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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Moose
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 10, 2008 - 07:04pm PT
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My mother, Ellen Wilts, passed away last week. She was interested in climbing and climbers to the end. She and my dad climbed back in the era of tennis shoes and kernmantle ropes...
I thought this was a way to get the news of her passing, to old climbing friends of hers.
Janet Wilts
janetwilts@msn.com
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Redwreck
Social climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:05pm PT
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My condolences.
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Tony Puppo
climber
Bishop
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:08pm PT
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Hi Janet, sorry for your loss. I have many fond memories of your Mom and Dad.
Tony
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scuffy b
climber
up the coast from Woodson
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:23pm PT
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I'm sorry for your loss, Janet.
As you well know, your folks had a large influence on
a generation of California climbers.
Steve
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:27pm PT
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My condolences on your loss - another of the climbers from the golden age gone.
There was a good obituary of Chuck Wilts in a Sierra Club newsletter from 1991 - http://angeles.sierraclub.org/about/Obits.asp#wilts
It includes quite a lot about Ellen Wilts.
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Gene
climber
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:33pm PT
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Janet,
From what I have read, in addition to their own pioneering accomplishments, your Mom and Dad mentored a young man by the name of Royal Robbins back in his early days on rock. Your parents have a tremendous legacy that we try to emulate and honor all these years later. Your parents are the light that illuminates our path.
Godspeed to you and yours,
GM
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:35pm PT
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Janet,
Long time no see. I'm so sorry to hear this sad news. I hope you are healthy otherwise.
May peace be with your mother. I never met her but she left us with some great climbs and will be remembered well amongst all of us.
Peace be with you, John
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Janet Wilts
Trad climber
Moose
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2008 - 07:36pm PT
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Thanks all...and Tony, good to hear from you...hope things are going well in Bishop...and you're still climbing hard..
One of my memories of climbing with my mom, was when we were in Tuoloumne.... I was around 15 years old..(or less).
My dad went to climb with some friends and my mom was left with the kids...So off we went to climb on one of the domes....and as we walked around one of the domes, my mom decided to climb something no one had done...It ended up not being too hard...one hard step-up (5. something) ...but my mom was really excited to do a first ascent with us kids, while dad went to climb harder stuff...hmmmmmmm
But of course we did alot of climbing together...and my mom wasn't left all the time....
Janet
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:53pm PT
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Condolences, Janet.
Matthes Crest Traverse alone would have put us all in debt to her and Chuck. She was one of the really important US women climbers of that period.
Thanks for posting--
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SamRoberts
climber
Bay Area
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Mar 10, 2008 - 07:57pm PT
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Sorry for your loss, Janet. I never met your mom, but I have fond memories of skiing with your dad in Baldy Bowl, Pear Lake, etc. I think your sister, Gail, was on one or two of those trips- What ever happened to her?
Take good care!
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:06pm PT
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Janet,
That is sad news indeed. I had the honor of meeting you mother briefly just a few years ago at a slide show she gave. She was a bright and lovely woman. Her slides of climbing in the Canadian Rockies after the war were magnificent. What a life she led.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:20pm PT
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hey there janet... may god bless you as you face this hard loss of your mother... may her memories be special, and unfold, like new, every evening and may they brighten your new days, as well...
very sorry for your loss... god bless..
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
So on my way outta St. Looney!!!
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:23pm PT
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So sorry to hear of this. Our thoughts are with you.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Latitute 33
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:35pm PT
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Janet:
My sincere condolences on your loss. Your mom was very generous in sharing memories and some pictures when Bob and I did the last update to the Tahquitz guide. Your dad was a true gentleman. They both left significant marks on the California climbing scene.
Best wishes,
R. Vogel
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nita
climber
chica from chico, I don't claim to be a daisy
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:36pm PT
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Janet and Gail, So sorry to hear about you loosing your Mom..Hope you are comforted by your family memories- together in the Mountains. Take care.. nita
Nothing beautiful in the world is ever really lost. All things beloved live in our hearts forever.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:40pm PT
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When I first started climbing we would run into your mom and dad at Lunch rock occasionaly.
Due to a mixture of reverence and youthfull bluster I never had more than a passing nod and hello of a conversation with them or any of the other RCS bunch.
That's one huge regret!
There are several generations of climbers in their debt.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:45pm PT
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It's always sad and difficult when a parent passes away; there's just so much emotional memories that come to the fore. I never met your mother, but it sounds like she was admired by many people. Best wishes to you in this difficult time.
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:46pm PT
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My condolences to you and your family, Janet.
Roger
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Mar 10, 2008 - 08:46pm PT
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Very sorry to hear about your mom, Janet. I have very fond memories of spending MANY days at your parents house and they were always such gracious peopole long before I even understood what that meant. I was broke and in grad school and your mom fed me about 1,000 times.
So far as I know there was never such an outdoors couple as Chuck and Ellen Wilts.
I hope you are doing well, otherwise.
Peace to your mom, and to you, Chuck Jr. and Gail.
Sincerely,
John Long
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roy
Social climber
New Zealand -> Santa Barbara
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Mar 10, 2008 - 09:14pm PT
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Hi Janet,
My condolences on your loss. I also remember your father from my days at Caltech. I didn't know him well but it seemed that although he might have been retired from teaching he wasn't retired from climbing. The Matthes crest is a fantastic climb and a great legacy that your parents have left us.
With sympathy, Roy
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