Any Jimmy Dunn stories?

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steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 13, 2010 - 01:04pm PT

I'm a very old friend of Jimmy Dunn. Since he isn't mentioned here too often, I thought that I would start off this thread with a little known amusing story. I'm sure many of you know of his near fatal demise, when a haul bag; ( which he was tied to), slipped off a ledge on some big wall.
He made a diving leap, and grabbed the rope, somehow arresting the falling bag. This must of happened awfully fast, since within seconds, he would of been plucked off.
An "event" which happened many years ago in New Hampshire and is little known is his encounter with a BEAVER. He was in a sleeping bag near Cathedral Ledge when he was rudely awakened by a beaver who bit him on the ass! It was a nasty bite, which took weeks to heal up. Jimmy always laughs when he tells the story.

Ed Hartouni

Trad climber

Livermore, CA

Jun 13, 2010 - 02:48pm PT

Cosmos 5.8 A4 VI FA 1972 Jim Dunn

from the AAJ 1973

'Jim Dunn made a solo new route, “Cosmos,” which lies between the Dihedral and Salathe routes. He had started with the Canadian Gordan Smaill, who was hurt in a fall some 800 feet up. The pair descended, leaving several fixed ropes and a few slings to bypass places where piton placements were poor. Then Dunn returned alone to complete the route in nine days. He placed some 70 bolts.'

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jun 13, 2010 - 03:01pm PT

Royal had just come off of failed attempt to do a new route solo when Jimmy did Cosmos. I recall running into Liz who was none too happy that a Valley "outsider" stole the thunder.

throwpie

Trad climber

Berkeley

Jun 13, 2010 - 03:51pm PT

In the early seventies... seventy two perhaps, a tweaky little kid I knew in Merced, came knocking on my door. He had two or three loaded haul bags he wanted to sell me. Fifty bucks! What a deal! His story was that he knew a guy that was getting out of climbing and wanted to sell all his stuff. I smelled a fish, but I plonked down fifty...not a small sum then, at least to me.
The next morning I drove up to the valley and brought the gear into the Mountain shop, to see if anyone was missing any climbing gear. "Thats Jimmy Dunn's stuff! was the answer. It had been stolen a few days earlier. Rangers were called and I surrendered the bags. A few days later, I got a call from the FBI office in Merced, and was told I had to give up the name of the thief of face theft charges myself. No problem. I heard the kid was selling the gear for the real thief, who was arrested shortly. The kid got quite a beating when the guy got out of jail.
Thats my Jimmy Dunn story. Never did get my fifty bucks back.

Chief

climber

Jun 13, 2010 - 04:43pm PT

Jimmy Dunn is one of my heroes, period.
Never met the man.
Bold, creative, definitive old school hard man forever quitting climbing and selling his gear and then getting back on the horse that threw him.
Favorite quote as best I can remember it;

"We used to regularly downclimb stuff we thought was 5.9+ that people would call 5.11 today"

Hats off to Mr. Jim Dunn, a legend of North American climbing!

With greatest respect,

PB

rmuir

Social climber

the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.

Jun 13, 2010 - 06:31pm PT

An unqualified amen to that one. I, too, have never met the man face-to-face, but I feel like I know him...

Cosmos

By Robs John Muir

Climbing is such a great sport! The rumors fly fast and furious, and the quantity is limited only by our imaginations and the number of six-packs consumed...

Having done the second ascent many moons ago, and hearing all the stories back then, here is yet another rumor to add to your haulbag... As the story goes:

"After Jim's partner smashed his leg on an aborted earlier attempt, Jim was forced to solo Cosmos. He was so fried and frightened after the many days he spent in the unknown, that he left the Valley immediately after topping-out, headed back East, where he sold all his gear supposedly never to climb again."

The route was a total mystery to all of us. According to some Valley locals at the time, Jimmy said nary a word about the route and he never even drew a topo for anyone before he split to join the monastery. Another rumor. Speaking of habits...the story around here was that it was FEAR that drove Jim to kick the climbing habit for a time, not the ennui of "having done it all".

