Question for steve

[john]

Steve,

was it you that removed the 5 or 6 original pins from diurnal pegs in the early 80s or someone else, trying to put together the history. Something in an old guidebook alluded to this.

also I have your copy still and and almost done with it I give it back in a few weeks


john

[john]

Nevermind it was colin bell, and it was 15 orgiinal pins placed by an unknown party prior to eagle rocks rediscovery by colin and crew. They led the route and believed it had not been finished originally as the pins stopped well short of the top. Now there is 2 pins and a bolt left last I was on it.

In later guide books it was suggested that the pin in the great roof was the oldest in NB and a mystery of who placed it. I believe now diurnal pegspins were the first, and likely the great roof pin was placed by the rediscovery crew. The last bit I am working on confirming.

[Fred]

I'm not too sure it was the oldest pin.

We found a pin at Greenlaw that would challenge that. I'll have to see if we still have it. I'd say it was at least 50+ years old.

[john]

you removed it? why? In all likely hood the one at greenlaw was from the late 70s and placed by colin and gilles. They have noted ascents fromthat time in that area and did not note any previuous signs, granted it could easily be missed. Where as when they first arrived at eagle rock there was a line of pins up diurnal pegs, likely left by the military years earlier. Those old pins rusted so fast often looking much older than they are. Even today despite surface coating and better metal I have placed pins new one year came back 2 yaers later and it lokked as if it had been there for a decade. Certain pins are far worse than other as well in my experience.

I would like to see the pin if you have it I might be able to date it using a few old catalogues.

[martha]

I would say the pin from Greenlaw was older than 50 years old. It wasn't on any of the routes that Colin Bell did (to our knowledge) and was above a huge overhang. It was rusted and if I remember I think it looked a bit on the homemade side.

Simpson should still have it.

[Andrew]

Out of great interest, I would love to see some photos of that old pin. I, too, and a gear geek.

[Fred]

while going through our photos for the guidebook I came accross this photo. We took it on the day Jamie pulled out the pin on Greenlaw.

[STeveA]

The pin in the great roof was there when Colin Bell et al started climbing at Eagle Rock. Probably placed the same time as the other pins.

The pin from Greenlaw does not look like a climbing piton. The older pitons (up to about 1960) where made of soft steel and would definately not be straight if you took them out. It looks like a home made device of some sort. Maybe an aspiring Alpinist climbing with his mother's clothes line and his Father's nails.

[Fred]

Agreed, the pin is definitely not climbing issue. However, it was found way up in climbers land at Greenlaw which leaves me to believe it's got to be the oldest evidence of climbing in NB.