3/16 Friday Pit Profile

Double Portrait - Robison Family

Inspired by Tim Agazio's family portrait with pictures in the picture, I thought I'd share this one from my grandmother's files (though his is much more interesting!).

It shows Lucy Strait Robison and her husband, Henry Robison Jr. The pictures on the wall are of their daughters Ella and Ida. The photo of Ida has what looks like a lace cloth draped over one corner - Ida passed away on November 22, 1899 at the age of 27. The picture isn't dated but it would have to be early 1900s since Henry died December 7, 1904 and Lucy passed away on January 26, 1907.

What is of most value to me about this picture though is the caption that was written on the back. "Uncle Henry and Aunt Lucy Robison my angle Mothers brother" - "Malissa" - and upside down "My uncle & aunt Henry & Lucy Robison"

"Malissa" is Malissa Joslin Brubaker, my 2nd great grandmother, and this is the only "link" we currently have to the parents of her mother Lydia Robison who married Lysander Price Joslin.

The parents of Henry and Lydia Robison were Henry and Anna Robison. The death record for Henry Jr. gives his mother's maiden name as McMorron.Henry Sr. and Anna came to Whitley County, Indiana between 1840 and 1850 from Champaign County, Ohio. The will of Henry Sr. dated August 8, 1851 only lists three children: Eliza Jane, Henry, and Emily but census records indicate there may have been five children; the two older children were married at the time of Henry's death, probably in 1852. Anna "disappears" after the sale of their land in August 1855. More research (a lot more) is needed on this family!

Angels Landing :: The Prelude

Hidden amongst the shadows of the morning light, the trail winds its way along the Zion Canyon Valley, up that “short” wall on the left, through Refrigerator Canyon, up to the West Rim and on towards Angels Landing (the top of that center peak).

Actually, even in the full light of day, the trail is discernible from ground level only in a few places (like that diagonal “line” towards the top of the short wall).

Heartbreak hill. That's what I called this steep section nearly a mile into the trail. It's that “diagonal line” shown in the previous photo. And it seems like it will never end. And what's around the corner? Why, yet another steep section!

As you can see, the trail is paved though it isn't exactly like a walk in the park. In some sections the pavement is much rougher than in others. It is uphill all the way, some portions are quite steep with sharp drop-offs. In most places the trail is at least three feet wide so there is plenty of room for faster hikers to easily pass the slower ones (like me).

Taken on the way back down, this shows the switchbacks that had to be navigated before getting to the steep section shown in the previous photo.

The trail weaves its way though the Zion Canyon Valley. Looking back towards the start of the trail on the other side of the river (photo taken on the way back down).

Once into Refrigerator Canyon, the trail does level out somewhat for a short distance. Enough to give your legs and lungs a break. Then onward and upward.

After nearly a mile through Refrigerator Canyon, you get to Walter's Wiggles, comprised of 21 short but very steep switchbacks and named after Walter Ruesch, the first superintendent of Zion National Park. In 1924, he helped design and engineer these switchbacks. (Photo taken on the way back down.)

Ascending the last of Walter's Wiggles you arrive at a broad area called Scout Lookout. There is more to come, and believe it or not, the easiest part is behind you!

To be continued... Angels Landing :: The Overture

Gunks Routes: Falled on Account of Strain (Pitch 1 5.9), Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Pitch 2 5.8)

(Photo: Pointing where I think the route goes on Falled on Account of Strain, pitch two (5.10b).)



Another late-season climbing day, another chance to push the limits.



I had big ideas as Adrian and I headed to the Gunks. I knew Adrian wanted to lead WASP (5.9), which I led earlier this year. WASP sits down at the Slime Wall, near the far end of the Trapps. I've spent very little time down there, so there were a bunch of climbs I was interested in checking out. One of the top climbs on my list was Falled on Account of Strain. The first pitch, which ends at a set of bolts, is rated 5.9. The second pitch goes at 5.10b through an incredible set of gigantic, tiered roofs.



As insane as it might sound, I was thinking I would lead the second pitch. I'd seen pictures of the route; the roofs pulled at me like a magnet. The thought of climbing them had me slobbering with Pavlovian anticipation.



