Sex, grades, and rock ‘n’ roll
In the last few issues, Climbing’s editors have downgraded some of the hardest routes in the world in articles about a female climbing those or other hard routes.
In your September 2005 issue, you claim in a news piece on Josune Bereziartu’s recent send of Bimbaluna (5.14d/5.15a) that: “Consensus among elite climbers is that Bain de Sang and Logical Progression (Dai Koyamada’s 5.14d, repeated by Bereziartu Fall 2004) are likely 8c+ or even 8c.”
Why then did you give Bereziartu the Golden Piton Award for repeating Bain de Sang in the March 2003 issue with the commentary that: “after five repeats (the most of any route given 5.14d) it is regarded as extremely solid for the grade”? And why, in your April 2005 issue, do you qualify a report on Bereziartu’s send of Logical Progression (5.14d), with the note: “local sources tell us that after previous repeats the route has been downgraded to 8c+ (5.14c).”
How is it that in just a few months a “consensus” of elite climbers has suddenly downgraded both these routes from 5.14d to 5.14c to even 5.14b? Did this “consensus” include Fred Nicole, Iker Pou, or Dave Graham, the people who repeated Bain de Sang? Did you actually speak with any “local” Japanese climbers who have repeated Logical Progression?
Why not include the names of the “elite” climbers who agreed to downgrade these routes? At least it would give you an inkling of credibility for publicly downgrading some of the hardest routes in the world done by
a woman. Will you also downgrade Flex Luthor and Flat Mountain when a woman climbs them?

Editor’s note: “Official” grades of the world’s hardest sport climbs change constantly, and we follow the most current information available to us. The remarks on Logical Progression came from a (female) correspondent, who spoke directly with Japanese locals who had repeated the route.
Specific ratings are highly subjective and hotly debated. What’s not debatable is that Josune Bereziartu is climbing within a hair’s breadth of the world standard for men, not just on “slabby” lines like Bain de Sang and Bimbaluna, but on near-horizontal cave routes like Logical Progression.

Both Sides
Thanks for the excellent articles on the Russian Big Wall Project and Oak Flat’s threatened closure [September]. Beyond the quality of the writing and wealth of interesting information, I was particularly impressed with the objectivity of the reporting. Although some of us can’t forgive the calculated trashing of mountain wilderness by the Russian siege climbers or Sherman’s shameless corporate sellout, we at least got to hear sensitively presented arguments for their attitudes and behavior. It’s writing like this, particularly over the past couple of years, that has raised the quality of Climbing well beyond that of the other high profile English-language mags devoted to the sport. Keep it coming.

One more for the record
I read in your Golden Piton Awards [June, page 50] that Heidi Wirzt and Vera Schulte-Pelkum had done three brilliant record ascents at Yosemite Valley. I am always happy when I see news about women climbers, but I was surprised to read that there wasn’t any previous speed ascent made by women.
In October 2000 I went to Leaning Tower to try a one-day solo ascent of the West Face. I started at 6:30 a.m. and finished 11 hours after. I just wanted you to know in case it is interesting — cheers!

The AF on Oak Flat
Thank you for providing a forum showcasing the issues at Oak Flat, Arizona [Off the Wall, September, page 44]. John Sherman, as an employee of Resolution Copper Company (RCC), provided a view which unfortunately fell short in honesty, accuracy, and, sadly, conviction to truly make the climbing community stronger.
Contrary to Sherman’s suggestion, the Access Fund is in the business of helping to acquire access to new climbing areas as well as keeping existing areas open. We have funded many land acquisitions with our grants program: Castle Rock Ranch, Idaho; Quartz Mountain, Oklahoma; and Jamestown, Alabama are just a few of the many examples.
We also take issue with Sherman’s contention that he is working in the interest of climbers, and the Access Fund is not. If no climbers had opposed the Oak Flat land swap, there would be no concessions to the climbing community. It is opposition by the climbing community — represented by groups such as Friends of Queen Creek and the Access Fund — that prompted RCC to hire Sherman in the first place. Sherman’s involvement now provides RCC with the opportunity to convince key politicians that the climbing community is divided and perhaps OK with losing access to Oak Flat.
RCC has tried to exploit this perceived division, to stall negotiations, convince legislators that climbers approve of the land swap, and to place doubt on any message the climbing community states in opposition. Sherman has done much for the climbing community over the years and deserves respect for those things. Sadly, his current involvement with RCC is not among those things.
The Access Fund and Friends of Queen Creek continue to work with members of Congress to assure the land exchange bill protects the climbing on public lands now threatened by a foreign-owned billion-dollar mining company. As a non-profit organization that exists solely to serve the U.S. climbing community, we ask you to think about who really has climbers’ best interest in mind.

