The Backside of Beyond Bardini The Bardini Foundation Newsletter Winter 2018/2019 Issue Bardini Foundation’s Saez Photography Donations Dwindle Youth Program Sierra Workshop 50% Over Past Expanded Late Start 10 Years The Bardini Foundation continues to Our Bishop Fall Colors Workshop The annual donations in 2018, for provide outdoor activities to Eastern had two participants for four days of want of a better term, were disap- Sierra at risk youth. Over seventy chasing colors on the eastside. We pointing. Disappointing because youth from Mammoth Lakes in the missed the peak colors by about four they indicate a downward trend. The north to as far south as Tecopa and days and ended up running all over to trend over the last ten years has Shoshone areas, were involved in find good color. In the four days we been a slow descent from a regular these programs this past season. went from Lundy Canyon to Bishop participation of fifty to sixty contribu- Creek Canyon and everything in be- tors to the twenty or so that are now The youth were provided with expert tween. We even made a trip out to making donations. instruction and equipment and . Dobie Meadows to see the wild hors- Climbing shoes, harnesses, and hel- es! We have a total of 542 names on mets for the rock climbers , binoculars, our mailing list. The paper edition list compasses, and cameras for the natu- All told, our clients, Morris and John, had 343 entries. The email list has ral history treks had a great time. We did manage to 199 addresses. Think about it. Only The range of activities included: find some color and produced some 24 people sent donation checks in 2018. That is a 4% return on our fine images. Rock climbing investment. Major changes are com-

Day hikes with Leave No Trace This workshop was operated under ing. Read From the Editor page-2 ! principles and natural history permit from the Inyo National Forest taught as part of the program. in conjunction with the Bardini Foun- The Bardini Foundation can exist only through your generous dona- Fishing dation, Inc. tions. - Rick Saez Photo workshops

For tax purposes your donation is Wildlife observation outings 100% tax deductible. If you re-

Compass Navigation clinics quire confirmation Bardini will snail

mail or email you a letter confirming Snow science workshops the date and amount of your dona- We strive to provide our youth with the tion. opportunity to explore, learn and inter- act with other kids. Most of the chil- We provide a donation link on our dren that we work with have never website (www.bardini.org) for credit been on a simple day hike or been card or PayPal donations. fishing. We hope to have them experi- No internet connection? Then make ence the Eastern Sierra backyard that your check out to: is often taken for granted. The Foundation’s involvement in these Bardini Foundation PO Box 1422 services is made possible through Bishop, CA 93515 your generous donations. Eastside Colors In This Issue

2018 Contributions ------2 Incoming & From the Editor ------2 Half Dome Capers by Don Lauria ------3 Purpose & Photos ------5

2 The Backside of Beyond Winter 2018/2019 Issue 2018 Contributions From the Incoming

Editor Keep it going!..

Peter Hackett, Ridgeway, CO Benefactor $1000+ Look at the donor list to the left — only 24 Paul Rudder people! We used to have more than twice that number in years past. Why only 24?

You might surmise that our supporters are Angel $500+ dying off — literally. But a scan of the past few years’ donors reveals that the same Allan’s legacy must persist! Good luck in people donate year after year, but just not Jim Barbieri 2018. necessarily in consecutive years. The Yvon & Malinda Chouinard Brian Parks, Madison, WI most consistent donors are those who Kimberly Knox donate in the higher brackets. It’s the Brian Parks small donations that we are losing.

The generosity of those listed on the left of this page is greatly appreciated. Their Patron $200+ names appear in the Contributions section Here’s the check I didn’t forget to send. year after year. Anyone that pays atten- Let’s plan to go see TM soon - while Gilberto D’Orso tion to the donor list will notice that one we’re still among the living.. Peter Hackett donor in particular is outstanding.. Paul Lyman Johnson Rudder has donated $100 every month James Barbieri, Onyx, CA Jeanne Walter for over 20 years. Here’s what Paul wrote in our “Incoming” section a few years ago:

“Well, the truth be told, if you love Partner $100+ something, you gotta give till it hurts. So here's bucks to help you pay the Michael Graber piper and keep the program going. No- As a long-time Sierra Club member and Charles Grobe body can say enough good things an ex-Sierra Club Ski Mountaineer, I Ken Kerner about the Foundation; you guys are appreciate the work being done by the Stan & Ann Sanderson terrific and deserve all the support us Bardini volunteers. It is a wonderful Walt Pachucki Bardini fans can muster. After all, thing. whenever you put on skis and glide off Ken Kerner, Valencia, CA through the woods, or hike up a trail and stop by a beautiful lake, Bardini Contributor $50+ Lives!”

