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50th group





50th group



Allen Steck and Superintendent Mike Tollefson

Allen Steck and Superintendent Mike Tollefson

Allen Steck autographing brochures before the Nose reunion. November 8, 2008.

Allen Steck checking out the brochure Saturday morning.

Autograph session at the Ahwahnee Hotel, 50th Anniversary of the First Ascent of The Nose, 11/9/08

Autograph session at the Ahwahnee Hotel, 50th Anniversary of the First Ascent of The Nose, 11/9/08

Beryl Knauth being Interviewed


Dan Jensen meeting Allen Steck with Ken Yager looking on during the morning breakfast of the Nose reunion on November 8, 2008.

Dick Long, Dan Jensen and Wayne Merry talking Saturday morning after breakfast and before the celebration.


Ellen Searby and Allen Steck signing brochures.


George Whitmore autographing a book in the Ahwahnee Great Lounge, November 9th, 2008.

George Whitmore being interviewed.

George Whitmore being interviewed.

Ken Yager in front kneeling with L. to R. George Whitmore, Allen Steck, Wayne Merry, Wally Reed, Ellen Searby, and Rich Calderwood.

Hans Florine and George Whitmore in El Cap Meadow.

Steve Schneider and Hans Florine El Cap Meadow.

Hans Florine signs a photograph for Noreen Trombley.

Ken Yager addressing the crowd at the East Auditorium

Ken Yager and Allen Steck.

Ken Yager thanking all the dignitaries at the morning breakfast.

Group photo in front of El Capitan, 50th Anniversary of the First Ascent of The Nose, 11/9/08

Group photo in front of El Capitan, 50th Anniversary of the First Ascent of The Nose, 11/9/08

Peter Peter Haan and Roger Breedlove, 50th Anniversary of the First Ascent of The Nose

Peter Haan signing an El Cap photo at the Ahwahnee Great Lounge during the Nose reunion.

Royal and Liz Robbins at the East Auditorium

The dignitaries on the stage and Superintendent Mike Tollefson presents Ken Yager the House Resolution that honors Wayne Merry, Fresno resident George Whitmore and Warren J. Harding

The Warren Harding, "Batso" figurine carved by Phil Bircheff.

Wally Reed autographs a book at the East Auditorium Event


Wayne Merry and Rich Calderwood signing brochures before the Nose reunion. Chris Falkenstein photo.


Wayne Merry in the Ahwahnee Hotel looking at a well autographed ice axe.


Whitmore, Steck, Merry, Reed, Searby and Calderwood in El Cap Meadow November 9, 2008.


Superintendant Mike Tollefson presenting Ken Yager a framed copy of the Congress Resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the Nose, El Capitan.

Nose reunion members meeting again at breakfast after all these years. Saturday morning, November 8th, 2008.
Nose Reunion
















Yosemite Facelift Gallery






















Granite Frontiers

Installing the banners with the classic Greg Epperson photograph of "Big Wall Pete".

Andi hard at work.

After the items have arrived, the first step is to lay them out in Collections and make labels for each item so that they can be identified.

Patrick the chief exhibit designer and Andi the collections specialist. These two people are a lot of fun to work with and among the best in their field. They obviously work well together.

Patrick arranging with the required white gloves and Andi looking on to make sure nothing is getting moved without her knowledge.

Patrick hard at work. Patrick has done some climbing but, has never seen a lot of this gear before. The rest of theAutry crew seems to be enjoying the challenge of this exhibit more and more.

Some of the 1930's goodies that belonged to Jules Eichorn and Bestor Robinson.

Now we're getting serious. Jonathan the Curator is making sure the text corresponds with the items. Patrick is behind him and someone else double checking in the background. The Autry is a first rate organization and they have experts for every thing needed to put together a quality exhibit. I am fortunate to have the chance to work with them. I apologize for forgetting the name of the woman that is in the background. I will edit when I remember her name. I love her expressions in the next few pictures.There are so many experts in their field at the Autry that it is hard to keep upwith everyone. What an experience!

A sample of the piton ware exhibited. What workmanship! Every time I look at this stuff it gets easier to know who made it.