Editor’s Note: John Sherman also contacted us to clarify an ambiguity in his essay regarding the role of Chris Archer in Sherman’s offer to show the Tam O’Shanter climbing area to the Access Fund. “Because of Chris’s integrity in the climbing community and because I trust Chris to give a fair opinion on matters of climbing quality,” wrote Sherman, “he was the one person I felt both sides could trust to give an honest and unbiased report on the climbing at Tam O’Shanter. ... In the conversation we had, Chris was talking to me as a friend, not as the General Counsel of the Access Fund, therefore any communications I attributed to him don’t necessarily reflect the official stance of the Access Fund for refusing the tour. I made a mistake in not keeping our conversation a private matter between friends. Chris has my thanks for stepping into a tempestuous situation when he didn’t have to.”

Rock fallout
Thank you for your detailed outline of the Glacier Point dilemma that the NPS is facing regarding the $10 million wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Peter Terbush [July, page 32]. I was fortunate to be introduced to Peter a few days before the accident, and actually witnessed the rock fall from a portaledge on the opposing Yosemite Falls Wall while establishing a new route. I mourn this unfortunate accident, but seriously question the wisdom of suing an already under-funded park system that does its best to monitor and safely regulate the hundreds of thousands of its yearly visitors.
The NPS isn’t some evil corporate empire trying to gain huge profits from the mindless consumer. Every climber knows there are always elements of risk when going to the base of a crag or a huge, imposing wall. I hope the Terbush family truly understands that their actions could lead to negative access and accountability issues for all U.S. park organizations and users.

Editor’s note: In that story, we reported that geologist Gerald Wieczorek “does admit that Glacier Point is historically not the place for rockfall in the Valley.” Wieczorek contacted us to clarify:
There had been 24 documented rock falls (1870-1998) in the Glacier Point region before the November 16, 1998, rock fall above Camp Curry. The location, size, type, damage, description, and number of documented rockfall events in Yosemite National Park are available from Historical Rock Falls in Yosemite National Park, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-491, Wieczorek, G.F., and Snyder, J.B., 2004.

A martyr responds
Dear Jen, I am absolutely touched by your letter [September, page 18: Jen Brown commenting on our July report of Dean Potter’s BASE jump of El Mocho in Patagonia] and your spirit! Please know that I never do anything that violates my standard of acceptable risk. And I love hard work.
No personal achievement happens alone, not even a boulder problem. When I freed El Cap the first time, so many people helped me. Dean was up there for four days, doing all the grunt work of hauling, jugging, and belaying me on every pitch. Last winter he went to Patagonia a month earlier than me, and hauled hundreds of pounds of equipment up-glacier to establish a perfect high camp below the Torres. I stepped off the bus and up to the mountains carrying not much more than rock shoes, mountain boots, and some clothing. Thanks to Dean’s weeks of work, I had the thrill of going directly from Moab to the summit of Standhardt. And together we achieved an alpinist’s dream of summitting Torre Egger in one day. Then, completely satisfied with our efforts and ready for home, we did one last climb so Dean could fulfill a dream he had cherished for months: to fly off the top of El Mocho,
Helping a loved one reach a dream can be even more meaningful than a personal achievement. That could mean helping them go back to school, have a child, or jump off an alpine wall. I am so proud of Dean. His innovation and drive, and his kind heart, are a constant inspiration.

Betsy’s lead
I am receiving much grief from my soon-to-be-wife about stealing her “15 minutes of fame”! In the Gallery section [July, page 65] you published a photo by Celin Serbo of us on Orange Julius. I am not the one who “steps out on the fourth pitch traverse,” but rather the balding guy at the belay. Betsy Nelson (soon to be Betsy Lorda), wearing the capris, is the one stepping out on lead.
Great issue by the way.

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