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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 15, 2008 - 02:52pm PT
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I guess the $$$ he's made has been appreciation, but I still don't think he's recognized for all he's done for climbing. Robbins and Harding get huge props for being the leaders of the most groundbreaking climbs, but Yvon was the man when it came to gear.
*1st Ice Tools (vs. moutaineering axes), the guy pretty much invented ice climbing.
*RURPS
*Clean climbing advocate #1
What else?
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marky
climber
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Feb 15, 2008 - 02:57pm PT
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his book "Climbing Ice" has been a huge personal influence on my climbing (not just ice climbing)
it still is better than the handful of modern ice climbing books (e.g. Gadd, Lowe, Isaac, etc.)
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:02pm PT
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the high level of aesthetics in all that Chouinard did/published/manufactured was a great gift to the sport, the industry. He set the standards high and in the right way, right at the start.
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scuffy b
climber
Stump with a backrest
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:11pm PT
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He sold me my first gear (aside from shoes and swami)and was very
nice.
Was willing to talk about shoes. This was when he was making his
first prototypes. Got me inspired to do the cobbler thing.
Didn't act like he thought I was a fool when I showed him my
attempts at tiny copperheads (made from 3-speed shifter cable).
When GPIW opened for more serious retail, he was perfectly
willing to talk fly-fishing, with much less chest puffery than
typical fishing-shop people.
Let me test sewn slings at the shop, when they had to test all
those Chouinard/Salewa carabiners.
Providing the forum for the Robinson/MacLean manifesto.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:12pm PT
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I met him and Tom Frost at the GPIW when I was 11 or 12 years old. They both seemed like nice enough guys. I still have an ice axe I bought, used, after he'd taken it on some climb or another.
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:19pm PT
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What's to appreciate?
He went into business selling stuff. Said don't use pitons any more. Buy my new improved (more expensive) stuff.
Did he ever say stop using chalk? No.
Did he ever sponsor a climber to climb clean (no chalk).
Why?
Because you can't sell an empty bag!
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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2008 - 03:27pm PT
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Fattrad, no I missed those threads, I just went a read the GPIW thread.
When I met Yvon, he defineatly came off as gruff, hard to read that as snobby/full of himself or something else.
As a businessman it sounds like he was in it for himself, but lots of business people are like that. I've worked for people like that, and got out as soon as I could.
But I can appreciate his inventiveness, and skill outside of his personality.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:31pm PT
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Climbing as we know it today would be quite different without Yvon;......he has given alot to the climbing community,.....with equiptment, inovative ideas in gear , thinking , and climbs. He once visited my old place on Turtle Ln in Joshua Tree;...I believe he was impressed with the mess......
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Nate Furman
climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Feb 15, 2008 - 03:35pm PT
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He's one of my heroes. He was a badass in so many forms of climbing. The story of he and Herbert on Muir wall is one of my favorites. Similarly, I'm particularly fond of the fun-hogs expedition to South America.
I really appreciate his stance on doing things with ethics in mind.
Actually, he has said to stop using chalk--in a coffee table book sponsored by the Banff Mountain Film Fest a couple years ago, in a climbing magazine article, and in an Outside Magazine article.
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scuffy b
climber
Stump with a backrest
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Feb 15, 2008 - 04:15pm PT
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Chouinard was outspoken against the use of chalk at least since
1972.
Minimizing his advocacy of chocks instead of pitons and
emphasizing the mistaken idea that he never said not to use
chalk leads me to wonder whether you consider chalk to be more
detrimental than pitons.
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Feb 15, 2008 - 04:23pm PT
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Thanks. Never heard that he was against chalk before.
:-) Good for him.
Forget everything else I said then.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Feb 15, 2008 - 05:26pm PT
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My bamboo shafted Chouinard axe works great for chopping ice off the driveway
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Feb 15, 2008 - 06:09pm PT
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Speaking of bamboo shafts,
These 55cm beauties likely represent the apogee of Chouinard's functional aesthetic.
