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Climbing Clubs

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Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

Thoughout North American climbing history there have been loosely knit fringe groups, or clubs, that had names and held their partying to the same high standard as their climbing. A few examples of these clubs are: The Vulgarians, The Stonemasters, The Banditos, The DLFA, The Lower Sierra Eating Drinking and Farcing Society?
Are there any other climbing clubs like the ones above still in existence today?
Are there any other local clubs from those days that I am not aware of?
Perhaps someone can give me the correct name for The Lower Sierra Eating Drinking and Farcing group, as I am sure that I’ve butchered the correct name.
I am one of the founding foreskins of the DCCC, and I was a DLFA affiliate back in the late seventies til about 1982.
I’d love to hear about any other organizations from the past, or from today if any clubs like these still exist.

erickson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 0

A big one from my formative years was the Minnesota Winetasters, an affiliate of sorts of the DLFA.

Mike; still on the run from DL rangers.

Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950
erickson wrote:A big one from my formative years was the Minnesota Winetasters, an affiliate of sorts of the DLFA. Mike; still on the run from DL rangers.
Let's see, if I remember correctly, The original owners of Midwest Mountaineering, Pat Padden and Rod Johnson, were the founders.
They climbed Denali and their wine froze on top so they couldn't partake
Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

is Erickson, a Scott Erickson. Were you the blonde curley haired guy with glasses at TF?

erickson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 0

"...is Erickson, a Scott Erickson. Were you the blonde curley haired guy with glasses at TF"

Mike Erickson

erickson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 0
Tom Hanson wrote: Let's see, if I remember correctly, The original owners of Midwest Mountaineering, Pat Padden and Rod Johnson, were the founders. They climbed Denali and their wine froze on top so they couldn't partake
I was with them on a later trip to Denali ('79), no wine that I recall. Pat got stuck at 14k with altitude (or wine, perhaps ;^)), I think Rod went to the top with us.

Mike
H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95

I unknowingly met Dick Williams (One of the Vulgarians)in Rock & Snow back in New Paltz (Gunks) one year. He had just put out a new guidebook for the GUnks, title Gunks Select. What a cool, laid back guy. Quite a contrast to some (few)of the people that climb there. Anyway I realized it was him when I got out to my car and saw his photo on the back cover of the guidebook!!!(DUH!)

erickson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 0
Harold Lampasso wrote:...back in New Paltz (Gunks) one year. He had just put out a new guidebook for the GUnks
The Gunks are a real NYC scene being just a couple hours' drive north of the big shithole. The Adirondacks are like the BWCA except mountains instead of all the lakes.
H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95

Erickson....

No kidding. One of the reasons I left NYC (miss the food, family & mixed cultures & beach.)Grew up there. Stopped climbing @ the Gunks when they started hyper regulating it (shame, but I guess a necessary evil.) Rather would have taken the 6 hr drive to North Conway, NH to climb Cathedral or Whithorse.

Greg Hand · · Golden, CO · Joined Jan 2003 · Points: 2,623

I climbed Devil's Tower in 1970 with Rod Johnson as members of the Minnesota Rovers. Rod hiked to the base in wing tips! He started Midwest Mountaineering by hitch hiking to California and buying gear from Yvon and selling to us in Minnesota.

Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

Hi Greg,
Were you part the crew that did the first ascent of El Cracko Diablo?
Have you heard that some vandals pryed off the top of Devils Chair at TF?
You must have known Jan at Midwest Mountaineering. He was so laid back. He used to sit behing the counter smoking his pipe that was filled with tobacco and just enough of another leaf to keep his eyes perpetually red behing his prescription sunglasses. He did an early ascent of The Shield.

Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950
erickson wrote:"...is Erickson, a Scott Erickson. Were you the blonde curley haired guy with glasses at TF" Mike Erickson
Hi Mike,
Man, it was so long ago. Forgive me for getting your first name wrong. You said that you dropped out of climbing "for a life."
I can understand this. When I moved from Bloomington, MN to Denver, CO. back in '82 to pursue climbing, I was putting in over 350 days a year at the crags '82-'90. I was climbing hard, yet still living in a crappy little apartment, no car, serious relashionship, etc.
Now I have a 6:30-3:00 job, mortgage, wife, car and I am lucky to get out two days a week. It is a tough balance. Now I have all of the creature comforts, but I do miss the "good old days" of climbing and partying non-stop.
erickson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2006 · Points: 0

"Hi Mike, Man, it was so long ago. Forgive me for getting your first name wrong."
Not a problem...I can't remember the names of folks I met 20 minutes ago!

"You said that you dropped out of climbing 'for a life.'"

Yeah, I did the Coleman Miller (anybody remember him???) thing and went into the Navy and flew C-130s and E-6s for 20 years. Good life, but not real conducive to hard climbing.

"It is a tough balance. Now I have all of the creature comforts, but I do miss the "good old days" of climbing and partying non-stop."

I don't miss the partying at all, it wasn't good for me and gave it up. I always did a lot of running as training, but ramped it up about 15 years ago and started running ultramarathons . Easily as absorbing and commiting in an OCD kind of way as climbing.

Adam Catalano · · Albany, New York · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 355
Harold Lampasso wrote:Erickson.... No kidding. One of the reasons I left NYC (miss the food, family & mixed cultures & beach.)Grew up there. Stopped climbing @ the Gunks when they started hyper regulating it (shame, but I guess a necessary evil.) Rather would have taken the 6 hr drive to North Conway, NH to climb Cathedral or Whithorse.
Which regulations are you refering to? Other than the pay-to-play. I've been climbing there consistantly for six years now and feel like it is always a great day out. Short approaches, great rap stations, hundreds of routes to choose from all within 20 minutes from the car, nearly every route is sweet climbing (unless you run into wasps).

I'll admit that the day-pass is getting up there ($15) but they take care of the place (appropriate bolt stations, bathrooms, trails, rescue). And if you get the membership ($85) it is so worth it.
H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95

Adam...

The Gunks by itself is GREAT climbing!! Climbing there made it easier to climb other places!!LOL!! When I used to climb there you didn't have to wait till 8 am to "get in." Sky Top was open (I think it is now again) There was a road just before the hairpin turn you could camp out on for free. It used to be $5 during the week and $7 on the weekends. If you got there @ 0 dark early sometimes you could get away w/ out paying to climb (not that I support that). You could park along the road if you needed to w/out being harassed. I witnessed quit a few arguments and fights because of routes being crowded and someone cut someone else and yadda yadda yadda. Maybe it's better now. (correct me if I am wrong on any the above)

Again, don't get me wrong; I love the climbing there (there's nothing like being Gunks greasy). But from when I started climbing there in real early 90s to when I left (I think the last time I climbed there was around 98-99) it just got insane. Like a climbing gym on a busy day. Out here I am spoiled!!LOL!
....Funny the wasps are still there. I damn near jumped off the last pitch on the Arch one time cause they were living in the rock!!

Happy Climbing.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
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