CHARLIE PORTER INTERVIEW...

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Messages 1 - 26 of total 26 in this topic
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 22, 2009 - 04:03pm PT
This man is THE man!

From Rock & Ice 1993 by Chappie and George Bracksieck.

Merry Christmas from me! (Let me know if this is too small to read...)









Gene

Social climber
Dec 22, 2009 - 05:07pm PT
Never saw that before. Thanks, IHP.
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Dec 22, 2009 - 05:18pm PT
Whoa... What a savage dude!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 22, 2009 - 07:18pm PT
Thanks, Simon - that's awesome!!

And he hardly mentions the Shield.
slabbo

Trad climber
fort garland, colo
Dec 22, 2009 - 07:23pm PT
Sheild, Trip........ robbins" He has gotten inside the rurp and is looking out"

Ths baffin was the first grade 7 ??????
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Dec 22, 2009 - 09:17pm PT
Great find! Not much written by or about Charlie as he mentions. Cool to hear about his adventures.
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Top of the 5.2-5.12 Boulder
Dec 22, 2009 - 09:20pm PT
I remember this.
Met him, in the Valley, too. Mid 90's, looking for Werner.
What a cool, unassuming, self possessed guy.
oh, yeah.
dee ee

Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
Dec 22, 2009 - 09:38pm PT
Bad ass.
Brunosafari

Boulder climber
OR
Dec 22, 2009 - 11:43pm PT
"Fell only twice."

Obviously he wasn't pushing himself quite hard enough!
WBraun

climber
Dec 22, 2009 - 11:49pm PT
Yeah he was "THE BAD ASS"

He was the real Burt Bronson
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Dec 22, 2009 - 11:50pm PT
That is a great article. It was very useful in writing the first Big Walls Books

But the real score was when Rick Sylvestor found a note that Charlie left at Wilson's East Side sports when he was selling a pair of shoes (early 80's). Rick gave me the number saying "its 10++ year old and probably no good, but give it a shot." I dialed it and Charlie picked up. Gave great stories on his El Cap FA's. I probably would have never been able to track him down and get FA details without that note and Rick's decision to keep the phone number for a decade+.

Anyone know what he is up to now?
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Top of the 5.2-5.12 Boulder
Dec 22, 2009 - 11:59pm PT
South American Sailor, ain't he?
PhilG

Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
Dec 23, 2009 - 12:13am PT
Thanks for the post.
I agree with WBraun, and Charlie was also a kind and caring human.
I love that comment: "We thought climbing should be an amateur sport, or not even a sport at all."
He was so right on!
marv

Mountain climber
Bay Area
Dec 23, 2009 - 01:09am PT
a personal hero of mine, much more so than climbers closer to my generation (I'm early 30s). This article has all of The Three I's: Interesting, Informational, Inspirational.
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Dec 23, 2009 - 01:36am PT
"We thought climbing should be an amateur sport, or not even a sport at all."
In '75 I approached him in my capacity as an equipment pimp to see if he would consider a production license deal. While he accepted the proferred Mountain Room indulgences he made it clear in a very polite manner that he was not interested in pimping himself. Clearly a man of integrity.
Esparza

Trad climber
Westminster, CA
Jan 4, 2010 - 05:38pm PT
Fantastic!
and partner

Trad climber
Leavenworth, WA
Jan 7, 2010 - 10:34pm PT
Howdy- I climbed w/ Charlie in the late 60's. Leaning Tower, and some new stuff near lower falls. Also did some aid on the S. Face of WA Column. Great guy. Sorry I did not do the Nose w/ him the week I left the Valley, on a bike, for WA St.... which was his goal then. So- he solo'd it. He reminded me of Red Skelton on the ground, but was totally cool on the rock. A great partner. His girlfrined at that time said "Chaaallie can do anything Chaaallie says he can," (with a strong NE accent).

Never put off what ya can do. Life is short.
Dave Dailey
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Top of the 5.2-5.12 Boulder
Jan 7, 2010 - 10:36pm PT
Ah, Dave is Wise.
Good on ya, mon.
Bargainhunter

climber
Feb 24, 2014 - 10:50am PT
Can anyone please post the last page of the interview? It's not loading from the original post.
Don Paul

Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
Feb 24, 2014 - 07:30pm PT
A big loss. I hate to say this but for me, it IS too small to read and I dont know how to tweak my computer to make it bigger.
The guy above

climber
Across the pond
Feb 24, 2014 - 08:53pm PT
Don Paul, press the control key (ctrl) and the + key together
Don Paul

Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
Feb 24, 2014 - 09:25pm PT
^^^ Thanks guy above!
shila

Mountain climber
puerto williams
Feb 24, 2014 - 10:59pm PT
les informo que el dia domingo 23 de febrero murio en la ciudad de punta arenas chile charlie porter quien vivio por mas de 30 aņos en nuestra ciudad puerto williams
Telling them that the day Sunday, February 23 he died in the city of punta arenas chile charlie porter who lived for more than 30 years in our city port williams
Rick Sylvester

Trad climber
Squaw Valley, California
Feb 25, 2014 - 05:17am PT
With all respect to Charlie who was one of the dominant forces in climbing during his heyday, many of the things he says about when Shary McVoy, he and I had joined forces on Asgard are simply untrue. He has what's referred to as a "convenient memory". Related, his tale about coming across the disabled chopper does not make sense. It was miles away in the wrong direction and location from where any aspirant to climb Asgard emanating from Pangnirtung, the closest Baffin Island settlement to the tower, would find him or herself. And what provided the means for Shary and myself to be there and attempt Asgard following the abortive ad shoot was a Canadian Club not Seagram's ad (either would be ironic or whatever considering how little hard stuff I've ever drunk in my life). But this is the most minor of his errors. Like all of us, Charlie had his personal demons. R.I.P.
C4/1971

Trad climber
Depends on the day...
Mar 5, 2014 - 05:13pm PT
I remember Charlie living In Briceburg in about '73 or '74. His bathroom was literally a breeding ground for Black Widows and Charlie could not bring himself to killing them off.

I also remember watching him do the Shield. Amazing...
Scott McNamara

climber
Tucson, Arizona
Mar 5, 2014 - 09:47pm PT
I suppose all of us have personal demons, to one extent or another.

I wonder if they (in large part) are responsible for all these great deeds?
Messages 1 - 26 of total 26 in this topic
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