Chouinard and Beckey
I started climbing in the Organ Mountains of New Mexico when I first showed up at New Mexico State.... Little did I know that I had stepped into a particular time warp in the cosmic history of rock climbing, and the world was wide open..... Climbing in the Organs at that time was at most, limited to about 5.7, maximum, all free climbing (no direct aid). ... . But the Organs are an incredible area of spectacular peaks and faces that few seem to know about. The rock is Quartz-Monzonite, a particularly hard form of granite, and so scars don't take well, as in Yosemite. Literally hundreds of awaiting first ascents were there, ripe for the picking..... I went to Yosemite when I had been climbing for 2 years, in 1969, and I absorbed the philosophy of the Valley, and took it home..... I started buying nuts and chocks (Chouinard Hex's and wired stoppers/wedges were my favorite). I sewed up a set of aid slings, and bought a pair of cliffhangers. There were so many routes to do! While in Yosemite, casting about for climbing partners, I ran into Jim Madsen, and we did Rixon's pinnacle together..... He was a geniunely nice guy, and I was thrilled with the climb. It was the first experience that I had ever had with a truly good climber that went up and climbed a 5.9 vertical crack with no hesitation, whatever. Later, he was killed on El Cap during a rescue attempt of Chuck Pratt and Chris Fredericks. But, what I remember about that climb was how fluid he was. I tried to lead the 2nd (?) pitch, but was intimidated by the vertical layback. He went up and swooshed it easily. When I followed, It was scary, of course, but I imitated him, and it was easy! Later, we had a cup of coffee down at his car (he had a coffeemaker on a Primus Stove), and we talked and laughed about climbing for several hours. He was a generous and caring soul. He referred to Bridwell as the "Pirate", and Robbins as the "Big Guy".
....... I climbed for 7 years straight (as Jimmy Buffett says, "When they tried to draft me, I earned a college degree"), and racked up 35 firsts, and 500 climbs in total. At one point, in 1970, I hooked up with Fred Beckey, and became cannon fodder for him. He loved young tigers that would go with him on first ascents, for he could throw us unto the cruxes and reap the benefits, though, he was no slouch as a climber! (He did the 2nd ascent of Mt Waddington with his brother Helmy, in tennis shoes!). I did a half dozen firsts with him, but my vivid memory is when we did the Chouinard Herbert on Sentinel in the Valley. Before we started the climb, he ducked away for a few minutes, then hollered to me "Lee... Lee... Can you bring me the toilet paper in my pack?". I did, and my most enduring memory of Fred is of his bare white ass, bent over. We did the first attempt on Bubbs' Creek Wall in Kings Canyon, with Reed Cundiff (got rained off), a couple of new routes in Domeland Wilderness, and the first of Horse Creek Tower in the Sawtooth range near Bridgeport, California. There were 6 other (already done) climbs with Fred, and we became great friends. Another memory of Fred is when we were at the parking lot in King's Canyon, ready to start the approach. Fred drove a beat to shit, dull red car... what is the orange car that the Dukes of Hazzard drove?... that is the one. As we waited, Fred put on his pants, then 3 socks on each foot, all with big holes in different parts. He was a advertising salesman, and he expressed the concern to me that he might not be able to get another job easily, since he had quit so many of them (to go climbing). I asked him how many he had quit, and he said "about 75?"... I assured him that he had nothing to worry about.
...... In 1971, I attended a book signing of "The Vertical World of Yosemite" by Galen Rowell. It was in the bookstore in the village, and many of the contributing authors were there. I got the book and went around the room, meeting all those famous climbers, and having them sign my book. Galen Rowell, of course. Royal Robbons, Mike Sherrick, Warren Harding, Anton Nelson (He signed it "Ax"), Wayne Merry, and so many others. When I approached Sheridan Anderson, the cartoonist, he was surprised that someone knew who he was, and happily inscribed my book.
...... I had the pleasure of meeting others, like Layton Kor (at a bookstore in Boulder) where he grilled me without mercy about the possible firsts in the Organs (I played dumb), Chris Bonnington, in Rekjavik, Iceland, of all places, Tom Frost, at the Great Pacific Iron Works, and I even got to see Royal's wife, Liz, across the counter at their store in Modesto. Whew! I was in love immediately. I came close to seeing Chuck Pratt, but it was not to be. I was off at home one weekend when Chuck came through Las Cruces and looked up some climbers in the area. Reed, my often Partner, was who he got in touch with, and he needed a place to crash. Reed offered him my waterbed, and then climbed with him the next day... so, I can honestly say that my best claim to fame is that Chuck Pratt slept in my bed. How many can say that!?
...... Back in 2006, I sold off all my gear on Ebay. I had 2 old ropes, but the best was all the hardware... 35 biners ... Bonnatis, Bedayns, SMC, Chouinard, etc. And, I had 40 pitons... Lost arrows, angles, Buggaboos, rurps, Bongs, everything, plus 60 chocks, mostly early Chouinard hexes and wedges. Many wired ones also, like unused mashies and bashies. Even had some bathooks, Jumars, Chouinard hammers (3),a couple of Dolt holsters, a Chouinard short Ice Axe, and a mint Chouinard Ice Hammer. I am an Ebay seller (I have made a living selling my product that I manufacture, mostly on Ebay), so I listed everything, and got 20 to 100 times what I had paid for it all. Most surprising was the pristine 1972 Chouinard catalog that I got $185 for!
...... Well, I wanted to get Chouinard's signature in my copy of The Vertical World Of Yosemite", for he was one of the climbers that I had never met. So, I contacted Patagonia and asked, "What is Chouinard's address"? I explained to the people of Patagonia (by email) , in New York, that I was an old climber and wanted to send him the book, for him to sign. A few days later I was surprised to get a call from Yvon! He had tracked down my number and called me. We talked for an hour and a half, and I can remember it all. I was impressed that he, who is so busy with all he has to do, took the time to call me, and was genuinely interested. As he said, he just couldn't ignore the chance to talk to a fellow climber from the 1960's. I told him about meeting Tom at GPIW, narrowly missing Chuck in Las Cruces, and of my climbing with Fred. When I mentioned Fred, he said that he had just seen him at an American Alpine Club meeting in LA... and he said that Fred (at age 87) had showed up with a 30 year old statuesque blonde. Sounds like Fred.
...... I told Yvon about selling my gear, and the outrageous prices that I had gotten... and I told him about the '72 catalog. He couldn't believe it. He asked me if I could track down one of his first projects... he made a log splitter in the early '60's, and wanted to get his hands on one. He is probably the most personable and nicest guys I have almost met. I sent him the book, and he signed it "Lee, Never stop Climbing! Yvon Chouinard"
...... Of course, I was just a minor footnote in the history of New Mexico climbing... but I got to do some of the great routes there, as well as some of the classic routes in the valley. And I got to rub shoulders with some of the best of the early climbers. I was a constant partner with Dick Ingraham, the true Giant of Organ Mountains climbing. But, of course, I am most proud of the fact that Chuck Pratt slept in my bed.
Lee Davis
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Fred On Bubb's Creek Wall, with Reed Cundiff
Fred on Horse Creek Tower
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