11-15-2023, 10:53 PM
A propos of these stories, but not about the Axe, Big Game or the rivalry.
In winter quarter of 1967 a friend of mine (who was one of the first free-climbers I ever heard of) went up the elevator to the top of Hoover Tower with a suitcase (can't see that happening now) and hid out until the tower was closed for the night. In the suitcase he had ropes, climbing gear and a white parachute. I believe he free-climbed to the top of the tower and attached the parachute to the pinnacle (or whatever it's called), climbed back to the viewing level, rappelled to the ground and escaped back to Wilbur.
The next morning there it was, flowing with the morning breeze..."Hoover's Last Ejaculation". My friend was named Ernie Milburn and he is memorialized in this Daily piece from the summer of '68, a pretty weird slice of history all on its own: Death in Chaos
The Daily had pictures but I was unable to raise them via Google. RIP, Ernie.
In winter quarter of 1967 a friend of mine (who was one of the first free-climbers I ever heard of) went up the elevator to the top of Hoover Tower with a suitcase (can't see that happening now) and hid out until the tower was closed for the night. In the suitcase he had ropes, climbing gear and a white parachute. I believe he free-climbed to the top of the tower and attached the parachute to the pinnacle (or whatever it's called), climbed back to the viewing level, rappelled to the ground and escaped back to Wilbur.
The next morning there it was, flowing with the morning breeze..."Hoover's Last Ejaculation". My friend was named Ernie Milburn and he is memorialized in this Daily piece from the summer of '68, a pretty weird slice of history all on its own: Death in Chaos
The Daily had pictures but I was unable to raise them via Google. RIP, Ernie.

