The Naming of Reincarnation on Whiteside

by Ted Anderson

When Bob Rotert and I did

Reincarnation we found a couple of old 1/4 inch bolts low down on the face, so that is why we called it Reincarnation.

At the beginning of the climb Bob tied a knot in the end of our second rope and clipped it on to my backside. Well, when we were half way up the route we heard a bad sound, turned and looked down, and saw our second rope falling down the face. We knew our only option was to top out. We got to the final pitch to the top, and Bob was spent. He had led all the pitches to there. He said I had to do the last pitch. So I did. I got some natural pro, and put one bolt in half way up. It was a long day!

Then a couple weeks later I went back with Kenny Hibbits to do the second ascent. When I was leading the final pitch, I couldn't find the bolt I put in. Finally I saw it about 30 feet to my left. That's when Kenny started calling it “whereintarnation! Ted?”.