But first we did WASP, and I have to say I wasn't exactly feeling super strong. Following pitch one I found the early moves surprisingly difficult. I caught myself thinking I wasn't sure how I'd feel leading the route, and then remembered that I'd led it a few months ago! I had thought I might try to lead the 5.9 variation climb Stubai to You as our second pitch, but when we got up to the GT Ledge I decided, given that I felt a little tentative, to check out Sticky Gate Direct (5.7) instead. (It was good! A very nice pitch, better than pitch two of WASP.)



Back on the ground, we walked over to Falled on Account of Strain and had a look. I thought we should go for it. Adrian was totally up for the first pitch, and since it ends at bolts we could easily bail from there. I figured I could venture out to look at the roofs and come back if it seemed too hairy. Also Dick Williams suggests as an alternative the second pitch of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, which goes through the roofs at an easier 5.8 grade. Dick gives Tomorrow x 3 no stars, but I guessed it would still be an interesting alternative, and maybe from the shared rap station we could lower ourselves over Falled and try the crux if it was too scary on lead.





(Photo: Early in the 5.9 pitch one of Falled on Account of Strain.)



We got set up beneath Falled and before getting started I wandered into the woods to take a quick leak. As I stood there amongst the trees I jokingly called over to Adrian "you're on belay, climb when ready!"



"Are you going to belay me," he replied, "or are you just going to stand there with your dick in your hand?"



Maybe you just had to be there, but this became a source of much hilarity for us. "Or are you just going to stand there with your dick in your hand" can be usefully adapted to fit into just about any climbing conversation.



For example:



"So go ahead and give me the rack, whenever you're done standing there with your dick in your hand."



Or:



"I just took this amazing photo of you, while I was holding the rope AND standing here with my dick in my hand."



And so on.



I guess you had to be there.



Anyway, pitch one of Falled on Acoount of Strain turned out to be a very worthwhile climb in its own right. Dick rates it at 5.9 but Swain calls it a 5.9+ and I think Swain has it right. The first moves are 5.6-ish but unprotected, up the face to the left of a thin seam. Once you get some pro in, about 15 feet up, you move to the right and into the crux, thin moves between spaced horizontals. The first of these moves puts your feet even with your last protective gear. Your next pro comes in a blind placement over your head at the next horizontal. Adrian is much taller than me and he had to do a pull up to examine the gear and fix it before making the next moves. Following him, I found that I had to step up fully into the move to examine the gear and get it out. I had to struggle a bit with the piece and I almost popped off while trying to remove it.



Dealing with this one difficult placement is my only real concern about eventually leading this pitch. Afterwards the climbing and the gear get easier to handle.





(Photo: Almost done with pitch one of Falled on Account of Strain. The tiered roofs await, overhead. The pitch one crux comes between the two horizontals visible in the lower right corner of the photograph.)



When I joined Adrian at the belay he asked me if I was really up for leading pitch two. Looking out at the roofs I thought it seemed simple enough to wander over and check them out. I was sure I could get gear in the first tier of the roof system. So long as I could get pro at each tier, I figured, I could keep moving up. There would be no shame in taking a hang, as long as the gear was good and the falls were clean.



And so I ventured forth, promising not to make any moves I couldn't reverse until I was sure about continuing.





(Photo: The point of no return. To continue, or not?)



I traversed easily to the first overhang. There was good gear. I believed I was at the right spot at which to pull up and over to the next tier. There was a lot of chalk even further right, but it seemed to me this was errant chalk, sucker chalk.



I pulled up enough to see if I could get gear at the next tier. I couldn't see any potential placements. This was a major bummer.



What about further right? I ventured over to the sucker chalk and looked up there. But I didn't see any gear over there either.



I wandered back to where I thought the route really went and kept looking it over. I felt a rush of emotions and excitement. I had a decision to make.



Option A: I could commit to the next tier, knowing I would have to move up AGAIN to the final tier before finding any pro. There had to be gear up there, or this thing wouldn't be rated PG, right? But if I committed to this course I doubted I could climb back down and if I popped off it would be a real fall.



Option B: I could give up and traverse back to the anchor.



I hope this doesn't sound too grandiose, but I felt I stood at a sort of crossroads.



I was straddling a line dividing my climbing past and my hoped-for climbing future. A past mired in moderates, and a future involving the real deal. A past of mucking about on ledges, and a future filled with improbable environments and thrilling situations. A past of standing around with my dick in my hand, and a future of bold action.



