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Morrison History Project

Original Post
Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180

Hello, my name is Isaac and I am trying to learn about the development history of the Morrison area. I have gathered the basic facts about the mid '70's and the Jim Holloway visit but does anyone know about the locals/regulars who frequented the spot and if any of them are still active?

The area is such a mecca for Denver climbers today I can only imagine a handful of the routes were put up by the pioneers. Is there any information about the developing of the modern names or aversely what the traditional names were and who named them? I'm very interested in the transition from the time bouldering first appeared in the area until the explosion that gym and cultural acceptance of the 90's propelled Morrison to the established tradition it is today. Thanks for any help and lets put this story together

Bryan Ferguson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 635

Olaf Mitchell is your man. I think he's got an MP presents.

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

I bouldered there in the mid-80's and Olaf was known as one of the developers back then. Alan Hill prolly has beta too.

Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180

Thanks for the leads. I can't find Alan Hill but did find Olaf. Thanks again

Bryan Ferguson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 635

I'm sure Allen would be happy if you got in touch - mountainproject.com/u/allen…

Cheers!

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103

i think jim garber spent some time there as well as ken trout. in particular, ken trout usually has a lot of historical info (not just for morrison but pretty much everywhere).

teece303 · · Highlands Ranch, CO · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 596

Share your history with us when you are done. I'd be interested in knowing! I still have fond memories of that first mega-pump I got from spending an afternoon at Morrison in the early 90s.

Allen Hill · · FIve Points, Colorado and Pine · Joined Jun 2004 · Points: 1,410

Ken for sure. Christian really did a lot as well. He owned the Black Cave. Sandy Stewart climbed there a lot when I was active there. He was a Gunks climber and was really strong on the steep stuff. I have loads of photos from the late seventies taken there. I can't think of anyone who didn't put up a problem or two there. For sure get in touch with Olaf. Gill never climbed there I'm told. Anyhow, I got your email. I'll write some latter.

Derek Lawrence · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 695

Olaf for sure! I'd add Rufus Miller and Bob Williams as folks to talk to if you get the chance...

Mingus · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 0

Gotta talk to Annette Bunge.

Derek Lawrence · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 695
Mingus wrote:Gotta talk to Annette Bunge.
+10!!!
Allen Hill · · FIve Points, Colorado and Pine · Joined Jun 2004 · Points: 1,410

I just had a funny memory of the place. One warm December day my friend Jay Nelson and I went ice climbing in Clear Creek Canyon. Had fun and as I recall no rope was involved as typical of those days. We drove down to the Morrison to have a beer at the Morrison Inn and pick up Jay's car which he had left there in the morning. Anyhow we noticed a skinny super tall guy with his friend a table over from us. We realized in a second it was Kor. So we turn into teenage girls in a second upon seeing him.... well we got the munster up and introduced our young selves. He was great and bought a pitcher of beer. Anyhow, he had been Bouldering at Morrison with Danny McGee that day.So yes Kor climbed there. Years latter after he had become a close friend I asked him about his day at Morrison and he laughed and said "me bouldering?" "Like a donkey at the south pole."

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

BITD, a lot of the Morrison crowd used to also go buildering on the walls of the buildings at Observatory Park near DU. If you could traverse more than 50 feet on that, you were one hard crimpin' sonofabitch. Pat Adams was notably skilled at ascensing up to the 2nd floor.
Try it now and I'm sure they'll shoot either you or your dog.

Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180

Thank you for the funny stories. Keep 'em coming!

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

Rooms at the hotel used to be $2.50.

doug rouse · · Denver, CO. · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 660

Olaf Mitchell, Rufus Miller, Bob Williams, and Trout due to the overhanging line above the Black Hole. Calvin Fidler, Mike Hickey, and Annette Bunge have put alot of time into the area as well. Christian Griffith put up Cytogrinder, Dave Twinam put up Center Route, Chris Jones was also very active. Alot of the other lines' authors have fallen into obscurity. Literally no info of any use was provided by Horans bouldering guide..other than getting several of the names wrong. The nature of the place (being of limited size) required alot of contrivances (or innovation depending on how you view such things), so the big proud free-standing lines were largely sent prior to the '90s. There's been a few notable hard ascents more recently; however, alot of the climbers responsible were not really considered "locals". Off the bat I can think of 15-versions of doing Helicopter and Cytogrinder. Probably 30- or so variations in the Lobby, and many others strewn all the way up the hill. At one opint Annette was compiling information for an area guide, but I haven't seen her for several months, and haven't spoken to her about the guide for even longer. Great plce to get strong!

Mike Storeim · · Evergreen, CO · Joined Sep 2002 · Points: 30

I first went to Morrison around 1974 with some of the Boulder crew. Breashers certainly climbed there at that time, putting up Dyno-Soar down by the road (part of which is buried now but the bolt remains). Other notables from that time period were Holloway, Dan Stone and Jeff Stringham.

Not sure when the following started there, but Ken Trout, Sandy Stewart, Noel Childs, Olaf, Jim Garber, Annette Bunge, Bob Williams, Rufus Miller and a few others were there in the 80’s for sure, some maybe earlier.

Most of the earlier history is probably lost but other than some of the harder problems in the Black Hole and Lobby area, a great number of the lines date way back. I still get up there with some regularity and the only “old timers” I ever see up there any longer are Annette and Rufus.

I look forward to reading what you unearth!

Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180

Thanks everyone for the information. I ordered Bob Hurran's guidebook because I heard he had pretty good tour guides and attempted to credit the first ascents. If anyone knows actual names associated with some first ascents out there that would be very helpful, most of them have been lost to the multitude of climbers visiting the area.

Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180

Gardening? What a great term. I'll use that in my paper. The developing of areas did begin in the 70's and the people who did it were pioneers. They also helped propel the sport into popular psyche where it has thrived. The cultural change that happened with the development of climbing gyms and subsequently sport climbing is a topic worth discussing but it is not the topic of this discussion. I'll look for the book though.

doug rouse · · Denver, CO. · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 660

Gardening is necessary when developing a route or boulder problem. If you are against cleaning some lichen, moss or other debris, then please return to the environmentally clean bastion that is Boulder. Oh wait, they clean lichen, moss, and grit from they're routes too? Oh what can be done about this terrible transgression...perhaps the anti gardening stance is due to a lack of talent to further advance the game?

Isaacbg Gorrell · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 180
Vintage photos needed!Thank you Olaf, for the great picture. Anyone else with 70's or early 80's photos, please send them in!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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