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Climbing With Kor

• February 2010
• Simple Living Climb Travel

Layton Kor has always been the most fascinating, inspirational climber I know of. As I learned to climb around the southwest, and then Yosemite and Europe, stories of his incredible pioneering climbs and spirit always arose. No one who climbed with Layton Kor ever forgot it, and the stories they told were stunning, funny and legendary. His personality shone through every 3rd person retelling: a climber who was remarkably brave, driven, visionary, eccentric, humble and, by all accounts, bad ass. As I became an established climber, people frequently asked me if I had any climbing heroes. By a certain point, I had met, climbed with and played with many people who had been the famous climbers of my own day, and continued to be equally inspired by everyone around me. But Layton Kor was different. His style, big ascents and all-out pioneering vision literally blew my mind, every time I climbed something like Castleton Tower or the Salathe Wall, and still do.

When I heard that he was living in Arizona, still fired up for first ascents at age 70, despite the weight of a kidney failure and the ensuing, and compounding, Medicare co-pay expenses, I was amazed at his indomitable spirit. Talking to him on the phone gets me more psyched up for climbing than actually being at the base of some climbs! He is a true soul climber, who will never lose his passion.

The fundraiser we started to help Layton Kor with his medical expenses will go on for another two months, and then we will finally announce the winners of the climbing days with me, Tommy Caldwell, Jimmie Dunn, Eric Horst and Conrad Anker. The support from the climbing community has been an outpouring, and has helped Layton both financially and for the heart. Thanks to the many companies who have contributed gear, this month’s giveaway for those who donate is the best one yet, including a tent and a rope, along with a whole pile of other awesome gifts for the February raffle winner. Please check it out, and don’t miss these last two raffles to support Layton Kor, such an incredible pioneer of the sport we all love so much.

Recently, I got an email from a climber who has gone to visit Layton and climb with him. For Alfred, it has been the experience of a lifetime, spending time in the company of such a legend and experiencing some unforgettable climbing outings with Layton Kor. I asked him if he would write a small account of his adventures with Layton, and he did:

2010: Adventures with the Great One
by Alfred Enumen

Alfred:
“Layton, how is that cam?”

Layton:
“I have no idea. Slack!”
‘Clip.’

I look over at my buddy W., we cringe. One of the more legendary men in the history of the sport is 30′ above us, bashing in pins, shoving in blind cams, inching his way up the unclimbed tooth-like formation. In the deepest reaches of the desert Southwest, we are a mile from the nearest 4×4 road, and another hour drive from the closest town.

Layton reaches higher and pounds in a not-so-great sounding pin. Suddenly he edges out right, leaving aiders and scurrying up and around a low angle arete.

I’m screaming, “Layton get some gear in.” Layton with the glee of a 17 year old yells, “this is just like the Dolomites,” and free climbs around the corner. W. is in such shock all he thinks to shout is, “Layton the Great’n!” A cool breeze picks up, in the distance a coyote yips.

We had driven over the evening before to visit with this great hero of rockclimbing. After a hearty steak dinner we sat around for a few hours absorbing tales from back the early days of modern climbing. I’ve been fortunate to meet enough “heroes” to understand they are real people just like the rest of us, each facing the challenges, setbacks and rewards in which our sport and life offers. W. and I listened with rapt attention to stories of Black Canyon and Canyonlands first ascents and long climbs in the Dolomites.

“I climbed with this one fella, he wanted to do a 1200′ route which stopped halfway up the wall. I just couldn’t understand it. We ended up climbing a 2000′ route to the summit.” His thirst for adventure and new routes seems almost insatiable. “There is this unclimbed wall in the Black, real pretty, we could rap in from the rim and establish a new line, ground up,” he said in his deep voice.

Layton slows and we hear him pounding in an anchor. W. and I share an uneasy glance when it is his time to follow as we know Mr. Kor is using a hip belay. “The follower must not fall” is what we were thinking. W. reaches the belay, shores it up with an extra pin and puts me on belay. A short roped scramble puts us on the summit.

Layton glows with the enthusiasm of youth. When W. starts hand drilling a bolt, Kor sighs, “You know some people use electric drills these days. I heard they even start at the top of the cliff and work their way down to set up the climb.” A while later we are safely on the ground and slowly working our way back to the truck.

We part ways at Layton’s house, with him seeming as thankful to be out climbing as we are to spend time with this great hero of our sport. The experience made me feel as if we are all in this journey together.

To be continued….
Alfred Enumen