad c~ out ol the fOCk lind wtre da"ilifli at the bottOm of Wit ropes. ln 1961 Bill Forrut llttempud rhc. ~ asttnt of Vtc\U$ Needle but w:u ~nested by the Navajo Tribt.al 'Alike. He was u.lc.~n Into Window Rock 'and held $C"\'tr31 hours I.W\t£1 tM Ttlbel Disrricc Anou,e·r urh~ and rcl~ him. scarina dut the:.,. could noC: hold him any lonaer bca:U~tc: the:- rock wu nO( IXJ'ted, but should ~ ~'l't"r dtmb t~ api.n he would be fined and put in P,i.l. Ten yean b ta he: mwzMXI•nd climbed ~nus with KrU Wall:er. Whl.lt on rappd hom d~ t.'UI'bll'llt they oherV\06 111 pick--up ttuek o( ltldb.ns arriving M. the lx.c o( the spire. Sure: <:J me: comcq.x:nQeJ. rh~y con tln.u«i their <bocm, bln when ForreH ~htd the gMU1ICI the l ndi<~N mzp«:d into loud hand clapping and cheeri-nj.. Nati~ AMH1ean ltg.end claiiN that the: j ummit of \~us Needle waa. wed to 1C$t the ~r~lp of anc:imt wurion and b (c:scooned with their ~TfO'IIt1'· 1bc f'irst ILtcent ¢1 Na\-ajo N«dlc: W8.1 mack br lWO parties climbing .slt!luhaneoosly on the West Fxe and r.he South &nOU$. lndl~ ~tin& d~m at the l.t asked for ~h tO pay for the privUtgt. Wtkily for the six dimbel'$, a Tribe] ~~~ shtwmJ up and was mort CUopcum's Nudk Layton t::or 64 �380- NAVAJOI.ANDS interested in the mechanics of c.limbing th~;m he was with rhe- pay-for-climbing di$pUte. The l.lpprehensive six ~ 11.ble 10 le:a~ with no hard feelings and Mth what little cash they had still in their pock&. 1\11g.I Wing wos attempted in 1984 by Todd Gonion, who was h<larcd by an 1ndmn, but the summit \118:1 OC)( reached. NOTE Climbing th£$t rowers could result in a line and jail time:. 0 CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE - &ur Face Ill 5.9 A3 Three pitches. The 6nt .....,, wos made September 4·5, 195:6, by Marl< Powell. Jerry Oallwa$, and Don Wibon as a 5.5 A4 route. l'he secood »cent was made by Sttve Roper and Sharon LindtT, OcrobtT, 1962. The lhird _,-.t, in November of 1962, was accomplished by l.or<on Kor and Frank Magary. The $J>ire had been attempted in 1960 by Kor, Hazvq T. Caster, ~d John Auld. The fourth asce:nt was made in October oll963 by Chuck Pnm and Ste~ Roper. East Pace Variation tn 1959 Harvey T. ~rter and Clifford W. Smith established a direct start variation tO the Powell~ Gallwas and Wi.bon a.stem rouce, climbing a crack System nm. just right<>( the bloek on the fim h<lay ledge. The "'mmit W3S not reached. Soudlwt Variation On April 22, 1969, Don Doucette and Mike Dudley made tM first ascmt of this variation that starts just right of the end of che formation <lnd climbs a small roo( 2S feet (7.5m) above the ground. The routt: turns the roof on the left befOfe joinina the "'3UIM rouu at a l•rge ledge 120 feet (37m) <tbove the ground. CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE- West Face IL5.9A3 Two pitches. The first ascent of this route was made by Bill Forrest and Kris Walk«, April, 1971. h Meends cracks on the west Jide of the: spire via aid and free dimhlng. 65 �.184- NAVNOI{!I':'DS NAVNOI#!I)S -:Ill Fcdtra1 rqula uon• m.clly ,ow:rn all visitor ua~l ""'thin Canyon de Oitlly Na.tlonal Monumnn, prot«t.in, chc piVICy c:J me Navajo ~ who film, ,.t.t thcrp, and make chtit hom~ in the 'an)'ON. Vh;lcon muse. be accom(IMi:cd br a pill\ ~· or an authorlltd Navajo guide. (Rmt~t~l hona trt tOO avaUabk.) The 011lv uc:cptkm tot~ tnl\'t-1 ttstrictioos il th< White Houl< T,.il, whi<:h 11 oxlf•J~tidint mtil ••ith a ll>'(iolllltldcbook obttlnabl< at the viskor c.entc:t. 1M cnll tqi.N ac. che White liouK ~riook, S mlkt (8km) from the md o( the llQYc:d eo.d. Tht frlllil '- one mik ( 1.6tm) Iori,.. 1\ndWd Moo " loat.d dim:dy ..,_ , _ Sp;lo.. Rock. roRW<.TlON 0. O..lly Sont~ocoow. HISTORY N•..,. q,d ..,. that a Sp;clto ~... .., m. top vi Sp;lo.. 11ocL lloor vi dw N...;o dUidt.n . . """""" WNoo<rino Rock -1>r .t..,.u _, ., Sp;lo.. Rock ond Sp;clto -.do ' - hn iii<, couha d.. """""' clu...,. ood cwrio m.. bod< tO .... tt>pol th< >Odt ....................... Th< '""'"'" "'Sp;clto Rock .......... ~ b, ~mnm;. ~vt.nt tM ata white, racmbhnc the bone~ d cht Nllollhcv childrm Sp;dct IXI>mon hM eaten. Spider 'Woman inte:ruet«< rhe Nava;o women how ~ weave on • loom which Spidc:t Man told chem how to mde. 11\t crot~ipoln "''Cit 11\i!de o( • ., 11nd ellrth cord,, d'llt: wtrp ftida ol M\ I'Jl'$. the heddles of f'Otk «'!"fl\1 and lhecr lightnif'll. The bo,nm was • tun halo, and whitt $hell ~t ~ht comb. There. were (OUf spindle$: one .Mid o( rll'llf lia:hming with 8 whorl of ganncl al<ll; on< a 11kk of n..h liJhmina with • whorl ol tlllqiiOiac; 1 third had • .citk ol ,hcd 1-"'tl\if'IC whh • whorl cJ .tlo.loNe; a ~in strtamtt (Otawd the Mick of cht b.lrth. and iu whoft .as whhc WU. Th< N...;o alkd C..,.. do O..llr -r...;.• .....,,. >Odt ...,.... W>th d.. Sptnioh ,..m.,..-.~ e.cJdh........,._,.._kM wd>e>=a.Conrondoo .dlr_.....,..... IC CANYON DE CHEI.LY NATIONAL MONUMEN'll HBictml Spdor Rock,IICIO"" (144m~ A""Mid M- 900"" (114m). LOCATION M'D ACCESS c.n,.. ck O..Uy NodoNIMo<w..,., inclodt. Ill wb vi anyoo nmt lilftll ltoon oa the l'bv1Qo l:ndiwl R.tfv;ntoft M Mf._mn A,..,.._ M(lr the _, "' O.lnlt. Tho _,. ~ a.poood vf 11oft Con,.. ck o.dl. Con,... Od t.bno, ood CUI- - a . . - ,... ... 1.18 ..... NIN ...... - """'h- .... ol ........ - - lOO ood 1,650 ..... • ......... ""-=' ....... "'"'" aeet '" _. ,_... ptriodt 5-td 1n tht ~ "1'11c tncitM..,.. WI thc-- ...,.._, no-.,~'""""' c:...,.. • a.1r..,. 1100. 1 In lJJl 1hc: IIC* - - . • =r ..&. J br chr N......- PG::Scrrict. Th< . . - . - ~ locoool II ... (o.a.) " ' - dw - v i C..,... a..8y. Ntodoo uoo. ....._.)of.. ~eo...-..1 , .... - - - - - " ' O..U......t~----m.--"" .............. .... _ '-bo~·-t.r .............. II IS.."• (24bo) clkt oood wwh alooc d .. _,.,...,... rioo oC Conyon ck O..U,. Alono the rwN chn• we Ove O¥nioob. il.:ludinc" tht Spader R.oc:k owdook lomtd •t cht ts m1l.t (l4koa) ,..,., , _ tho Cftd o( tht poved oood oc the - . .... Tho """"""' """' tho """'""' ol C..,.. ck o.dlr ond - . , , Sp;lo.. Rock ;, ;. ..;... 1000 "" ()()Soo) b<low ........ c..,.., •ci'SbaJ"' "'h• """"" 0... ...... fint ....... "'$pick< Rock "'th "'" 0.0... .... MJrlt 1\Jwdl ~ "'We \:new atn.c. nochinc about- dimllmc on ~ •.. ~ kh m. 1ll't woulcl not onJy be flionetrinc • new route but!: aho wnunt t f'IC'W chapc~rt 1ft the h-,. of >Odt cl"""'n& in the - h- .. tht 6nt uctnt ol $Pdtr Rock was madt brio~ chc: N1vtjo Ttlbat Counell, lor rellgioul rcUON, mandated cht tmt.<cr oH llmi!J to climbcl$. Up to We tinle tl lhc fin1 Utttl.l the only katuret in the KMJthwat dtten tim had b«n climbc:d were Shiprock tnd Apthla. In the ~b.$$k .,Vtew (rOm Oread:hone Point" which ~red in A.Ja"r. 1970, Ou.ck Pratt rctl«:tcd on dw ICCOOd atec:OI he made o( Spitkr Rode wi th Bob KIMPt• " t have mttoofld o( l!m<l ,~ bok lo<ld<t~ whole bolu r.n .,., Vl'<kr lh< ~·, wclalu, ~ Kll<k in 1 ICW\((1 pc:llition on 1. phon uyina co p.~ll hit JW~dq from undtr hit b:lc, and tht -..mmit pi«:h. 1 licWd over • fbh lha.t loeb MIIOfOUS ~ to come o« In ~' at'INo for a while wt sand"" the ...,...., c-.apaks:ICil• ~ Uw 11ft nobody'• "'-nm bul our own aod dlCft $Qlt dowft. tN tine f'IIJi'IPtk ~ mcllflE .dm.l"" d\aln dw •Mt. Rmacinc ow «ICPOUI Gi dw: (WJJ'On ~ W tht U11111p01Pfldcprasion -hic:h • ¢ lioa In~ experien<;e that belortp 10 dw pMt~ "Returninc co lhe ~ic.n 1c: ~rr'-cre Gl Oli:nlc, we dtllf;.\lut ouncha • 101.C'i:5tJ lind ecfee dbcrmlr tQWard llw nncn hc-adqvartc:rs to And out how m~aeh oJ • trir we have CIIU:$CICI, b we know intuitively that Wnde we feel JO h;awr, we m~Ut have done tomtth.inc Ulcpl. '1\re you the: bo-p whet clhnbcd Spick-r R.od;t' We un't 1dl if t_~ ~nger b mttdy Cltriow or if he iJ ttYina: to <;ot<:h two c-riminals. After a !on$ p9U$C, Bob flNit)' ldmlu to IDe: crime and the r1:nger invita w intO hif offKt for a friendly ~hat- He inforn-w 1111 d\at 1hc IM:illl\$ are infvriated. It $CCint o (l()n(lave o( the most pow«ful tMdkint men •n N1va~ have juA: complec:cd a ch~·.,ar ritual c( ftn'ICW\nalhe curse fTOim Canyon ck Chclly dm .,..._ pl:accd there br the r~nt ~nt ol Spktc:r Rock: dw now lhcy .,., haw 10 .Urt .u 0 \'Cf • " ' and 66 �384- NAVA,)OU\NDS Federal tqubtions sttic:dy &'O"~rn aU visitor ua~l within 0an)'On de ~lly National ~ionumcmt, prl)(tc..r.ine the: privacy ol the Navajo ptOPie who farm. ral&t d'lttp. and make their hom~ in the Ganyons. Vi$iton ro~~St be ac.com(!Gnicd by a park rangn Of an authorlud Na\-ojo guide. (Renal hoon ~abo availabk.) The only t"X«ption rome 118\'t"-1 tt$tricdoos 4 tht White Howe Tfl'il, which i• a telf~i'•idi~ rr;~il with a $1)(CGI lt'•i<kbook obtainable at dle vbi.tor «:ntef. The tnil begir\1 ~Jt the WMte ~ Ov<:OOok, S mile. (8km) from tht cnd of the pa~ rot<d. The tn~il i.$ one milt ( 1.6km) lon.g. ,-.nctmid Maa illoc:atcd dirca.ly acroM from Spider Rock. FO!\.'AAUON De Chelly Sondo!O<\<. HISTORY Navajo lccmd AYJ t~t Ji Spidet \Voolan li'I(S oo the top of SpidCY Rock. If any of the Navajo eh.ildrm ~ MUght)', Whi$pering Rock nearby wh~ ovt:r to Spider Rock and Spickr Woman ~ from her liir, catche$ We n<~tJghrr children and carria them OOcJ,: to the cop o( the rod •·here she ~tl thw1. Tilt wmmic rocbofSpider Rod. hav~ been me lexhcd by q inW",Jtef, bving t.hc arm whire, ~mbl ing lhe bone$ of na-.a.ehtY childrrn Spider Wonun h<l4 eaten. ~r Woman ir\$CT\.Ietcd the Navajo •-omen how to ""-eave on a loom which Spickr Man told cheat how to make. The trowp<>lcs v.~re llWIIk of sky and earth coeds. me warp stida o( wn 1'3)'$. the heddlet of rock U)"5ril 11nd lheet lightni:na. The be.tten w;ll$ a $1.1n halo, and whitt. thell m3de the comb. There were fOUf spindles: one .~tick of :i.ezac li¥htnif'lg with " wht;wt ol oanncl CXXll; <1ne ll stick d flash liihtnina with :. whorl of turq~IOiM:O ;a chird had a t:tiek of theet l iahtni~ with ~ v.·horl <J abo.lone; a rlin $tf(~m('l' fonncd che Mid: of the {Qu:rch, .-nd its whQrl w:l$ white tbell. 'The ~ Vftjo c=allod Onyon de c;helly ''TM:JP." m~nina: rod: ~yon. With the Spanish spe.Uitla Mid English pronuneittton ~now know d.e a~ :n Ctlnyon de Chetly and pronounc:c: it •d'Shay." Don Wilson wrote o( his hiltork Am a.Kt'flt ol Spkkr Rod: with J«ry Oali'A'ti and Mark Po-4'ell. tommm.ting, ..We k;n(W almoK noching about climbing on sandstone , , • ~ (eft thn we .....,.,.)d not only be pioneeri"'J 1t new route bur alto wtirine: • new cM.puot In the history of rock c.limbing in die $0\l'th~. " The flnt uctnt o( Spider Rock wa.s made before the Navajo TriNl Coundl. for ~ligious rnJON, mandated the oowtr olf limiu to d imbc:t$. Up to thc: time of the first asc<'m the: only katuret in the «M.Jthwm dt.:5Ut that had been climbed wm: Shiprock and A$athla. In the c4sJk "'View from Deaclhone Poin'" which awcatcd in Asal\r. 1970, Ot.t.td:: Pratt reA«:ted on the ~ a.c:ent he made o( Spider Roc.k w•ith Bob KamP'o ..l have metoofiel of fined ehimnt.f$, bolt Weier~~ boltJ f.all out under the rope's weight, Kampsst\ICk ln a mor.ntel p:'IJition on a piton «Yin£ to JNII hi3 ~tka from unde-r hb foot, and the Sl.lrntnlt pitch, a li-ebold: t;'fVCr 11 fl.U-e char loob ttne)C'(HI$ enouah ro come olf in .omc:body's arms. For a while wt .Qnd on the Mnmit, cxpericr<ing ~erm,tioN that a:e nobody'' busint$$ ~' our own and then Mart down, the fin< l'lJW¢1' prOO~King more ~renalin dun the uccnt. Retracing oor$tcpJOOC of the tanyon~ fec-1 the temponry dcp{C$$ion which lltCCOmpaniuan vchilenniog elQ)erienoc: chat be:lor\gs to d~e p;!St. "Returnine to the CO$mopolican a~re of Oli:nk. v.oc di~1i$e ~nclvu aa tou:risu and ~ dtscreedr toWt~rd rhe nfl4'eiheadquaners tO llnd out how m~Kh ofa $fir we have c~. for •-e kfiOW inwitively that $inde .,.