The atmosphere beneath the overhang was incredible. I wanted to go for it, but I wasn't quite sure I was ready. It had been a great year. Maybe this climb was meant for next year?



Adrian called over to give his opinion.



"You want me to support you, right?"



"No, dude, tell me what you really think."



"It looks crazy to me."



That was all I needed to hear. I decided to traverse back to the anchor and climb Tomorrow x 3 instead.





(Photo: Getting into the 5.8 roof on Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.)



I'm glad we went ahead and did Tomorrow x 3, because the roof was fun. It is not a cakewalk by any means. The holds are very good, but once you are in the roof you traverse out to the left (with good pro) and it is very strenuous, a little burly, I think, for 5.8.



I later learned that Swain calls this a 5.10 roof, so I could claim this as my second 5.10 Gunks lead... but let's get real. There's no way this is a 5.10. Maybe 5.8+ or 5.9-.



Once you get above the roof, the remaining climbing up and right to the Falled anchor is very dirty/bushy, and not very pleasant. And the fixed station for Falled as of this writing is crap. There is a big old angle piton (rusty but probably fine), three nested rusty pitons (impossible to evaluate), and two equalized nuts in a horizontal, at least one of which has a cable that is almost rusted out. All of it is tied together with ancient, faded, stiff cord and webbing.



I refused to use this anchor. If you go up there, bring some cord/webbing and maybe some nuts to shore up the station. We ended up bushwhacking through filthy territory to the GT Ledge and then we rapped off the Sticky Gate tree, which will get you down with a single 70 meter or with 60 meter doubles.



Adrian later asked me why I am so attracted to these roof problems. I gave him the cold, logical reason: I'm looking for good holds and clean falls. Face climbs of the same grade tend to involve more difficult sequences and more fiddly gear. He responded quite reasonably that he prefers the face climbs because you can stop and think before the crux, whereas with the roofs you know the clock is always ticking. He felt more secure on the 5.9+ face of Falled, for example, than he did in the 5.8 roof on Tomorrow x 3, because on Falled he knew he could chew over the moves as long as he liked before making the commitment.



This is of course a matter of personal preference, with no right answer. What I failed to add to my side of the argument, but what still tips the balance for me, is that the roofs are awesome. To me there's no thrill like getting over a big roof. I guess that's just what makes me a Gunks guy. Looking at the roof photos above, I find it hard to imagine feeling any other way.

A Classic View

Fog rolls through the Golden Gate.

Kitty in a Case

Willey cat crawled into Lee's guitar case the other day while lee was practicing.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1930)

The 21st Annual Reunion of the Phend Fisher families was held at Raymond Phends home north of Elkhart Sunday Aug 31st 1930

Dinner at noon followed by business session. The meeting was called to order by Harold Phend President. Sec. report was read and approved and bills allowed. It was voted upon to have a place committee to decide the place to meet next year 1931, Place committee was elected as follows.
Raymond Phend
Will Phend
Reuben Pletcher
Place committee to have power to chang[e] time from last Sunday of Aug; But suggested to keep time as near as possible to present time of reunion

Memorial report
J J Phend Oct 10th 1929 age 70
Chris Phend Sep 3rd 1929 [age] 78
Molly Phend April 8th 1930 [age] 77
James Phend [age] 10 mo.
Geraldine Lusher May 9th 1930 [age] 17
John Slear Jan 18th 1930 [age] 87



[page 2]
Births.
Robert Eugene son of Paul Phend [still living, date omitted for posting although it is in the image]
William Henry son of Victor Phend [still living, date omitted for posting although it is in the image]

Election of officers
Pres. Henry Phend.
Vice. Pres. Will Phend.
Sec. & Treas. Reuben Pletcher.

Entertaining Committee, Barton Thornton chairman to appoint his own help.
Memorial and Birth reporter, Surelda Thornton

Treasury report.
Bal. On hand 6.31
Bills Presented 4.90 [balance] 1.41
Offering 2.64 [balance] 4.05

Program
Instrumental Solo - Mrs. Hartman
Reading - Mrs. Barton Thornton
Song - Paul and Harry Pletcher, Richard Thornton
Solo - Barton Thornton
Piano Solo - Richard Thornton

There were 65 members pres. Meeting was closed by President. After which a social time with games and contests were enjoyed.

Reuben Pletcher Sec.