Robert K. Brinton

Robert K. Brinton (January 9, 1915 – December 9, 1996)California State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles: Certificate of Birth. State of California, Certificate of Vital Record, County of Yolo, Woodland, California 95695: Certificate of Death. was a pioneer American rock climber and ski mountaineer. Along with his frequent climbing partner, Glen Dawson, he made numerous first ascents in California, British Columbia, and Utah in the 1930s and named a number of well-known routes.

Early life As a youth, Brinton became a member of the Trailfinders, an outdoors club for boys.Trailfinders History. James San Jacinto Mountain Reserve. (Retrieved April 27, 2020). Davis, William J. (ed.). Trailfinders Memories: Reflections of Youthful Adventures Spanning a Period of Fifty-five Years (self-published). It was here that he met Glen Dawson and his brother Muir. Brinton graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1932.Blue and White Semi-Annual. Published by the Graduating Class of Los Angeles High School. Winter 1932. He undertook undergraduate studies at the University of California Los Angeles, receiving a BA in chemistry in 1936.Program, The twenty-ninth commencement, University of California Los Angeles, June 20, 1948, p. 56. While at UCLA he participated on the ski team under the direction Dr. Walter Mosauer, a ski mountaineering enthusiast.“University of California: In Memoriam, 1937. Walter Mosauer, Zoölogy, Los Angeles”. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). Mosauer, Walter (1937). On skis over the mountains: An illustrated primer on modern alpine skiing. 2nd edn. Revised and Enlarged. The Cloister Press.

Climbing career

Brinton's early activities were in conjunction with the Ski Mountaineers section of the Sierra Club Los Angeles chapter,. (Retrieved May 24, 2020). which along with Walter Mosauer and George Bauwens he helped found in 1935.Dawson, Glen (1996). “In Memoriam: Robert Kenneth Brinton 1915–1996”. The American Alpine Journal 39 (71): 338. Brinton, Bob. (Oct. 4 and Nov. 1, 1945). “Encyclimpedia Brintonica”. The Mugelnoos. He also named the club's newsletter, The Mugelnoos, which began publication in 1938.Dawson, Glen (1996). “In Memoriam: Robert Kenneth Brinton 1915–1996” The American Alpine Journal 39 (71): 338. (Feb. 2, 1938) 2. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). In 1936, he made an ascent on skis of Dunderberg Peak with Walter Mosauer during Easter break from UCLA.Voge, Hervey H. (ed.) (1954). A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra: Bond Pass to Tioga Pass. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 25. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). Brinton, Robert K. (1937). “A Ski-Ascent of Dunderberg”. Sierra Club Bulletin 22: 108–109.

After the "discovery" of Tahquitz Rock in the San Jacinto Mountains as a prime area for southern California mountain climbing by James Smith and a scouting committee of the Rock Climbing Section of the Sierra Club Los Angeles chapter,Smith, James N. (1938). “Tahquitz Rock”, Sierra Club Bulletin 23. Dawson, Glen (1996). “In Memoriam: Robert Kenneth Brinton 1915–1996”. The American Alpine Journal 39 (71): 338. Brinton pioneered and named a number of the classic climbing routes. He followed on the first technical ascent of the rock, via "The Trough" in August 1936 and in September of the same year was one of the first ascensionists of the more difficult "Fingertip Traverse" (class 5.4), along with Jim Smith and Art Johnson on September 19, 1936.Mugelnoos No. 68, Oct. 3, 1940.Smith, James N. (1938). “Tahquitz Rock”, Sierra Club Bulletin 23. Wilts, Chuck (1979). Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. 6th edn. New York: American Alpine Club, pp. 86–87. Vogel, Randy (1985). Rock Climbs of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. Denver, CO: Chockstone Press, p. 92. It was followed shortly thereafter by "Piton Pooper" (class 5.7+), climbed by Brinton, Art Johnson, Bill Rice, and Jim Smith on August 20, 1936.Smith, James N. (1938). “Tahquitz Rock”. Sierra Club Bulletin 23. Wilts, Chuck (1979). Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. 6th edn. New York: American Alpine Club, pp. 74–75. Vogel, Randy (1985). Rock Climbs of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. Denver, CO: Chockstone Press, p. 91. "The Trough" (class 5.4) was first ascended by Brinton, Jim Smith, and Zene Jasaitis two days later on August 22, 1936.Smith, James N. (1938). “Tahquitz Rock”, Sierra Club Bulletin 23. Wilts, Chuck. (1979) Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. 6th edn. New York: American Alpine Club, pp. 75–76. Ridgeway, Rick (1979).“Tahquitz: The Early Years”, Summit 22 (3): 6. Vogel, Randy (1985). Rock Climbs of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. Denver, CO: Chockstone Press, p. 91. In September 1939, Brinton also made the first ascent of "From Bad Traverse" (class 4) with Homer Fuller.Wilts, Chuck (1979). Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. 6th edn. New York: American Alpine Club, pp. 72–73. The name for this route is an "unspeakable pun by Bob Brinton".Wilts, Chuck (1979). Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. 6th edn. New York: American Alpine Club, p. 73. Vogel, Randy (1985). Rock Climbs of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. Denver, CO: Chockstone Press, p. 91. Indeed, all of these routes were named by Brinton, known for his sense of humor; "Angel's Fright" (class 5.6), while not a first ascent by Brinton, was a punning reference to Angels Flight, a funicular railway in downtown Los Angeles.Personal letter from Glen Dawson, dated 1/14/96. The system for gauging route difficulty for climbs, the Yosemite Decimal System, had its origins in the rating of routes at Tahquitz.“A Short History of the San Jacinto Mountains”. Idyllwild Area Historical Society. (Retrieved May 18, 2020).