~ feel *l h:\111'1'1·. w.: m'* h;ave done somethi~ illqal. "Are you the~ who climbed Spieler Rod:t' We d,n'• tdl if the nrnee=r U merely e~ni<u or if he is ttyin& to (at~ two ~minah. After a long ~. &b r.nalty admiu to We «ime and the ranger invitn U5 into hi$ offtec foe a friendly d\lt. He informs us tNt the lndi~ are inNriatcd. It $C'CI1'I$ a oonda~ ol the mo.n ~lui mcdtcine men in Navaj<xbn have jl&$t c;ompleted " lhree·var ritual ()( remcwrna dlt cur$(: fTOm ~roo de Chcllv that waJ pl*'ed theA! by (he flm ilSCCn t oi Spider Ro d:: ( hat oow rhey will h~~ 10 tnM all O~'t'r • in and Spida Rock 67 �J86- NAVNOLANOS eM bbl. thtns ((w "' to do woutcl k to 1ta\'C on d~~t next u11~ OJ JQmtthma,.. '"On 0111' WIY OI.M of town f t "OF oat c~ (o(al nad!n1 poM a1'1CJI 80 In lO klok far an icecream b.t. The ~~tee It AUN with Na~jos and within half 1 MCOnd dw «mvmttiOnal lwm dropf to the rolnc whrtt I couW ha\~ hwd a (nther ll,llu'l lt. ahadow ttin in a eor-nn and an lndiM bluh ll\;t 1 ~~~lo loomf above m.t t i I lean for d~ door. 'Old fO'I dimb Spckr Rock r he wwnu to know. 'Why yu.,' I ..-u. reach~ for the doQrknob. "now thac you mm.t:ion n. I d..t. &.. t.httt:'t .ncxha py outtdr who cbmbed Jl 100.' Sprt.i che: J'&ilc Mid do< ~.....,. t.. .._...,.,- m. lopo ol ~o-..-.., 'Whoc dod,.., flDI on 109r lt'• t.d C'IIOIIIh., poM.. "PP" . . "'U1' $ [\'U'f ~ .. pi~« • cww Clft cht- bnd br clnbq sp.;ltr Jt,;d lout 10 CONJNicc dww dwmhcd m:ythl t:A cbt Sp.ln Lady wcM6 bt ..,... co £x. "'''c found • pk f1 Wr.ctwd ~on the ccp.• Now it's 10 quWr I Cal\ twa. niOiccukt ~ in ma... Slowty I .tCM1 curnste tht ~ M dw buffa\o W:o GnC ltC'P ..,..•.,.nl moe and, dt:Q'IONCI"lltl"l 1 M~Y~bbk ~ with cht nwnca and COtii'IOtllt*'- ot a . . . . . . not c\-en lw natl\·c tonii!JC, 1Mb. 'Wlw do you talc me 1bJ - a foolr and the room erupts lnto h\'M.Ctkl.l bu&f\tt:r. I pd'ICr lhe pieces of my ~.uon ltlng t'8(1 • otf d'toe: lloor and arrr them OUt the door In MY h~,. WARNINC Spider Rock b .acttd to the N~jo. and dln~nk It would '~"Y likttr, rtSUit In trOUble: of K'lmt: ldi\IJ, «minly a 6~ cht.,..... iC:!UMnr"'.,...,. <il SPIDER ROCK v S.JOd Nine pitthH. Orialnally d-.btd • a S.3 A) rout~. du rmc ~c. br Den Wihoo. Jerry llwy ani\oed on ).tark Po--dl. tcoClk about 30 houn dtlflbi,. aNI . . . cbe -*lftUC M I 40 ,_ ).brth JO. 1956. About 2S or lO tolu •'«tt ~ ~ t«<r'XX ~ .ur.. aau.... - -- ,.... bra-d Pttct IN Bob~ Apnil.S..~6. 19160. The chiN ...-em • ._ br tbn•oey T. C.tft and l.a,1on Kor. MaT Z0. 1961. 'T1v fount. ucmt . . l'nlt ~ lhc kPWft' WJCb TM ~~. A,nl. l96l. PriU RtuJntd ap.n .n Ap\1 ctl1961 for llht &nh ---. c;ha ~ """"· Layton K<w Md Urry llt.llc ftladl: tilt linb ~t ' " NO\o~ c:A 1967. Thor fOIIU w.t~t flm doN by O.,v.c lontt •n 1962. and diC' tint fru atetnt wu INdt by Tom Coecrlff' and Todd Slunnn in Occobn d 198J. Tbt crux WM • S.tOIJ oifwrkhh rw•r the- w:mmir. 68 �414 - NAVAJOL\NDS NAVNOLANDS - 4 15 •howl• hll'\ll alider landinc on the Totem Pole and there are no doubt HOOVt:r film "Up• othtr au<'l"pfba that hive incotpOnt«<. W spetracul11 andatone .tuft in their pn:cramt. On aa. Gdy attt:mpt tO d1mb the ToceM A*. Otvc Meeattr and peny wt« dd(:utd by tht •idt cncb on rht tc!OOnCI ptdl. In an anta'll)t 10 ficuK out procC'C'don on chr ltCJh duN ol rock • ~ thtr mwncd tO t.btct tw::.e io 8cddu. Colortdo. ••lh • at c.fllt' uruWNtJ' ~ ll . . chcyo:lUid c:::wrJ. It..,.. Gbn to tht ucifwc••c dttcnt>in<d d u < - ....... that haw bttn ..U.., on..,... .,., hold on 6.. ,........., rock. On tlx ...-! tnp M<Calry. Tod Rubtd. and Tod Cohmy flew to Oouldon(t T...J,nc ~ accompmkd by O.vld Mun«h. the phoo:)cooetKr. and nWIW:rout woodtn wedta. IW't.Uinc in t'WO bucbtt cl water. Har-ry Goo.khna drove the t~m. to the ~• •re they wt1t .,aln thwan td by the: fllllina wide aach of chc KCCod pueh. On d.c f'int Netnt cl the Tott:m Pole W key to 1he IO'fo·e• 1eacb tuu\t:d out to be tpOCi.al ah.anirwm channel PftoN dw worud fn lhr ofttn nari"' w&cle crxb. INidc b Jc-:rry aau .... • , tlx _ . . . o{ Jcl>• S.bthl.,.,. ........... tlx ........... o{ y,.. a....lnotd't ..... anck ~- ptont. Jt iJ•nt«t::C:ln& to note that rhC': ~~dane dirabc:r Ht<..,. T. C..tu ....SO on - o n tbt 'Tcuto A* ., 19SS and tpln "' 19S9. lie Mo and boch ,.... - podxs .... dUDl>cd - . "" bn>oclu ...!<, -iolly ..ldod putnu _,......, ..Mod ., dunb bqj>u. The A* It mta•nlr ... lot m. fain< ol .,_,, MM\. Powell writa abouc tfw Gnt ttemt tn an Apnl. 19S8 Swml'lic ~ •nklt. •After our ftl$( asct:nt ol C.nyon de Chtlly's Sp;dt:r ~k In M.arch. 19S6. Jttry Oallwu, Don WUJOn and I, plninc conOden« in and$t0ne di.mhint. ac1led ~m·s Needle In watt:rn tor r~Juanu in 19SS, wt N"" Mt'XIro. Havlnc prcvlowly vbit«< Monum~c ~ awatt: of tht ur~mc protM~ presenttd by che Toc.cm Po&e. Rtsana from wlnd·pockt:ted and .tw.s. • JOO.Ioot pile ol ""'~' dln and NN>Io rumlthco on unotabk pcdaaol. Tho tmol itt .......~ . . . . . . 41)0. loot tlmdu - . .._ ... .u .& and bot<ly 1S d imbts. W~!Qm r....m. .. pJann..l - • . _ lot tbt Wrth d.. oddodon ol • _,o{J9S7.· - cleoml.o tlx ._ pd<d>oi m. ct.ob. •n.uam.r block..... - .., .u <ida. h ....p~c,.~y mcu<lcd .... harioonul ............... .........,. <x""<'o ,......,. m. rock .•• cht PC*'~I•'f ol itJ U)(ttriflc cntt«d cu mlndt and emu~ • JOOd de-It of ccncttn. .. He JpCab of a r$ fron\ wotk on tbt fb&t. -Two niny dlfl were p;osed by incnmt.na tide uipt. lbe Gould:it!Cf we~ wry ho.plr:abk, rc-:bdf'll hKiNti"f ttorit1 of their manv yt:an in Monument Valkv." They rettltntd tO tM Polt:, ..A SO mdt ptr hoot gale whipped up the ..nds. fumlshl.ng Don and QUI II fabuJou. pruiMik, tomttlmet blowing dw:tft hal£ WI)' arooncf the tpi~ and forry f'.tet frOm the rock. 1be tummit wa~ 1-..~n.ry ft~tc ,quan. and a tm.atl cairn with il rqistt-t ..... etOttcd. .. S.... R..,.. once doocnl>od w T"""' A* oso "fanomc ml Wft.., tb;n and ~Y book ""' m. ~· o{ cl............ .n.dlon """"-" ., body.. 0... M<Cany """'" du< when Th1 ~'made tbt ...-!.....,. ol tbt T - A* TOlD ln 19S8. bt plartd a rftOIC l>uarre pnctical jole on hit pumm.. Ju hd (london and o... R<an<k odouml tlx ....._. """"".,. ln>m tbt "'"'"'"· TM qukkly 6td the rOpe$ co hit a.nkltt, the-n dangltd them out of •itht at the eclp of the wmmk. ~ ~ kc oot a loud vcas~ted cry, ~ no. th~ JOpH!" Wanded on rbt wmmlt tJ d\t plan«'• aiH, chinnut roc.k cower would eeuainlv be • ludlc.f'OUl way co col In Bt)OOd Vtrlird. Loyron Kot ljlCOi:i o( lhc IUI'c o( d1< J'olc. "I Wl'lltd 10 <limb II "'I .,_UMnt ._a "''ltv r... - .. TOTEM POL£ - YEI 81 CHEf TOWERS (Fire Dancns): HEICirTS T.,.... A*, iOO 1ffl (Ill,.): Yn bo 0... ,._, m lffl (84m). LOCATION AND ACCESS The T'*m l'bk ,.~oc=~ obout • boll mlk (0.81cm) soum.... t:J the futhat M:~Ud1•'Utern point of the loop roed which c.itc~ whhln tk Nava)o Trlb61 PA•k of Moownc:nt Valley. The Yel 81 ~~ Towc:t~ are the promlnt:m l~ndlortrt1 just -'OUthean o( the Toctm Po&e. The Iron Mnn b the .uoncl major to~r toud~t~t ol the Torem 1\llc:. HIS'l'ORY ~ TOtftn ~lc It POI'tblv lhe thinnest, t2lle~e IOV.'CT in the: wot~ and Cif'nalnlv In Notth America. Sn-.oe it i$ loetttd on the: Navajo Indian ~vttion i~ a((a$ IJ subject to the whimt ol the Navajo mbt; a.~~ndy cll.mbinals prolubited. At the timed me c:arty aKlMU thttt wu-c: no such ratrittioN. The 'Tcuto A* k"'" ho-..t ~ In 1975 rt . . , uocd In tlx 61o.q o{ tbt 0... £a.cwooJ .spr thnUer -"T'ht r_.. Sanc.don., • and 11'1 more: ftlC.mt fUM't b a CIOCDmlettdl .,,t.h an l&.M COfQplen and bewdclcrtd looklnc Holtywocd .arln atop lc. tinr mmm1L The M1h team."'"'*" w badly and. let& ('.()ftef:t'M\i with manm of CONGimcc l;n due dayS thin I am ~ wt cl<mb. • bin and ontalt io ., do doddtd to ~ The llftb- ol tbt TO<cm A* . . ....SO brt:... Wyriclc and Eric B;omotad dortno t1x Rlminc ol "Tho Eic« Soncdon. • In_.,_.. wim tbt N•- Tnl>ol o..w:;J 6.. - . cualyK b lixod ........_ Thlt wa ;, pon .,.,.,tcuuy clcon<d. lcowlnc l'bk. .....t- &a ol Bond.co N<w. N<w.l.and ....,. on "tabll.l>mm< ol w m. m. r... w m. m. m. 69 �416 NAVA!OLANOS NAVAJOLANDS- 417 For <he Yet Bi Chel Towers <here seems to be an endless vatiety of spellinp. Evtty post eanllw a different spelling and even <he liternture available at <he Tribal Parle Headquam" ..... varlow sptllill&'. Tile Yei Bi Chei Towers (Fil<: Dance") .....,mbie <he Navajo dancers who •PI><Ot on <he 9th and laot night of <he tribal winter religio<» wemony known ., <he Night W.,. TOTEM POLE - Novthwest Face IIIS.7 A4 Four pitch... Tile fint uc.ent ,.... made by Malic Pow.ll, Jeny Oallw.,, Don Wilson, and Bill (Dolt) Fwem, June 11·13, 1957. The.-.<~ ueent,.... by Dave Rearicl<, TM Herbert, and Tom CoMon on Docembet 15. 1953. They toOk 3\', days. The third ascent wao made on November 22, 1962 by Layton Kor, john Auld, and Rlcl< Hom, in I loS days. The fourth asctnt was by Roger Dalke and Tom Ruwitch, in 9 hour$. The fihh ascont was tn 1975, by Ken Wyricl< and Eric lljl1fnsutd. TOTEM POLE - Southe<l$t Face- Newr NetJer Land Ill 5.10 A2 me Tlu<e pitches. Tile first as<e(lt- made by <he Bandit()$ in 1979, sixth a.cent of <he To<em Pole. The second uc.ent of this mute by Jim W."ih and Bill Fon.,, in 19132, W3$ <he s<ven<h .,.ent of the Pole. Tile third asctnt was made ~mber 28, 1985, by Chutie Fowl.,., Allison Sh«ts, and Kyle Copeland. The first solo as<ent of dte &pi"' was made Jonuary I, 1986, by Tom~. followed by Dave )on<s later in the year, (or the ten<h overall .,.ent of <he Pole. YEI BI CHEf TOWERS Ill 5.8 A2 Four pitch... Tile first O&C<nt was made by Glenn Rink and Jeff Bowmon, Mmh 10, 198-t. A Bandito route, the climb ~nded a fracrure line on the southwest *e of the landform. First 4$Cent of rht- Totem Pol.:, 1957 &ill Fcucrct 70 �The National Geographic Magazine Vol. CXIV, No. 6, pp. 830-­831, December 1958, Better Days for the Navajos, Jack Breed & Charles W. Herbert 71 �Summit Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 24-­29, June 1976, The Totem Pole and the Eiger Sanction, Eric Bjørnstad Two articles of interest that reference the first ascent of the Totem Pole follow. The first, by Eric Bjørnstad, appeared in the June,1978 issue of Summit Magazine. Eric was contracted by Clint Eastwood and Universal Studios to put up ropes on the Totem Pole for filming of the movie, Eiger Sanction. As part of the contract between the Navajo Tribal Council and the Studio, all foreign objects were to be removed including the expansion bolts and film can register that we left on the summit. The story is told in the Summit article. The summit register now is at the Bradford Washburn American Mountain-­ eering Museum in Golden, Colorado thanks to Eric and Steve Bartlett. The second article appeared in the February 1985 issue of Arizona Highways. By John Annerino, it recounts the use of the Totem Pole as the site of an IBM advertisement photo shoot. The first ascent is mentioned in reference to use of an expansion bolt on the summit. 