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Double D
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 4, 2009 - 09:39pm PT
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I’ve seen him lurking about but couldn’t find an official welcome thread to arguably the most influential American free climber in the past 50 years. A true legend and inspiration!
Though I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting you, I know a lot of the ‘Topians have so post up some stories and pics!
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Double D
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2009 - 09:46pm PT
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Ahh, thanks...some how I missed that when it came out. Would still like to hear some more stories by the man himself though...
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Didn't he just re-surface under a new handle, not all that long ago?
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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Thanks, Double D, but it's already been done! And, yes, I started as jgill but was offline a long time and when I came back that moniker wouldn't work because of some glitch, so I re-registered. No need, please, to do it again!
Very interesting site. I've learned a lot about Yosemite climbing by reading various posts. I never got there when I was climbing fairly hard in the late 1950s and early 1960s, so I missed that marvelous formative period in the valley. I did hear stories, of course, from Chouinard, Robbins, Rearick, Kamps, etc. I do recall Yvon telling me early on that "you won't find many horizontal holds in Yosemite, mostly vertical cracks and chimneys", and I thought to myself "Not sure that sounds like much fun!".
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Owlman
Trad climber
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bump
The Eliminators
Little White Arrows
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Didn't get a response from Mr. Gill BITD on nOOb.com, but please be welcome in Taco City.
Cheers
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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john gill, so very much enjoyed your footage on the bachar dvd and your history. If we ever get to do a so cal climbing museum and memorial park for the climbing community, hope to get your permission to call the memorial park ...Moving Meditations.
Peace, lynne
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Owlman
Trad climber
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Ok, a while back, it's an early teton morning.
Still in the valley, I had to get out of the tent.
Take a walk. Along Jenny Lake goin North.
Finally clear of the camp I'm cruising along the lake and get this weird itch. To go look off trail on this little ridge on skiers right.
Still in the low lake fog, swirling head and mists, I find this row of sweet glacial erratics. It's so good. I'm moving along, boulder to boulder, and then see this little white arrow.
I've seen these before.
Thanks so much JG! Just what I needed.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Welcome....AGAIN....John!
There weren't any of us who were bouldering hard in Central Oregon in the mid-70's that hadn't read Ament and been inspired about your climbs.
We were all trying to copy you in our own humble, less than up-to-snuff way.
Thanks for the boost!
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Welcome John
You're a mythical being to some of us. . .
Love to hear some of your stories.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Since the last time John visited here, he has received the American Alpine Club's Underhill Award for outstanding mountaineering achievement. The fact that an organization devoted first to mountaineering would honor John in this way is a testimony to the visionary nature of John's contributions to our sport.
My personal view is that no one else in the history of the sport has been so far ahead of their contemporaries. To be climbing several full grades (not letter subdivisions) ahead of everyone else was unprecedented and remains unequalled. It will, I think, be a very long time before there is another prodigy of Gill's stature.
So, welcome again, John!
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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To have been one of John's disciples, along with
Rich Goldstone and Rich Borgman, was one of the
great blessings of my life. Of course John was
not merely ahead in power and raw ability but also
technique and artistry. But all that was secondary
to how far ahead he always has been as a person,
a true example of humility and generosity. While
the rest of the petty world was quarreling over
who did what and who was the best and handsomest,
John simply gave everyone credit and belittled no one.
To be truly great, one must be the measure of others.
So many these days are so small and threatened by
the achievements of others. They will dismiss others
and negate others, and feel they must be losing some
ground of their own if they acknowledge others. And
of course there are those who follow in Gill's
tradition of kindness and generosity, such as Peter
Croft. Incidentally I don't think John's generosity
was because he was so far ahead of everyone or
because he wasn't threatened by anyone. I think that's
simply who he is, a great spirit, a proper
gentleman.
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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The Thimble
says it all
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Oli: "John simply gave everyone credit and belittled no one.
. . . And of course there are those who follow in Gill's
tradition of kindness and generosity, such as Peter
Croft."
Yes, two of the nicest, most generous folks I've met in climbing. I've seen each be really patient and helpful with n00bs in situations where they had plenty of opportunity to be simply and minimally polite. Or worse.
Not that either one is a saint (hehe).
But most folks who reach a high level of accomplishment in any field tend to be obsessively focused, at the expense of those around them.
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scarcollector
climber
CO
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Just got back from some Horsetooth bouldering. I've heard that the ground under some of Gill's problems has eroded a foot or two lower than it was in the 60's (so to hell with sit starts).
Edit: I enjoyed a story about J. Gill at the Horsetooth Hang bouldering fest where a kid was saying, "it just doesn't feel right to use a toprope on such a classic boulder problem," (or something like that) and Gill chimes in from behind him, "I used a toprope on the first ascent."
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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John- Did you do any climbing overseas?
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Barry Bates
Boulder climber
smith river Ca.
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Welcome John Gill
Rich and Pat couldn't have said it better you are probably more responsible for the way that rock climbing and bouldering are practiced world-wide today than any other single person. In the early 70s I spent a day with Steve Wunsch at Horse Tooth, I think I managed to struggle up a few problems. This was decades before crash pads but they would have been of little use to me because I was not able to get far enough off the ground on most of the routes to hurt myself anyway.
A few weeks ago I was at a large climbing gym in the San Francisco Bay Area, watching the young folks working V10+ boulder problems (I still prefer your old B ratings). They were all giving each other beta and cheering each other on and it was good to see such cooperation an enthusiasm. Thanks for doing so much to create such a wonderful sport.
Barry Bates
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MH2
climber
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John Gill
First a word-of-mouth legend, then articles in the climbing magazines, now a poster to Supertopo. It would be like the Lost World here except Gill's type of climbing is up-to-the-minute relevant.
I experienced a few of his problems at the Gunks and at Devil's Lake. Humblingly.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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The Robbins' quote comes to mind. "I could grasp the holds, but not the problem." LOL
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