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compressor route chopped


keenwesh

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I've got no skin in the game, don't care one way or the other, but, correct me if I'm wrong, don't most people use the compressor route to descend Cerro Torre? A little hypocritical to use Maestri's bolts when you need a quick safe descent, but decry their use when you don't need them... From what I know (which is admittedly not much)any other descent off CT is significantly longer and more difficult. So will the haters still use the compressor route to descend? Inquiring minds want to know.

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Good eye and thanks.

 

Found a cool but small picture of the compressor presumably gassed up and ready for action.

 

ZZB_6252009_maestri.jpg

The pic in my Big Wall Climbing book shows that same frame, but with two metal shields that arch over the top of the compressor on both sides of the centerline. Looks like they might have been bolted on for protection against rain/snow/projectiles...

 

I'm still curious... the compressor remains on the wall, but the frame ends up at the base of the route. What giveth??

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Wow I read this whole thread, and at the end all I have is confusion. Still worth reading though.
Well, don't be, Chris, cuz I still am. I have this picture in my book, and the frame looks EXACTLY like the frame in the pic above posted by orion_sonya, and in the linked photo by John Frieh at the bottom of page 2 of this thread. Clearly, someone picked up the FRAME at the base of the route in 1971, as evidenced by my book's photo. But the frame in the pics posted here looks EXACTLY like the one in my book. So the question becomes, "Why would the frame be found at the base of the route in 1971, yet still be lashed to the face today?" There were not two frames, cuz that would be superfluous and stupid extra weight. So that leaves me with the impression that someone hauled the FRAME back up to pair it with the compressor. Now YTF would ANYONE do that? Comments?

 

I'm gonna scan the photo from my book this w/e and post it here right next to orion's and John's pics. You guys decide if I'm fuq'd up or not in this line of thinking...

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Well sobo two quick thoughts:

 

Gee, maybe they brought a spare. Anyone who has worked with small gas engines before might be inclined to have a back up plan, especially operating the fing thing in Patagonian conditions. Weight wouldn't be an issue as there were several of them and they had mucho weight--ropes, gear, etc.--anyway.

 

Gee, I'm not surprised that an under (right?) employed engineer would find a compressor confusing. Facts do exist outside their comprehension.

 

Besides seems this is a small (very) part of the picture.

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Not to be a dick, CF, but I considered the spare compressor option and discarded it. Nothing I have read about Cesare Maestri's attempt on CT in 1970 (and I've read a fair bit about it over the past 25 years) has mentioned, nor led me to conclude, that there was a spare compressor involved. If there was, this would be news to me and I'm sure every author I've read that has written about this climb.

 

And hugz 2u2 on the underemployed engineer comment. Rather a snarky remark, don'cha think? You sure you're not just another Dru/G-spotter avatar? And I completely understand how an internal combustion engine-fired compressor operates. It ain't no fucking rocket science... :rolleyes:

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Hmmm I wonder what the locals think? You know, the ones who live there, the ones whose country it is?

 

The ones who might actually make a living of some sort catering to the gringo thrill-seekers?

 

I wonder if their opinion on the matter is of any concern to the gringos?

 

Or is gringo only concerned with the effete ethicism inre 50 lbs of metal on some mountain in the middle of nowhere?

 

Pretty funny. But having said that, I have very little knowledge of what role the thrill-seeking gringo plays in the local economy, and how much the removal of said route might affect them.

 

If the locals don't give a damn (you know, localism and all that!), I really don't give a damn.

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All right, you think somebody else hauled the thing back up there? Some kinda shill for the tourists like a bear or old faithful?

 

As for mention of exactly what an expedition would have for its total inventory of gear I wouldn't even think a complete Customs declaration would show it all, particularly items that for weight and/or cost are better acquired locally. So they easily COULD have spares. Most expedition literature doesn't mention exact amounts of TP, but that doesn't mean they wipe like NOLSE's.

 

PS Was pulling your leg, you did ask,

You guys decide if I'm fuq'd up or not in this line of thinking...

I really don't care about this question of the effing frame that much.

 

Dude, why is this bending your mind? It is interesting but is dwarfed by the climb AND the chopping.

