The PCS Quiz #4 Answers

1.	Who was the first woman to climb the East Face of Mt. Whitney?

Marjory Bridge Farquhar

Most sources say it was Marjory Farquhar, but according to Ruth Mendenhall, Adrienne Applewhite was the first.  Either answer was accepted.

2.	Who was the first woman to do El Capitan's Nose in a Day?

Merry Braun

She made the ascent with Werner Braun in 1990.

3.	While in her first year of climbing, Ruth Dyer Mendenhall took part in the first ascent of which classic Palisades route?

Swiss Arete, Mt. Sill

4.	In June 1992, Sue McDevitt and Nancy Feagin spent 17 hours and 40 minutes in Yosemite Valley becoming the first all female team to do what?

Climb The Nose in a day

5.

The first recorded ascent of Mt. Williamson was via George Creek in 1884.  About a decade later, the first woman (Miss Skinner) reached the summit by the same route.  In 1896, the west side of Mt. Williamson was first ascended by a pair of strong climbers after a long and difficult western approach.  Who were these climbers?

Lucy Brown and Bolton Brown

6.	What high pass on the Kings-Kern Divide was named for one of these climbers?

Lucy's Foot Pass

7.	Who was the first woman to climb 5.14?

Lynn Hill

Lynn first climbed Mass Critique (5.14a) in Cimaļ, France.  After this route was put up by J.B. Tribout in 1986, he proclaimed that no woman would ever be able to climb 5.14.  Lynn responded by first redpointing Mass Critique in 1990 and then climbing To Bolt or Not to Be (14a) at Smith Rocks, Oregon, in 1997.  The latter route, also put up by Tribout in 1986, was America's first 5.14.

8.	In the 1920s and 30s, a woman who has been called America's greatest woman climber led a trend towards unguided, all female ascents, which she called "manless" climbs.  Her exploits abroad included leading all female teams up the Monch, Jungfau and Matterhorn.  Name this woman.

Miriam (O'Brian) Underhill

9.	After six days of effort in March 2001, Lisa Rands became the first woman to do what?

She was the first woman to climb V11

She climbed Chris Sharma's High Plains Drifter in the Buttermilks, near Bishop, CA.

10.	What did Mary Van Velson and May Pridham do with their July 4th holiday in 1938?

They made the first ascent of Pridham Minaret

11.	"I recall a pervading fear of the early Yosemite climbers that someday a gymnast would arrive on the scene and show us all for the frauds that we were.  And one day she did."  Which climber was Doug Robinson talking about?

Bev Johnson

12.	On July 25, 1933, Helen LeConte joined Jules Eichorn and Alfred Weiler for the first ascent of the Northwest Arete of which Evolution Region peak?

Devil's Crag No. 1

13.	In June 2000, who teamed up with Tommy Caldwell to make the first free ascent of Lurking Fear (VI 5.13c) on El Capitan's southwest face?

Beth Rodden

14.	In 1875, the same year that George Anderson first climbed Half Dome (barefoot), Sandy Dutcher made the first female ascent (wearing a long dress).  But who was the first woman to climb the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome?

Liz Robbins

15.	In 1923, Charles Michael made the first ascent of Michael Minaret.  His companion on this climb, a seasonal Yosemite National Park naturalist, stopped short of the summit at the base of the "ladder with the lower rungs missing".  Name this woman.

Enid Michael

16.	"It goes, boys" -- Who said this and which climb was she talking about?

Lynn Hill; the first free ascent of The Nose

Read El Capitan's Nose Climbed Free, by Lynn Hill.

17.	What did the woman in the previous question do the following year to top her achievement?

She climbed The Nose free in a single day (23+ hours)

18.	Along with her husband (who invented the knifeblade piton and helped establish the decimal system at Tahquitz) this woman made the first ascent of one of the finest moderate traverses in the Tuolomne backcountry.  Name the climber and the climb.

Ellen Wilts; the South to North traverse of the Matthes Crest

19.	Beverly Johnson and Sibylle Hechtel made the first all female ascent of El Capitan when they climbed the Triple Direct in 1973.  Five years later, Bev became the first woman to solo a route on El Capitan.  Which route did she climb?

Dihedral Wall

20.	John and Ruth Mendenhall made the first ascent of the East Face of which Whitney Region peak?

Third Needle