The Yosemite hammer in its classic form, at the height of the piton era.
Identifying Marks
- Phillips screw near the end of the handle, holding the leash
- Wood handle
About the Model
By 1971 the Yosemite hammer had settled into the form most climbers picture, and it was the hammer you’d expect to find on a big-wall rack of the day. Within a year or two, clean climbing and the move to nuts began cutting down how much hammering wall routes required. Aid climbers kept carrying a hammer for pitons and copperheads, though, and the Yosemite stayed in the line for another decade.
Source: identifying marks and dates from the Karabin Climbing Museum‘s Chouinard Equipment display. Have something to add? Let me know.
