How often have you done a route, not realizing it was a 1st ascent?

I was on Facebook this morning and read that my name was listed, along with Sam Streibert as doing a 1st ascent at Ragged Mountain, CT., in 1971.   On another occasion, climbing with Streibert, we did the 1st free ascent of Cat Crack, at East Peak, Sam never told me the details, and I didn't find out till years later that it was a FA.  A similar scenario occured  in the Gunks, when I was climbing with Dick Williams. Dick suggested doing this nice line in the Near Trapps, ( Bird Cage).  I didn't realize till years later,  while reading the guidebook,  that it was a FA. This also happened to me in Australia, climbing with John Ewbank. 

None of which I'm aware. The areas in which I've played contain much guidebook mapped routing and have been well attended by thousands of better and more ambitious climbers before me. But I'm also blessed with ample access to back country climbing, and places where every line is new. There is a fuzzy zone of "maybe" in between. For many years now I've preferred to be in the gray zone or back country. Guidebook country I am usually only repeating routes I like, or the ones my partner likes.

Oh and I'll add: if you don't report it, it can't be a first ascent, even if it is. You have to tell someone you did it, in order to "get credit" for it. I largely stopped reporting back country routes and have indeed forgotten the silly names I may have imposed on some imaginary line in the woods. Most we never presumed to name anyway. They are usually called "that one right there." So maybe I'll get partial credit for That One Right There, who knows!

Once. 

I've accidentally freed two aid routes by not being smart enough to read a topo correctly. A friend of mine used to climb with an older guy who was kind of notorious for tricking new partners into FAs.

stephen arsenault wrote:

I was on Facebook this morning and read that my name was listed, along with Sam Streibert as doing a 1st ascent at Ragged Mountain, in CT.  On another occasion, climbing with Streibert, we did the 1st free ascent of Cat Crack, at East Peak, Sam never told me the details, and I didn't find out till years later.  A similar scenario occured  in the Gunks, when I was climbing with Dick Williams. Dick suggested doing this nice line in the Near Trapps, ( Bird Cage).  I didn't realize till years later that it was a FA. This also happened to me in Australia, climbing with John Ewbank. 

Having an FA at Ragged is really, really cool given the lengthy history there and how limited good rock is in CT. I think you’d be hard pressed to accidentally claim a FA at any known CT crag these days.

Does it count if you were off route? Three good friends and I were climbing in the Tetons. Ted and I started up and after about three pitches stopped on a large ledge to enjoy the sunshine, drink some water, eat a snack, and wait for Rick and Jim. Finally after about 25 minutes and lots of hollering Rick and Jim show up but from other end of the ledge. Ted and I give them grief about getting off route. Rick proudly proclaims they were doing the first ascent of the Reese-Fearick variation.

Since John Fischer and I traversed the Palisades in 1979 ,I've seen our names garbled in printed books several times and once saw a conversation in quotes about something that I never said.

If so then I should get credit for the Chimney of Death I led to get us back on route after my flighty partner went wayward on his lead, Moon Goddess Arete on Temple Crag!

I've been on the opposite side of this equation.

During the COVID lockdown, I anchored and cleaned a rather bold little offwidth, hoping to free it when I could find a partner and a loaner #7. About a week later, I got an email from the FFA, asking if I knew anything about the route. As luck would have it, he's a veteran who established a lot of my favorite climbs. That made me really happy, and I'm glad I didn't have the nerve to red-tag it.

I don't think this post is intended as a humble brag at all but it made me laugh. 

For me - literally never. I can't imagine any scenario where I wouldn't be aware that I was doing a FA. I would have to roll up to some area blindly, having done no research via MP or using a guidebook, and pick something with no indication that it'd be climbed before and then climb it. To me, a FA is very intentional. An unintentional FA feels like a mega oxymoron. 

Cosmic Hotdog

Realize that the climbs I mentioned all occured over 50 years ago, before the internet existed.  I've done many 1st ascents but in these cases, I was being shown around by the most prolific route developer in each area.

 In the case of Ragged Mountain, in the early 70's,  it was Sam Streibert.

