This in the most recent issue of Rock & Ice (March '10; not even sure how this is possible as it's not even February! rockandice.com)- an article called 'The Hard Way,' about a man (Daniel Arnold) who made it his quest to recreate influental early Sierra climbs, using the same equipment restrictions that the climbers back then faced. The article is based out of this book: http://www.annieblooms.com/event/daniel-arnold-presents-early-days-range-light

The end of the article finds the author, solo, at the plaque placed in honor of Walt Starr, Jr.
http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/169164/Missing-In-The-Minarets-Part-II.html

The plaque reads:

Walter "Pete" Starr, Jr.
May 29, 1903 - August 30, 1933
A bold and passionate mountaineer of the Sierra Nevada, and a Stanford alumnus, Pete Starr died while attempting to solo a new route upon these flanks. He now stands in the grand company of those who have not returned. His name continues to live in the hearts of the young men and women that follow in his footsteps today, tomorrow, and forever.

The author goes on to state: "Grand company, perhaps, but not the kind of company one wants to keep. The immortality offered by the plaque never looked less appealing than from my stance on the crumbling buttress in sight of Starr's grave."

Ha ha.

In the 'Minarets Logistics' section at the end of the article, another SPer that old-timers MIGHT remember (http://www.summitpost.org/user_page.php?user_id=1) is brought up.

"It is believed that Josh Shwartz [sic] holds the time record for the Traverse, ticking it in just under 17 hours, besting the previous fastest time held by Peter Croft."

(btw: http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/168624/Minaret-Traverse-in-a-Day.html)

How many SPers can say they've bested something with Croft associated with it?!

Go SPers!!

Who is this Josh you speak of?

Diggler wrote:who made it his quest to recreate influental early Sierra climbs, using the same equipment restrictions that the climbers back then faced

Interesting idea, but can it really be done? You can be clad just like an old timer, but what about those other advantages? Trails built by the CCC in the 1930s for instance, largely didn't exist in those early days. More importantly, most of those early guys were going into terra incognito, without good maps and no prior knowledge of the routes or peaks they were climbing. You might have to do two or three scouting missions just to find a feasible route if you were going into it blind. I suppose if it were your first visit to the Sierra and you came in with only the info you read in the SC Bulletin you could say that you recreated the experience. Or at least something like it.

Bob Burd wrote:

Diggler wrote:who made it his quest to recreate influental early Sierra climbs, using the same equipment restrictions that the climbers back then faced

Interesting idea, but can it really be done? You can be clad just like an old timer, but what about those other advantages? Trails built by the CCC in the 1930s for instance, largely didn't exist in those early days. More importantly, most of those early guys were going into terra incognito, without good maps and no prior knowledge of the routes or peaks they were climbing. You might have to do two or three scouting missions just to find a feasible route if you were going into it blind. I suppose if it were your first visit to the Sierra and you came in with only the info you read in the SC Bulletin you could say that you recreated the experience. Or at least something like it.

Sure, fair enough. Not to mention the roads leading to the trailheads, Goretex, advances in hiking gear, etc. Not to mention the guy also had a few seasons of guiding rock under his belt, which should make the technical sections a bit easier too. Regardless of the technicalities, it'd be a fun project.

Diggler wrote:Regardless of the technicalities, it'd be a fun project.

Yeah, I agree. Anything that gets you into the hills is a good thing.

When I read the book (for which the article summarizes) I posted a mention here
http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB2/viewto ... ange+light

After giving it a read I was a bit disappointed. Good concept, interesting - but didn't quite shake out as I expected (i.e. kind of boring).

As the OP mentions, the best part was "the plaque" because we knew of its origin and delivery from Bob and others here.

On the other hand, the book "Missing in the Minarets" was excellent. Unfortunately I gave my copy to a friend. A year or more later I went to buy a second copy, which I discovered was out of print and the used versions were fetching $100 plus.

SJD wrote: A year or more later I went to buy a second copy, which I discovered was out of print and the used versions were fetching $100 plus.

Wow, who knew my climbing book collection would appreciate better than my stock portfolio?

Bob Burd wrote:

Diggler wrote:who made it his quest to recreate influental early Sierra climbs, using the same equipment restrictions that the climbers back then faced

Interesting idea, but can it really be done? You can be clad just like an old timer, but what about those other advantages? Trails built by the CCC in the 1930s for instance, largely didn't exist in those early days. More importantly, most of those early guys were going into terra incognito, without good maps and no prior knowledge of the routes or peaks they were climbing. You might have to do two or three scouting missions just to find a feasible route if you were going into it blind. I suppose if it were your first visit to the Sierra and you came in with only the info you read in the SC Bulletin you could say that you recreated the experience. Or at least something like it.

I quite enjoyed Dan Arnold's book. I believe he quite intentionally did not take a map (!) on a bunch of his trips. I don't think you could really do a much better job of recreating the climbing past than he did.

His prose does convey something of the experience; for example I found it frustrating reading his recreation of the quest of Clarence King and Richard Cotter for Mount Tyndall because I really wanted to know their true route from Brewer to Tyndall. I guess it must have been something along the lines of down the east side of Longley Pass, over the Kings-Kern Divide just west of Mount Jordan, and over to Tyndall passing just south of Diamond Mesa. However his description of his route is quite non-specific, which I felt actually helped communicate the experience of the early pioneers who would not have been able to identify landmarks off a USGS quad.

Certainly the book made me resolve to ask for less beta on summitpost

Not sure if credit should be exposed on the whole plaque thing, eh Bob?