Mountaineering Section

Philly Grotto has a long history of a relatively active mountaineering and climbing membership. Many early prominent names in the Philadelphia mountaineering and climbing community - Lou Lutz, Jerry Bloch, Mark Blumenstein, Tom Stewart, Howard Bussard, Ed Pilsitz -- were active in the Philadelphia Grotto and established a "Mountaineering Section" of the Philadelphia Grotto. Climbing trips to Seneca, West Point, and the Gunks were regular aspects of the Grotto's activities.

Lou Lutz was a prominent Philadephia climber in the 1960's, and was a member of the grotto almost since its beginning. He put up several first ascents at Tohickon, and led regular climbing and vertical sessions for the Grotto in the 1960's both at Tohickon and Livesey Rock in Fairmount Part. During this time, Grotto members were responsible for some of, if not the, earliest anchor bolts being installed at Livesey Rock in the late 1960's.

Jerry Bloch, a frequent climbing partner with Lou Lutz, gained notoriety in the 1990's when he was the oldest (80 - something) man to aid climb El Capitan. While he did not lead all the pitches, he jugged those he did not. Quite an accomplishment!

Ed Pilsitz, a member in the early 1970's, was the founder of Base Camp, one of the earliest outdoor stores in Philadelphia. For years, if you wanted gear and did not want to mail order, your choice was I Goldberg or Base Camp. In later years Base Camp moved to Go Vertical, the climbing gym off Delaware Avenue in Philly before Ed finally got out of the business.

While today the Philly Grotto does not have an official "Mountaineering Section", many of the members are active gym climbers, rock climbers, and occasional mountain climbers.