The first generation of Chouinard’s Yosemite hammer, the wall hammer that defined the piton era.
Identifying Marks
- 11″ wood handle
- Silver manufacturer’s ink stamp
- Flat-head (slotted) screw near the end of the handle, holding the leash. Later Yosemite hammers switched to a Phillips screw; the 1967 Alpine hammers also used a flat-head screw
- Square hammer head
About the Model
Chouinard built the Yosemite hammer for big-wall aid climbing, where a single route could mean driving and cleaning hundreds of pitons. The design changed in small ways over its first few years, and those details are how the generations are told apart. Later versions moved to a red stamp, a more flared handle end and a Phillips screw.
Source: identifying marks and dates from the Karabin Climbing Museum‘s Chouinard Equipment display. Have something to add? Let me know.