72 �... .,., .,._" ..... .,._ c~ ~,,.., f·- ~ u,,...,., ...-.. ,,._'" '~" ... , ,...,. ~ C.o4fwood, ... -- the totem pole and the I,..~..,Nra.H-. ........_,_ .u-u..,.. ~.,u.~-w .,...,.. s ' ' - . .,. ....... ' * -.. --w a.... st..twoo4 ... u..;......, S&.M"-. w,. fob ...:,.. bwa ~ 8-. ~- ., &lit ~ Pll• b1 UMI • I lwln found myHI.f ~ and"*' lft'iOh'... lfl tilt-~ fie Mll'lpetit.iOD aDd perf»JII t~ . . . M tl\t f41mblll« INUI"-'II&y, I hn.. lul(t a grAAtH utp ~ 1t1111" my prlvatlll rt.ae... f'« )'9Anll now thOM ,,..._.urtd cltn\M have bwn ma t~ hifb d~ of llfM:Ith..ttern Utll1t, Ttleru emMI.I•iah p!.t$1ua 111111 tJ•t Wl'Wiy crOO'd 4)AeyoM of tile Colotlklo Rlv~ .,. toii'IO ol Chf, IM&t ~ ~ tkndillc 1-0WfN I~ ~~ WOf'ld, ,....,. •I'! u~ Ia *"'O!Jwrif ~~ N t..b•• welt ~.,_,., - hicfw!r' !.h. tlrtpln St.*- buildiq. an!: .nd l.bimw ~ el a natlw~ 1IOfc ~red&. ~I)' ftlllod ............. t.o-1 lll&nUI olllld rodl-sl ~· ............ ~~~,...~ ~ lty..-...,. .............. a. ... ~ wru. -~nt ..., Cl:la:lot ouoo.. o-.. tt.o. _,..... ..... to . . - ai& s- 1"1Moow'" r. u. lP7 GJaa ....,.. ECer . . . to ......,-.~.~~~~~~~~. hire.~ JIIU1.Mf and "JNt 1M fOt* up·· for the 6bl'tll eiger sanctio n .,...c .a-. .... ~-- dllt "'-" 1011 .. pnenl ...,us-c c. b.Gw ............... w•• I tM:~t.ad.eli ·~ . _ l c.._bow Kee Wpoclt lin ~ X.. ud I had c:lu111btd c.nlorubly ~+­ ~MII6ft.Mttt •nd 1 - MlreiW!w'*ld t.• Ppt' - J fur Lhl6 d11 .... on thflir JflllloH'VatloCift llf.'\'ttlll >'Nnl bdo,... J' ortutll~ for llotlywoed the Tribal CollDCD had 1011• hfl.ml unll.am abolrt ll~e cku.erilla Utdwue leh 011 tlw ''hill" ko7 tlw ~ Jlft'Yiour ~~. A C"O..- ..,.wl4 tlt.h• bo 6Gpo.!\td by holkoiK..-atop ont- of Clot~ or ........, Ill tlilft wilily N bit Utu:od t l\ tN. cnw, I IIWI'Iftcl Millt I ft'llllllbtr of f)UUtaJ!dmC Wlwtnl and at hllt til. 416--foot 1'cltele Pole ~II.. The t>rOO!ttu Wb It wa• kM.-.t«J _,. thu Ut<O)• Ml~n bot-tler whhl" the Nt.,..jo•a 'l"tlbol Pnttl 111M tho lrocl!nnt Nd prohibited a ll d lmblniJ - lflld. • • • ""''I'l'-...d -~ :..eluded • ~ "' I:ICIIIIId •IWI • ptra"""" U..t the "PM" woaW a,. frM:I ol ..........Coft'W • • ClllllldliuiM Ill IJit ""'"'* W&ll a~ ....... ~ H _. t.Mweod. M Uw ,._, O.WIIIP ~ Po.l 111ft LIM! ftfotfnatitA. A• H1Joo71Ne d&7 WM We bf«• l\ wnrit In the P'AII, 0..• ~ jllb OON~ - •· lin• though no IUM uelt.l•lf• Y.1cl1 ..SlY al da'~~'•• m.wt or our pru.rll 1"'-. · - ~ . . . . . . . . . . ow ... ._ ..... .__...._..,...•• :a he 0. ......, ..,.. ~ . . . . . . . . . . . t. • _,_,. ...,.... .............. ,... JrM'tp ~. wt- ""*- 0.. rwth,_l)' ~~I noj'llld "'- p U... bill; ott 0.. Copter to .a-d. and I ......_., •*'- tbt'"' w tht Ul\)' tum.mk ~ ,.. btyl)!'ld f'M(':~ 'At llfiOMJN Wall ~ena.J. J lf'I'IM Nr.k 111111 ftlll!l)fd r.- • liUk lfta ltilt.ano.. 'l'bt otb~ rod lt u ... «'N:~ h•r P'IWI th\ momilll( tollowiJI.I I vkoklnt wlftlhctll'm . 1 • • about balfwq "P u.. Ulltil li'I·Ufik .o t.ht •rouw Poll. lla'f'Ult j\l~ JIICM!nd out lJI ~ I ••• .... ~ .... ..O..flltlw rapt~~ . . ....... '"'-t ~-~ 1M ........ l\51'e w .. ,........ *' .... ..._....-c. . . . ................... .. ..... - . . .• _,__,.lnl ....... *nidi.• ....... ,_ __ , __ .,.. -""'* ...... - u. .. ,_.e.. ....... · -............ •v---"· '*'- .a. u. .. _.,......... 1fbere - ~ t.e tlw U~poldte ........ "• ...... ~ .. . ~·~ ...,._..~ ~ • i&ll ~ ~ )lott.,.. ......... eo.ld \t . . ....,~- pewed ...... . . . . ~ AlMa 1Ji11L U.S 0... bMD • ...,... • cnck .,._. • ..._ ..... I ..W . . w - : t "- I li~UC ....,...,.s.1 ia 73 �,«-. ~ r ., ~ ·~:: •/ ___. tMa .., .,_...., w ---~ ... ~ .,.,. , .,.~··"'- ..."__ ,_.,,.....,.,..,...... ..... . ., .. .. Jot- .. .. ....,~ ..... .. ......... ..¥ .. ... ... ....... INt.IIIMI,.,._ ....,.,.Ill .,...., cM.Ie.w , _ WW!C'• .,..... 1(. . 0t1 IH ro,.m ,..,., Tho Totem Pol• and lhe Ei~r ~nction tWIII!1p wert ~~ly c:oadudod 'lrith Urltw' Jill~ ~ and • btWttlg oa !.lie ntlt day't ,__, dll'*- tvruf, W.l.h ,...,,..,_WI:·~ I ·~ f'tdillt 1.0 tM lbn•loML I M'('l(i P.tlliL. l,itd ill 00 &lid -nc.Mr.d ~~ (Otldk~ tht tint !~boY• wa, IL Tl't r'OPH bad t.a •'-"d t.ht liaM l>fGorr" bot ~ hiP wind. hlld -~~~~ lO -~· 0. ptr1oA- lM .,,........ ..."""'- HoOoqlio (A) oNnl...... !l:.wrwlp. Tt.tte ~ othor ~lt oC t'X(".t.tll)eot u • ._ wwM 1botlt our tllllitlpk. Jobot tJl rla"'c ~ ~·· ""'-dnf 11p aocbton for~ Uld andlof- looe.,. 1m....,...;"",,_.,.,,.""""' ~h -'"'~~ .tt- • bllt....., ~~- OJIP'II.-.d block II:) Goukl· lnp . . . . H~. t:M\• 'OOd lJ)d 1 ..odflll oC «'*'t ...... boloNitd. ,..,. bUYM:t ol 'k "'"" ~'fd 1\ lllfll~kLt1 IIIII il .. Durlfll t'- IWO wotoi~J we W61:1 to mote. tho "'tear$'' aad fc:w • ~a. Mel a pvt ol *"'*hizl¥: irnportaM tu•ppec~i;ot. ~ day lM!C.'S1IIfd a liW. llll)f't ~JCe~lins the!! btlote. •"i~u,. ell• tn~. w.- ina: compaay r.u.mtd lO HoQyw(.od. The •h<en· t~rt o1 WOrldf13 1UMC13 the army of (*"ff..nei .... patt. TIM Vll1~r wM ~~~~and w-""Ue on«! more. I ,.., a:rac.ifiud that the ' 'Polo" l~Jalo ~ 1.0 tli& lnditttt. It wat Ironic: thM. tbe lut NOI!DI sboukl heve bfeo IIIUfl'OUnded by wc.b fMfar., but tbt Qppy note Will tlill , . M(l 001'1\t. ....,. ftom out d!mb '"vine c.ht -.o....... ill bttlor C'Ofldition INt.n ""·bton we •'-'rttd. 0 -try K.,-~""" \ 74 �Arizona Highways, Vol. 61, No. 2, pp. 29-­35, February 1985, Clinging to a Crack on the Competitive Edge, John Annerino l""'""thtr~ ....•'•*'...... n Wftl•lhi"''; ""'h•<<'nllr flylfll,. m,,. l~ft' ~-::;~~o:~~~.'~t:."!::, ~'i:. «'ff''"" h,l(>lly 'f'UI h - ~ fnN_....nll .m..-..tt" il• _...-,.11 (,.,1 • • .&~ldy tollj'o.tr~lhtiiP•~Utl'qhc.,...,. «. i( nml t.., -.. k~ In lhr Nmt Jkt ~ I l~ht~t 1h.o1., tl\tf<>., oi "' oUmm...S ocro•• \ton\1-lfOI \'oltty 11!).T ~ PHOTOOI.U'IO' I'VJOH.'l .\"\SUL"O 75 �. . .__. _._.._-·. . -,."*··. . . . ,.,_. ..._._...,._._ - ~ ..... """"""" __ _ ""-'•-·-·......._ S ............. _ ... _ ...,...... --..-..... .... --· ....._..... ~ ·-----·..... ........... ........ .. • - ... - llM'-tlri.l~- . . ~.. ..-.~. ~ -·-av~··...._MtiiQU:L11121(.1~ ··-~ -~.~ ~ • .. , 76 �If you think the spire is impressive, just look at the shadow IBM “secretarial services” atop the Totem Pole 77 �--------------i~-------------llmer.rh • <t:lit\i; of rolcl. ltff )' ~. rh•t l,!,.nt.dtd much ai Nor rhr t " A n tOI'It fo.J ..... N1v.}u lrnii•nRHtrV,J It "'""J""II•ty U, tl~ Jr..! qf win· ' ' ' 111 ' " " ' p.lri C.. 'l'l!t o~o~htclt t or ti•, ll"on,...,tUII"Wol$ t(&l\lt'el'l d•!V'ff C. lh~ fhlp's 11f''•itl..,t windol'Nt .....,.,. do.r.1dtd Wlih • t;r•Y IAyttof (r~J~Sil •M rloti5P4t· ,.,u••h>$ wc•rl!u w n •bour 10 • ltul don·l'l rhls O('ol"r•riQn f)'lo"f'kldT. Th.,t fi•w-wlrhl'l'lt. ~uw, if '"It In • lu.rt.!o-f'l.'wtrfd l'J[IIbot•ttr bf. w•- ny. nur h~et&H.r&)l l•ytrofCOo>lWhlvlh.. i drn••tmtd IG •v•IIN tl.. - "' ,u ~1 tnl)tlo""'' ""'lflf'll $"lnngt, rht m.-li"" "'•'d •mh.\rlPdo" w~PS ~""'"nuns~ Yuu\~ noM tho<t •ll·'•'m(obolr c:um• t'l'ltrc~h whc-rt :JoOCI1fOtlt' lttld U"'fft\· 910)·td ICIOI$, jovro-.lrH' bcrw~r n •J. .IIIIO~tllf. •nd flt.4l/n:t ' ' " n lo""" ONI 10 tr~•kt. oUtnt ll!l!nudvH~ ~I fw "" ""'~-Mio:o •1_,., wh•r loW.• l:\ t "" U>~~Kd.N.- ..., .,,;:) A I>HI«lprtr f'll l il ~~~.of touN t . \~11,...-.. p<.,.,t'IU ..J we (OJ "'~ ~·.IIJ.1•.K'f<' Mcm~"'""' Vo~lley N.\·,..... lrlbl f'Ml •• eht~ft'IWr lllt.il~• (~ • vt 1uy ol trutruin1~tt U'\'n..rkls. Bm $1AjpC'lf;" \XItn.mndd .11op II·~ Tvcc•u P"'c ""'' Wt u SC:\1t:• "'""!"$ il•$~'""''"n .lo(f ft't lhl' n.~rof Man..m.tnl V•ltt)' IWr '"' t>Dtl {m ~f$fr 11!J / $YI-No: fiH. llf'"k ~0 11 1 1~<'" tH'I .ltr<ltt1 !hut. oo problfm l'h.tl't whu Arl~ Outd<Jor fJ!~Il· ''*"" nur OOoeti(W 0,.~ C11\d 1M I u .d 10 onr 1no1hn onf) ew..I'IIY·fwt houn Url.,rt , wh1'11 wr lllt'l lndfl'lt'o.drlll ;\rtl«t rro..t...,~r Po~vl R - 1~ ''kw • P~Ar~f.n~pt.h04 ~ llftu<nmlt At tl!.u timr. W t ...'O oM ·~ h.o(l our f«t i•tft'lly .,-.oo\1.-.f 1J1 ~~ Wltll\, !hide l'MJ'•~ Ill F1lm l"rod<l(fl"• '"'""'"·!4.1k' tn Phorl'lix wl'l11c • w~~:MI !•II ()( $ 500 l'l''"lfr'• chNk ~ w•> he1"S ,..v~ In froru <>fou-r f~... Of rount. "S.oror, oil() pr\'bkrn." wo~J Ill~ ti119'Wf r, 1!111 Ihe tol.i r-t.1111ty u! oo;-r~iOOn w•l •b<.lwt tV$m•d,ud!o( " ' II<JWN'fy""' lh~ <hctl.. thr OOIOlllfnl ~rtlrollii(•IT...miOf)' I)'~Wf'llfr, Al\d A ~rl'ltfy •Uop ehr Tvtt m Polt 11> Moo• Wh.,..v~r derided o n. Mo ""n.""' v,.,.. ,~, ,h ~ ·httf'l' l«•l.iol\muu v~Mnt v,uey N~~W M<l!\ utnl!tlf V•llcy ""' lo~ hew 1lw •ruins fot a•.w\n l1k.t My lhtlt~ Cltw~t~lllt, H1., l\'Hf W..s Wo)r,. CA.eyt..w A¥JII11t.., TAr E(tw S..w··~~~, RtrJot.tf/ l~rf..,.r ~J\'X"· eon•~N>bue• f -. So lht prt<fdoettl h,1ll.1ltNdy ~n eoo.f.~ t•fl r.,.,.. IWt 1" M ....... ...,n~ V,tllt)t. TAl J#JIJA<~t <p•" br1ttv JW,. ~,.. 18.\n ...- . .\0--wtlt• "''"'""'.J· rw,.. l!l.tto h.11d .In"'""" btttr r .Ju l« .... tBM t umtMrd.ll. (OM af et.n,.... "I '!I"J $('+ 1f w .. ( <>"top tlwe"' loku). Pc.t J ~ SO. I'OI.'fld lllfkt d~. AI\ ISM Modoel u 'Ut ll'lll'" #OliO(~·. ~.,.,& ~J- f{ ·~ wc lo)ud\~ cf.,....,.~ rl.c •.,,.mJt of thtTllt-"' Poet Af•~•n1f\5o oh.. t I•. otu. "'f',lil~ hortJ .. .. ty,... ~uucn 1ht!t ....1r• , <•~. Tr ue. r..\.lnu rfltl~t Vtl!cy . u..:hnJt.,U~· .ld~Ho>-<l. flt\1.11trd .n il i1 (ft til( 0\)Uthf.>Slt':U'I ptliph~ ry or l.hc C:rt<J I B•)lro Ot~ll B..t.t u. '"~"ll!:lnW SOlO l c-.-1,11 h u• lOt MOtt W. ~.-HI W1lh 0\>111~ (If j },l;' othn hlsJI ~,,_ ol thot h'()tloi ----------~~---------So Wt did haw • ftw d!itW 301~ fut IISl iJVNlpilool&nd t llntt !Nd!iM~IIO t},. fa« tlw.t ~1\d •nd 1 lwJ wortH ~ttlwr- " n4er tl•t tui'I - M te-vful othu ..1'(1(). dlm.Ntlc( <-Om111trd~l-. eue wt tt.d n.tvtt Mforc workN ti)J~thn 01.11 of • lot w,nl.,<11m•~ It •""-· ltldt.,cnocl....l Aotl•t.. h..! I•J ~ll,lftl­ h h.w! booM (Of\lr.lcttd h> ohuo!, ...It~~, • nd dttwcr • !hlny·W.:llnd Jpol fot !},,. \'1/J j (Jj .._.,, tcl..,.bi.ota m1n.1HritJ t.hM would dfbvt On ~· th•tl 1\'!\ !N)'ll. A>f· 1<11\( lwd •ltot.ldy ~~~ "'"~h.of.f4 At ~(ll.i,J. U.r S~.OOO• M!nue•, t<l1f lh• COIIU'flt«i•l d1ol"'' Rr. '~Vmt h~.td· wwld d~fin;.~tly tvll. ;\lth~h wulhf~ w oli b..d •nJ tim~ thO.! I. Wf . . t ..., IM~t <h<>p~>C~ p>kot ~n r hid tv~r u.,....~~ h. l.niH Jlmo" it l . J1111~ <J( Rocky tlln ttdie"PIH'S A \ liftiW.tll tom&.u vr(tl<ln bro~h.t tn "P'Nity (1)1 rM. s..... of u• "'•I Mol•"· Woot. he lw•i.ltc:d 1ho: Alou«tc n L.omll - ,..,._t, In ;u ilt1wf'ft • out:rc nttru!Ofl ~llit tlw u5ltlt. ll~""' •utsnRM1'11 ·~~. w•t Ill> d<-10\.1 j,, fn)' o( ,...,of w.,• Uo.t.o fl'n...d • it ._,viJ hoo <>ttributo~blt 10 1•0. •u-f'(.rb fly'"f ..1.