Early Rock Climbing Section (RCS) Timeline

1934 - First Southern California RCS trip (Eagle Rock) led November 3 by Howard Koster.

1935 - First use of Stoney Point in Chatsworth as a practice climbing area.

1935-36 - First routes at Tahquitz (Lily) Rock, which immediately became the premier Southern California climbing area and remains so today.

1937 - First ascent of the East Buttress of Mt Whitney, a Sierra classic, by an RCS group led by Glen Dawson.

1937 - First ascent of the Mechanic's Route at Tahquitz led by RCSer Dick Jones (seconded by Glen Dawson). Considered by many to be one of the hardest rock climbs done in the US before World War II.

1938 - Initial publication of The Mugelnoos by Glen Dawson as a Ski Mountaineers newsletter, becoming (also) the RCS newsletter in April 1938.

1938 - Release of the Pete Smith short subject film Three on a Rope starring RCS members LaVere Daniels, Bob Brinton, Art Johnson, Howard Koster, Bill Rice, and Jim Smith (can be viewed on YouTube).

1938 - First ascent of the classic 'Swiss Arête' of Mt Sill in the Sierra Palisades by an RCS group led by Dick Jones.

1940 - First ascent of the desert tower Monument Peak by an RCS party led by John Mendenhall and Art Johnson.

1944 - First free ascent (without artificial aid) of the Higher Cathedral Spire, Yosemite, by RCSers Chuck Wilts and Spencer Austin.

1945 - Climbing resumes at Tahquitz Rock after World War II; many classic routes are pioneered by RCS members in the late 1940s.

1946 - Rock climbing introduced at Williamson Rock, Angeles Forest, by the RCS.

1950 - RCS conducts first rock climbing outings to Joshua Tree National Park.

1952 - New RCS member Royal Robbins makes first free ascent of the Open Book at Tahquitz, considered the first 5.9-rated climb in the USA.

1955 - First ascent of the Wishbone Arête of Mt Robson in Canada, with most of the hard leads by RCSer Mike Sherrick.

1956-57 - First ascents of the desert towers Spider Rock (AZ), Cleopatra's Needle (NM), and the Totem Pole (UT) by RCSers Don Wilson and Jerry Gallwas with Mark Powell (and Bill 'Dolt'Feuerer on the last).

1957 - First ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome in Yosemite by the RCS party of Royal Robbins, Jerry Gallwas and Mike Sherrick, the first true 'Big Wall' (Grade VI) route in North America.

1960 - First ascent of the Diamond on Long's Peak, Colorado, by RCSers Bob Kamps and Dave Rearick

1960s-1970s - Yosemite climbers raise global standards for difficulty and length. Many of the leading climbers are Angeles RCS members or were trained by them (such as Robbins, Herber, Kamps, Fitschen, Chouinard, and Frost).