John Otto on the crux of Independence Monument

John placed climbing routes in his own "via ferrata" style with chopped steps and scrap iron pies drilled into the wall forming sometimes awkward ladder rungs. The Independence "Otto" Route is a popular 5.8+ four or five pitch climb. The scrap iron pipes were removed and the whole cemented over by some of the former Marmot Mountain Works founders. They were taken with consent of the Park Service. The pipes there were thought to endanger unworthy, or unlucky climbers. Photo Courtesy of the National Park Service.