Version A
Version B
Version C (Unfinished)
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| Version A | Version B | Version C (Unfinished) |
Gib Lewis was one of the Stonemasters, a group of rock climbers and adventurers roughly from 1973 to 1980. They originally climbed in Southern California, principally at Tahquitz, Suicide Rock, and Joshua Tree. Later they climbed at Yosemite. The initial group were those of the first ten ascents of Valhalla on Suicide Rock. The senior member and leader of the informal group was Jim Bridwell. In addition to Jim and Gib, other members included Rick Accomazzo, Dale Bard, Dean Fidelman, Richard Harrison, Mike Graham, Robs Muir, Bill Antel, Jim Hoagland, Tobin Sorenson, John Bachar, Lynn Hill, Ron Kauk and John Long.
[ Top | Version B | Version C | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
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| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
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| Front View: Open for Rigging | Rear View: Open for Rigging |
I acquired this pair of ascenders from Kari Fagnan in 2025. They originally belonged to Gib Lewis.
The shell was manually milled from an aluminum extrusions. The tolerances were not held tightly and so there are notable differences in the dimensions of these two ascenders and also between them and the the other versions. The left-hand ascender is 168 mm. tall, 77 mm. wide, 38 mm. thick, and weighs 298 g. The rope channel is 13 mm. wide. The cam axle is centered 60 mm. from the inside of the rope channel. The top and bottom attachment holes are 12.7 mm. in diameter. Tape wrapped around the hand grip provides a rudimentary handle.
The cam is milled from aluminum plate. The cam radius, measured from the axle axis, increases from 43 to 61 mm. over an angle of 44°, giving a 25° cam angle. The teeth are milled. The tooth pattern is z^16. The cam safeties have a lip to allow them to hold the cam open; however, I find that the shape of the safety is sufficient to do this without reliance on the lip.
There are no markings on these ascenders.
These are rugged ascenders dating from the 1970s. I am not aware of any other milled-frame ascenders available in the USA at that time. The readily available options were the cast-frame gray Jumars, which were expensive ($15 each) and had a reputation among climbers for cracking under abuse, or the less common stamped frame Clog Expedition ascenders, better suited for mountaineering and whose early versions resulted in several carabiner failures. These ascenders were a good solution for the time; however, the lack of tooth wear on the cam or any wear on the shell shows that they were not used extensively, if at all.
I do not know whether Gib Lewis made these or had them made for him, but considering that the other versions are unfinished, I suspect the former.
[ Top | Version A | Version C | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
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| Front View: Closed (ISC on Left, Yates on Right) |
Rear View: Closed (ISC on Left, Yates on Right) |
I acquired this ascender from Kari Fagnan in 2025. They originally belonged to Gib Lewis.
The shell was manually milled from an aluminum extrusions. It is 168 mm. tall, 76 mm. wide, 43 mm. thick, and weighs 290 g. The rope channel is 13 mm. wide. The cam axle is centered 60 mm. from the inside of the rope channel. The top and bottom attachment holes are 12.7 mm. in diameter.
The cam is milled from aluminum plate. The cam radius, measured from the axle axis, increases from 43 to 61 mm. over an angle of 44°, giving a 25° cam angle. The teeth are milled. The tooth pattern is z^16. There is no safety.
There are no markings on this ascender.
This ascender appears to be unfinished. It lacks a safety, the outside of the rope channel has not been milled to shape like the ones on Version A and Version C, and the frame has not been deburred. Despite this, it can still be used as an ascender and it is clear from a sling that was attached to it when I got it that it had been used as one, at least for testing. The lack of tooth wear on the cam or any wear on the shell shows that it was not used extensively.
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Return to H.E.C. Ascenders ]
|
|
 |
| Front View: Closed | Rear View: Closed |
I acquired this unfinished ascender frame from Kari Fagnan in 2025. They originally belonged to Gib Lewis.
The shell was manually milled from an aluminum extrusions. It is 168 mm. tall, 76 mm. wide, 43 mm. thick, and weighs 250 g. The rope channel is 13 mm. wide. The cam axle is centered 60 mm. from the inside of the rope channel. The top and bottom attachment holes are 11.7 and 12.7 mm. in diameter, respectively.
The cam and safety were never installed.
There are no markings on this ascender frame.
The hand opening on this frame is smaller and shaped differently than the openings on Version and Version B
[ Top | Version A | Version B | Version C ]
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