Chuck Clance appreciation Thread

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Chris Cunningham

Trad climber

San Francisco

Apr 6, 2018 - 11:06pm PT

Chuck styled up this familiar climb. It was unusual for Chuck to acquiesce to using a top rope without a 20 minute argument; if at all. We had decided this would be the last climb of a wonderful climbing day. Chuck was in top form that day; his climbing skills, considering his age, were amazing. I knew he was serious when he said he was "not coming back" to America. So I decided to take a video of him on this climb. Unfortunately, Chuck heard the camera beep and started yelling at me to stop filming him. I was only able to snap this picture.

Jim Clipper

climber

from: forests to tree farms

Apr 7, 2018 - 01:06pm PT

Fogarty

climber

BITD

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2018 - 11:07pm PT

I’m all in favor for a Clance gathering at the Leap,
I miss my friend.

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

Jun 13, 2018 - 01:00pm PT

Jim Brennan wrote:

The last time I encountered Clance was going up to the base of Sentinel Rock, while he and his partner were coming down. All members took the opportunity to shrug packs, take some water and communicate as climbers do.

... shrug packs, take some water and communicate as climbers do.

Damn if that doesn't transport me right to the feeling of being there, even without any descriptive details beyond the simple facts.

.........................................................................

And this one from climbrunride, way up-thread, is classic Clance state of mind & sense of humor:

He finally finished puking and climbed up to me. He confidently blamed his illness on the communists, cursed them, congratulated me on a good lead and was ready to move on with the day.

All hail the memory of Clancy!

Jim Clipper

climber

from: forests to tree farms

Jun 13, 2018 - 05:37pm PT

After a [too] brief encounter, all I can say is too bad he shied away from the internet. Would the mods dare? No filters.

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Jun 13, 2018 - 09:53pm PT

Here is another one...

We were bivied on p2 of leaning tower in hammocks. No joke. My first wall, bivy, everything. Fully gripped. He looks down at me and says " Don't move around too much, I'm not tied in and this belay is jingus without pins"

Silence...... then he starts laughing.

I never made it into my sleeping bag that night.

We finally make it to awahnee ledge and proceed to drink all of our beer, when a fixing team shows up. Chuck solicits them to bring more beer when they come back up in the morning. Which they do. So after 3 days on awahnee and fixed to the top of 7, I am now concerned and almost a week in with no upward movement in sight.

I convince chuck to bail so we can get more beer, which we do. Somehow he winds up ropeless on that ledge below the start and tells me to jettison the haul bag, and rap down to P1 and then toss him a rope. Calm as a cucumber I execute the toss, watch it explode and then proceed to leave like 15 draws on the way down.

Pull the ropes and meet him on the ledge.

He looks at me and says" ain't this bitchin?!" Then tells me he never repeats wall climbs so bailing on this one is ok.

Took the blame right away, and eased my mind enough to want to wall climb again.

In his own way he could whipe the bad day away as quick as it arrived.

I miss my bud.