•11• •...! th• I.Am•. A l..l!nA ftA"t ju-U ro..u., oouprJ· ur \ 't't$lon of 1.1!11 dw)pl"'r oe, lht ('ll(!flm'l$ oot"·': 1t'' an 370 thl!e hcu·~"J!OW~r .,..'()f"l;bor<;ot whith d"-hltjcv~W\NI u'<'lf ltutn .. otbu htr.c.h. li l liAn, " " " Amtrk.l l'l ('(oh)o('r•(• (In JuM l l. 197!. u by dimbi~ t~ •o.AN fff-1 .,,.lkvpt.,... net tt.•• ""'k...own •nd Itt undtriyln.. fur would WOJfllf"f ..., ui!J"hud.. A rotOtCf4h h,, 1h.e dit(l(lol(ffl1flt d •ilnCtt ritlk of btl~ •bit 10 tr•Mporl lh P-~•6ft~t•tt from Wtty tOd.lflV-1In I ONtt~ of ~dt,. in our (_, tl>•t trwant the dith.otomy bttw~n w.ull\ phnh f'OOCni 1111M ~1\U l~lid•y lo•n to tM.rold. wlf'od•fW\'PI If\~ of Mllfl· 9mtnt V•lkf. Th" f'lotiOI'I wtt ff(Of'ldtd ~ 01.17 ,ut;>Jtiltlt •nd t-Jiltr JtitNtd Nr~ •bol.lttht lime thl' TottO'I Pok fitet tall'lf' U'\1(1 IM~ .11 M•r"l(, tiM.I.ftiOII'I \lwwn P\'oal of rvcJ: tlltt Wtii\C'il tv driy ,.,,. ..,,,.. n•t"''"' f.:.«H tlw blllol< dli1.1wu~it'dllt'l.tf'l,crtlwo:\"''(" ll...l...lly "'*""~ted." he: thb.ttto$ !!'tO mrt•. 8"1 It wun~t. Ar.d thr ~ - 'fpt'O.I()\~ I . . ~WKOIM fbl •tort'fd """"'k., tl.l.' mOO"f w ;o ffi!IU~ tt..-rew•~ ~k<ll"''"tr no musin fOf trrOf «~ '"" n of t.l., roto• W..&tt alappl!!S. tlw 11r abovt, now Mt , •._tiM~' for ..-y lw.rt .t.mmil'llf. ~tt MY ribro&lf.f. N1f/tf.oos •"Y 01 .,.. had tver doM \ltfort ~Attly ~~ "' Fot tll.t J lltn.11l .ijlptol(h lO tht Mllllllflll of tlw •nYQ1lf'f ~.-1 - (nu.rly .r~ty ptticrr...t, h.-4 th~o-t ~ •hot d~ •rod lCl'flf jW'II:"Ik•l WAy llf ~~~up" Attd 1f hr cwkln' Uilf' thf •hiv (rv"' th,....•ot~&· o1 w0oM btcralty "'nttlt Into 9i«n •~ diJ;1o\t(Jr•tt • A.nd llo03. with 11. "'You l"'Y' wllhn,. tl)jull\p .. rll hold 11)1- t.hlp •nd tfll you whotn mywiNI('llillfdlta•wAitinafotJOMtto slvt mt the '"'noll to bl'tl:ln unlo,~ Nliow WOII~ UUH tht s.hip to VJbUif. u• IOII'J,'" Tht wotdt hu"$ th~n-. (tf'ftt'.fumr. •• ,.,,..., ,.m~rt'<Cih~ pcd.ll• •ood u rdv lly m'tlt'llvt•foll ~~ ()<lit> .eiel. rooc bc-l""ftnh1,~.... I I~ II C,.n(i. tht l'l II N~>bl.'\tt, "~~~~ ftt"'l to d•t Qf'POJ'~' dQQC" ,.,., tn.ow.dustt<cl tumlt'llt co( tile Toktfl Polt wa, 01'11.'11 6i<h of thf hdkY9t~•·· ;uu • few ftott brJow. I'd htY\' IO to fiK4 . IJ\11 llt1--.c"' the tt101t ~Ad tl'>t ,wnll'lit w.u 1/1 ~ttotn·lndl widt «tip ol tft'lpty ~~. &nd 600 ftrl below, 'tOUn4 Awrl vout!d. jute w~1t1ftt tG s udt lllfth~ lniQ "' $1knt grip.. """" . , '"' ........if.: /.>..i t«t ., .~. J~Mn!l Thot thoudlu Ut:tlf iMI;Jr\(tlvtly ul<opr<led tl•toih.oll'liatl..m.•(r•lt't4f'lt:vi· &1•16\Jo::ll' with "'J&ll)ved t~t Nt!d .11M wlioi1otd fot )oft«' tfenN At'ld thttt l wu- UMidlAIIOfl !htlcy (•rl.on·~ .en11 of ~ jtot h, li(Qpl•r dtfyl~ lf.tY'IIY 000 f~ Abo"* thf floor o! 1l1t l.rt;c-ot l.ndan caeo'V•I.OI\ 11'1 tht U11ittd Sto~tH illthra:rip of Willttf". t')'JO!fl~p..t '"tX«IIt~ed~.ft t'IJifW"iltf w1th a btu~ ll'oti!IOf'y th.sn. mlnt. Mdll-:t«rtiUy""""'dytl IO mtfl "'*' I)O!'r hour). T1w on ehfo n•rrowt5e, lllth4Ke lbl!J'' T""*'-'"' Pol.. Ai 110 kiloon..tcn potr hwr m"'J ""''..,...,,_"No w~y, I<>OJill•ll!• Thoef iOO!ach kntltl •rd wind$ 11 lltht » tlw doe:k ~i"&t l!f1$11thii\A" Sl, ~ (•~tr iir" uMd eo ~"' h;, mod.a h~otn. In thot I,.NoOt. A~ lhto ~·t thin4 you blow. be(ott' you'w t:ot • flwotee to uy "Toe.:._ I h• ..,. • r-.1;"5 Wt"rr 11.01 in K..nu1 •nytnono." yw'rt' ho-vttff18 l.htrt, dtfyitl$ •I Nt,.rl1 t..w. - ~t.arint dOwn 1 of roXS. M...Ch 100 t•ll &nd m\KI> •oo tfi'WIIII'I dl•m~t'f" w.Jit1r..s fot rh• ~ tot.M elu• th.rfl. l'lc ~ t. Yw ()J)C'f! ytNr qon. .-ncl ~ urs vtrr c.-11!'\ly, " YW,;uyt. Mf' JOins col-la~"' toj\l"'f'•· v J,...p 1l.to b r..1n IOI;An l 1hto "''fi'I()'Y b.t.nl. 1nd u rt.:lt out iiU!Vflrirrct h ta. rt .._.rt e..,, P"'od." it'l i•otot Jl5#1,.. thit t i - tnltr• inun fi!IO ~kit 6utl1lccun<)(y tt&rch ol ll•<' m~-ty knk<OMc. up blank. &J do Out $1lr.C II 00\01! 11101~1. ..1( I uy 1'0 t.nd, the tn~h1"' will f,lt ap.ut... follotJ u.ut""'· Hotwu t~ng •boul tlo~ huult o>r '"'l11111nd rnQ- """"'.. hr'd brltofcod v~ Oo:\ It ttlc l.-ndlnit ~~ out$'rdtollt rO<"o'M" ehr H~y Inn only tl\l rty ml....,ltf tArllnl thAt. of wly C-lo.::i. Ntbthr,&nd 1 ...~ hJivt tlw wnunit tl"lly only wd fourtttn ftrl ;, dilmc1~. Uld he-tried to 1.-t'ld. thl' ll'JI~bn« 01 tht rotor wuh on tl'.t tulll'lmit •nd lh~ v•lkr &or ooo lnt of rock 011'1 !he p~t fw • 1\iAdit<On Avf· ~~- (10fn$trti.ol. FIB tl!t kind (If pt~Wn w ho ""('uktn't ~ncl.vtt 00.1 ei WI .Ori'I&M, uniHJ It ..,.,_. $(.'ingdOwn 101' l.ht ilNI<Woll. &11 th!t l~lblt m,ll(hll\1!' m•dot fW.<Iif16 i ll mld.slt wlehoul • p.~ntflu1<' $oHM uq, Or '"'Ybt rd d~~ • f•he WftH of w.eunty .1bout wh.u 1 ll• licopm W~.~l4 fo. a ..t '"'"• 1 wo~t. wlthwt tvtn th.:.rlkll\8 •bout k . il~l'od· iol$ (I" ehe ttt\11 ol Mol htr Ship • 1f It wfr"' ·r~~t Ro<k.ltH!f• *'* ·Now: Tlw word &..1f'd l$0-p~Nftd 6nlo.. ltlwfl m:IU(hl'd In dw mitldlr of !hit ~1oM - t.f)'1ft3 10 br.(c MfHif .,..;1" JUf. H ot t~ Wflf rtw1M to eht M.unm~t• .-M wtlr.n he tJWnotuv~rfd tlw d<oip • bit(lokr. l•t t'IOd.kd' lufht1d .-.d Mid the INCI\1nc 6tf411tl y il'l 1•l.o<t whlltG..r.d ...~m~ t-Wo of tlw~-'· T~ wiNif t.till wl\irlina AtW rwrirc arOW!d Mt. l klt•lot la:tlw•s wo.-l.i014 1ntht vu."tf\ of •Sp.t(fA~Oublo"" (,.,.. ••I ff<\lt t<l out 3"' to ..... ,.,.m~t~il a~. TMu3ht wat .lifi(\o!t• .l.nd #.Wh .. ovr Utn'lt'd prQAr•mmotd bJ tomf<IN ""'"~' dippfd .. h!clin.: 10 c.na a fnOfl<fllt before ht j,.,n,...,. it ,..., • -..fl'tJ Jlttuutlon Wf •II \ltotd of\ rh~«"'tf'll ~~ Jh1pwu c•ll3l1t by• fitl.lt I<Ht ol "'·ind .l.fWI JoMt. h.td IO "ju.'I'Optlll' •hlp •w•1 froM th<' •wmmlt. A' •OC.OI\ n C'nd IAnd..,J, I r ,....,,),. welktd tum •w•r h um the W.lpbe(on i:~ b«k fot N..bt'L:tt •"J kt't~uns ,,.""""' Tht' thrc-.o of ""l.u.Witd tottllocr lf'l llw ftifill """d uo~tU jQI!IK ~~~ ,li(k~&II'IS•hl, pll\hot..... ol ,,.~ ton~ wu ..cutt. A momfl'll b tu, Mothtt Shop w.o1o s<I<W· A..d ;..u lo\.c. thu. tht du~ of UJ Wotn" m tlw hilthtf01t tift(lo('" ol tht Toec-m l'o>k. It fe-lt l•lt thk JI1Vff of ro6. w""td top,....OW;t"Mto nc.a!by Y6bk'lwl Rock• if .11ny of llf. sto-od u,p tOO quiddy, ~ t..lly. (;lAd tt..c.htd IMillt l'ob down JWI<.o f.,.. w ..lk~t..lkiot to m.l.. udlo (Of\1.11C1 ...-.th ·Moth« Ship. "B•••" l •m.o· OIIc-, thi~ i• tlu ..mc t""' Totfonl"'*·" "'l•IIW.Ont. o..tt." 'T"'..,u.; (t~I'Odby) l.Am~.on..- W. hold b11dtd uftly, ""' tlw ldvtt~· tuft' w0ukl ('OI'ItOt~<.~~ ehrouab tht" M'ltt fllll' 4•"V .mol lt.roe<: '1\QW_..W...... AI\J •• 1M rtd Qu.Hn. teL! Allor,lt tonk .11U t"-: NMii'QI- ('QUid 41) to H•y .. ftly irl tht w- ~ •top thr Tott':l!l Folt. n •-r nl ,.,.dipPed my l1ftlinot .M }o,unpotd - my Nikn ~· l"& ll•t b•tt ~utn«~~it.. booforc my body "'"'' into • K'if'«d c-•5tc: to l~ thf Uoflbtl~lbly powft'{<o~l rotor ~•"from blowiAS mt into 1M l.llld ol OL &ut th;. I rutlttd w.-1n' 100m' &;AI•·foro:• dtnm. Thif wu !'Hl. I dt~ fi\Y hit· llow 11110 ' " o~ov;l•or bo!t ~·t in (o'yo\1 ~ my ~~~. pl.u:'t'd lllrrt ywn r1.rlio:F by sevtr.l <&tnbot.-. who nwd< the (i ut U«llt olth·l' ~p:rt tht mf w~y- tht A~Jfic~~JJS 78 �Totem Pole Climbing History Steve Bartlett E-­mail Hi Jerry, The other route on the Totem Pole, Never Never Land, was done, according to Bjørnstad’s Desert Rock guidebook of 1988, by "the Banditos" in 1979. It is widely known as the "Bandito" Route. . The Banditos were a loose knit group of climbers from Arizona. The core of the group were Glenn Rink, Stan Mish, Jeff Bowman. They did a lot of climbing on the towers of the Navajo Nation. I believe they preferred to go by the Bandito moniker, rather than real names, partly because of the dubious legality of what they were doing. Second ascent of this route was Bill Forrest and Jim Waugh, in 1984. Bill Forrest confirmed the second ascent of the route, though not the year, to me last year. This route is the only one anyone climbs anymore. I don't believe anyone has repeated your climb since the Eiger Sanction filming. Partly because the fixed anchors (bolts etc) were all removed, but also because your route is easily seen from the road. The newer route is hidden round the back, thus giving a better chance of concealment. Modern ascents usually involve being dropped off by a getaway driver. Many climbers climb around New Years, so as to minimize the numbers of people who may be around. Fran and I hiked around the tower spring 2009, and our Navajo guide was surprised to see that someone was building a hogan right under the north side of the tower. If this becomes occupied, future ascents may be much harder to get away with. It seems that most of the locals (who all seem to be part of just one or two large extended families) who live there don't really mind about climbers climbing on Totem Pole, but the Traditional Navajos (the elders, who don't live locally, but have much influence) do, and they set policy for all who live on the Reservation. Here is an incomplete, rough list of the ascents: 79 �Totem Pole Ascents: 1. Mark Powell, Jerry Gallwas, Don Wilson, Bill Feuerer, June 13th 1957 Register comments: Sierra Club June 13, 1957 "A very windy day. Previous days have been fair and included 13 climbing hours, not including prusiking time. During this time Powell and Wilson shared leads and reached a high point at the base of the bolt (summit) pitch. Gallwas finished the pitch and at present Wilson and Feuerer are prusiking up." Mark Powell Fresno Don Wilson LA Bill Feuerer LA Jerry Gallwas SD 2. TM Herbert, Tom Condon, Dave Rearick, December 15th, 1958. Register Comments: T.M. Herbert LA Tom Condon LA Dave Rearick LA Sierra Club R.C.S. "It took us 3 1/2 days due partly to short daylight. We placed a couple more bolts.* There was evidence of a recent attempt which reached the first cave—we salvaged their pitons.** Today is a beautiful calm day. We are very impressed by the climb and by the fine job done by the first party." * According to Kor, one of the new bolts was placed, by Dave Rearick, at the top crux of the fourth lead, just where Powell traversed right to the tiny belay ledge, using tension from a hand-­placed piton behind a small block. Rearick does not remember. ** This attempt was probably by Harvey Carter, who tried the tower twice but never reached the summit. 80 �3. Layton Kor, John Auld, Rick Horn, November 22nd, 1961. Register Comments: Layton Kor Colorado John Auld Colorado (Nov 22, 61) "1 1/2 days, no new bolts, tremendous job on First Ascent. My congrats to Kor.* Beautiful day—a little chilly, no sign of injuns so far" *the whole climb was led by Kor. Yet he declined to write in the register;; Auld wrote the first entry, Horn wrote on a separate page: 3rd ascent M.E. Horn, Jr. Jackson Wyoming. "I’m stickin’ to granite!" 4. Roger Dalke, Tom Ruwitch (date/year unknown) Register Comments: 4th ascent Roger Dalke, Tom Ruwitch "Nine hours time. Beautiful day. Our respects to the 1st ascent party. Very spectacular climb." 