New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

Just curious if anyone has C of R plans for the summer.  Dates ?  Considering a journey from the east coast out there and it would be nice to time it with some "Climbers Over 50" folks. Also looking at other nearby areas because I gotta make the drive worthwhile.

Old lady H wrote:

If one climbs often enough at the Castle Rock State Park part of City of Rocks, you will get to see the air force dudes buzzing Almo.

We used to see them fairly often in the mid 80s to 1988 or so before the City was added to the NPS.  We were on the summit of Bath Rock, and the jet was so close I could see the pilot turn and look at us.  Wild flying back then for sure.  We'd also see weird shapes and lights at night which no doubt were F-111's...probably both versions that were at Mountain Home back then.  Freaky.

I worked in Aerospace back then with a guy who was a retired AF full bird pilot.  Told him what we were seeing and he pulled out a map and said to the effect, "yeah, we called those oil burner flights."  Was a character.  Used to eat lunch with us "youngsters" as his age crew was too boring for him.

Not sure I've seen any buzz the City proper since the late 80's.  Castle for sure.  Lot more rare in recent years it seems.

We skied Ibapah Peak west of the test range in Utah a bunch of years ago.  Whacky stuff flying out there...especially at night.  Largest test range in the US for over-land supersonic flight they say.  We used to destroy rocket motors out there...nutty stuff.  Pressure waves rippin' across the desert were impressive.

Good times...

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

Daniel. This was 1985. Whatever the plane was it went straight up at an 80 degree angle leaving a wake on the surface of the lake.

About 1960 one day on duty at the control tower of the base where I was stationed (northeastern Montana) I watched a new F4 take off (and show off), climbing vertically for quite a ways. We were all in awe. 

I believe John Harlin (1936-1966) was a fighter pilot. There were a couple of F101 Voodoo pilots at my base who were climbers and accompanied me on excursions to the Little Rockies. Several of the airmen I worked with went with me, and one at least went along to the Needles in SD. (I made a number of two or three day trips to the Needles over two and a half years)

Hey Daniel thanks for your service . My dad was a 25 year Army veteran ( I grew up a world -travelling Army brat) and shortly before he passed he remarked on how "perty" the Warthog was. He was attached to some units in the Korean War, and he was responsible for some communication upgrades on numerous aircraft during that era. Many years later ,when he saw the Warthog for the first time in person at a local military airfield all he could say was "...we sure could've used that baby back then!"

Tim - I plan to be at City of Rocks again this June. I haven't heard from others yet, but hopefully there will be some of the usual suspects in attendance. In case you didn't see Idaho Bob's post a ways back, the reservation system (reserveamerica.com) won't be working until 8:00 AM on January 6, 2025. I plan to be on line at that exact time in order to snare our preferred campsite at Smoky Mt Campground. I don't know our dates yet, but I'm leaning toward some time in the first half of June.

Brian in SLC wrote:

We used to see them fairly often in the mid 80s to 1988 or so before the City was added to the NPS. 

My encounter was 1990, but I never had another one after that year.

Tim Schafstall wrote:

Just curious if anyone has C of R plans for the summer.  Dates ?  Considering a journey from the east coast out there and it would be nice to time it with some "Climbers Over 50" folks. Also looking at other nearby areas because I gotta make the drive worthwhile.

I'll be there for  10 days or so, around summer solstice.  Before or after you could hook up with me in McCall to climb Slickrock, longest multi-pitch in Idaho.

Brian in SLC wrote:

We used to see them fairly often in the mid 80s to 1988 or so before the City was added to the NPS.  We were on the summit of Bath Rock, and the jet was so close I could see the pilot turn and look at us.  Wild flying back then for sure.  We'd also see weird shapes and lights at night which no doubt were F-111's...probably both versions that were at Mountain Home back then.  Freaky.

I worked in Aerospace back then with a guy who was a retired AF full bird pilot.  Told him what we were seeing and he pulled out a map and said to the effect, "yeah, we called those oil burner flights."  Was a character.  Used to eat lunch with us "youngsters" as his age crew was too boring for him.

