Letter from Earl Wiggins

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England

Mountain climber
Colorado
Jun 18, 2010 - 08:54pm PT
I'm going to type this in as Jimmie Dunn dictates this to me, becauce he doesn't know how to turn a computer on(yet!).
In 1975 when Earl was 17, he had just climbed the second ascent of the Goss/Logan on North Chasm View wall in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This was a three and a half day aid ascent. The first ascent,(Wanye Goss & Jimmy Logan) was also a three and a half day ascent. Soon after Earl approached me with the idea of free climbing the Kor/Dalke on North Chasm View Wall. For a skinny teenager with thick glasses, Earl had great vison. This climb became know as, "The Cruise" after we free climbed it in May of 1976, in about six hours(this was the second ascent of the climb).
Jimmie Dunn
WBraun

climber
Jun 18, 2010 - 09:03pm PT
"The Cruise" after we free climbed it in May of 1776,

I know that date is probably a typo ..... :-)
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Jun 18, 2010 - 09:07pm PT
Wow, that was a long time ago...

What did they use for pro, Indian bones and British musket parts?

Great thread, thanks everyone.
England

Mountain climber
Colorado
Jun 18, 2010 - 09:28pm PT
I fixed the the typo. Climbed in 1976. Thanks.
England
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Jun 19, 2010 - 05:49am PT
Thanks for sharing Jimmy's back story of The Cruise!
Jimmer

Trad climber
Orland Park, IL
Jun 24, 2013 - 04:59pm PT
I just found these. I was thinking about Earl. He was a climbing legend in my book and also a great friend. Earl and I had a lot of adventures, climbing, roller blading and rafting. He and Katie were always up for an adventure.

I saw Earl in Chicago about two weeks before we lost him. Such a great loss. I may never understand but I will always feel the loss of such a good friend. Rest easy Earl.
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Jun 24, 2013 - 06:06pm PT
Never met Earl, just knew him through the magazines but everyone seemed to respect him as a person and a climber.
At the risk of getting this thread off topic I wonder if climbers are more prone to depression/mental issues than the general public. Our brains do seem to work a bit different than the others.
thebravecowboy

climber
the Midcontinent Rift
Apr 20, 2015 - 08:16pm PT

any insights as to locality, fillings, etc would be pretty cool to learn. (is that a shovel handle on right?)
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Nov 19, 2017 - 06:34pm PT
I had not realized! RIP, Earl/'Bigster'
oh man theres a few things that i wish i could remember clearly. . .
Is Merril Bitter still crushing?
I was thrilled to hear from Dana Houser just a month ago...
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Nov 19, 2017 - 08:08pm PT
Merrill had his sixtieth BD a few years ago
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Nov 19, 2017 - 10:01pm PT
Thanx,
Must have been '80-'81? I was part of the rabble in the desert with a bunch of other eastern kids new to Salt lake.
I had No Idea who any one was. Earl, Merril, Mugs, Meekan, the guys from Wave Products . . .
those days . . . I thought the soft stone was scary, but it turned out that The drive of that crew was too. `B7)

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