81 �5. Ken Wyrick, Eric Bjørnstad 1975 Register Comments: 5th ascent Ken Wyrick, Eric Bjørnstad with the filming of the “Eiger Sanction” Eastwood movie Bjørnstad and Wyrick were obligated to clean all the fixed gear from the route. Even the summit anchors, summit register and cairn. The fifth ascent was the last ascent of the original route. After this, the register was in the possession of Eric Bjørnstad, in Moab, for a number of years. In 1979, the tower was climbed on the east side, up cracks on the opposite side of the tower to the first ascent line. Subsequent ascents have all been on the east side route. Information on later ascents is incomplete, in part because all these ascents have been covert. 6. Bandito Route Glen Rink, Stan Mish, Jeff Bowman 1979 7. Bill Forrest, Jim Waugh 8. Gordon Banks et. al. 9. Tim Toula, Tim Coats Spring 1985 10. Rob Slater, Jim Bodenhamer May 1985 82 �11. Kyle Copeland, Alison Sheets, Charlie Fowler Dec 28th, 1985 12. Tom Cosgriff Jan 2nd, 1986 13. Bill Roberts, Paul Hauser Dec 31st, 1986 14. Chip Wilson, Jerry Rock Jan 1st, 1987 15. Jim Olson, Brad White, Jackson WY Sept 29, 1987 16. Galen Howell, Sonia Paspal Both climbers were National Park climbing rangers. They were hired by Navajo Nation to clean bolts and other paraphernalia from the Never Never Land climb. They climbed on the tower twice, in 1993 and 1994. In 1993, they did not summit, out of respect for the Navajo nation ban. In 1994, they did summit. Two other ascents I have heard of, but with no dates: 17. Jim Bridwell, John Middendorf 18. Todd Gordon and Dave Evans. 83 �Spider Rock Introduction & Reference The article, They Risk Their Lives for Fun by Hal Burton, appeared in the February 25, 1956 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. It was inspired by and included a description of the attempt on the Northwest Face of Half Dome in 1955 in which Don and Jerry were participants. Don included a copy with his letter of request to climb Spider Rock as an indication of our qualifications. Superintendent John Aubuchon presented the letter and article to the Navajo Tribal Council and to our delight, our request was approved. 84 �34 They Risk Their Lives for Fun These danger-loving climbers seldom conquer lofty mountains, just "impossible" cliffs in their own neighborhoods. For e>..'tra thrills, they test their ropes by leaping into space. By HAL BURTON ong the more recondite method¥ of spending a .summer weekend in Yo semite Na1ional Park, California, ptr· haps the ul6mate was achieved last june by X foul' young men who wlllingly sat out Lhe night on a ledge eighteen inches wide, SOOO feet abo,•e the crackling campfires, the dance music and the other cj,•ilized amenities to be enjoyed with minimum effort on 1he grassy floor or Yosemite Valley. ~io~ eomronable accommodations arc plentiful in the park, which is geared to handle l ,000,000 tourists a year, but no four visitors could hnve b«n as blissJuJly comentc:d, with lnt obvious reason. The young men in qut3tion sat with their backs pre"""" a,llainSl a wall or granite and dangled cheir fee t in space, slnce there was not enough room to lie down. As a sensible prt· caution, thty were anchored to the northwest race of H alf Dome by a nylon rope seven sixteenths of an inch in thickness: A sitting man 1naydoz.e, even if poised halfway between heaven and ca.rch; and to doze unprotected on so airy a perch could lead to resulu not pleas· ant to contemplate. Had anyone spread the won!, no doubt a good many of the l J ,000 vacationen c.rowdlng the park would have tritd, the next morning, to pick out four tiny figurtt cra"•ling up a cliff that experu had dismWe<l u totally impos.i· ble. The back of Hair Dome can be sur· mounted, between waist·high cables on a lad· derway of wcoden cleats, by any uiuri.ot free from vertigo tnd willing lo cssny a rock slope or moderate steepness. The northWCSL face is some<hing else again. Sheared and polished by erosion, it soars 2000 feet above n mass of tum· bled boulders, tilted ledges, and tree• clinging to crevices in the rock.. The boulder slope rises another SOOO feet. llestor RobiJUOn and Rich· ard ~{. Leonard, who pioneered rope climbing on the Yosemite cliffs in 19:11 , dism~ the nonhwat face long ago as uso awful it mig'hl as well be: forgotten." .Millions of ca.n1al vis· i1on, endowed with I~ precise knowledge, bave looked •pward from the valley floor and arrived at th< same conclwion. 85 �Alth<M.I&h he if over fifty yur1 old, bulinu&man fr'ricx Wiamc'r t"uxls uiln acape from the pre-.uu ai the world" in rock cllmbine. Here.J Wi.essoer NOtnds the fonnidable Indian Face, in Ne.w York'• Adirondack Mountaint. Thc.re are, however, stubborn people in this world who refuse to admh that anything i.s impossible, among them a few thOU$8.nd Americans who pursue the delicate t1.nd exacting oport of rock climbing. The figure i• neecosarily flexible, since advancing yean and increasing rock prudence cause a certain n\ambcr climbers to retire annually to less strenuous purtui~. There :llways are ~pltH~emcmtt, who carry on tbe tradition that a cliff iJ to be esteemed mote highly than a mountain JUmmit. Among this group, the northwest face o( Half Dome iJ regarded as one of the mootta.otalizing climbing problemJ in the United Stat.., demanding a respeetful approach and a painstaking reconnaissance. Rock climbing, a Brit· ish authority on the subject once observed, "is a gnmc played slowly, which goes not to the owift, but to che skill[uJ and levelheaded." The men on Half Dome, who had already scram~ bled up the boulder slopes now were crawling up the sbeer cliffs of lhe northwest face at the rate ot only 200 vcr1ical feet per day, or aboul one seventh the hei.sbt of the Empire State Building. To stOrm the c1ilf in one .ublime burst o( •peed would have been suicidal* for the rock was far 100 dificuiL A more tcnsible conclusion was reached-to tcareh ror a poss-ible way to the top and to make the assault later, after careful planning. At the end of two and one half day$, Royal Robbins, Warren Harding, j erry Oalwas and Don Wi.lson had managed to rise exactly +60 (0onllouc:d"" Pap 99) reel through a or Oon Oauneh (rich<) bda}t Pel< Sebocning as he dambtrs up Crooked T~tt, an inhoopiOtblc linle peak on the tide ,. Cllhcdtal Mountain, in •••«m IV~. 86 �They Risk Their I .i vP~ <"''"''""' ,_. ""'"l , for Fun 1nar.e o r ctaeb aod along twu !ct.lges, c:.)ch ()( which provided somc:v.•hat ruditnerltaty lodgi1'8 ro r the oight. Whc:rc hotdt were Jeartt ror hands or fcc:t, they hammett."<! i.n thhl pqps or steel, caUed pitons-pro1\0tlf'IOCd. 'cpee-tons"-lO which the d imbiJlg rope could be auadk'd torsarcty. r-·mm lifllC to tin)('", to the annoyance of ~I)'<InC, the cnec:k$ nn out and only a $tnGOth wall bolgJ:d ab<we. Roc.:k diml~rJ h;we ll way of dc;a.Jing with $Ucl1 J>robk.'tn:J. When )JitoN are ~less. thc•-e is llw::tyl the C:X!><tnsWn boh. c.:quil>iJt:d with a ring on ila uutcr end .unc:- ~ tdtt llt'ld lope at'IO ...,.,~lot, _$c) a o01 piU:C.,. _..Ntwn (\wnsta. rtOm bdc) a~Mt •IWI'C'II kllllia tt:.co. and a collar of I<'<ICI on the itlJk'1" end. Six times, standing in slings ot rope, Robbins used a ham mer and dc·iU to bo~ in1o the cUR', and then hmnmc:n..-d in bola. l 'hC' lead ooll;.r, t".)( l~md i r'S Ia$ the bolt \ ....U tighlencd. tc~ it'idf llt)lidly tc) the ruck. 111e rnult WitS a Virtual l~ddcr ol steel Ut> wnlll «> ahcer 3r)(j hokllcss th\1~ rnQsc rnouncaincl:'n woukl h:.ve gi~n "'''in dl$gusc. TI1e S.Ul)I>IY of rood, the W<'ltt.r in the can• ceens arld the time avaiJablc :dl g:a'-e wt simultaneou:sl~· the 1hitd l'!'l(m'lin,g, but the party hlld found what it sought: A route that \\'ould ••go," as r'lt'arly as a pr.te,ticcd ~~-e ooukl teiJ. A fine tracery of crad:s kd up 10 •he •op. 1be climben turned back. Tiri.s ipri.ng, when the snows ha\'C: mc:hod from the ' 'alley Boor and the nights arc wann enough so that a man c;&n alc:ep on a cliO', Robbins intends to lead the lint complete climb ol the northwe~t face. At beat, there will be six b ivouaa-now ~nd then wich space cno~,rgh to tit down, but mo~ often swndi.ng trpright in rope slings.. ~ te· \V<trd, if )"OU wiJh «>call it tllat, will be: the oonqlieU or ~~ impossible. So.nethir.,g so close: to sheer misery, with such an dcmem ot calculated risk, is: scarcely lht: a\'\".r<lie man'* dish o( tea. But roc.k cUmbers ate a pank:ularly tenaclwJ brcod, who get thetnsel"CII intQ the most hair-raising ptedicaments in O«<er to get OUt of them triumphantly. The '(otemitc cliffs-smooth, spectacular and bandy tO the h.igllwaya- have inspired aon'le prodi· gioos climbing, ba!e<l o n a lavish ute (I( anifiei.al aids. PuriJtS, who reJer •o the Yosemite er~n :tJ "rock tJ18inetrS," aomewlw.t p:uronb:ingly talk o r " •necha· iaoloo:-•o:dP M• yll<"-boot W I!U:t It dl.t vq. Mary AM :\.be~ ~a ......u.l..,..... I"'P" bnllr le V~h~e l'lltk. Man OS~ lacl4l a ufet)' (M, nixed climbing,'' oonduc.tcd up a ladcl("tway of Stetl. Whichever faction ~ the true gospel, both agree that YO!Iem.ite excru an ()'!Jerpowc:ring attraction for rock cli.mbcn. l'hi• is best (Oonlinued on Pa~ 101) 87 �fdlnaary u. 101M (C.:.t1-.ci l'tola htt tt) cktnOnUra~ owr the ~{cmorial Day "'t!Ckend, when hundmdt tJ CUIIoml.ans show up with ropet and tlolCk.acb lor the annu.al roek...:UmbCnr outlnc ot the Sttrra Qub, u ors:aniutlon of a.ppto~tirnatcly 10,000 mouotai.necrt. It il an lnoorrcxlt . .•mpcion chat mote rode dirftbc:n arc. ~ ~ wich DO ~ rncaM ol-..ppon.. ()(the ...., •ho RICIOMCiiwral Hal' ~ R.obbiM ""JrJ • banlcr, Hard.l.a& &D ~. \\'"dloa &tid C.twa. J11di.tlte nudel'la.. AtrlotW wckn· taty apona, the best countttpart 1.. ai'I)Uii"' pme ol ch~ which calk tor intente cerebration and an al.n'ICI&t psydllc knowkdJe ofwhat lla ahead. Th(R is one JUhltanl•ll dilftl'f'DCe, A w~ InO\'t on l.he che. boan:l 1.s •ldom mete dwll bumiti.lonc: a riiOYC 011 • c:liA' may bt fatal. Thepolntcl~waJ~ more cl<uly -..~a~ wbcoj.tA.mold.,AAt ooNdloo&ftd Frica wroec - .. .._. ..... L i - dio.llal lilt !at """"'· • kolk bWc c/ ..... IOOOicet hlcb. Kictioc OUl ftorD die dif!'M1dway bccW'tea Y.-:m. ltt Pol.nt and Upper Yoetmhe FaUL (Sec: Wa Cl.lw•w nm bcPosll.u :PI.A•, by fritz/\. U~nn, The: Saturday EvePolt,June 18., 19+7.)Thitsmootha_fod Kemill$)y unana.inable ~had m.. at· nine tem.peed devm limes prcviously. Al•er five doyo, 1he dlmbm flftaJJy ........ 10 ' - .... - · r._. poiniGI!Ihrvallcy n~~a. Two olct.c. ctacmdod _, aoocch tOO ltct ~ """"d.. tOCk lhe l.oo< Arrow ........... INII, &nd thc:o up 10 !.be d-. main &Ji-. mcb ol the: rope, ~U. ic JtO the top.. Alt<1' 1ht rope was ·made fut. ln the \he elm~~ pc:r(ormcr tta1Jin& • 11\MI)Cr ·~Ide for li(;e," Lipp.nann CI"'MCd OYtt the or vo&d and jo.lncd his cornpanlotlt a10p the Anow. Four yean later. in juDe, 19$0, Alan Sial< aod john Salalht compci<JII """' Sltdt callo ...., ....., "" pj""" """""" ro... ..,.a . . , m do>• 00 . . . · - ..... wall o(Smtlod Rod<. Thlt lllCidom fli"!fcc:\ UIC'd t,tp 165 pi'a:;lot aac! !Me orpiMioft bol~ and "'I'm .ol. ftOC qgiK -.arc: wf\y I tlid ic:• Sttc:k llOid l'l'ltt «andy. l.n umvct tlmetpcnt aod I"(JJJII.IIICh.ieYcd, Stndnd Ro<l wu notabk, but Hatr Dome ttiU hokb the n:cord Cor ~ number ol ovcrnt2u guu~ acc.oromoda~«<. "The \101.