Route Climbed: East Face Date Climbed: November 14 - December 20, 1984
In 1984, I spent 9 days over 5 weeks with the South Africans Dave Davies and Johnathan Gordon attempting a new line up the unclimbed ( at that time ) East Face. We completed about 22 pitches ( 5.10a, A4 ) and decided to bivy at the top of the fixed lines and go for the summit after having climbed the most difficult and overhanging part of the wall. After seeing the Southern Cross for the first time from my ledge at the top of 1700 verticle feet of fixed line, I fall asleep. BLAM - CRUNCH! In the middle of the night a rock fall nails us and breaks my left leg right above the ankle. Thus started a major rescue epic ( see the American Alpine Journal 1986 ), the only injury of my climbing career ( hey - I was asleep ) and the end of my dream of a new route on the South Tower of Paine. But it sure was the adventure of a lifetime!
Craig Peer - Nov 27, 2002 1:35 pm
Route Climbed: East Face Date Climbed: November 14 - December 20, 1984In 1984, I spent 9 days over 5 weeks with the South Africans Dave Davies and Johnathan Gordon attempting a new line up the unclimbed ( at that time ) East Face. We completed about 22 pitches ( 5.10a, A4 ) and decided to bivy at the top of the fixed lines and go for the summit after having climbed the most difficult and overhanging part of the wall. After seeing the Southern Cross for the first time from my ledge at the top of 1700 verticle feet of fixed line, I fall asleep. BLAM - CRUNCH! In the middle of the night a rock fall nails us and breaks my left leg right above the ankle. Thus started a major rescue epic ( see the American Alpine Journal 1986 ), the only injury of my climbing career ( hey - I was asleep ) and the end of my dream of a new route on the South Tower of Paine. But it sure was the adventure of a lifetime!