UKH

Salathe  free account

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/732154/Paul-Pianas-AAJ-1989-The-Fre...

There is also an Enormocast podcast interviewing Paul, which I found very interesting.

https://enormocast.com/2013/08/episode-41-paul-piana-rock-climbing-legend/

I always wondered why Piana and Skinner didn't get the credit they deserved for freeing Salathe Wall. A certain amount of revisionism went on around the time the Huberbuam repeated it (and claimed the first ascent). Am I right in thinking this was down to Piana and Skinner swinging leads (as was common for the time, and well everywhere!), in contrast to the Teutonic "lead every pitch" machine approach?

My recollection was that they got huge credit for it at the time.

I hadn't heard about any subsequent revisionism.

I think that was the reason given. But the other possible factor might be that two Wyoming cowboys came to California and demoted the once hardest proudest aid route in north America to a mere free climb...! That wouldn't sit too well with the Valley locals of the time! You can also see that attitude in refusing to accept the West Face for example, as an 'El Cap route'. Free climbing pervading the hitherto realm of the aid climber.

... and being heckled from the valley floor with shouts of "Hangdog!!"

Hi Jon,

   Thanks for that link.very interesting.

Piana kept telling Skinner to get a new harness,but was ignored,and Skinner died of harness failure.

I have  a friend  rather like that. I give him a rope now and again as he keeps using his past the use by date.Another friend had used a rope for 20 years.I cut that up into six pieces.

         If you have  a friend like that,and you can afford it,just buy them the new piece of kit.

Piana  using the back up piton  near the  habitual abseil boulder was  obviously a life saver.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=wyoming+needles&&view=detail&a...

some rocks n stuff in or near Wyoming,where Paul Piana is from.The Mitchell Corn Palace,now there is a route name.

My memory of the time from reading the popular climbing press is that there was a big hoohaa and pats on the back at first. Then, a little later it turned out that (the Californians?) accused them of lying and said they couldn't possibly have done it because they weren't good enough. I think the Changing Corners bit was one of the main bones of contention......who knows.

Maybe I'm imagining it, but wasn't there contention about splitting the crux pitch into two by use of a strategic hanging belay?

Surely not changing corners - that’s the Nose. Yes, I think John’s right about splitting the headwall, but weren’t they using the traditional aid ascent belays rather than just belaying where they wanted/needed? I remember too some folk being sceptical about the incident on the summit with the boulder and the crushed jumar, saying it was staged, or something?

I remember Max Jones and Mark Hudon were trying to free it way before Skinner and Piana and had freed all but a few key sections. Presumably if they’d been successful they would also have split the headwall. I wonder in that case if their ascent would have been better recieved given that they were Californians (I think...).

We need rgold to come to the rescue.

My technical advisor has just reminded me that the Telflon Corner is sometimes referred to as Changing Corners so presumably that's what you were referring to. Yes I remember something about that too, but can't for the life of me remember what!

Yes, sorry. Dim and distant memories with the word 'corner' in there somewhere...