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From the "old" days ...

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:31 pm
by Curmudgeon
Me seconding Wes Evans (Bill Wade Photo) on Bombs Bursting ...

I have TONS of old photos from the early Hackworth routes. Back
when we used to do EVERY 5.5, then EVERY 5.6, then EVERY 5.7 ...
which took us to every crag in the book ... and NOBODY was ever there!

We used to see a car and go somewhere else ... < sigh > Those were
the days! ./.

This was the first 5.8 I lead, I think ... That roof was sooooo
intimidating back then.

LOL

Cliff

Image

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:02 pm
by Zspider
Great picture, Cliff! I started climbing in the Gorge in 1985. I spent many happy hours at Fortress Wall, along with a dozen other places. Good times. They're still good.

ZSpider

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:40 am
by haas
I still hold the philosophy that you drive on if any cars are at the crag. If a climber takes a whipper in the woods and no one is still around to hear it, do they still scream?

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:10 am
by young'n climber
Of course they still scream, there is a belayer right there. So technically someone is around to hear it!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:49 pm
by chester
dang cliff! you went over the roof?!?!?!?
i go left, like the pansy that i am :mrgreen:
i would love to see more of your photos!
i have an idea...going to send you a PM.

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:20 pm
by Curmudgeon
chester wrote:dang cliff! you went over the roof?!?!?!?
i go left, like the pansy that i am :mrgreen:
i would love to see more of your photos!
i have an idea...going to send you a PM.
Yup ... Even on lead ... It's a whole new rush.

The left side is too hard for old men ... < grin >

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:28 pm
by Guest
fantastic!

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:42 pm
by Curmudgeon
Seneca Rocks ... The only 10 degree overhang 5.4 that I know of.

It's Breakneck, an 90 ft route with three questionable pieces of pro.
Both of these routes exhibit the hubris that comes storming on someone
who says, "It's only a 5.8" or "It's a 5.4, fer Christ's sake". When your
a 5.6 leader, moving on to Bombs Bursting was a real plateau. And
climbing wet West, By God, Virginia granite in the rain adds a certain
panache to the routes.

When we summited, there was a storm approaching over the Dolly Sods,
and we threw a double rap rope off the top. It flew straight out in the wind!

Wade goes "OK, Cliff you're the heaviest, see if the belay tree will hold us !!"

If that pine was 3 inches it was a miracle ... Heart in throat, I threw myself into a 60 MPH
wind that was wipping up the front side.

This was before the flood that wiped out the bridge and all at Seneca.


Cliff




Photo by Bill Wade ...

Image

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:54 pm
by squeezindlemmon
I love Seneca! (Not a pic from 'the good ol days'... but Seneca's beauty never changed all these years!)

Image

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 1:56 pm
by Guest
it sure changed when the Gendarme fell off! :P