Drew Dembowski Paul Rudder, Mammoth Lakes, CA John & Debbie Eilts Dion & Cheryl Goldsworthy As CFO of the foundation and editor of the Bonnie Kamps newsletter, I will be removing all the Joe Kelsey names on our mailing list that have Dear esteemed Bardinis—apologies for Don Pies NEVER contributed to the foundation. forgetting last year’s contribution. Robert & Annamaria McElroy Publishing and distributing the The Our last memory of Allan was his return- Backside of Beyond is a time consum- ing our call inquiring about how early in ing and expensive undertaking. The news- the season he thought the route into letter is written, published, folded, sealed, Charlotte Dome from the east would be Sustainer $25+ and stamped in my home computer office safe. His advice: At any time before late in Bishop, Califiornia by me - all 343 cop- June could be an “avalanche shooting Carol Broberg ies. gallery”. James Garvey Leroy Russ If you are reading this, then The Backside Bob/Annamaria McElroy, Malvern, PA of Beyond deserves your support. If you have never taken the time to send us a check and you want to continue receiving this newsletter you had better get a check Thank you all! in the mail this year. - the Editor

Winter 2018/2019 Issue The Backside of Beyond 3

With boyish impatience and sloth-like precision, we climbed Half Dome Capers four pitches and fixed the fifth before collapsing into that 1966 ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome cramped, semi-conscious state fondly referred to as a bivouac. By Don Lauria Reprinted from the September 1967 issue of Summit We "over-bivouacked"; that is, we regained consciousness later than planned and resumed our scorching pace up the wall. Five hours and three pitches later, Russ complained that the water bottle was leaking, the haul bag had a dangerously large hole Twilight had turned to darkness. The early moon cast a hazy in it, and we were climbing too slowly. I argued that this was no sheen over the valley floor. Below, blossoming campfires flick- reason to rappel off. Russ replied that he hadn't mentioned ered through the black curtain of Half Dome's shadow. And to rappelling. I agreed that he hadn't, but we did anyway, leaving the north, over Tuolumne, high wispy clouds moved slowly on an expensive trail of over-driven Chouinard anchors down the the tide of a brisk breeze that rolled across Tenaya Canyon and 800-foot rappel route. broke silently against the northwest face of Half Dome. It was early June before I could make I lit a cigar and leaned back against arrangements for another three-day the rock. A few feet away, along weekend in Yosemite. The snow at the the ledge, Chuck was peering in- base of Half Dome was almost gone tently into the gloom of the summit when Michael Cohen, Valerie Menden- overhang. Somewhere in that dark- hall, and I approached it. Valerie had ness lay an easy friction move— come along for the hike—we as yet did the final pitch separating us from not realize it, but so had Mike and I. the-summit. Mike was taken ill after one pitch and "Would you like the honor of lead- we were forced to retreat to our ing the final pitch, Chuck?" I in- campsite on the northeast shoulder to quired, assuming an unconcerned give him a rest. pose. That evening, after a stubborn left-handed "I really think the honor falls to struggle with a GI can opener, Valerie you," Chuck replied. "After all, it's applied some of her innate culinary talent your lead." to a Kraft dinner by adding clams and tuna. As Mike looked on, I voraciously The word "falls," I felt, was a very consumed three generous helpings of this poor choice of words. I had been glop. Mike's condition took an abrupt turn told that one could take a nice for the worse. "thirty-footer" coming off the friction move. We shared our campfire that night with two familiar "resident" climbers, “Let's wait for the moon to light up whom we shall refer to as "Mutt and Jeff." the face," I suggested, leaning for- They had climbing intentions that lay ward apprehensively. slightly right of ours and suggested that we might arise very early the following Chuck nodded. "Okay, let's wait." morning and proceed to the base in one large jolly bunch. However, when the I leaned back again, took a deep alarm woke me at 4:45, I could coax nei- drag, and hooked a finger through ther Mutt nor Jeff to leave the security of a perfect smoke ring. We both their sleeping bags. I was taken aback knew that moonlight would not when Mutt rolled over in his bag and, in reach the northwest face that night. the affected tone of a cultured dowager, Thank God Ledge uttered the words that every weekend climber wishes he could Thus, at 10 P.M. on July 1, 1966, Chuck utter. "Jeff,' he said, "we should not feel that we are under any Haas and I convinced ourselves of the obligation to climb today." They both convulsed in hysterical wisdom of bivouacking 100 feet below the summit of Half laughter. Dome's northwest face. Our situation, annoying and frustrating as it was, seemed a mere inconvenience compared to the disap- I arrived at the base ahead of Mike and filled the water bottles pointments that preceded the climb—disappointments that must at the spring. I unsympathetically ignored the complete lack of plague many "weekend" Yosemite climbers. color in Mike's face when he arrived. "Are you ready to go, Mike?" I asked without looking up. The comedy of errors, failures, and defeats that led up to this final bivouac began in mid-May when Russ McLean and I found "I'm not leaving the ground, Don," said Mike with convincing ourselves at the base of the awesome northwest face, kicking finality. steps in the snow to reach the first pitch. It was early afternoon; we had just finished the nine-mile trek from Happy Isles and had decided to start climbing immediately in an attempt to complete seven pitches before dark. Continued on next page

