Heaviest person to climb 5.14

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guyman

Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
Nov 27, 2009 - 12:44pm PT
Greg Olsen ... is a local boy who is pretty big. He has great athletic ability despite a life long struggle with the weight. I belayed him on 5.11d on the London Wall. It was pretty fantastic to watch him just float upwards..... he was about 250 at the time and I was well anchored.

I clock in at 6.2" and 198..... if I eat/drink much that goes way up...

The eternal struggle for some of US, is the weight.

I want to know about and see photos of the "Blanket Toss" come on tami... post.

P

L

E

A

S

E

..... :>)
pcousar

Sport climber
White Salmon, WA
Nov 27, 2009 - 01:12pm PT
I too climbed a bunch with scott blunk in the late 80s.

Me at 5 ft 8, would struggle up some boulder problem, call scott over to give it a try, and there were times he would reach up and latch the last hold on the problem and ask where it went from there - doh.....

Oh, he was probably under 200 back then, but still a killer spotter, and I still needed to tie my 125 lb self down so as not to get sucked up through the first piece of gear if he fell on lead...
Peter Haan

Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
Nov 27, 2009 - 02:17pm PT
While we are on the subject of heavy (and maybe in some cases tanky) upper level climbers, let us repair to the original notion and example of rotundity and the cutting edge. I speak of course to the much-acclaimed circumference and on-the-expedition training regimen of none other than Don Whillans. For lack of the original from which I manipulated this image (Where did Whillans go) about a half year ago:

Iron Mtn.

Trad climber
Corona, Ca.
Nov 27, 2009 - 03:40pm PT
Lest we forget him soloing 5.11's w/t a cigarette in his mouth.
midarockjock

climber
USA
Nov 27, 2009 - 10:39pm PT
I saw a photo of Bachar in the 80's just after 5.13's were being put
up from the ground up. I think he was standing next to a guy Christian
who I think I confused cos for. At this time there were a few dozen 5.14's
at the most and only about a 1/2 dozen who climbed them all at h0-h1 when
that was used. Snake Dike, Dike Route, and Bachar Yerian I think they had
at h4 at this time.

I think I confused cos for Christian? How much does he weigh? Around this
time the aged 21 year old was past his fighting prime from his admission
was still flowing well through 5.11 boulder problems with a toothbrush
handy.

cos I know you from the books. Your about the same size as I and the
Hearns. This Christian guy looked a lot larger than Bachar at 170. Thanks
socalbolter.
Curt

Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
Nov 28, 2009 - 12:05am PT
Bachar was never 170 in his prime--more like 160.

Curt
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Nov 29, 2009 - 01:49am PT
wouldn't that sound a whole lot better in french?

rempli de merde de chien

wow, it's a route name (not a particularly good route, but hey... the names don't mean anything anyway, right?)
midarockjock

climber
USA
Nov 29, 2009 - 08:24pm PT
He told me he was 170 just before July 5'th.
Probably so at 160, but I don't think he climbed any 5.14?
His weight like mine in my prime probably varied 10-15 lbs.
per day when training.

Possibly Christian did not climb 5.14 either and I believe there
was only 1 5.14 in the US at the time of the picture mentioned
previously, and I think it was at Smith Rocks C(?)urt.

I think mainly about 1/2 dozen frenchmen were the ones climbing 5.14
to begin with and they were welter weights at less than 160lb.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Nov 29, 2009 - 08:38pm PT
Bachar could have done some 14's if he wanted to, he was certainly stronger than many of the climbers who did.
midarockjock

climber
USA
Nov 30, 2009 - 12:35pm PT
I to am reasonably certain he could have, though he has much higher
ethics than many others.

Yes, he is very strong though he tested below John Gill for strength.
I'm reasonably certain John G. could have climbed 5.14 also with history
allowing but, it (shoe design) did not then.

So it reads like Dunne? Thanks socalbolter.
mike m

climber
black hills
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 30, 2009 - 01:47pm PT
How much did Gill weigh? In some of the pictures I have seen he looked like a big guy. Most of todays climbers that are sending hard numbers look like they are probably under 150 lbs.
midarockjock

climber
USA
Nov 30, 2009 - 02:07pm PT
Probably what you are asking for is here and maybe with 5.14 notes.
http://johngill.net/

I think he probably climbed 5.12-5.13 prior to "Bachar, Kauk and Largo but,
probably not at h3-4(Caliente)->h5(if any) with 100's of feet of climbing".
Stunt hulk

Gym climber
Slidell
Jun 25, 2013 - 02:28am PT
Well I'm personally 6'1 and the lightest I've ever been and this was when I was doing triathlons was 198. I'm currently in to climbing and Crossfit and I'm at 215. Mind you I've been a gymnast and acrobat since I was a kid so I have a far stronger chore and greater understanding of my body mechanics than most guys my size.
Stunt hulk