Not sure I've seen any buzz the City proper since the late 80's.  Castle for sure.  Lot more rare in recent years it seems.

We skied Ibapah Peak west of the test range in Utah a bunch of years ago.  Whacky stuff flying out there...especially at night.  Largest test range in the US for over-land supersonic flight they say.  We used to destroy rocket motors out there...nutty stuff.  Pressure waves rippin' across the desert were impressive.

Good times...

Last flyby I saw was about 5-6 years ago.  I was on top of Breadloaves, plane was close to that elevation, pilot did a wingover and waved.  Pretty sure the fighters in those days were out of Hill AFB in Ogden, Utah.  A few years ago at McCall's 100 year anniversary a flyby was organized with Mountain Home AFB.  We were on the south shore of Payette lakes, three fighters in formation crossed east to west, perhaps 1000ft. high.  We thought that was the end.  No way.  The formation turned north, flew to the north end of the lake, dropped down to 400-500 feet, and hit the afterburners and passed directly overhead.  That was real shock and awe.

last summer up in Sagunay Quebec we say these two over the river

with the noise and us having been mostly disconnected from the internet for a week it was kind of scary. The noise and not knowing for sure that it's just a drill... 

went up to Mt wishicouldtellya today with my 78yr old ski partner. 

it was rather wintery, somehow we both got our skis pretty wet in this section

and they froze up pretty good.  some scraping was in order..

its still muzzleloader hunting season so I have to at least pretend to be hunting. 

chopped a hole in the pond. it was cold enough that it froze over with a thin layer of glass between each of the 4 plunges I did. Isa is in Peru so flying solo. Don't slip on the ice and hit your head.... 

I was at the belay at the top of the first pitch of Swept Away in Josh when the F18s came thru at my height.  Really, really loud and scary.  

But the worst was on the East Walker River outside Bridgeport.  You are in a canyon and the jets would drop down below canyon top level and then right when they hit the CA/NV border, which is where I was, they would hit the afterburners and go vertical.  You never heard them until they were directly above you and the sound would drop you to your knees.  That fight or flight instinct overruled every other thought you had and hiding low to the ground was your prime imprerative!  Nothing quite like it.

I’ve been buzzed by RAF jets in Scotland a few times and saw a Royal Marines helicopter assault training at close range on Dartmoor once.  Dozen or so big choppers flew in below our level up the Plym valley and disgorged the troops on the next hillside over.  They didn’t seem put off by the archaelogy students conducting a field survey.  They bivved there that night in a cold cold rain — poor bastards.

Todd Berlier wrote:

I was in Santa Cruz in about 2012 sitting on a porch listening to the ocean waves when I hear a small plane flying low. I looked up and saw a yellow plane flying from capitola toward Santa Cruz. Out of nowhere I heard a roar and watched a fighter jet (my knowledge of such things is limited to what I learned watching Top Gun) seemingly fllying parallel to the ground but it looked like moving perpendicular to it. It came really close to the little yellow plane (within 100 feet, maybe). It turned back toward capitola. 

Later I found it that President Obama was giving a speech and the pilot of the yellow plane was flying too close to the President. I also read he did this flight regularly and wasn't going to take his airspace being restricted.

Sounds like this fellow finally got his favourite president now.   

Guy - Thanks for your comment. I was a high school teacher and thought I'd do the USAF pilot thing (assuming I could get a slot) for the minimum they required at the time, which was six years. I ended up staying in 21 years before going back to teaching high school.

phylp phylp - Speaking of "official rules"... our sorties were always quite planned out, briefed and debriefed. I do remember my last F-16 sortie in Germany was basically a tour of West Germany and a few castles, but we stayed clear of breaking any rules. Then there were some guys from our squadron who went up to Norway to imbed briefly with a fighter squadron up there. Now, normally, your mission is designated on the scheduling board with an acronym: BFM (Basic Fighter Manuevers, usually 1 v 1), ACM (Air Combat Manuevers) maybe 2 v 1 or 2 v 2, DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat), say, 2 v 2 against a different aircraft type, or SAT (Surface Attack), dropping little practice smoke bombs on the range, etc. Well, our guys from Hahn checked the schedule and saw they were upon for a "GFA" mission with the Norwegians. They were initially perplexed about what that was until they were told it stood for "General Fuck Around". Ha! I guess a country with a small air force, lots of territory, and a small population can get away with that--and the oil money to pay the fuel and maintenance budget. I wonder how many climbers and trekkers were surprised that day.