4 The Backside of Beyond Winter 2018/2019 Issue came whirring down from the summit. Someone up there had tired of throwing the usual rocks, possibly figuring the log Half Dome Capers - continued would get us both with one blow. Our vehement protests were met with stunned silence, astonished disbelief, and immediate Back on the shoulder, the residents were still in their sleeping bags cessation, in that order. when Mike and I came shuffling back into camp. They resumed their uncontrollable laughter upon realizing that we too had admit- I led the first Zig-Zag, an enjoyable lead with an intricate fin- ted defeat. Mutt gave me ten good reasons why he and Jeff were ish. Chuck strung out the second pitch about twenty-five feet returning to Camp 4. I adopted two of his best reasons and went beyond the customary belay spot—giving me more than along. enough rope to reach Thank God Ledge at the end of the third Zig-Zag. Climbing Half Dome had now become an obsession with me— much to the amusement of my family and friends. I again went Thank God Ledge was not a disappointment—it was as exhil- through the complex procedures of arranging for a trip to the Valley. arating as all accounts had described it. Chuck scurried I don't think the list is called for here—only those climbers with a across it without hesitation. We had planned in advance how wife, three children, and three jobs would appreciate the implica- to handle the hauling problem at this point. However, I suc- tions, anyway. cessfully foiled the plan when I dropped the haul line too soon, firmly snagging it thirty feet below the center of the ledge. On June 25 the five members of the Lauria Chuck patiently backtracked and family were plodding their way up the trail spent many tiring minutes shaking the to Half Dome under the guise of a family line loose. This extracurricular activity hike to the summit. However, hidden within wasted thirty minutes of valuable day- my pack was fifty pounds of miscellaneous light and tired Chuck considerably. climbing hardware and bivouac food which, according to plan, was to be I crossed T.G. Ledge and quickly cached on the northeast shoulder. Chuck began the aid crack leading to the Haas and I would pick up the cache when bolt ladder. Hastily, I clipped into fixed we returned within the week to climb the pitons without testing them—and northwest face. After an overnight stay in Chuck was able to save even more Little Yosemite, the family planted the time by removing these pins without cache, climbed the cable route to Half the use of his hammer. Time was the Dome's summit, and returned to Camp 4 major factor now. before dark. I was quite proud of my group—they had made the ascent on their Twilight was waning when Chuck took first attempt, which is more than I can say off on the 24th pitch, a fourth class for Dad. traverse. When I reached him, twilight had turned into darkness, and our Three days later Chuck and I arrived at the infamous final bivouac began. The base. We put up three pitches, leaving nights prior to this bivouac had been fixed ropes, and returned to our campsite warm, and we purposefully had left on the shoulder. By 5:30 AM the following our down jackets in Camp 4. Now the day I was leading the fourth pitch—we cold breeze and lack of adequate were off to a good start. Six hours passed. clothing made prolonged naps impos- We had completed only four additional sible. We eventually quit trying to nap, pitches—our pace was disappointing. and just shivered and talked about However, by late afternoon we had fin- water until dawn. ished the loose fourth class traverses that lead out onto the face. Two more pitches When I reached the friction move the brought us to the ledges below the great next morning, I thanked Chuck for his flake system. Being unsure of the difficul- foresight in not insisting that we climb ties above, Chuck fixed the thirteenth pitch it by flashlight. Either of us could have and returned to the ledges for an early made the move in the dark—if we bivouac. Lauria family on the Half Dome cable route could have found it.

We didn't drink much water during our first full climbing day due to On the summit we paused briefly to take pictures and soak up the inconvenience of extracting the water bottle from the hauling some warm rays from the rising sun; then we literally slid sack. During the night Chuck lost considerable sleep trying to down the cables and raced to our refreshment cache. Two match my water consumption, sip for sip. By dawn only a single hours later we were met by our families in the Happy Isles quart of water remained. parking lot.

