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Holy Cross Mountain. Not Yet a Fourteener August 1961 6.5 hours up, 5 hours return Now a Fourteener September 19, 2006 at age 76 16 hours round trip . Holy Cross from Saddle.
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Holy Cross Mountain Not Yet a Fourteener August 1961 6.5 hours up, 5 hours return Now a Fourteener September 19, 2006 at age 76 16 hours round trip
Ellingwood Point August 8, 1970 3.5 hr backpack to Lake Como from Jeep 3.5 hr to Summit by West Ridge – the technical way to summit 1.5 hr back to Camp by East Route – Ellingwood – Blanca ridge 2 hr backpack back to Jeep
Blanca – Little Bear Ridge from East of Ellingwood descent route
Challenger Point On route climbed to get to Kit Carson before it had a name other than “another damn false summit.”
History The mountain climbers lived in Los Alamos, New Mexico and were scientists at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Most of the climbers had college degrees in Chemistry, Physics or Math. The results of recent experiments were often the climbing conversation topic. Of the main climbers, Dean Taylor, Gary Schott, Don Bunker, Joe Bubernak had PhD degrees in Chemistry. Only Don Bunker and Liz Marshall were married. Six or more hours of automobile travel time was required to get to the base of the mountains. The cars had only rear wheel drive. Jeeps were rented at gas stations near the mountains when needed.
History The only route information available was that in the original Ormes “Guide to Colorado Mountains” The topo maps were seldom of any help. Trails were mostly mining or animal ones. Seldom was anyone else climbing or camping at the base site. Many of the registers were placed there by the earliest climbers with Ellingwood often being the first name.
History Route finding was a challenge and often when one route did not “go” or the weather became marginal, it was necessary to return to camp and come back another weekend. Base camp was often the nearest motel and those peaks that were climbed from a motel were called “Mader Horns”.
History Being the only climbers or hikers on the mountains and no outside communication available, safety of the party was the major concern. If someone in the party could not or did not want to continue – everyone returned. Three climbers was the smallest group on any of the climbs. The idea was if anyone was hurt, one would go for help and the other one stay with the injured party.
History A 120 ft nylon climbing rope was carried on most trips and each climber had their own carabineer and a piece of rope to make a “Swiss Seat” for repelling. Every climber could do a body repel and do a dynamic belay. Pitons were used for tie in points for belays and upper anchors for repel ropes.
History While the climbers practiced the self arrest using an ice axe, if there was any hazard, descent down snow or ice fields were always done belayed with one or more ice axes used to anchor the belayer. Often regardless of any self arrest effort, the descent was brought to an end only by the of the rope. The party moved on a rope only if the rope was being belayed or attached to the mountain.
History In the early 1950’s the climbing equipment was mostly WW II surplus. It was very heavy. Nylon rope became available and had the advantage of stretching under load resulting in an automatic dynamic belay. The Vibram boot sole was developed. Dacron fiber was developed for clothing which was windproof and water repellent. Goretex fiber was not available until the 1960’s Backpacks placed all the weight on the shoulders. The waist belt was not available until the 1960’s Lightweight sleeping bags and tents were not available.
History The small backpacking Primus gasoline stove became available as did early versions of dried food. Water in the mountains was considered safe to drink without treatment. Only one canteen was carried as it could be filled at the streams. Salt tablets were carried and considered essential to replace body salt lost during climbing.
History Improvements in climbing and backpacking equipment were made by the Holubars and Gerry -initially small mail order home based, family operations in Boulder. REI of Seattle was started and initially a source of cheap, low quality, often Japanese copies of US military gear and home made pitons, wooded handle ice axes, and even manila climbing ropes.
History In the 1950’s, the center of mountain climbing was in the Alps with Zermatt and its climbing and skiing guides being the gold standard. Custom made leather Molitar climbing and ski boots made in Wegen, Switzerland were work of master craftsmen as was the other Swiss climbing gear. Los Alamos mountaineering and skiing scientists became clients of the Zermatt ski instructor and climbing guide, Eddie Petrig. Petrig was also a ski instructor at Sun Valley and was featured on a magazine cover. Climbs guided by Eddie Petrig are described in the PowerPoint ZERMATT.PPT. He taught safe climbing techniques that reduced the grim Los Alamos mountaineering death toll.