 

Guess I'd rather see more mention of what you all think of the two and what kind of accomplishment and/or statement this is. It was a big one no doubt, they deserve a lot of credit. I for one am very impressed by the climbing they did, and it did in a sense earn them the right to chop.

 

I'm still shocked. Just kinda came out of nowhere after the whole Lama thing.

Edited by Coldfinger
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All right, you think somebody else hauled the thing back up there? Some kinda shill for the tourists like a bear or old faithful?
Got any other explanation, other than the spare frame/compressor one?

 

As for mention of exactly what an expedition would have for its total inventory of gear I wouldn't even think a complete Customs declaration would show it all, particularly items that for weight and/or cost are better acquired locally. So they easily COULD have spares. Most expedition literature doesn't mention exact amounts of TP, but that doesn't mean they wipe like NOLSE's.
Agreed. No argument there.

 

PS Was pulling your leg, you did ask,

You guys decide if I'm fuq'd up or not in this line of thinking...

I really don't care about this question of the effing frame that much.

OK, missed the pulling of the leg. But I'm really serious about figgering this out.

 

Dude, why is this bending your mind? It is interesting but is dwarfed by the climb AND the chopping.
You don't know me, but if you did, you'd know that I am one the most, if not THE most, curious MF'r that you're ever likely to meet. :) Once I dig in on something that doesn't make sense to me, it's very difficult for me to let it go until I either prove (or disprove) my hypothethis. This one has me really going now, cuz I have a pic that shows the frame (sans compressor) on the ground, and Orion and Frieh post pics that show the frame (with compressor installed therein) on the face. So that's a mystery to me, and it bears solving. It's just me.

 

Guess I'd rather see more mention of what you all think of the two and what kind of accomplishment and/or statement this is. It was a big one no doubt, they deserve a lot of credit. I for one am very impressed by the climbing they did, and it did in a sense earn them the right to chop.
I thought I already made my feelings known on that with the second post of this thread...

 

I'm still shocked. Just kinda came out of nowhere after the whole Lama thing.
Lama thing??? WhachootalkinboutWillis? I'll have to read up on that I guess...
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BTW since you finally shared with us the key detail, i.e. frame w/o motor.

 

I'd say they had a spare frame and found/blindly chose that the one frame w/o hood was better for hauling and use. Would think the cowling could cause wind resistance problems when handled and especially hauled in high winds. If they built the frame locally, there is no reason to think they didn't get enough material for two due to cheapness and more importantly that they were designing the exact configuration in the field.

 

Besides, I'd want a spare frame for fear of breakage while hauling it up all those pitches.

Edited by Coldfinger
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I've more than once heard a story while in El Chalten that the film crew from the 1991 movie, Scream of Stone, which had delivered a large box of equipment on the summit of the Torre, had taken it upon themselves to remove and bring down the Compressor in the helicopter to El Chalten. When they did, the locals were irate and insisted that it be returned because it was historical, and it was returned on a subsequent mission. I cannot confirm the truth of this but I seem to recall the story being widespread.

 

There were also supposedly complaints later that the summit mushroom was extremely difficult and unclimbable for the next two or three years and the dugout for the box was to blame.

 

Just thought I'd add some more material for everyone to speculate about.

 

 

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I went climbing all day today and I come back to this! Am I right in my understanding that the belays on the compressor route are still in place? I also think that kruk and kennedy used some of the belays in their ascent. does anyone have any more info or we all just a bunch of speculators?

 

BTW good looking one is in fantastic shape right now and about 200 lbs or loose rock are now gone from the bottom mixed section. ya'll are welcome.

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Well sorry. I lost count!

 

Do think they were smart enough to want a spare frame for hauling all that weight up that distance. They probably wanted to start with the one that had protection from snow and light falling stuff, but found it made it harder to control (or broke it in a small way), and had to bring the spare up and left that one at the base.

 

 

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Well sorry. I lost count!
:lmao: Well, orion_sonya is on the case now, so I'm not gonna let it bother me much more tonight. I'll see if I can scan my pic from my book and post it up this weekend, then we all can compare parts n' pieces.

 

For now, I'm gonna go fix me some Planet Killers and kick back a bit. It's a freak'n freezing ice sheet outside my home, so I'm not going out fer drinks tonight...

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