At 4 A.M. we were up and climbing the fixed rope. The "under-cling" The afternoon was spent taking the verbal abuse of various pitch, two chimneys, and the Psych Flake were soon behind us. Camp 4 climbers who caustically suggested that one more The jamcrack pitch to the Sandy Ledges proved more difficult bivouac and we would have established a record for the most above the jamcrack than Chuck had anticipated, but he climbed it in time-consuming ascent. We week-end climbers tend to ignore fine form, and we were ready to start the three Zig-Zag pitches at these quips—we are generally too busy packing for the return noon. trip home. In my case, however, I had to agree. It had taken forty-two days to accomplish what I had originally set out to Our confidence was high, but shaken momentarily when a large log do—climb Half Dome.

Winter 2018/2019 Issue The Backside of Beyond 5 Statement of Purpose Youth in the Sierra The Bardini Foundation is a group of friends and relatives who wish to honor and com- memorate their friend and brother, the late Allan Bard, fondly known as "The Great Bardini". The Foundation was formed to continue Allan's work and carry out his plans and dreams of exposing people to the total mountain experience. In Allan's memory, the Foundation will strive to provide the common man with Muir's inspiration to "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings".

The Bardini Foundation is providing:

1. Year-round backcountry guide services

2. Sponsorship of courses in avalanche safety, mountain Emergency medical practices, mountaineering skills, and wilderness appreciation

3. Continued publication and distribution of Allan's Shooting Star Guides

4. A newsletter to promote mountain ethics, protocol, and safety

5. Publication of Allan's writings and photographs

6. Funds for search and rescue groups, for training and equipment

7. Slide shows and seminars on mountain sports, and safety,

8. Funds to train and accredit, in cooperation with the American Mountain Guides Association, mountain guides of Allan's quality

9. Support for environmental and cultural projects of community interest in Bishop, California Tim Villanueva, Bardini Youth Program Direc- tor, supervising climbing at South Lake Bardini & the Environment

If one is wondering how the Bardini Foundation “fits” into the category of environmental activist, one can go to Patagonia’s website grant application guidelines where it is stated that “the battle to save our environment will never be won unless the public is informed. “

The Bardini Foundation has three approaches to reach the goal of an informed public:

Recreational through guided treks, ski tours, and peak climbs

Educational through rock climbing and avalanche courses

Conservationist through leave-no-trace classes.

All of our youth activities are conducted gratis. Our guiding and educational service fees are mini- mal--priced well below the market because we seek no profit and require no growth. We need only meet the immediate expense of the service. Our general operating expenses are covered through donations.

Muir wrote that the Sierra should be explored by everyone with "the right manners of the wilder- ness". In that vein, we strive to enlist the support and cooperation of our clientele, the common man, in preserving the forests and other natural features of the Sierra Nevada by allowing them to explore and enjoy the Sierra Nevada with specific attention to minimum impact use. Excursions of this sort, properly conducted, do an infinite amount of good toward awakening proper interest in the forests and the other natural features of the Sierra.

Ansel Adams said "the mountains are more to us than a mere proving ground of strength and alert skill. Rock climbing should be considered a thrilling means to a more important end." After all, rock climbing has spawned many environmental activists, Yvon Chouinard and David Brower being among the more prominent.

Brower implied that mountain outings are "the best source of the conservation warrior." Muir argued that travelers come back from the wilderness ready to fight for its preservation. The Bardini Foun- dation is dedicated to creating future warriors for the wilderness. Workshop Colors

Bardini Foundation PO Box 1422 Bishop CA 93515-1422

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The Backside of Beyond Volume XX February 2019 Number 1

The annual newsletter of the Bardini Foundation, Inc. (760) 873-8036 www.bardini.org (760) 872- 4413 [email protected] «First» «Last» Publisher/Editor Don Lauria «Street»

Board of Directors «City», «State» «Zip» Bob Behrendt - Don Lauria Tim Villanueva Advisory Board Robert Dery, MD - John Ellsworth John Moynier - Walter Pachucki - J. Kent Steele, LLD

Bardini Tee-Shirts Bardini Baseball Caps These caps are brushed cotton, fully adjustable, in a variety of colors with embroidered logo

$20 We pay the tax and the postage

Bardini Coffee Mugs 10-oz. white porcelain mug with the Bardini logo $5

Send your check to: $20 Colors: green, maroon, blue Bardini Foundation We pay the tax and the postage PO Box 1422 Bishop CA 93515-1422