11-10-08: Cindy

Kevin Cuckavich savoring the slopers

AKA: 'Sydnie' or 'The Elephant's Butt Crack.' This problem was originally climbed by visiting Brit, Sean Myles on top-rope. Sean had sustained a broken leg the year prior and did not have the benefit of using a crash pad, let alone many of them. The problem has been listed in the two versions of Yosemite bouldering guides as 'Sydnie,' but the problem was not often attempted and may not have been repeated...until this October when Randy Puro re-cleaned and climbed the problem sans rope.

Randy was so excited about this problem that he contacted Sean Myles to learn a little more about the history of the problem. This is what Sean had to say:

"Cindy (I believe that was how her name was spelled) was the name of a
bartender in the Mountain Room bar back then. I guess she may still be
around. The naming story went something like this: I'd been trying the
problem and was having trouble sticking the first move where you have
to hit that slot very accurately and I was telling people that the
first move was a bitch. Later the same day I'd tried to get a drink in
the bar without an ID and Cindy had refused to serve me and was
generally, well, a bitch to me about it. So, by loose association, I
named the problem after her. Subsequently I actually told her the same
story which she took very well. I guess she was just having a bad day
that first time."

So 'Sydnie' is actually 'Cindy'[v10], so respect the first ascentionist and get it right from now on!

Cheers,

-Justin