Dave Harden is my longest-time climbing partner. We started climbing together in early 1987, just after we met at what was then Sonora Mountaineering.
Our early climbing was in Yosemite and the High Sierra. Through lots of climbing trips, I eventually learned much of Dave's climbing history, including about his early climbing years when he lived in the Bay Area. He climbed a fair amount at Pinnacles in those years; starting in 1970 and for a few years after that. I was impressed in my own Pinnacles adventures one day in the very early 1990s when I climbed The Flatiron and found his name in the summit register from an ascent he did in 1974.
A few years ago Dave mentioned to me a first ascent he did at Pinnacles during those years. He remembered the climb well (I swear he remembers all of his climbs well). But he was a little shakey on the date. Naturally, I cross examined him a bit and we settled on 1974, which was his best memory of when it was done. Soon after his recollection, I went out with J.C. and Julius and repeated the route. I duly entered it in the new routes list, calling it 5.3.
Two months ago, Dave stopped by my office. He'd found an old (really old) photo album that he wanted to show me. In it were a bunch of old black and white climbing photos of, let's face it, fair to poor quality. At least the photo compositions were of poor quality. OK clarity and mostly butt and head shots. But one photo really stuck out; this one (the photo was taken by Dave's brother and co-first ascentionist Jerry; also, we've taken the plastic photo-album cover off in order to take this photo of the photo):
See what I mean about fair to poor quality? Oh, except for the label which corrected information that we had wrong before: "Yours truly on The Teabag, 5.5 Pinnacles, 12-71." Damn, talk about old! This photo in this album showed that Harden did his first Pinnacles first ascent in December 1971. It wasn't 1974. Well, let's get it right!
Also of note in the shot are the Italian Pivetta Muir Trail mountain boots he's climbing in. And the swami belt around his waist with the rope tied to it (no harnesses in those days). He looks to be climbing in jeans, which he still does once in a while these days (and, knowing him, they might be the same jeans!). Finally, the hair: these days, at age 70, the hair is exactly the same dark brown as it shows in this photo from 1971. Pretty cool history just right there.
But as I looked at the photo it also hit me that 1971 was significantly earlier than his prior estimated time of first ascent, 1974. Then I thought of his help with the new route on The Citadel, The Flying None. I realized that, at that point in time, Dave's most recent Pinnacles first ascent was in April 2021. For the math-challenged, that's 49 years and five months from first FA to most recent FA.
Well, that just changed. Dave's now set a record that makes me smile. One that I think will stand for a very long time.
This is what we did:
La Ultima 5.6 La Ultima climbs the arete-like, west edge of one of the larger Tidbit’s north side. Find it 125 feet downhill from the 15 foot high pillar that helps define Last But Not Least. The easiest way down from that pillar is along the west edge of a large rock mass, staying as far to the east on that hillside as possible. La Ultima climbs the north face of this large rock mass. Eight bolts protect the arete-like right (west) edge of that face. Finish at a two-bolt anchor below the formation’s highest point. Descend by rappelling 90 feet or by scrambling off the back side and around. FA: David Harden, Marco Conci, Brad Young, January 21, 2023.
Just over 51 years between first and most recent Pinnacles FAs! Hell, I'd have to be over 80 years old to get to that point (and yeah, yeah, I know, it's coming up at light speed - and will I even be able to climb at age 80?!). Wow. I'm impressed and smiling. Is this bit of history "important?" No, not really. But it's fun and pleasing and, yes, impressive.
Here are a few shots of him working on the new route. Getting into position to drill:
Drilling the route's second bolt:
Working on the fifth bolt:
Way to go Dave! May you have many, many more years of fun doing this silliness, and may I be part of them.
Yours Truly....
