Route naming history

When you look at classic crags with FA's during the 50's-70's, a lot of routes are simply named things like Direct, Indirect, Standard, Left, Right etc.

At some point, creative names became the norm.

When did this happen? Was it a slow evolution? Is it a trend that started at certain areas or regions, then the trend spread, or did it start happening all over the place?

Thanks

Good topic. I also wonder about now-- What are the "trends" for new route names now? (which tend to be boulder routes ...)

I was taught that route names should come from some event during process of developing the route. For example, there is a sport route in durango called Rookie Hook because the first ascentionist was drilling off a hook for the first time on that route and the hook resulting in a 30 footer.

Another route is named nine lives because the first ascentionist, after a subsequent redpoint, decked from the chains because he said take and his belayer thought he said off belay (the crag is located less than 50' from a highway so communication is a major objective hazard). Somehow he managed to survive and recovered from many shattered bones, and currently onsights 5.11

At Index, in WA State, the earliest technical routes were done in the 60s, and they all had somewhat creative names. For example, City Park, Waterway, and Golden Arches. Often though, there was some connection to a characteristic of the route. A few early ones were also named after the FA guys. So, it was the norm back then to be somewhat creative, though not as creative as it is now.

I personally just love to read names of routes or boulders just because I think there some magic connection with the climber, sort of a feeling that move your fantasies to try to understand the connection between the name and the route. Love the 70' route names a bit psychedelic...

Toe Jam - 5.7, Joshua Tree - 1952
Tabby Litter - 5.8, JTree - 1969
The Hoblett - 5.7 - JTree - 1972
Beginner's Twenty Six - 5.10d - JTree - 1973 (Same wall as "Beginner's One", 5.3, which seems old enough to not have a known/listed FA.)
Mama Woolsey - 5.10a R - JTree - 1965

Looks like creative names have been around for a while, at least in JTree.

Probably depends on how the person was feeling at the time.

Seems like big stuff uses the mountain/rock itself to describe the route and that's helpful if you are climbing it for the first time. It's Pretty easy to find the Southeast Face of _______ based the name alone. Plus I don’t think Norma Clyde cared of anyone followed in his footsteps and could care less about naming some piece of the earth after his fancy. Crags use creative names more often than not. If you have only a small handful of routes at your local spot then sure you could wait until something eventful enough happens and use that method for every single route. Some people seem to have a knack for naming routes, most do not from what I've seen. If you are having trouble with names I suggest a theme for the area a sub theme for the sub areas and then use that as inspiration for each route.

Jim Turner wrote:When you look at classic crags with FA's during the 50's-70's, a lot of routes are simply named things like Direct, Indirect, Standard, Left, Right etc. At some point, creative names became the norm. When did this happen? Was it a slow evolution? Is it a trend that started at certain areas or regions, then the trend spread, or did it start happening all over the place? Thanks

i'm particularly fond of all of the names based on music references that started to crop up in the 70's and continued to the present. it's fun that a lot of it is obscure and gives some insight into what climbers of the era were listening to.