\une of vcs1ical trafBt In YOlein• he Pa:rt forced lbe Natioml Park SeMoe to e~ta.~ a tUC:Ut cram d 1CI'I ,...,.,.. an d whom are tr&iDcd io me n'IQil aQIIIIPli· ..... _ dimbc:n n,rdy cauR . . =am trOUblt... Afll R. :0:. Md.oryre. lldmirliwari'vc _. liuaat to chc ~ tuperifttcodcnt. '"\\'ba.t ~'"Tbeeapa:.....S ci~ Uf. hcad.che is the b$t childt'O\ and 1M people 'l'it\9 decide to ta)::e a thew' CUt off chc traiJs. They're the 00(1 wbo always get themselves stuck on a cliff'-ean't CO down; can't go up-atjustaboutd atk. lt'J lucky for ut that thlavalley i.saosmall. Anyone who hollen for hdp, onoe people have gone to bed, can be heard for six milct around.~ h is pcable 10 OYerdo a good thi~, bcM<eYa", u one reteue cscablishod lastJune. Mich.ad Simon.lixte<n_. was hik· ii1C a~ lhc: 1<>p cl the cliffs with a group cl fri<tl<b when he dccickd-wbat ebe?to take a $hort cut to the valley. He wound up in a cluster ul trca ~md sheer kdgCJ known as "the Jungle,'' in tl\.e middle o( the Royal Archei, one of the most ditrlCUh cliffs in the park. either up or <!own. Simon lJ.at>.e 1010&O.....,.m for help .., ~ and p<O«<dcd ., loudly that the ~ _.. unable 10 bteak in on hb mono&ogue to lee bim know that cucue wu a\ hand. The cacophony lasted until1nidni&ht, ,.,.hen he fell into an cxhausttd ateep on a broad and safe ledge'~ but h started again in the morning. A re~ cue team llcadcd by ra~r john Henne· berga', meanwhile, was oond~ a moll delicate dimb "' the Ard>es. "The ,.....,. could bc:ar S.i.mc:w\, bu1 they couldn~c Mar uch olhe:r--a difficult Jituatioo wbc:n a climb is .,..,. .-duc:t<d in p i t c h with occasional aid from a Ela$bJigbt. n He was in the midst o( his last and b;ggm 'Helpl'''said Hennclxrtge.r, uwhen 1 finally ateppod out from behind a tl'(e and tapped him on &he shoulder. We got hlln up to the 1<>p cl the Atchcl and walked bim down _... f091 trail, but I'U bet that boy had a IOI"e du'oat for a monlh afcer."" T,..., <><her reacue expeditions last y<ar "'O'C less humorouo. On April.;ghth, Ann Pottinger1 nineteen, a atudmt at Stanford University, tel out with two boys to climb the Lower Ctuhcdral Spire. A snowstonn threatened and 1h c tangen a t park headquarters had wan1td the party-whit.h n:gisten:d in advance tor the climb, u n> quited by pork resuJationo-to lutl'l back if the weather .,....,...J. At tO~ that "' the dimben . . . - into •• hc::adquarttn aca;i.n and &aid, "I'm af~ AM it ia lt'C<Ible. We had to lcav<: her at the fooc ol the Spire and come down fol help." By midnl$ht, in a blinding anow· ttorm. a racue team rcac:hccl the girl. She wu dead from <Xf'Cll'=- probably be· ca""' her clothing COt •t eel ol COtton jeans, a COttOn shin and a lipt poplin jadceL At the end ol May, the n:oc:uc crew C.oa:d Hckne \'Ofl R)'CttetItt , _ l!eWT'e vonri, a sracJuate t~I>Cknl at the UniYCI' tity ol Calil'omia, w&J lcadiJ18 a climb on the Royal Arches. This wall, risiJ18 direelly ,.,t, abo,·c lhe Ahwahnee Hotc1 1 ls one VUI slab ol rock inelincd at ~nty to eighty dccrca. ..;,h few placa wh<re a climber can hold on. ln IUeh a lituadon, a.n u:pett llau.,.. bit feet and hands on the rock and mova ahead to the IM!ara<eolld led~. This is known as friction dimbins. "The prcooure ol rubber ooles and bare palms on the rock iasufficit·:ru to prevent a slip-in most cases. Bu1 Miss von Ryckervoncl fell ninety feeL She wu held by the t«llnd man on the rope, who had braced hlmoclt on one ol the available ou~eropplnp. It took SUJ>CI"" rew viaq rangerJohn Mahoney and the reocue Ctt\<' ol me m<n mcot ol the night lO Teach her. ~ 1 have never tten such injuries," aid part naNralitt Clenn Calliton, a member rac:ue erew. '"rhcte wu a hole in or the bock ol her head, and there wcte to many bones fractured that I'm ourprioed ahc didn' t die right there oo the cliff.*' The rangen d~ed • meah·and·alu· minum rc:oc:ue litttl' up 10 the IOCne ollhc 10 the rocb IICddmt. lied while they adminittmd fine aid, and in two and a baiC hours btot.tcht Miss Ryckavond down to the valley. Rcxues, though dramatic, intrigue the Yooemite ran~rs las than the case of the Two MissiJ18 Men. On July GO, 19.54, WaJ.. ter Cordon, 1 ltudcnt at the Univeroiry•ol the the........ ... c.lifortka, bou&ht atcab tor an outdoor pk:nie In ~ olthe camNtou.ndt. tcld' his COntpanionl, .. l'U be-: back bc:(on: dinner:• and K t out on a hike rrom whleh he: oever ~tvn~ed. The rault wat on< or the mot-t conccntrac«i aeatehet che pat'k. has known. 'Thf! llO< t d a y, b!oodhO\u\dt \0/C.tc: put on CQl'd()n'• u-ail. They led th.c ra.nsen up the ~th to ClAcit:r Point which ove-rlooks lhe valley, and down the f'our Mik: trail to the highway. "~'here the. '"""t •~ndy vanll:bed. 1\$ many as thirty ,..,.en bbdt· aKd 1hc:dilf-,.earehin t.lorGordoa'a body. and b- daY$ a Mlkopttt Aew up and down the valley \Vhile sponc:n acarect ch~ fk:ld aiUKS. The sc:arc.h wu hopclat; COr-· dOTI ia nill mbting. 11~ m<mt.h.t lacel', on October 9, 195+, •nothc:r UniYcnhy of Calirornla s tudent wu wa.lki..tl« alone a footpath ncar the Ahwahnee Hoed with hi• wlf~t.t father-in· law a.nd moti':M:f'-in· lllw. '""ni•c &oob incu. ftti• up there.•• aakl OrvM" YOl'll t....N. thirty. rootioninc co the upptt pan ot the lloyaJ Arches cliff. '' I 'll tee you a little &aett. •• He walked all' IntO the u.nderbc'wh f.od ~liYiQon- \Vi\hin thlnec:n hours the bloodhound• picked up hb ~l At the ba5c of the Royal Atchu c:Hmb, and tried rn.nti,. coJiy to .cramb1e up the roclc. Reeeuc: teams roped up and ~red the: whoLe cliff, whh nesa • l~ results. A hellcoJ)tcr fk:w .along· atde the An:hct. R.ancen .u.te.hed ror two toUd "''ttb. kec:pins a.n eye- pecled for a CC)tlo(!entradon. ol earrioe\ bircb that micht pinpoint \he location o( • body. Oae dlmbing pany d-red a bear, which dcpartul with a startled a.nor1, but nobody round von Lil-. The FBI , eallt'd in becautc: Yoectnite i.a Federal prQpc:rty, chc:d<cd C:Yery poaible lead without rnu.lt. 1n quiet hourt, which are Infrequent, the nmaett ate apt to •pe:eula tc l'tbout Cordon l.nd von La.u. Perhape;, they lhink, the bodks l~ aomcwhe.re on the YC*:I'I'lite dlff... wedged behlnd a roek which nobody wW paw. for 100 )"UI"t. Such a time la.-c b no1. out ollhequcnion. In September ol 1801: Ma.rjoric Fa..rquhar, Jvk:l £icbhorn and IUc::ha:rd l-eonard, ol the S'erra Club, made lhe 6nt anc:mpt tO cllm.b \'/ashingt.on Column ... Way up thuc on the dill'...... .-ys Leon11rd, ,.W'C (ound pan O( A hUn'IJU) skull. Our peN \\'at: that h d1uec:!l (t'Qfl'l prehi,.. tode times. But when we took it to lhe DcPI'-rlmc.nt of Anthropolofy at the UniW:r'• thy of California . they akl th~ skull had been then: about a hundred )'Cu.-just ab<ML1 the. time the fin.t fur trapp«S wtte cc:paorinc dle High $ttra. I have often ~ who the f'O!" (dlow ~ who ao.t his tooting and dioct, .SI alonoe. up thue above Yc»emite Valky."• A few yu.rs later a c:lhnbc:r found so~ human bones in a lict&e 88 �101 Ju-cam tumbling dO\''" the cUffs oppotit.e WathJngton Colwnn. In the ~ame pool of wa ln- were an initialed wateh and an old hat imprlnted with the name a store ln PhoenilC, Ari:tona. Whh the h<"fp ol the: fBI, 1M owner was ewiblished. Parle head- or quartttS caU((f his mother i.D Pboeoi.'lt 10 extt:nd eondo\o)C(;$. ~~"l'hat•s strange," she said. " He j ll5t krt Cor schooL Stu he did ('()fne back from Vo.semile Jast )'dttWithout hat." The bones apparently \rttt: th09t of a m.'\n who h ad \':tnishcd twenty )'eJU1 earlier. l:t" The sport or rock d:mblng. al~y flowishi.ng tn the East. w<IJ i:ntroduccd to C.liComia in 19SI by Robcn L. M . Un· derbi.ll, a profa.aor ;u H arvard Uni~nity and a mounrajnecr of distinction. The idea o( eying on a rope to g () up difficult cliff• had not hereto/ore oc:curml co d)C menloben or lhe Sierra Ctub, but once it caught on, the ~ \\'8$ immediate. ''The di· ttt«m were horriftcd \'!fhen \\'C propoeed Lh.at the club tst3b1l$h a roc:k.-dimbing .section.?' r«alls Bcstor Robint(>n, now tt:tired 3t <' l'()(k c;limbu, who ptaeliees law in Oa.k~nd. Catifc>rnia. "They saki we'd be tu«l imo bankl"\lptey ~n CMt ol an acci· From the experiments of the dub, it may be ~ta tdy said, tbe United Sta,tes Arm.y <k\"CCoped much of iu climbing equipment and a coherent doctrine (or teaching greeu :!IOid.ierJ how to get up a cliff. if need be. Thjs d ata W<l$ fim i.snparu:d lO the: JOlb Mountain Division, " ·hicb fought twa. lwuly in Italy during Wo<ld War 11. Berare the end or the war, tOJne 2.'S,OOO Other ddierJ had ~ a ucht how to climb in ...a. ....,..,ed places . . Uncoln, New lbmpshire; Nauual Bridge , V itginia, """ ~fouth of Seneca.. \ Vest 'Virginia. The old doctrioes nill a~ carried on in the- can)'001 or C~>cy~poe Ctttl<, qu!Sid< Colorado Sj>riogs, Cok>rndo. "i>en: !he Anny maintains a mountain-tr.Lining areol_. One great cootribution wu the 11)'km rope for climbins· l:ntil just bcfor<- W ,\·ar, no climber "'OUid consider risking his life on ~nyth.irlg bt.n a t OO..focu h~ o( ~b.nila ropt. :"~·b! The Attny developed few new cli:mben ol' the first rank, but a good many }'oungsten with . prior mountain experience rope, which had j ust c;oO)(: oo the mar;kec, was regarded with suspicion by F..attem himself. c!U..b=, oot the Sierra Club decided to try it out. 111e method of testing was somewhat dent, and added tha t !.he c;h.:atter didn't make any provi.,;on for h . But tix months later we had a nxk·dimbiO& sec.ci.on."' Robinson and friends rocuped jo)>fl.llly unusual. R obinson, Leonard and David R.. Browe r. now the club'$ secretary. found thernx.lves a suitable rode. about thirty feet high, in a Berkeley park. One m.'lt.l O'lff the California mountaiN, Jtudied pon~ derous German texts i:-_xplainiog .fl.ti6i'led ways ol holding onto a rock or or wriggling up a crack, ordered pitoru (rom a .spord,.. goods shop in Munich, and prooe«led to set u p a t1-aining area on Cr~t Rock, a cliff in one of the Berkdey parks. Thil led to tof\'IC: oompliattiQns. A lady \¥hose home woukl sit down. bracing himself solidly, and pat!$ the rope around his body for a be- lay dirtcdy bei()W the Met ealk'CI the park dq>3nment to ta)·, " I don' t want any bod· ics f:lUing in my back yard !.. None ever dKI, but ooc dimlxt ~Obk 1 modmtt tuMble, im'Olvi.~ Abr.\tion3 and <:Otltw.ions.. Since the aocident oocurrtd on city propeny, R.obi.IUOn had to report h to the poli¢e. The ttaining dimbs gn:w more and more claborau: until the Sierra Club felt compelled tO ~~ up a S)'Stem ol elauificalion, b:t$ed on F...uropcan standards. Cl.a.ss t climbs were simple h ikes; ClaBl 11 ~re i'<>t~ lt"'illbla; CI!SI Ill f«<Uir<d the OC- Uti.on..'ll u:se of a rope: Class IV c:alkd for ropa Md aJ'eful ~ppott ft()lTI abow; Class V requ ired 1>itonJ, and Cla9s VI-as on Hall Dome- c!