We carried a rack to end all racks, since we were heading into the unknown. And after days of route finding, we were left with a single quart of water to last us for the final two days. (But that's another story.) When Jack Roberts and I did that route four years later, I was struck by the the portrait in stone left by the man who led the way. There is some brilliant stuff lower down, but the higher you climb the more desperate the climbing becomes. The conclusive evidence--to my mind--can be seen on the final pitch below the traverse to the West Buttress. A straight-forward diaganal ramp with 5.9-5.10 face stuff was totally avoided, in order to nail a slightly overhung incipient rurp crack with a "chicken" bolt placed in the middle of the wall! There was never a choice; given a belayer and the courage engendered by a second soul on the route, no one in their right mind would try and nail that too too poor crack. The ramp is the obvious choice...

The deteriorating mental state of Jim was writ large on Cosmos! I have a profound respect for his achievement, and I don't mean to take anything away from his first ascent. But I highly recommend this line to anyone interested in the history of climbing and psychology of climbers.

maui_mark

climber

under a coconut tree

Jun 13, 2010 - 06:42pm PT

I met jimmy in Indian Creek. Truely a desert rat to me at the time when I met him 6 years ago. He was living out of a red Ford 350 van and in the off season mining for jems in Az. I believe.

One day he told us he was doing a FA desert tower with Earl Wiggins and Billy Westbay. Back then it was all swami belts and bowline around the waist tie-in's he told us.

Some how he was belaying Earl Wiggins up one of the harder offwidths and Jimmy told us "Earl was cruz'n so I was pulling in the rope as fast as a could..... all of the sudden the tail end of the rope was in my hand.... but no Earl."

Moments later Earl arrives at the belay soloing the pitch. How he came untied off the belay Jimmy never knew.

He said he had many other terror stories of "lessons" learned climbing with Kor, Wigging, Webster and Westbay.

Jimmy is a cool dude.

Tomcat

Trad climber

Chatham N.H.

Jun 13, 2010 - 06:52pm PT

WBraun

climber

Jun 13, 2010 - 07:01pm PT

He Dunn it ......

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 13, 2010 - 07:03pm PT

I'm glad I started this thread! He deserves it. Probably off mining minerals as I speak.
I talk with him every month or so. I'm sure he will be back on the rock soon. It's hard to get it out of your system. Jimmy is one of the great ones!

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jun 13, 2010 - 07:45pm PT

Jimmy is by a country mile the most obsessive/compulsive climber I have ever met. He once did Drumbstick Direct (South Platte old school 10+) on top rope 40 times without resting.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:20pm PT

Jimmy called me last week. The mineral thing isn't working, but come fall Helen has a gig and Jimmy will be full time dadding Charlie Joe. We usually talk more about mutual friends, lizards, minerals and guns much more than climbing.

The Chief has me intrigued with his story as Jimmy has been sober now for decades.

???

Allen Hill

Social climber

CO.

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:34pm PT

He's compulsive/obsessive about everything. I was on the phone with him last weekend all the while he's dealing with putting on a new roof and taking on a major sewage problem and a having a long catch up chat with me. He's a great guy and fun to be around.

Slakkey

Big Wall climber

From Back to Big Wall Baby

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:38pm PT

There was someone awhile back that was trying to sell an used original A 5 Ledge here on the Taco. He wanted $1,000.00 for it. Saying that you too could own a true original A5 Of course several of us said he would be lucky to get half that for the Ledge and Middendorf chimes in and says yes, you would be lucky to get $350.00 and then goes on to say that He personally gave that Ledge to Jimmy Dunn. bet the guy never knew it was Jimmy's

Peter Haan

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:47pm PT

Robs,

Quite interestingly, an incredible eighteen years later, (1990), Jimmy came back with John MIddendorf (Deuce4) and did the direct finish to his route, effectively erasing his panic 800 ft exit on Thanksgiving Ledge northward in 1972. This last addition was relatively easy compared to the climbing lower down and was only 6 more pitches. So, in the final analysis, he finished the thing up the way it should have been and fortunately returned to climbing as well.

Once again, this was the first solo first ascent of a new route on El Capitan. Jimmy aced RR and others who were about to try a new route alone. I was around when he was up there; we were watching him and concerned too. He was up there quite a long time and it was looking like maybe problems might develop. Thanks god they didn't and Jimmy made it through!