Bob - F100. That's cool... another major classic.

duncan - Yes, that's it, the Mach Loop! Some pretty amazing videos. In the UK, they are super into aviation (and trains), maybe given the Battle of Britain history? That second video looks like a couple of F-15s, but hard to see. Yeah, where there is one fighter, always expect a second--and maybe even a total of four.

Nick - F-16s, F-18s, maybe?

Brian in SLC - The whole F-111 contract went through a huge boondoggle stage. The idea, if I remember right, was to make something both the Navy and the USAF could use and the design turned into what many thought to be a huge white elephant. Despite all the initial crap, in the end the F-111 turned out to be outstanding at long range, high speed, low-level ingress (see Libya).

John Gill - I have no pilot friends who climb. Maybe because all the mathematicians, engineers, and part-time carpenters have taken their slots!

Donald - The Army folks seemed to always be very appreciative of the A-10. It could stay on station for a relatively long time for a fighter and with the GAU-8 (30mm cannon), could suppress quite close to own troops in TIC Troops In Contact) situations. I seem to remember something like 100 meters being the minimum safe distance in combat (assuming, of course, a run in parallel to the line of contact). Just a one second burst at the practice range sent out 33 bullets, if memory serves. Over the years, it has seen a number of upgrades that has made it WAY more capable than the A-10s of the first Gulf War. 

Idaho Bob - Hill was a big F-16 base... still is, I think, unless they have modernized already. So, probably F-16s. back then

KM - Was that an aerial demo with smoke on? Looks too low to be contrails, which happen at altitude with the right humidity.

Todd - I read the article... F-15 v Stearman biplane... now that would require some unusual DACT tactics given the huge disparity in turn radius and speed. If I had to choose a private plane to own, it would be a Stearman, though!

Back to climbing... my elbow has healed and a finger infection that flared up briefly is gone, so I have been cleared by my wife to hire a guide for a day out sport climbing here in Mendoza, Argentina. It will be the first time on rock in a couple of months... I feel giddy like a kid!

BTW, my heart goes out to those who are dealing with illness and deaths lately. We have had three friends pass away over the past year and two who have suffered some pretty bad health issues. Unfortunately, as writers and poet have reminded us for centuries, this is the human condition... we are born, we age, we get sick, and we die. On this thread, we are all now of an age that we are starting to see these things happen up close and personal, and it is painful. That's why something as silly as rock climbing is so important to me... it makes me feel like a kid again, keeps me in the moment, and I'm immersed in that miracle that is the natural world. Yeah, I guess it's an escape (better than other addictions!)

Peace and health to all for as long as possible.

I guess it’s no secret that I have been paying a lot of attention to the American healthcare system and diet and nutrition specifically. I should have mentioned that I majored in dietetics at Long Beach state for a good while. And ever since then I variously worked in doctors offices and then in my own medical billing service for 35 years (more on the litigation side).

Ever since I worked for a “holistic“ doctor back in 1980 I have wondered what I would do if I had cancer. I knew quite a few people who went to Tijuana to places like the Gerson clinic. And many who chose conventional treatment here.  Most recently I have been following a gal named Kate, who traveled to a treatment center in Tijuana called Hope4Cancer from her home in New Zealand to tackle some very aggressive Stage Four cancers. Their whole philosophy is to encourage the body to heal itself with nutrition, a beautiful beach, Yoga and Meditation, very specific targeted Supplements, therapies  and meds.  As of this week, all her scans are clean.

on the other hand, my daughter-in-law found out that she had breast cancer last year, and she did not think twice – – she wanted the full course of chemo, radiation, and both breasts removed even though only one was recommended. As far as I know, her scans are clean as well. But I will say watching her go through that grueling treatment was very depressing.

