Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 27, 2008 - 07:26am PT
|
the following was posted on the News from the Needles blog:
"Paul Duval, a Needles pioneer, icon and friend to us all, died yesterday in a climbing accident at the Moonlight Ridge area. The accident involved mistaking the mark near the end of a rope for the mark at the center of the rope and resulted in rappelling off the short end."
|
|
jstan
climber
|
|
|
Jun 27, 2008 - 11:32am PT
|
I remember the two Pauls from my long ago days with the MIT group. Paul Ledoux has this mischievous smile suggesting he knows something very funny, but he isn't telling. Paul Duval was always a little more serious. We all were busily having fun never looking ahead enough to realize this was going to become a past. I sometimes wonder if had we the ability to realize this, whether the present would become better, or worse. The people in their 90’s and above I have known seemed, in some sense, lonely. It is probably well we are spared the expectation of this.
However it comes, it is hard.
|
|
Ghoulwe
Trad climber
Spokane, WA
|
|
|
Jun 27, 2008 - 11:34am PT
|
Had the opportunity to climb with Paul many years ago in the Gunks and North Conway. Great guy. I showed up at the Gunks alone with a harness and shoes and we hooked up and he gave me the tour of many of the classics. Met me a few days later in North Conway and did the same thing at Cathedral and Whitehorse. It was my only climbing trip to the Northeast and he made it very memorable.
RIP Paul.
Eric Barrett
|
|
the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
|
|
|
Jun 27, 2008 - 01:00pm PT
|
this is a great loss and Elaina and i send our best from WV to Karen.
We got to spend a lot of time with Paul and Karen back in the good ole Potrero days....
Paul was a salt of the earth guy and will be missed...
ks
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Jun 27, 2008 - 06:12pm PT
|
hey there and hello to paul's family...
say there i never knew paul... but i am sending you my prayers as you go through this hard time...
to all that knew paul, i am very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend... it is very sad that it was due to the rope... may you hold dear your better memories, for the future, to some day replace this very sad one... god bless...
|
|
morse
Trad climber
CT
|
|
|
Jun 29, 2008 - 10:31am PT
|
No, this is sad news. Condolences to Paul's family and friends.
Does anyone have any of Paul's climbing cartoons to post up? Supertopians who don't know Paul might get a kick out of it.
|
|
divad
Trad climber
wmass
|
|
|
Jun 29, 2008 - 08:35pm PT
|
Sorry to hear this.
Although I never climbed with Paul, I climb with others who have.
Best thoughts to family and friends.
|
|
Dogtown Climber
Trad climber
The Idyllwild City dump
|
|
|
Jun 29, 2008 - 09:06pm PT
|
Truly Sorry.
|
|
Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
|
|
|
Jun 30, 2008 - 11:51am PT
|
I'm still having a hard time accepting the news of Paul's death. Though I'd seen him little since his retirement and move west, we have shared so many experiences over the decades that I still think of him often.During the late 70s through the 80s climbers visiting Boston from elsewhere would comment on the strong and vibrant sense of community amongst the Boston climbers. This sense of community was very much a direct result of Paul's personality, his energy, his creativity. The monthly Climber's Nights, the Crux newsletter--often featuring Paul's cartoons as well as his editorship, Wedsnesdays at the Quarries and D'Arcy's afterwards, organizing visiting climber slideshows, and planning exotic roadtrips all owed their existence, or at least their popularity, to Paul's involvement. For a while he ran a climbing gear import business out of his house that kept the community supplied with the latest equipment innovations, utilizing his linguistic skills and European contacts to bring in gear from overseas that was otherwise unavailable. I could go on much longer but the memories become overwhelming.This is the second big loss to hit the long-time Boston climbing community this season following Craigen Bowen's death from cancer in March. Sad times. Condolences to Karen and Paul's family. Ciao Paolo!!!! Al Rubin
|
|
frank sarat
climber
|
|
|
Jun 30, 2008 - 03:24pm PT
|
Horrendous. I had a very similar accident in the gunks two years ago, I came off the short end, but was only 25 ft above the deck. I told paul all about it, and he nodded his head and said, "you know frank, after all, this is a very dangerous game we play" But damn , he loved it. Two years after getting beat 95% to death he was leading 10's....and beating me at chess.I spent a good deal of time with him in the potrero, sitting at his cabin is one of the lovliest set of memories in my life. We did a fourpitch climb that magic ed just put up, and when we got done, , even a year latter, he just kept saying, that was such a nice time. That, and the cresecent moon butress, that was so personal to him. He's my favorite guy.
|
|
frank sarat
climber
|
|
one more from me.....
God loaned Paul back to us for four years
I scanned a bunch of recent home made post cards from Paul, also a shot of his potrero home, and have them on jpegs. anyone one know how to post them?
|
|
Bob Palais
Trad climber
UT
|
|
I was over at Gene Vallee's last night here in Salt Lake and he passed on the sad news, which he'd heard from Andy Ross. Paul was such a ubiquitous, driving, and welcoming figure in that Boston golden age Al describes so well. Gene also recalled saving paychecks for the trip to Paul's to get gear, and some new routes they did in New Hampshire. I'm grateful to have known Paul and his kindness during those formative years!
|
|
Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
|
|
On Thurs., July 24 there will be a Climber's Night at Alicia and Kevin Shea's, 47 Clark St., Belmont, MA. from 7 pm on to honor Paul's memory since many of us could not make the Memorial Service in South Dakota.. Climber's Nights are a Boston institution formalized by Paul in the mid-70s. They are informal BYOB and snacks to share gatherings usually held the first Thurs. of the month from Sept. thru June. While normally folks bring slides and stories of their latest adventures, for this special evening bring your slides (or digitals) and tales of Paul to share. It seems a perfect way to remember our dear friend.
|
|
Julie Poole
Social climber
Maine
|
|
|
Jul 23, 2008 - 09:53pm PT
|
I met Paul in the summer of 1984 when I started to learn to climb-I bought all of my first gear from him and was on many climbing trips which included him as well.He was always very helpful and kind.I always enjoyed his stories about his experiences climbing and always enjoyed his cartoons.I was really sad to hear of his death because he is part of my wonderful memories of climbing with the Boston crowd.My condolences to his family and close friends
|
|
| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!