Brinton also climbed in the Sierra Nevadas, with a number of first ascents in the Mt. Whitney region. In August 1936, Brinton established three new routes up Thor Peak. The first was the SE face of Thor Peak from Mirror Point (class 5.0), climbed by Brinton and Bill Rice on August 6Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, & Trails. 3rd edn. Mountaineers Books, p. 64. Voge, Hervey H. (ed.) (1954). A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra: Kearsarge Pass to Army and Franklin Passes. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 265. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). The next day, Brinton, along with Glen Dawson and Bill Rice, established "The Stemwinder" (class 5.4) up the SE Chimney.Dawson, Glen (Feb. 1937). “East Face of Whitney and Other Climbs”, Sierra Club Bulletin 22: 109. Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, & Trails. 3rd edn. Mountaineers Books, p. 65. Voge, Hervey H. (ed.). (1954). A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra: Kearsarge Pass to Army and Franklin Passes. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 263. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). Stemwinder, summitpost.org. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). The Stemwinder, Mountain Project. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). On the same day, Brinton, Rice, and Dawson also made the first descent of the "West Arête" of Thor Peak (class 2),Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, & Trails. 3rd edn. Mountaineers Books, p. 64. Voge, Hervey H. (ed.). (1954). A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra: Kearsarge Pass to Army and Franklin Passes. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 263. (Retrieved May 18, 2020). and they accomplished the first ascent of Pinnacle Pass Needle (class 4).Dawson, Glen (Feb. 1937). “East Face of Whitney and Other Climbs”, Sierra Club Bulletin 22: 109. Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, & Trails. 3rd edn. Mountaineers Books, p. 66. Voge, Hervey H. (ed.). (1954). A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra: Kearsarge Pass to Army and Franklin Passes. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 263 (Retrieved May 18, 2020). Perhaps the most notable of Brinton's first ascents was of the East Buttress of Mt. Whitney. This route (class 5.7) was pioneered by Brinton, Dick Jones, Muir Dawson, Glen Dawson, and Howard Koster on September 5, 1937, and named the "Sunshine" or "Sunshine-Peewee" route".Dawson, Glen (1938). “Whitney by the East Buttress”, Sierra Club Bulletin 23: 105–106. Voge, Hervey H. (ed.). (1954). A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra: Kearsarge Pass to Army and Franklin Passes. San Francisco: The Sierra Club, p. 261. (Retrieved May 23, 2020). Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, & Trails. 3rd edn. Mountaineers Books, p. 71. At the top, the climbers were met by about 100 of their friends, who had climbed up the trail. In a personal letter, Dawson describes this as his "favorite climb". The success of this climb was featured in a front-page article in the Los Angeles Times as well as in an article in the Los Angeles Herald and Express entitled "Triumph of Stout Hearts –LA Youths Climb – To 'Roof of United States'".“Sierra Club Mountaineering Party Triumphant”, Los Angeles Times, Sept. 12, p. 1. Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, Sept. 25, p. A16.

In Yosemite, Brinton and Bill Rice made the second ascent of Royal Arches (class 5.9) and Lower Cathedral Spire in May 1937 (and again in 1941).Oliver, Bill (2007).“A Tribute to the Honorary Members of the Sierra Peaks Section: Norman Clyde, Glen Dawson & Jules Eichorn”. Part V “Return to Whitney”. Sierra Echo 52 (1): 45–46. Oliver, Bill (2008). “A Tribute to the Honorary Members of the Sierra Peaks Section: Norman Clyde, Glen Dawson & Jules Eichorn”. Part VI. Sierra Echo 52 (2): 40. A climb up the North Palisade in July 1938 led to the rescue of three climbers who were unroped and inadequately equipped; after roping the climbers and assisting them to the top, the group spent an unanticipated and cold night on the mountain.Oliver, Bill (2007). “A Tribute to the Honorary Members of the Sierra Peaks Section: Norman Clyde, Glen Dawson & Jules Eichorn”. Part V “Return to Whitney”. Sierra Echo 52 (1): 59.