Gym climber
Slidell
Jun 25, 2013 - 02:35am PT
I also climb with an other guy who's a lil shorter than I am and is over 200 as well cause he's part Samoan. He currently competes in bouldering comps and places real well. I'd say size matters for the most part but if genetically you're a big guy just work with what you got and train your butt off till you meet your goals. Shoot Olympic power lifter are like ants. They can lift weights that guys at their size prob shouldn't but they make it happen. People said Muggsy Bogues at 5'3 would never play in the NBA or dunk a basketball but he made the impossible possible!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Jun 25, 2013 - 03:21am PT
The Munge Lunge


sent at 220 (after many tries mind you)

Not 5.14, but it ain't 5.2. Stoked to have sent.

Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
Jun 25, 2013 - 03:51am PT
heard about a big dude who hangs out in south yosemite, i think bluey told me about the dude, 380, drinks a case of beer a day and sends 5.14,

bluey peaks out after a 12 pack, me after a 4 pac of red bull,

did the Dead ever play at red rocks?

goatboy smellz

climber
Nederland-GulfBreeze
Jun 25, 2013 - 08:32am PT

Bachar could have done some 14's if he wanted to, he was certainly stronger than many of the climbers who did.

It was probably all that bolt chopping that was holding him back.
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Jun 25, 2013 - 10:53am PT
When Dunne did his hard routes, he was actually light. Especially compared to his "normal". The guy would train and climb while fat, then cut a ton of weight for a project, send, them blow back up like a blimp.

The heaviest for 5.14? Could be Klem Loskott(sp?) that giant austrian, who apparently started climbing again in the last couple years and has established stuff in the V14/15 range since then.

Don't know if he ever roped up for something that hard, but I remember Greg Loh sending stuff around V10 back around 2000 or so. And he was probably 5'9, and about 200lb.
Cragar

Trad climber
MSLA - MT
Jun 25, 2013 - 11:13am PT
Where is he now? Climbing Great John Dunne - The Biggest Nuts of Any Climber Alive
In an ongoing series dedicated to fat climbers and where are they now, this post will focus on John Dunne. Apart from the puns, John 'weighs nearly a tonne' Dunne, JD remains one of the gritstone masters and owner of a large set of cajones. You can read more here:

This golden age was spent climbing gritstone, limestone, and Alpine routes, and John was responsible for many new, hard, and often poorly protected routes in the UK. John continued to push himself for three years after Hard Grit was filmed, until he found himself fighting for his life on the first ascent of ‘Breathless’ – a crimpy, dangerously run-out E10 in the Lake District - “I nearly f*#ked it”.

JD was one of the original gritstone climbers, one who spawned, figuratively, climbers like Neil Gresham. Putting up impossible routes like Parthian Shot (E9) - trust me, an unbelievable line, I nearly shat when I toed up to the route - JD attracted as much attention to his climbing fortitude as his waist line. I truly believe Parthian Shot, an unprotected screamer, is one of the most visionary gritstone lines, and that's what I like, vision. Never one to turn down a snack, JD often put up routes with the sketchiest of pro, run-outs, and little room to hide a doughnut. No stranger to the buffet line and advancing even further with an E10 in the Lake District, his place in climbing lore remains sealed with the likes of Johnny Dawes and Moffatt. Remember, climbing isn't always about zero percent body fat and losing 20lbs to do a roof route, it's about being 85kg, drinking pints, and barely fitting into your climbing tights. Oi, look at the size of that noggin!

http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/263-Where-is-he-now-Climbing-Great-John-Dunne-The-Biggest-Nuts-of-Any-Climber-Alive.html

Damn, look at that face!!
Largo

Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
Jun 25, 2013 - 08:56pm PT
At my peak I was down to around 205 but only if I got off a wall or was dieting hard, somethng I could rarely sustain for long becuase I felt so sketchy and all hollow inside. My normal kicking around weight age 21-30 was about 212, though sometimes I'd "swole" up to 220 during the winter if I was lifting alot, which I loved to do back then. The amazing thing abotuPeter H. being so stout is that he was crazy good at both thin hold bouldering and flares, which really favor the thin man. I still consider his FFA of Hourglass Left Side to be one of the best trad routes of the era becausde it had climbing that was rarely done back then. If someone big would have ripped out of the undercling onto that old Kamps coffin nail 1/4 inch bolt I think that baby would have gone. I imagine big cams have brought the route down to size but leading that on hexes was EXCITING. But I digress . . .

JL
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