Jonathan working with Sarah over his shoulder. Sarah is the unknown but appreciated workhorse in the collections department. She caught and corrected some of my cataloging mistakes. My hat is off to her. Thank you Sarah.


Everything is laid out tagged, labeled and ready for layout in the cases.

Sarah and Lauren working with the framed photos in the collections area.

Sarah, collections specialist extraordinaire hard at work.

Meanwhile, upstairs the former exhibit has been removed and the new exhibit area is being prepped. The mandatory rock wall. This formation has hand, fist and finger jams for the public to try out.

Katherine is painting the newly installed walls

Everything is good!

Crew Leader Julia is doing what ever needs to be done. She works tirelessly, the first one to work and the last to leave. She is very good at her profession and an employee that any employer would love to have.

Here she is again

The painting is getting close to being done

Some of the cabinets are being built in place. All the cabinets have no hardware showing.

Patrick checking out some of the modern gear that was donated by Black Diamond, Petzl and Mammut.

Nice and shiny!

Time to get down to business.

Sequence is crucial.

Things are starting to happen now.

See that little picture, I want a big picture.

O.K. Patrick! I get the big picture. These guys did a great job.

Do we have time? Working on the Timeline.

Even Royal looks tired.

Taking special care with the Lynn Hill poster.


We need more time. Adjusting the timeline

Beautiful custom cases made by Antonio are being installed and leveled. They have the right tools to ease back strain.

The writing is on the walls. Lynn is looking on.

A happy place to stick your hands and figure out how it is done

Black Diamond portaledge donated by Conrad Anker. Yes, you can try it out if you want. Gayle did.

Looks good to me.

Andi and Anne are overseeing installation of the artifacts.

Kathy is cleaning plexi bonnets.

Andi adjusts Lynn Hill's tiny little shoe so that it is just right.

The mother ship of all tool carts "the Death Star".

Sarah and Joanne dress up the mannequin in the Bat Tent.

Patrick, Andi and Sarah look on as Joanne puts the finishing touches on the mannequin.


Bat Tent is up and now it is time to hang some of Chuck Pratt's gear.

The view looking down from the interactive portaledge

The Big Wall area is coming together.

In fact, the whole exhibit is coming together.

The Salathe case is nearly done.

Patrick and Kathy discussing what needs to be done.

Installing the dirt and pine needle colored flooring in the Camp 4 section.

Steve Grossman swaging the shiny gear to the authentic redwood table in the Camp 4 section.

TM herbert sitting on a ledge above the Timeline.

28' panorama of Camp 4.

The other Sara, Andi and Lauren working near one of the satelite tool carts called "the Sputnik".

Lots going on now. We have a deadline.

Gary Colliver on Leaning Tower. This is a large Glen Denny photo that is in the entrance to the exhibit.

Antonio the Master cabinet builder.

Installing the interactive rock walls.

Positioning John Muir.

Joanne fixing the heel hooking climber.

Sara putting the finishing touches on the entry panel.

Cleaning the plexi bonnets.

Steve tightening down the rock walls.

Working on the lighting.

The gear table in the Camp 4 section.

Zak working on the video.

Installing the gear tethers.

Steve hanging decorations for the opening reception.

The piton tethers are in place.

Sara helping with the lighting.

The Clean Cart and the crew scrambling to get the exhibit ready for the public.

The sport climbers near the entrance.

Putting Centra behind the portaledge to save the wall.

Lauren and Sarah appear to be pleased with the results.

The portaledge.

Fitting the covers on the cases.

It is looking good.

Putting the final touches on one of five video monitors.

Some of the Autry crew at the opening reception. Left to right: Antonio the master of cabinet making, Anne the senior designer, Julia who can focus on a hundred things at once and get it done, Katherinethe sweetheart that was working all over the exhibit, Jim that worked many long days to get it done is with his son and Ken with the hat on.

Granite Frontiers will be shown at the Autry National Center from June 12th - October 4th. A lot of work goes into making an exhibit. A special thanks to the proffesional staff at the Autry. They have been a real pleasure to work with. The following photos reflect some of that work. This exhibit is made possible by grants from the Yosemite Fund and the Autry National Center. Lots of pictures.