<:m3n.d«l pit(M)S Ol' bolts f'or direct aid. ~ h1.1ndrecb of California. climb& have 00\V bcc:n :roetit\llously <:laui· 6td and bound into a g uide_book. lay- toeaning a poshion from which he could stop the fall of anolher ciU:nber. 'D\e tcoond m:an wouki fte into me rope and j ump off ·the edge or the rock:'" he fdl, che rope was aUowed. co $lide, and then gradually tightened until the te<»nd man camoe to a .stop not far above level ground. Alter twe11ty ~c:~r che Manila rope brooke~ with tome di.soomfort to che teeond m:an. The nylon rope, however. was still going ~trong after «Kl practice falls. The test Ct'C'W grew so prolictc:nt that at the end of !the experiment the secot~d man eould leap eight~ feet into space bd~re he was hah<d in his ftigh~ and then low<red slowly to earth. ,.,e nylon rope was adopted as $tandard 'by th<: Quartermaster Corps, i.n. 11'llioh both Robinaoo ;w~ IMuMil ~ :u offioett. The practice tall, apectacu1ar to watch, still popped the eyes of new recn.a.its. the lut tUne l visited the Mountain and Cold Weather Command at Camp Cal'$0n. Co'orado ,Spri:ngs. The .diding1 or dynamic, belay has now virtually supplanted the method originated by the Swiss, wh.ieb wu to hook th-e rope firmly around a projection of rock. Too ot:"ten, the rope broke. ~:merged from th~ lOth Moun!ain Division as maturoe and keen mountaineers. The most impressive veteran is a climber in his early thirties, named Fred Bedey, who has led more than <100 first ascents of cliffs and rock spires in the Pacific Northwest. By virtue of getting there fim, Bedc:y has been able to name a number of peaks hitherto identified oitly by altitude. Since thowancb were already christened, be had to use in· genuity. One rang~ in th~ nonhero~­ cade Mowllains, named by Bedc:y, reads like the wine list of .a de luxe hotel. Chianti, Pernod, Burgundy, Sauttme aod Chablis are among the titles to captivate a thirsty climber, !though Beckey i:s no winebibber A mao of great physical strength, Becltey decided last vear to Climb the west tower of Mt. Goode, ' a spire 8700 feet high, rising 3600 fttr from i!J brule nt~r the head of Lake Chelan. With Don Claunch, another Seattle climber, he departed from Seatde at one P .w. of a Saturday, arriving by car at the foot of Cascade p.,. at five P-". The twO climbers then wal.ko:i up over the pass, down the other side, and in to the base of the peak, a distance of sixteen miles, aniv· ingat 11 :,SO P.M. TbeysleptuntilsevcmA.M., Sunday, m ade the first ascent of the west toWer, climbed. back over !he p&'! to th~ir car1 and reached Seattle at two A.Jot. on Monday. Beckey then went [0 work in the advertmcg department of the Seattle Post.Jntelligencer at e:i3ht A.w. On a later week~ end, bored with the walk over the pass. be loaded a catamaran on a trailer, doove tO the foot of Lake Chelan, and blithely sailed up to Stehekin, the scatting poi.nt of his climb. The weekend finished, he sailed down the lake again to rest himself, Bcd<ey's recoro of first asceolS is now being chal· lenged by Pete Schoening, another Seattle climber, who distinguished himself in an attempt on K2, in the Himalayas, a few yelU$ back. Gunbers in t he Paci6c Nor thwtM are a tilde los !ICientiftc than those in tbe Sierra Nevada. The infonnal approach was epitomiud in 19o..9 by Lionel Chute, who &ed the f"" climb of the Noeth Peruc of M L I ndex- elevation 5tOO rect-on tbe inter· csting theory th<it a cash reward was ip.volvcd. The rumor bad long pea'l!istcd lhat the Great Northern RaiJway. whose tW1nd under the mountain is one of the t.ongae: in the CXNntry, was prepared to pay from $1000 to$.'i000 for the 6Nt climber to~ the copol' the Nonh Pea):. Pmumably, thu would be profi.able advettising. Chu~e, applying for 1he reward, fOI.llld the railroad affable. but not D'l'e03-"red to dio in to the till. Now in hi$ fifties, be hal a nke letter from the C-t NO<them a,Od !he oatisfa.:tion or having completed one or the most diffieuh climbo of lUa era. ln the Northwest-a COWllry of limitless rom:tJ, h • glaciers and d02ens of un· climbed peaka-d><n: are •tiD plen1y of oonq1.1esl$ for those who have nel"''e and skill. The. best iiiU$tradon was provided1 .eve:ral )'dlt1 ago, by a Seattle <:hemin named David Hanah. In 1952. while climbing Mt. Yerupaja, one oC the highest in Peru, Harrah"• feet '-'"ere ft'Oa'tbittcn. He IO$t m OSt of hi$ tQet-.a disaster. it woo1d 110ent, to a rock dim.ber, who mUJt depend so thoroughly on ddieate ~auce. Not lorcg after, he Jed a climb up lhe 5000-foot nonh· west face of Mt. Johann.dberg, in the C. ~es. spending on< night on the cliff. Last surruncr I walked f'rom the end of !he road into Ca.!cade Pass and looked ac:ross the vaJJey at Johannisberg. The "easY' route leads up :an almost vertical guUey ol snow, with no sound plaoc: for a belay. Harrah's route zi.gz;ag:g«< up a but• trea to the kft, high i:nto the clouds, so sheer that 1 had to crane my neck.. I have rock.-climbed in roy t~ but lhis eli« was too ricl:l for my blood. Not too rleh (or a man "'i th abundant will power. ho"'~'tt. The 1ena<i1y di>played by H....-ah i$ to be foul'ld, to a greater or less degree, in Cvc:ry rock climber. Perhaps thisC?tpJainJ why a climbing club in Iowa wiU spend itswcdc· tndt on fitly-foot cliffs aJ.ong the Missis!ippi River or why &OmC thowandt of erapnen in the ~ will ~rt.. happily on rock faces ranging in height from 100 to 800 vmical f«t. 89 �The moot notable and mcot popuatcd area is a wall ol cli.fft in the Shawangunk :Mountai~ about 100 mila north o( New Yoolt Chy, on the,...., side of the Hucbon River. H(:rt the New York U\apter of the /lppolod>W. Mountain Club baa~ fifty teparatc routc:t Nine a maximum d !1100 feet, but emboclyinc the ""'" hair· rabinc dilemmu 10 be moountcnld in the Rock;a. the Sitna Nevada and the Dolomites o( Italy. If ft&Uiatlool did -forbid it, New York mountalntt:ts would do their climbing an the Paldada, which rite m&· the Hucbon in New jcstically j"" jmq. Too many loOO< rocb, ~<!own co IUOIIcrl ~ the rivenidc, caused the authoricitt ot Paliada lnW"Statc hrk to dooe the ..... 10 rock climben yeats ""'" The Shawancunk climbo ,...,.. d<Ydopcd pra;dent c1 • by Fritz H. w~r. chanicaJ ccmpany in SlOWe, Vermont. A ,_ abort and baldlnc man In his etrly fifties, \Vtc.ncr wu-untii he: bqan to dow hit peoe·- the best rock climber thb country ever hN known. N a young man ln Ccr· many, he led-without pitons-aomcofthe claasic rock dimbt In the Alpo. Reck climbing in Europe and England, aa diatinct rrom the ucent o(great mow·and·ice mountains_. began in the J 890'•~ but the IJ)()tl oCtcaiJog clilft dkl not become alcience until 1910, when the piton wna invented by an Austrian climber named HaoulCa Flcchtl. IU a l'OO"C man in DJUden.J Wiepner abtorbcd the fine point! of the aport, and brouchc co America in 19SO ~m entirely new technique, involving delicate a.nd rhythmical move· ment on cliffs with no visible hoJds (or the hand~ and feet. A man who believes in "clean., c:Hmblng as a greattr test than the Javbh UIC ol pitont, he made the fint ucent of Devi.l't Tower, in Wyom.inc, with only one pilon, where later cl.imber1 \dCd them by the dor.c:n. He alto climbocl .,,118().(oot Mt. Wacklingwn, in Brithh Colurnb'-., which bad bccn-<utcmpttd fourteen timco beinc. previoutly. w~ it ani<:Waoe climber. we,..... an "Rock climbing," he fcda, "is the ll)()lt ..wty;nc and Wcinatinc sport io the world. The lancbc:Ape of mountains, the arc:bHeetun d mount.aint, is tometb.i.ng \00 few d us koow. It ita sport and 001. • cornpcU. tioo-matchinc younclf api"" JC>at«hinc much bi&:c« than any human bcinc, apina nature. his a waydmjoyingwbat ooe's ~.,. body can do, much as our ancc:s1011 who livul in U'ttS must ba\'C' en_P.."C'd the euy , _ . , , alawtnslo& from IUnb «> limb. You J«" a-...y fnxn cvc:ryth.iog mccbanical, and it makes you fed like a kine. pacl>cd oo alitde spot up in the sty. You a.a.e OY<rOOGlO pft)1ic:al as wdl as mental difficulties. •.,.-o be a good rock climber, )'OU ha,:.: to put ~"tt)'1hiog iotO it-tO figure out )"'OW" D:IOYCt as )'OU would in~ cxoept that oo • diJf you .... playinc with .... biggat q......., bisbcp, rooks and pawns oo lh< planet. £,-en on the: smallest cliff, there is """""'inc IOphisticaoed about the delicate mow:ments impoecd on a climber. Tbc mechanical stulf- the '"'""' and bel.,_ you can enjoy Cor a wbUe, but in tbe long run you gtt )'OW' values from your c:IQee.. nesa to nat~, the rcaliza.tion how small v.re humaDI ate (OI'J'Ipartd to cbe big mountains. l tis aomclhlng )'OU can c:njoy with the eye, thc..bra.in and the whole body. And it i1 an cteape from che pressute~ or the world. When thole gn:at walla of rock in:b out abo\'e )'0\1, it ls like tinirls i.n the qui<-t and calm or a Gothic cathedral. ''The man who leads a rode clitnb rouse rcoognize that there is danger involvai, and be mutt keep it in mind, but if he hat the ta.lent, he ca.n win through. He needs judgment at wc:U-the ability to know whac one ougbt to be able to do in a difficult opol. A good man dimbt up and down ouch a spot a few timet, aJwayta litt1e bit higher, unlll be 1<.-. bow he can salcly ce< through it. Many men, not SU'OO( or patient Cl:'KJ~Uih, try to ruah a cliff, and thoee .,.. ll>e coes who fall. Th<y tal<e ehan=, and ll>ey looe. A leader has 10 be able 10 ficb• apioll his own ...u.;tlool; be able 10 tum around and tO go home if tbc climb is too rm.ach for him. Titere are~ who race \0 climb t.M big £aces Olt' "·ho hunt for ~ toriety, but in fiYe or six )'Cil'$ )'OU doo't toe \hem around any ~ MOSt d tbcm quil. 1lae real climber .stic:b -.itb it aU his liSe. \Vba> .... " " - .... 100 difficult lor him-wdl, he alwa}• .... do the dil& and be just .. happy.• smaller cliffs, a It was on one of theee aaw thiJ philooophy few days Iacer, chat I put to the test. Wiessner and I had met in Chapel Pond Pass, near Keene Valley, in cite Adirondack MountAIN of New Yori< Scace. Above us, fitsured and oeamed, rcoe a rock wall 100 feet high. No one had climbed it, but Wiasner wu ready to do 10. We tied in co the rope, and Wieooncr mrttd swiftly up through a natTOW c:nck, cite cl.usic rock climber in action. ,...,.,_., him !he waU leaned outwa..S, for a~pa« cl perhaps fifteen -.ical feet. I cculd oce a few tiny hanclholcls, but no euy way past lungefor the rock, hung on for dcarlifc and hauled myself up. The rut wu euy. A few more ledges, a few cracks to be climbed by jamming most o( the body into them and inchi113 upwatd, and we were on top of lhe cliff, with the Adirondacks spread out in front of usranee after ranee of hills dark with spruce and pine. ~Look, Hal,'' said \VieMner, sv.