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| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 23, 2011 - 12:27pm PT
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So, Ive been up here in Truckee/Tahoe for 16 years, and I still havent found anyone who knows anything about old Karl Hammer. Karl put up a whole slew of sh#t around the whole area, some notorious , some not. Karl's Gym, Karl's Crack, Karls overhang, and others with and without the name of Karl's. Look him up in the back of the Tahoe falcon guide under FA's or I dunno of supertopo book has FA's or not in it. Sucker seemed like he was way strong and put up some sturdy routes around in the 70's. Havent seen too many of the 'oldtimers' around lately to ask. Saw John Hoffman lately, but wasnt thinking to ask him at the time, they put up some routes together I think. We did a mini 'Karl Hammer tribute tour' some years ago, but didnt realize how many routes he put up beyond Karl's Gym, Crack, and Overhang, lots around Donner.
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2011 - 12:36pm PT
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Climbing-related thread bump
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Sisyphus
Trad climber
Utah
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Jan 23, 2011 - 03:18pm PT
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There is a Karl Hammer living in Rockville, Ut. He's been in So. Utah since I began climbing in the mid 90's. Done a couple of canyons with him, and he is a machine for sure. Maybe?
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2011 - 08:44pm PT
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Thatd be funny if it was him, sounds plausible
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adventurous one
Trad climber
Truckee Ca.
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He was the guy pushing the grades higher at Donner and the Reno region in the early and mid 70s. Maybe even one of the strongest climbers in the world during that time. Strange that he is not better known outside the Tahoe/Reno region.
Same guy that lives in Utah now. Did he go on to establish classic routes in Utah as well?
Edit- Many of the old timers talk of being amazed at his solos, of routes that few could even consider top roping in that era.
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Charlie Laking
climber
carson city
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Jan 21, 2013 - 10:45pm PT
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Reply to very old inquiry.
Karl is a friend from 1960s in Reno Sparks area. He has been in Utah for years. We climbed frequently in the Truckee area, and I never approaching his performance. I met him through a very good friend and caving and climbing partner, Alvin Mclane. Indeed he climbed with John Hoffman. I climbed with Karl in many very obscure and little known areas, Selenites to Wild Granites, areas unveiled to climbing by Alvin, and obviously Donner and the Leap. Karl was the STRONGEST climber I knew. ARMS. In those days not many we knew committed to the weight and balance training regimen that he religiously pursued. He was ahead of the times, climbing at a level representing the leading edge, and often BAREFOOT.
Few know of his most stunning accomplishments as he is also profoundly humble about his climbing. He was world class. His climbing was an outgrowth of his passion for simply being in the mountains.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jan 22, 2013 - 12:26am PT
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Never heard of the guy but get him on supertopo and we'll tear him a new one....RJ
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Jan 22, 2013 - 01:21am PT
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rj... bwaahaha! almost sprayed my beer.
but yeah... get him on the taco... we need campfire stories
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2013 - 02:10am PT
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Nice, thanks for the info, always wondered what the hell with this guy.
Screw getting him on superbobo, just go out and do some of his routes instead.
We did a little tribute tour of some of his routes years ago, then found a sh#t ton more, we must need to go do the rest. I know he FAd karls overhang solo over snow, bad ass. Hopefully the new book for here will have good fa info so we can track down the rest. You can tell he was a hardass just by some of his routes.
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Cnyneer
climber
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Aug 18, 2015 - 02:00pm PT
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Yes, I do. He's my beloved younger brother, my inspiration, my role model, and my idol. I never achieved a fraction of his strength or balance, but his example kept me working out and still relatively in shape for my age. I wish I'd paid closer attention to his vivid descriptions of routes he was working out that he'd describe to me in phone calls from Reno, to me in Missoula, in the '70s and 80's. He described sequencing the placement of fists and feet, one move to the next, on Karl's overhang and others. Fingers taped together. Fists wrapped with tape. I should have had a tape recorder running. He is one of the toughest guys I know, and also one of the most humble and private people I know. After working with the Zion/North Grand Canyon SAR for years, Karl is mostly retired and living in Rockville, UT.
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2015 - 03:04pm PT
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Well do please give him a tip of the hat for us out here. Glad to hear everyone speaking so highly of him.
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Cnyneer
climber
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Aug 19, 2015 - 12:03pm PT
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Karl currently lives in Rockville, UT. I am on the hunt for any old photographs from the 1970s of Karl on his namesake overhang, the crack, or anywhere else? I was living in Montana at that time, and missed out seeing the action firsthand. If any of Karl's climbing partners have a photo or two and can share, please get in touch with me. Thanks! Bill Hammer (Karl's brother).
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crackfiend
climber
Springdale, Utah
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Aug 19, 2015 - 12:08pm PT
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Cool stories and way to track this guy down...
Apparently he lives in the same town as me ( population 250) have never met him or even heard his name before..definitely flying under the radar
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Aug 19, 2015 - 12:49pm PT
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I love stories about guys like this.
Bad to the bone, but not all sprayfest. (Except of course, naming routes after himself..tee hee)
Would love to see some pictures of him or his routes.
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Footloose
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
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Aug 19, 2015 - 01:01pm PT
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This is a cool thread.
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 19, 2015 - 02:05pm PT
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Go seek out some of his routes, you can kinda tell he was a formidable FA-er. They arent all named Karl's of course, but they were mostly before SLCD's , including Peter Principle
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| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
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