The winning bid on Ebay, for the pair,
*$2,749.00*
As my pal who forwarded the link to me said, "Who would have thought?":
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Lee Paul
Big Wall climber
Sacramento, CA
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Feb 15, 2008 - 06:47pm PT
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I took a very long leader fall on the Direct South Face of Eichorn Pinnacle in 1980 wearing a Chouinard seat harness. It and the skillful belaying of a French alpinist (who climbed just about everything in the Alps except the Eiger), who we met in Tuolumne Meadows the day before and invited on the climb, saved my life. It distributed the impact loads extremely well, and held together despite getting severely abraded. I also have had several articles of fine Patagonia clothing over the years. I still have a red Swiss Guide sweater, and the original pile jacket. Both of which keep me nice and toasty.
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ec
climber
ca
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Feb 15, 2008 - 06:47pm PT
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Met Yvon two times over the years...
The first time was in the original Mountain Room Bar. It was not long after he did first hammerless ascent of the Nose of El Cap with Bruce Carson (RIP). He was friendly and inspirational.
Years later, Richard Leversee, James Wilson, Yvon, Bernardo (I think) and I met on the eastside to do an ascent of the Split Mountain Gully from the base. (My second time to ice climb.) It was late November, little snow, but way cold. Yvon assumed the role of 'chief' and we gladly followed. We bivied below Red Lake. It was a great time. Yvon had plenty of yarns to tell about climbing, surfing and we had quite a few laughs that night. Yvon had 'insisted' on being our chef, cooking his special bean de jour. It was as if we were guests at his house.
Pre-dawn, Yvon was all business. He was packed and left our asses in the dust. The lake was frozen solid an made it easy to approach. By the time we made it to the base. Yvon had soloed up a ropelength and was ready to belay. The ice was pretty thick starting out. The next lead (crux) was a bit steeper and of course, Yvon made short of it. After that, the route was a bit of a long gully slog. We made haste down to basecamp only to already be chasing daylight.
Again, Yvon was first out. James and I were lagging and brought-up the rear. 'Endless swithbacks in the dark...Sometime later out below us in the dark I could just make out a headlamp. I figured that we were catching up with the others.
A little later I hear, "Hey, you guys, hold up!"
There was a bit of thrashing and cussing going on and here approaching up to the trail from God who knows where was Yvon with his waining Chouinard/Lago Headlamp.
Yvon said, "Man! I'm glad you guys came by. I saw your headlamps. I got f*cking lost."
Well, well, I had to laugh to myself, as all of the "Hairy Giant Super Climbers" are just like the the rest of us...
Several days after returning, I had heard from Richard that Belinda (Yvon's wife), asked him, "What the Hell did you do to Yvon? He's been useless since you guys got back."
Like Yvon, I'm sure that others have had good and bad things to say about me too. Oh, well...
 ec
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Feb 15, 2008 - 07:18pm PT
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Don't forget - much or most of that classic Chouinard rock and ice gear was designed or improved by Tom Frost. So it is not just Yvon that you get to appreciate!
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ec
climber
ca
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Feb 15, 2008 - 07:21pm PT
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Clint,
You are so right!
Tom is a brilliant designer and really great person, too!
ec
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Feb 15, 2008 - 08:36pm PT
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"What the Hell did you do to Yvon?"
Good name to the story. Nice one.
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Brock
Trad climber
RENO, NV
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Feb 15, 2008 - 09:00pm PT
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Got to climb beside him a few times in Santa Barbara and talk with him. Hell of a nice guy. Typical climber...Down to earth. On a climb at San Ysidro he was leaving behind his ole Chounaird biners on some of the bolts, not sure why as they were not bail biners. I have held on to those carabiners as I don't see any of his carabiners with "Chouinard" on them anymore. Thanks for the booty Yvon
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Anastasia
Trad climber
taking a left turn, ETA unknown
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Feb 15, 2008 - 10:07pm PT
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I live in Ventura County and in that way I am always following Chouinard's footsteps when I go climbing.
His influence is very large here. Plus, a few people who work for him directly and indirectly (the RCS store) are friends of mine. I can't imagine having the same richness in my life without his existence.
AF
P.S.
Now as for him having flaws... Who doesn't? Why is that a big deal? All humans have flaws, the only difference between us is that some people are more obvious about it than others. Plus we all have immense potential. I think seeing a successful person's flaws is more comforting than scary.
It means that there is hope for us!
AF
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