Leaves are turning

A beautiful day, and this is a picture from the top of the crag after
running three laps ... The height of fall foliage is just days away.
COME VISIT ... and slap the chains!

The Next Generation

Charlie - age 3 - is the son of Guillaume, one of my former students ... working out the moves!

Chongo and Yosemite Valley

He was Charles Victor Tucker III, scourge of Yosemite National Park, fixture of the lodge cafeteria ... click here to read a New York Times article about this vagabond climber.

Adapting the Stove for Winter Conditions

Click on this link to see specific details.

Laps on the crag

It was pretty wet, and my mountain boots were muddy, however I hauled
out my 15 year old "soloist" and ran some laps on the 5.7 "One Taste."
Of course being mechanically inept it took me awhile to work out the
system. (Kudos to the multi-day stump and rock removal work.)

Article: Fossils on Denali

This is a picture of Jon and Selden building the Fossil Clubhouse last year. These days Jon is more involved with his computer writing articles for the newspaper and his journalism class. Click on this link to access Jon's account of the infamous 1978 Fossil trip to Denali.

A Quote from BD

"I did five pitches on Saturday. 3 leads, two of which were new. On-sighted a
new 5.7 which I felt shaky on for the first 20 feet and then calmed down. Great day and good fun."

Loading Up

August in the Sierras, heading out to Fourth Lake. The mules are fully loaded with two weeks food, scientific gear, and climbing gear.

The Fossils in the Palisades

In honor of their advanced age this picture was shot with an old kodack "brownie" camera ... two very handsome and obviously very fit dudes!(Click on the photo to enlarge it for a close-up of Mark's jelly-roll.)

Surveying the Glacier and Moraine

Greg gathering data to see if clmate change (aka global warming) has effected the area of Palisade Glacier in the Sierras. (A possible objective for TTX next year might be to do a volume study of the glacier ... any NCS/CTT staff interested?)

More Trail Work

The crag is being transformed by the energy of Dave, Katie, and the
student crew.

Hock Weekly Totals:

I hope everyone is getting off the couch. Mark tells me he bought a gym membership, and I heard rumors that Danny was doing a metric century on his bike ... kudos. I was sick with the flu on Monday evening and Tuesday but still managed 10 moderate short pitches (one on the sharp end), and six short aerobic sessions of 30 minutes. The picture is from 1981, just on the cusp of the skating revolution.

Working the land!

Selden the farmer on top of her vintage tractor, spreading manure on the fields.

Trail Work

Dave leads a team of students in stump pulling and leveling the far
edge of the crag.

Tenya Peak

Greg and Tori simul-climbed 14 pitches up the buttress. Danny and I did this route a decade ago ... fantastic!

Leaving the Mountains

Tori leaves the Sierras for a year-long service adventure in 2009 to Maputo Mozambique. Click here to watch a short video about her new "home."

Comparative Grades:

Yosemite = English = Alpine

5.1 = Diff. = III
5.4 = V. Diff = III+
5.6 = Severe = IV
5.8 = VS = V+

NCS Crag: comparative Routes

Buried Treasure = "Monday Morning Slab" in Yosemite
Perry's Corner = "Rusty Trifle" in the Gunks
Hock's Blessing = Durrance Ridge on Symmetry in Tetons
One Taste = "Disneyland" in the Gunks
Unexpected = "Rated X" at Donner Summit
Two For You = North Ridge of the Grand in Tetons
Vermont = "Bishop's Terrace" in Yosemite
Hock-shot = "Dirty Gerdie" in the Gunks

Top of Crag

The view from the top of the NCS crag. We had 15+ students out cragging today, on a beautiful Fall day.

The Rumor:

Two Friends of the Fossils (Greg and Terray) are going to attempt the Grade VI, mega-classic traverse of the Sawtooth Ridge in the Sierras. Send us pictures!

Next Summer?

A terrific place to stay, cheap travel, sunny weather, awesome routes, and amazing breakfast burritos.

Dreaming of Peru ...

Sipping a chai, reading a novel, and watching the Cordillera Blanca from the Cafe Andino.

The project

Dave working it ... tentatively named "The Hammer," it looks like it will weigh in at 5.11+

Tori again

Click here to watch a short video of Tori doing some capoeira with the big boys

Did You Know?

That the good doctor - Brian - is a member of the American Alpine Club medical committee? And what does the committee do?

Medical Committee: Geoff Tabin M.D., Chair. Michael Anderson, M.D., Warren D. Bowman, Jr., Dan Chavez, Robert Coblentz, M.D., Brian Dannemann, M.D., David C. Fiore, M.D., Markus L. Forsythe, M.D., Colin Grissom, M.D., Charles H. Houston, M.D., Elizabeth A. Regan-Lowe, M.D., Michael Wideman, M.D., Richard N.W. Wohns, M.D.

Alpinist 25

A great issue in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of
the Nose ... Some terrific stories from the Golden Age in the Valley. (Click on the phot to enlarge it and read the caption.)

Friend of Fossils

Tori in the background getting ready to jump in and do some capoeira.Click here to read the article about Tahoe Capoeira

Peru: Ishinca Valley

Click here to see the article.

Another 30 year-old shot

Back in the days when we had a full head of hair, rain 3 hour marathons, and climbed 5.9 in tennis sneakers ... and could take the entire summer off to climb in the Tetons where this shot was taken.

Almost Thirty Years Ago Today

The South Face of Washington Column in Yosemite. Hock and Mark are hoping to meet in the valley this November for a weekend of climbing. (Click on the photo to enlarge the picture.)

Getting Ready for Ice Climbing

Brian stretching out - doing his yoga - is everyone getting fit for December? Clear the date on those calendars.

Hock's weekly totals:

Climbed eleven short pitches (two on the sharp end), one bouldering session, five moderate aerobic outings, and one yoga session. (The picture is circa 1978, on our return to Talkeetna from Denali. Click on the photo to enlarge it ... interesting sign in the window)

Friends' Weekend

A long hike up Dial and Nippletop. This picture taken about halfway - near Elk Pass - Rebeeca, Liz, and Brian (taking the picture) were my trail mates.

Lucy's new horse

"Birch" stands just over 15 hands, and is quite gentle.

The man, the myth, the legend!

Dave Steckler, the discoverer and developer of the crag, pulling his bizillionth lap on "Unexpected" (5.7).

Three Years Ago

On his 18th birthday, my son Jon and I climbed the 18,500' Urus in the Cordillera Blanca. A few days later I climbed another 20,000'+ peak with one of my faculty members.(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

Alpine Art

Andy Parkin has done some of the hardest Chamonix routes as well as finding time to make interesting art. Click here to see his website.

New Route: "Buried Treasure"

Buried Treasure (5.4) was led today by Laurie Steckler, belayed by Dave. It was Laurie's first lead EVER, and was done onsight. The route is 5.1 to the birch, then 5.4 up a short steep wall to Hock's Ledge. It can be top roped from the Hock Shot (5.9) anchor for the longest link-up at the Crag (link-up has yet to be done...)

Donkey for sale: $500

Jiminy Cricket, handsome, healthy, affectionate, six-year-old 12.2hh standard donkey for sale. Up to date with all shots and worming. Leads well, picks up feet, stands for fly spray. Jiminy has been sat on many times but is not yet trained to ride – no time. Ready to learn! Smart, impish; may pick up feed bowl to remind you if you’re late with breakfast. Has lived with sheep and cattle and very elderly mini-donk. Selling only for space reasons; good home (with vet reference) most important.