So I talked with Tony this morning. He’s lost an even 40 pounds over the last 8 weeks. This entire last week he has been unable to tolerate standing on his feet or even sitting—so BIG regression. He is waiting to hear whether he can be transferred to a “real “rehab facility. I have been the squeakiest wheel possible. But suddenly all the alarms went off in Tony’s head and he’s going to break himself getting out of there. He managed to stand up yesterday, and walktoday a few steps. I think he realizes that he better find the energy to go now or die.  I believe he can do this.  

So of course, I am always asking what are the ingredients of health, especially in old age. I know there is no magic bullet, but there is night and day in the American healthcare system, IMO. I can hear it in Tony’s voice that he’s going to survive this thing. But this “thing” has really just been a series of mis steps all the way.  

I have been reading up on a researcher and doctor named Dr John Prudden who pioneered “cartilage therapy”, particularly using Bovine Tracheal Cartilage. It was especially helpful in repairing knees and elbows among many other things.  I have some BTC.  I’m taking it.    

Knowing the billing side of this so well, what is the incentive to provide beautiful nutritious food, beautiful surroundings, any kind of supplement or nontraditional healing? None. 

—-

I was watching a video of my climb on Torturer’s Apprentice and I’ll tell you what the torture is, it’s my incredible slowness.    I am just slow. Bob has said many times “make a decision and then just do it.” I don’t know if there’s anything in any training manual that talks about speed. I rarely fall and on difficult routes it takes me time to find the next step where I won’t peel off. But I’m curious what would happen if I stepped it up the pace? I am on a top rope so I realize there’s no danger involved in moving more quickly. But I’m sure I would fall more often—maybe thrash. How conscious are you all of speed and efficiency in Climbing?

Looking at the time on this video is a bit embarrassing.  I felt like I was racing.    In fact the seasons were changing.  

Those eggs are from the Mexican cancer clinic, but we have eggs here just not a lot.

That route is fun. It’s about 100 feet of very steep climbing. 10b/c.  It’s just relentless. But the wall itself is stunning and the rocks and foliage at its base are beautiful. My Native American artist friend says it is “powerful medicine“ and I agree.  
We chose this route as an alternative to compassion of the elephants. For various reasons, this was just more practical.

I did not recall ever making it to the top of this route, but Bob says I did with one wobble. No wobbles for me… I have to start over. :-)

Daniel Joder wrote:

Donald - The Army folks seemed to always be very appreciative of the A-10. It could stay on station for a relatively long time for a fighter and with the GAU-8 (30mm cannon), could suppress quite close to own troops in TIC Troops In Contact) situations. I seem to remember something like 100 meters being the minimum safe distance in combat (assuming, of course, a run in parallel to the line of contact). Just a one second burst at the practice range sent out 33 bullets, if memory serves. Over the years, it has seen a number of upgrades that has made it WAY more capable than the A-10s of the first Gulf War. 

You're right on that Daniel -- the Hog's  first mission was to be close-up ground troop support. It's second mission was as a forward controller for other aircraft ; but now its role has expanded to linking up with HIMARS and other forward ground units -- kind of like  an artillery -spotter type function. This is an example of older weapons systems being constantly modified to keep pace with new technologies. Of course the Hog just might get by on pure good looks alone. "Perty".

Well, I’m off to Mount Arapiles for a week or so and it’s going to be FOURTY THREE DEGREES tomorrow!
I think the hottest I’ve experienced is 46, but not while camping.

Should be interesting. 

Carl…. Out of curiosity, if all the planned closures were to go into effect at Arapiles, will there be enough available rock (with easy to moderates) left to keep it on my worldwide bucket list? In terms of percentages, what would be the effect of currently proposed closures. Not sure if I’ll ever make it there, but it has been on my list for a few years. 

I’ve always considered it an honor to get buzzed by fighter jets 

I’ve made eye contact with pilots at eye level on peaks and canyon rims and have had them tip their   wings.

In Death Valley the traditional greeting is for women to flash them

Team America!  Fuck yeah!