-eeping his ann to encompass the horizon. uDoesn't it T H B END make you feel like a king?'' lhisoboude. With the ucmcoc preciseneao, Wiessner worited his way upward, pauoed for a moment, leaned ouc from the rock and craned his neck. 1bc.re wu -.ethi"3 about the route he didn't like. Silently, he came down again co a wide ledee, thought for a moment, and staned up again, this time IC· leeting a slighcly different collection of holds. Again, he paused to study the problem, and ~in came carefully down. "It will go now/' he called chee.rily to me. So rapidly my eye could not follow ~is. mov<:· menu, he ftickered up che lcclce, hooked chr« finger$ over a thin flake of rock and disappeared over the ledge above. I followed, but not with ouch ease. From his stance above, Witss.nc:r wu exertlng a firm buc steady pull on the rope. With chis assurance cl safety, I managed co claw my way throuch a maze of tOl-'ily inadequate holds and to crawl on my belly over che top of lheledee. Off co chc right a accond wall led up co a project!"« piece of rock broad enough ror a man to sir on. How to get there? This one was euy ror Wieaaner. He mov<>d upwaro on ocanc foot· and hand· holds, rum<:<~ hi• richc hand 10 chat ic r<Sted palm down on the projecting rod<, fineer$ facing outward and wrilc facing in· ward. Then hesently JWUngoutover~p~~cc, revening hit body, and sac comfortably down. When I followed, it wu the triumph cl bruce strength o.-a- an obRac:lc that de=-"«! """" eeoclc uuonmt. I made a 90 �Superintendent Aubuchon Correspondence Spider Rock UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITm STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK GI RVtee NATtONAL PAAI( SCA'VICC ~..<k..QU.l.JKA.TtoHAI.. MOHUMIHT ~-C;J!-..U,lt.,.- HATIOHAl. MONUMCNT ---~!L.Arl•llur."------­ J, lON _ _ ..__ ..,,..lt =o..::...:~ L r .......,..., • • ~n-- ______ ....,.. _, ,~·~~~ ~Lc~ / -l.AtJJ,--.lt. 1JI 4 . _ ,.__ .,.,...,.. o..tl-t , Oroa W. Wlltw. ... ac..rlf ,..._11 116 ltOO't ...... C1111.lt. Ytt~. Ca ll.torll1• ,_ ,.....-t o.&r trr. Gal t •-'• tor ,.,.,.,,_ \ot &\~ \ot oU•• ~tUr lock o. ""'-it •t \11.- a tJ«&J ~k a."s....... •• ,..,,. -. M"$t•• • te.c Mr1•• ot ,_,,,,,. ,_,._ ,.._.w ,., a.to.-.u-. ~.. .r c..,. - ~7 nn~ ~ --vt.bab.~ ,_ 0111; , . _ -u~l .....- e1 lit'-..,. ..ot. - n t.at.,...C ..,....... t: .-6. oU.Nt c • .,, 1 uw. t.. c ~ ~ .,.,.,,. U) u. • 0..11~ ...U'-- t. .aw ""' .... ~s.~~oao ._. --.1• . , - ... .,. ""ll•'l• ,., tM<U.1• • .....,.l..... ...,.._tw ....,... , (I) .......... u.. ,.,'" u "-• Jl o. _._, '• ,..,., .,, .,. .._ -u~... TM . . .~ -""'"" 1- .r....,. GODI!.ltt-.a tor tllt luT. rift,..,.. ...,tilt. \W "''"or.,~ F .,.... ctt.b ..,... •uT ~o~ l,-) ,......,..~..,... ..r ~. 1... ~­ nu.,... ot 11' ...,[,..,, . t 4 lo:.M• .r a. ,,......,.. l• " " tt1n or ....t.. - o r d " t -.:A .a4Sfi ~ U. ~· • Ill lie tn. w be eJ,....c! •N'lelt.llJ W ,...,.._ SftC .....,,, "' Ywr i-n..t...,. ·~rl•- .....,.u,.,. Yo•-U.•"• t..t J.rr 1111 ~!ft plw tlw t l - 1 411t1\ he,. lut •I·'~ en NOC.Mooa b - u.e-...1<1 .-.-tuy 1" ..,. 7'1'1'' ,......, 1.e .,.,l.,.t• ~ ,.,._, rl•k lllvolo4. 1 uo •..n, •ho, U.t ttl' •••• • ..-.d. .,., U• po. .t t>U· h7 or tt.o" w-l't •114 '~~'"tl-''" ~tattl)' •w.U•\.1• rer •t....,. ..,.. .,,.,...11 ... """h• t,.,. to. ywr -rr."JIII)' vltu hltlwlo rut\111trP"•\1111111 >'" """" .trood,y •n4 or tM lib~>\ •oodd t. ,.,.,.,,.,., 1 ,...,.,. ., Ulll\ \tOM •qu tpoen~o "-0 t'lot. ""o.t..nt )'~• to C•~oa t.1e (l!~llJ . I ..,-, tunrtC.nt ~--t •••fl ,;r... \41' tllnMm It OUl' clulr. to a•e~ld v.. 1W Wldttt~Md Ula t n 11111 4o •11 that h pou lbh \o aul•t 111 -...,,.nasu Wt or 6t!eu.trot ... ,,.not••· Yr"' •1 oot t.e •~tt t.o clrl•• lAte '"" ~ w ._.lilt I' lloelt. ;., 1ou ""'>' ~. w..re u •"'''•"" •• 1.., •• u.. •tt- h n h,. J <I&IIII!Ot c-L'" re'J t ...t..orl\)0 loot ll.rht I· t.¥ 1 ,. . .,.,...,. •ttlioou:l. r~rn •~c:.c 1M t0n0111tllla ot u. tt,.... 11M . . . \)',. ...,.tr-nt ._,,_1._., 1'"* ..u:......... .)I). J Nf. I -.rt. ..,. .._.... ,.... ~-. tw v.. ...rtt'lal ....,. "-"''ICJt fhJUatt.-. ,_-... tor o. ....... t • ..,.. \M apl tM l• ~·u. . ,... ~ s.. ,..., ..... " .. u ...l Pt.rk '*"le-t ritlet aM ~buen.. f Oil Al l laa.... fq M,p. . \ Rlpeo tl fGI' )'0\lr MoVlOIM a bUl\)' o 11&6)' •11 )'CIO;Jir ot.Mor ~ltab$ Ill •1,.H7 . .., ... N • Slnon dJ. c~~efl:./~ S~r l.n~\ )'O< , Lu \9 vt-.. • • , c.~ tM\ t~H ""''" 'JfN' Mrt r-tt of Atfi'OIIoelb W $ft4tr a-.1r. ! ~·' tllt.t 'JW P•tr-- ,..w elll!• •Hl • l'ltr Afnl l t .......,_. .r -t¥1' • ...U\1-.,.. .. 1. .. """"'•• 1 ...tn -~"' ..... llttne luo: .lf b4i A;rU 1. I~\"" M At C ,..,..l.HirA' ert.. .....,.. _ ....... ! r fl"'"" 5rl-.:: ~t. ~ I \&'- l wi.U MH :r--- U lU. w 4:""-• •.YUI..-1 . .._1\t. 1- /L??a.4h4 .... ~'";:.',.,_.._ ,'-'~ 91 �Postscript: Cleo Perspective and a Fun E-­mail Hi, Gerry. Of course. Please send. Fascinating stuff, I'm sure. In June 1958 I went up 60 feet (!) on Spider, with my dad nervously belaying. A girlfriend and I made the second ascent of Cleo. So I'm quite familiar with 1/2 Dome and the desert. For your amusement, here's something I wrote a decade ago for a John Cleare book in England. Steve My most petrifying climbing experience in the Southwest took place in 1962, when I was barely old enough to vote, let alone possess judgment. I badly wanted to climb a spire called Cleopatra's Needle, an awesome formation 225 feet high, thin as a knifeblade. This freakish pinnacle had been ascended only once, six years earlier. A few sentences in the first-­ascent account had both scared and intrigued me: "The second man had no problems taking pitons out. Few of the thirty even needed pounding with a hammer." Surely this wasn't true! I was traveling with a non-­climbing girlfriend that autumn, and we zigzagged through the region, hiking and doing things young lovers do. I had brought climbing equipment, thinking I could teach Sharon if necessary. She was a brave lass and on Cleo I easily dragged her up to a belay ledge 100 feet above the ground. She stared up at the next section, a dead-­vertical wall 125 feet high, soft as cheddar, and split by a single thin crack, through which we could see daylight-­-­the other side of the spire. She rebelled. I too wanted no part of it. But I was brimming with a dangerous drug, testosterone, and so, after teaching Sharon the rudiments of belaying and promising glibly that I wouldn't fall and that she needn't go to the summit, I set off, pounding pitons into the buttery sandstone with blows Thor would have been proud of. This was classic artificial climbing: a piton every five feet. On granite, it would have been a dream, but here the pitons kept shifting under my weight, and a few lower ones rattled out as I progressed. After two hours of this I was sacred witless and covered in red dust and sweat, wondering why Sharon and I weren't instead cavorting naked in a motel room. If a piton popped while I was perched on it, I wouldn't have to worry about my questionable belayer holding me: I would zipper every piton, smash down onto Sharon's ledge, and end up the size of Tiny Tim. As happens near the top of all artificial pitches, or so it seems, I began to run out of the correct size of pitons, hammering big ones part way into narrow cracks and tapping little pitons until they almost disappeared into wider cracks. Just as I was about ready to self-­destruct from panic, I pulled up onto the minuscule summit to see the rotting rappel slings left by the first-­ascent party. Somehow I got down alive (cleaning many of the pitons with, yes, my hands) and found poor Sharon weeping from fear, rage, and relief. I promised her we wouldn't do any more climbing, and we didn't for a full week. September 6, 2010 92 � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data PDF Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Desert Spires: Spider Rock, Cleopatra’s Needle, Totem Pole: Climbing Pictures with Original Articles and Selected Reading Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jerry Gallwas Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010 Description An account of the resource Stories and photos of early ascents of desert spires Subject The topic of the resource Rock climbing First ascents Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Ariz.) Language A language of the resource English Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Extent The size or duration of the resource. 92 pages 8.2 MB Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Desert_Spires_Photos_9_6_10.pdf https://library.americanalpineclub.org/files/original/cdf43d6fc6da438b5e494b6f827b368d.jpg 685554738c1695efe53d0fecde1fa83f Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 19ABDJimAikman001 Title A name given to the resource 2019 AAC ABD_Aikman_-5 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Aikman Subject The topic of the resource The American Alpine Club Events Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2019 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Extent The size or duration of the resource. 240 pixels/inch 5028 _ 3296 pixels 6.5 MB Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Digital Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright American Alpine Club Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. American Alpine Club Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Events american alpine club annual benefit dinner colin haley events speakers https://library.americanalpineclub.org/files/original/dc414412a020fc24cc60e84a9a6a562e.jpg ee8e63c7db179bc24fa8ad85a491f147 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 19ABDJimAikman002 Title A name given to the resource 2019 AAC ABD_Aikman_-6 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Aikman Subject The topic of the resource The American Alpine Club Events Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2019 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Extent The size or duration of the resource. 240 pixels/inch 6000 _ 4000 pixels 7.5 MB Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Digital Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright American Alpine Club Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. American Alpine Club Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Events american alpine club annual benefit dinner conrad anker events https://library.americanalpineclub.org/files/original/459d0223fefbab2508f15d6d37f73586.jpg 4c3e2e03958f52ef71a88349b23eddd3 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 19ABDJimAikman003 Title A name given to the resource 2019 AAC ABD_Aikman_-7 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Jim Aikman Subject The topic of the resource The American Alpine Club Events Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2019 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Extent The size or duration of the resource. 240 pixels/inch 6000 _ 4000 pixels 9 MB Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Digital Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright American Alpine Club Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. American Alpine Club Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Events american alpine club annual benefit dinner audiences events