Campbell Cliffs in Tucson

John, well... I suppose we all have fuzzy memories about who did what and when but who cares? Anyway, Marmis called me years later looking for a favor on a business deal. I didn't tell him that I was one of the dirt-bag climbers he used to threaten with his cell phone in hand as he kicked us off the property. I did tell him that I wasn't interested and never talked to him again. BTW, I probably saw 3-4 rattle snakes at the cliff and on the trail over the years. I also share Scott's memory of Grossman jumping off the lower cliff. That was completely insane and I can't believe that he never broke an ankle. That reminds me of another time finding teeth in a pool of blood out there after an ugly accident. I also remember Bobbi Bensman gushing over a doing a 5.8 at Campbell. We sure used to have a hell of a good time out there!

Does anyone know the actual history of the cliff? Will you tell us the story?

Who first discovered it?

What year was it?

Who did the first ascents?

Aid Crack actually had pin scars, did it not? Was that Rupley?

I am told that you used to be able to drive to the top, but that precedes my time.

Thanks!

Scott Mc

Scott Mc

Scott, folks used to drive to the cliff when you and I were going out there. I think that Katie and I even drove a VW out there one time. SARA used to do rescue practice with a truck parked at the top. Heck, I recall on one of my early trips out there, hearing something whizz right over my head just as I heard the crack of gun fire. The uncontrolled target practice in the area was a little scary.

But I was only 5 years old then.

I take it back, Baker is not old. He remembers too much !

I think Scott Brown Memorial is correct and it was "Weng Chou Wow"

Since I can only recall that Bamboo Shoots was on climber's left side, I'm afraid I have to give up any claim to the coveted third...
Although I do now begin to have some slight recall of the problem.

I do recall that about the hardest problem I have ever done was a low traverse from left to right on the main cliff. It was the section under Shoots that was so difficult. I worked that a lot and finally got it once. I turned to gather all the due adulations to see no one but George Smith who said, "Hmmm, that looked kinda hard. Weird short man's eliminate huh?"

McKewen's secret (other than being about as naturally gifted as they come) was that those weren't just any tennis shoe, they were Onisuka Tiger's and climbed pretty well. After watching Mike on some things in those, I spent months trying to find a pair. They did climb pretty decent but the rubber wore out quickly.

I also remember more than one run in with Marmis.
There were actually a few times early on when there was a bat in hell chance of maybe working out a deal with him but as soon as it started going south, it went to Antartic in a flash. Big tall guy wasn't he and I remember that cell phone he always had clenched in his hand and threats to call the police, etc...

I remember one almost civil conversation early on in which he tried to explain to us how he was buying all this to get even richer and to have a wonderful retreat. That went over in a big way with a bunch of climbers who were arguing the land and especially rocks were for all. Marmot just laughed and looked at us like he'd discovered an alien species. Which he had...

Grossman use to jump all the time and tell me he was practicing for when he had to dive off a nasty third class... Sheesh...
Those bottom problems were the real deal. Remember the Crystal problem, left hand, right hand eliminates, etc....

Reminiscing over such a dink piece of rock.
(But I recall some nice white granite and sharp yellow and brown stuff.)
You'd almost think it was the only thing in the area :-)
The Tuesday/Thursday ritual.... Dem were the daze.

I just recalled, I knew I was hooked on Peg when she refused to fall of the "5.7" standard route her first time climbing...

Pretty amazing how many old farts can have so many clear memories over such a spot.

Maybe Marmot would appreciate an "Occupy Campbell Cliffs" movement.
Bring some attention to the property and help sell it for him.
;-0>

Does anybody have any pictures? I'd love to see some.

The first time I went, you could drive your car right to the edge on top of the cliff.

Grossman jumped off the lower cliff ? Wow. Nuts. I fell off a couple of times bouldering, but I can't see doing it on purpose. Good landing though.

I remember when Bob Kerry started coming out there as a 40-year-old newbie. I thought, "he's doing okay for an OLD guy". (!)

JH do you remember that HOT school teacher that started to make moves on Frank ? He flirted along for a while, then realized she was getting serious. He didn't know how to tell her he was married. So he finally started wearing his wedding band while climbing.

So I was looking at houses in Tucson, thinking about moving back. I've been gone 30 years. I started climbing at CC in the early 70s when I was in junior high, we'd get a lift from our parents and walk in. I continued to climb there for years, most days after classes and then in college. My school friends and I were the "kiddy corp" in SARA while we were in high school and it's where we all learned to climb. More memories than I can count. Scott's list of routes sounds about right. I remember how proud I felt the first time I climbed the Aid Crack. On another note if you went east from the end of Campell the road wound down into a drainage with the foundations of an old ranch house. It's where some other friends and I went to shoot 22's when we were kids. Also where my Dad did the same thing in the 40's.

Photos courtesy of Mike Doe---who climbed there for many years and also worked at Summit Hut.  Gary Gray (RIP) was one of his partners.

I don't recognize the climber.  I am sure someone will.  More photos are coming as MP allows me to load them.

Campbell Cliff, January 1979. My climbing partner Chip Chace is lower right. Not sure who else is in photo...

These are all interesting stories to me as a similar thing happened to a small crag north of Phoenix we called the Carefree Boulder Pile/East Wall. I learned to climb there in the mid-70s and it is now on property owned by a very ritzy hotel/golf course outfit. You can still climb there, but you have to hire a guide through the hotel.

If I were as rich as, say, that strange Elon dude, I would buy the whole property out in Carefree as well as your beloved Campbell Cliff area and turn the houses and lodgings into free hotel/camping for climbers. That would be fun!

Scott, didn’t we meet at the rock gym a couple years back… ? Tuesday and Thursday mornings for the retired set?

Photos courtesy of Mike Doe.  

I do not recognize the shoes.  Anybody?

Arms Route?

I am not sure what's going on here.

Hey Scott! How have you been?  Is that you in the pictures? I climbed at Campbell Cliff in the mid-70s.  Here’s an old pair of Galibier RRs.  What could RR possibly stand for? ;)

Scott M. McNamarawrote:

I don't recognize the climber.  I am sure someone will.  More photos are coming as MP allows me to load them.

The climber on the Campbell Cliff traverse is Doug Powell, one of my caving friends. Doug was a former gymnast at the UofA.

Photos courtesy of Mike Doe.

I believe this was down canyon (west) of the cliff.  (In search of boulder problems.)