Back in 1974, when Jim Bridwell heard about Reinhold Messner
climbing the North Face of the Eiger in 10 hours he viewed it almost as an attack
on his manhood. He considered his band of Yosemite ruffians as the best
climbers in the world. He needed a statement climb to answer the Europeans.
Something that said, "You may be hot, but we're the best." The next
year he, along with Billy Westbay and John Long, did the first one day ascent
of the Nose on El Cap in 15 hours.
Then in 1994, Hans Florine and Steve Schneider were the
first team to climb three El Cap routes in a single day (Nose, Lurking Fear,
West Face). Much like Bridwell, Trashy and I felt it was time to respond to
these Yosemite climbers. Boulder needed a statement answering these Valley
speed climbers as to who was really the king of the speed climbing mountain.
Today we answered.
We left the parking lot at work at 12:30 p.m. bound for one
of the most awe inspiring and intimidating pieces of rock in Colorado: The Dome
in Boulder Canyon. Our goal was a trifecta of our own: three routes in a single
day! Could it be done? It hadn't even been dreamed up before. We left the car
at 12:45 and hustled up the long, tiring approach in about five minutes. We
strapped on harnesses and shoes and Trashy on-sight led the classic Owl (5.7).
I had to yell copious instructions to him to keep him on route - saving his ass
yet again! This is becoming commonplace for me, but I never tire of it. I
always promise his wife Esther to take good care of him. Normally a 2-3 pitch
route, Trashy led The Owl in one long pitch. I quickly followed and we
descended back down.
Not to be out done, I led the three pitches of Cozyhang
(5.7), a route that goes over a bulge, traverses way left under a huge roof,
passes it, goes up and back right to another roof and turns it directly. With a
single 50 meter rope I led this entire climb in one, rope-dragging horror-fest
of a pitch. Probably the first time this has been done (because no one has been
stupid enough to try it until now. We are on the cutting edge of doing
ridiculous things!) No simul-climbing was involved.
After Trashy joined me on the summit we descended again and
blazed up the East Slab Route (5.5). This route is probably normally done as
one pitch, but, if you try hard enough (and I have), can be broken up into
three pitches! We descended a third time, stripped off harnesses and shoes,
packed and hiked back to the car. It was done. Three routes in a single day!
Actually, in only one hour and 34 minutes - car to car. Clearly the ball is
back in Hans' court. With a statement like this I suspect there might not be an
answer for years to come. Boulder has once again subsumed the top spot in the
speed climbing world!
I was back at my desk by 2:30 p.m. What a nice lunch. I love
Boulder...
Testimonials received for this event:
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Hans Florine:
Nice!
I bow to your obvious superiority in speed climbing (okay, he didn't really say
this, but you know he was thinking it!)
Mark Oveson:
Your trifecta is awe-inspiring. I
can't imagine the physical exhaustion you must have felt pulling the final roof
of the East Slabs. What exhilaration! Where to go from here?
The possibilities are nearly endless: a Golden Cliffs Trifecta? A
Der Frieschutz Trifecta? A Gregory Amphitheater Trifecta?
Loobster:
Where will this madness lead? How will it
end? Every day it seems the rules are being rewritten. One no sooner becomes
accustom to the standards of the day when they are again driven higher! As hard
as it is to believe today, I guess if history has taught us anything, it is
that this standard also will probably be surpassed (though not anytime soon, I
suspect). My heartiest congratulations to you and the Trashman!