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:52pm PT

Chief, without a doubt, if it was 1999 Jimmy did not have anything to drink.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Jun 13, 2010 - 08:53pm PT

When Jimmy did Comos as the ultimate Valley outsider, and from Colorado at that, he was treated pretty badly by some of the locals. A little bit like Henry Barber's reception when he did Fish Crack. Folks could be pretty petty in those days. Jimmy didn't rub it in people's faces like Henry did.

go-B

climber

In God We Trust

Jun 13, 2010 - 09:07pm PT

"40 times without resting"

My kind of Dunnlaps!

okay,whatever

Trad climber

Charlottesville, VA

Jun 13, 2010 - 09:56pm PT

This is secondhand, but John Bouchard told my wife and I a story (about 25 years ago, I should note), about Jim racing into his house one night in NH and saying, "John, it's the salamanders! Salamanders! You've got to come see!" As I recall the story (but Bouchard would be the authority), they hopped in a van, drove out to some road, and sure enough, there were hundreds of salamanders all over the place....

Anyway, I used to run into him bouldering in the Garden, in the early seventies, and he was always incredibly friendly and non-arrogant to me, and I wasn't anything like the climber he was/is!

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 13, 2010 - 10:03pm PT

The 1st time I went to Turkey Rocks, Jimmy was my partner. Soon after we arrived Leonard Coyne shows up. I got on Drumstick Direct with Leonard. What a beautiful climb!
I can't imagine doing it 40 times in one day.

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 13, 2010 - 10:09pm PT

i heard a similar salamander story from BASE that took place in josh.

I met james in the valley one time and he was off to meet the "old bro's" Steve sutton etal for some drinkin'

next day- where's jimm? IN THE VAN with the bike and the aftereffects of ALL the tequila.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Jun 13, 2010 - 10:29pm PT

Rumor was; Jimmy was the wheelman when Bouchard, while riding shotgun in his Porsche, nailed a string of roadsigns with a Browning BDA .380 that he had traded a couple of packs for.

Nice little 14 shot pistol (actually made for Browning by Beretta and uses the same clip as their .380).

Mighty Hiker

climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Jun 13, 2010 - 11:04pm PT

Amazing stories. Although shooting highway signs seems a bit redneck/moron for any climber.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Jun 13, 2010 - 11:49pm PT

When Jimmy is at the wheel of a Porsche then even being able to hit a sign flying by is a feat of marksmanship far beyond that which a mere mortal redneck is capable of.

One actually travels back in time.

Kalimon

Trad climber

Ridgway, CO

Jun 14, 2010 - 01:00am PT

Hiking boot on left, rock shoe on right . . . barefoot . . . Jimmy is the sh*t. When your fave Black route is Stoned Oven you Yos boyz betta step aside and see what it is all about.

Kalimon

Trad climber

Ridgway, CO

Jun 14, 2010 - 01:11am PT

The Valley Krew (Stonedmasterz era) was never too kind to anyone.

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2010 - 05:42am PT

bump

Edge

Trad climber

New Durham, NH

Jun 14, 2010 - 10:20am PT

Jim was already an iconic figure when I started climbing at Cathedral/Whitehorse in the late 70's. And yet he would gladly offer belays, advice, or just pleasant conversation. I particularly remember one rainy day where we were all congregated under the Cathedral roof, working on Molsons and Grandmothers Challenge. I never got either, but with Jim's coaching and encouragement I made several personal advances that day that I took forward to all my future climbs.

A few weeks later I was hanging out across from the kiosk when Jim came running up to me and asked me to hold down his Samoyed (Camber?) while he plucked a handful of porcupine quills out of her nose. It took my full body weight to hold the poor dog down.

As a Junior in High School I went to Dunn slideshow at EMS and watched in awe the slides of Yosemite, the Black Canyon, etc. Again, I was blown away by the shots and encouraged to push myself that much harder. I approached him after the show and asked about one of the songs he had played as a soundtrack. It was "Welcome to the Machine," my first exposure to Pink Floyd. Of course that inspired a whole different arc to my life...

ydpl8s

Trad climber

Santa Monica, California

Jun 14, 2010 - 11:01am PT

He was one of those guys that could come to a new crag, and in a very short time, put up FA's that would become testpieces in the area for years to come. Colorado and Utah are full of them.

hobo_dan

Social climber

Minnesota

Jun 14, 2010 - 11:31am PT

I'm loving these stories- total old west. The cool stranger walked into town, sizing it up in a quick glance and then he did what he came to do- the only thing he left behind was a string of broken hearts...
From Jimmy Dunn to Todd Skinner.

