- Warren Harding (climber)
Warren Harding (
June 18 ,1924 –February 27 ,2002 ) was one of the most accomplished and influential American rock climbers of the 1950s to 1970s. He was the leader of the first team to climbEl Capitan by the Nose in 1958; as well as many other prominent first ascents inYosemite and elsewhere.Nicknamed 'Batso' he was known for his doggedness, drinking, and farcing, his motto was "Semper Farcisimus!".
Harding authored the book "Downward Bound: A Mad! Guide to Rock Climbing". This book describes Harding's first ascent of the Nose on El Capitan (1958) and the Wall of Early Morning Light (1970); as well as farcical instruction in climbing basics, plus ratings of prominent climbers of the period.
First Ascents
* 1958 'The Nose', El Capitan, Yosemite, CA, USA with
Wayne Merry and George Whitmore.
* 1961 'West Face', Leaning Tower, Yosemite, CA, USA
* 1964 'South Face Route', Mt. Watkins, Yosemite, CA, USA withYvon Chouinard andChuck Pratt .
* 1969 'Southwest Face', Liberty Cap, Yosemite, CA, USA withGalen Rowell and Joe Faint.
* 1970 'South Face Route',Half Dome , Yosemite, CA, USA withGalen Rowell .
* 1970 'Wall of the Early Morning Light', El Capitan, Yosemite, CA, USA with Dean Caldwell.
* 1978 'Forbidden Wall', Yosemite Falls, Yosemite, CA, USA with Dave Lomba, Christie Tewes and Steve Bosque. [cite book
last = Reid
first = Don
title = Yosemite Climbs: Big Walls
publisher = Chockstone Press Press
date = 1993 | location = Evergreen, Colorado, USA.
id = ISBN 0-934641-54-4 ]Publications
* cite book
last = Harding
first = Warren
title = Downward Bound, A Mad! Guide to Rock Climbing
publisher = Menasha Ridge Press
date = 1990 (reprint, original 1975)
location = Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
id = ISBN 0-89732-101-4References
External links
* [http://vagabondsurf.com/HardingObit.html Biography]
* [http://www.supertopo.com/articles/harding.html Recollections]
* [http://www.terra-quest.com/highsights/bigwall/elcaphis.html Story of the first ascent]
* [http://www.huecotanks.com/Capitalists/mountainTools/warren.htm Obituary]
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