 Dick Williams was obviously one of the leading climbers at the Gunks at that time, as well as John Ewbank in Australia. In each case, I was just along for the ride. Streibert, Williams and John Ewbank certainly knew they were 1st ascents.  THey just didn't clue me in.  I learned about this obscure route at Ragged Mountain this morning on Facebook, put in 53 years ago! I was amused by that, as I don't even remember the route. 

“How often have you done a route, not realizing it was a first ascent.”

That describes about 10% of the climbing I’ve done in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Hey Stephen, for sure! It's interesting because the situation you're describing is so different from how it is today which has its pros and cons. I imagine that there was such a stronger sense of adventure and unknown 50+ years ago, which sounds really cool and exciting. We don't have that today, or if we do we really have to search hard for it. The benefit of the technology and guidebooks we have today is that I think it makes everything significantly more safe in regards to preparation and not getting in over your head....but that's not quite as thrilling as what you've described! 

I may have FA'd a 5.5 slab in the Black Canyon while being lost and unable to find the start of the actual route. Once I realized the slab didn't lead anywhere I rapped off a tree and did the walk of shame out.

Cosmic Hotdog,  To keep this dialog going-- I have to agree that it is much harder today to chase 1st ascents; particularly long, hard alpine routes in remote areas. Obviously the majority of plumb lines with reasonable access have been done, leaving objectives in remote areas open for exploration.  For the climbers seeking real adventure, it is still possible, but one has to travel much further afield, with  a greater committment than I ever  experienced.   I remember going to the Bugaboos in 1966, and NO routes had been done on the main face of Snowpatch Spire.  My team was headed for the Vowell Group , and I was thinking why go there when all these lines are free for the taking?      There are still plenty of Alpine type routes waiting for a FA in the USA, without travelling to the greater ranges.  I know of some plumb lines yet to be done in the Wind Rivers, but they are about 16 miles from the trailhead. Most of the obvious lines have been done but there are still a few left.

This is a view of the Cirque of the Towers, and the further cirque in the distance is the East Fork Valley where I have made many trips over a 50 year period.

Hi Steve, Which routes are you describing, especially the one in CT? I recall that Sam, you, and I did an FA on East Peak which we appropriately named 'Worst Climb in Connecticut'!!!! 

Hi Al,

This morning there was a discussion on Facebook about a ring angle piton, which was pictured. The poster asked how many had ever used one.  I replied that I had bought a few from Asa Osborne's store in Boston, and used a few in the late 60's.  Someone replied that they remembered my name printed in the Ragged guidebook, along with Sam Streibert.  He posted a photo citing the route, but I have already forgotton the name of the route!  I think it was rated 5.8 in the guidebook.   It must of not made an impression on me.  I also cannot remember the route you're referring to which you said I did with you, and Sam.

I do remember doing Cat Crack with Sam probably because it was so difficult, and he was so elated when he got to the top.  I barely did it all free following him!   I'm guessing you might of been the person who took the photo of him wearing that classic superman tee shirt.  I saw it on the internet somewhere.  I didn't know it was a FFA at the time, and only learned that many years later.  SAm didn't talk about it on the drive down from Newton, where he was living.  , 

When I did Bird Cage with a friend of mine Wil King from Australia, we joined up with Dick Williams who knew about the line.  At the time, Dick never mentioned it was a new route, and I only found out years later by reading the guidebook.

I did repeat it some 30 years later with my son.

Hope your doing well!

Hey Steve. I definitely replaced a few of them at Crow Hill when I lived nearby years ago.

Dave

It surprises me how long cleaned out gear placements will last on some climbs. Sometime the only trace of passage on a route with no fixed gear. 

I’ve tricked many partners into doing F.A’s they otherwise had no idea they were embarking upon. As for doing F.A’s I didn’t know were F.A’s… maybe one or two. 

Alan Rubin wrote:

Hi Steve, Which routes are you describing, especially the one in CT? I recall that Sam, you, and I did an FA on East Peak which we appropriately named 'Worst Climb in Connecticut'!!!! 

Found it:   Bloody Sunday, 5.8   Fall, 1971  Just left of Southern Cave Slab.    I found the Facebook post  .  Apparently it is on the Main Face, next to Deception, but maybe not listed in the latest guidebook..  Not much of a route.