Where have all papa's heroes gone?

ARoberts

Trad climber

boulder, colorado

Jun 14, 2010 - 11:51am PT

In the late 90's I caught a glimpse of a super thin tower off Onion Creek rd. After a long wondering hike I finally got underneath it only to see fresh anchors on top. Back in Moab I found Eric Bjornstad at his usual spot on the Pasta Jays patio drinking their cheap red wine. When I described the random hard to find tower, he informed me that it was Dunn just the week before.

Alan Rubin

climber

Amherst,MA.

Jun 14, 2010 - 01:34pm PT

Before launching into a couple of Dunn anecdotes, I want to say that Jim is one of the most unique, genuine, and generous individuals I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and climbing with. Two examples of his compulsiveness come quickly to mind. Jim has told me on a number of occasions (though these were over a decade ago now) that he had NEVER waited on line in traffic, that if he saw a back-up he'd turn around and go a different route, even if that meant many hours of additional driving. Even with a bit of hyperbole it didn't surprise me at all given Jim's total lack of patience for most things other than his various climbing and non-climbing projects. A further example occurred sometime in the mid-70s when a travelling fair came to North Conway (probably July 4 weekend). One of the "attractions" was a very low-angle, 3 or 4 rung ladder attached to a rotating "ball" at either end.The idea was to climb the ladder to ring a bell at the top---simple!!! The problem was that as one moved higher the ladder would spin dumping the climber unceremoniously in the dirt. Success was apparantly a matter of balance and correct body-weight distribution, and we did see one person succeed(he was rumored to operate a similar ride in a rival fair), but the entire North Conway climbing community and numerous visiting climbers were shut down completely. For most of us, this meant 1 or 2 dirt landings before giving up. Not Jim, though. He went for attempt after attempt, quickly going through a fair amount of his limited funds to no avail. He finally, and very reluctantly, admitted defeat after failing on more attempts than he'd made (20 some-odd)on his hardest route to that time--Possessed on Cathedral. Surprisingly, given the money the operator must have made off the climbing community that year, I never saw that "attraction" in subsequent Conway fairs. I've always wondered if Jim ever found a similar "ride" and tried again.

Jack Burns

climber

Jun 14, 2010 - 03:20pm PT

Met JD a few times. An ex of mine is good friends with him with a mutual love of gems. Once he called her up to chat and she handed me the phone. He had never met me or even knew who I was but he talked with me for almost an hour, raving about how good the climbing is on Pike's Peak and quoting his car-to-car speed records of all the routes there. Absolutely the most psyched and motivated climber I've met.

I've also heard a story or two from others about doing routes in the Black with him. Mostly entailing how they let Jimmy lead the whole route because he brings the rack and it's usually something like three cams and a set of stoppers, all vintage of course. He told me once that his record for the Scenic Cruise is two and a half hours!

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2010 - 07:31pm PT

I remember climbing with him in the Springs and to this day; I've never seen a rope in worst shape. In multiple places, the white core was sticking way out beyond the sheath. I commented on it and he didn't seem to worry. None of us had much money back then.

okay,whatever

Trad climber

Charlottesville, VA

Jun 15, 2010 - 01:13am PT

I like the picture on page 101 of the second "Climb" edition, with Billy and Jim, circa 1971. Too small to scan and expand, otherwise I would post it....

Captain...or Skully

Social climber

Seriously, Man, I didn't know she was Your sister.

Jun 15, 2010 - 01:17am PT

He went back up on Cosmos with Deucey, did a "Direct Finish".
Nice.

SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Jun 15, 2010 - 01:53am PT

I'm kinda suprized philo hasn't chimed in on this one. . .

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Jun 16, 2010 - 02:00pm PT

I noticed some posts speaking of Jimmy as if he was dead. Please stop this(bad karma). He is alive, and well. I just got off the phone with him.

'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Jun 16, 2010 - 02:34pm PT

Well, tell him to chime in then, eh?

I've never met Jimmy, but I certainly enjoyed climbing Cosmos a few years ago. Tom and I replaced a bunch of original anchor bolts with some new 3/8-inchers, so the route is good to go. Even so, I don't believe I've seen it climbed since we were on it, which is a shame.

There is a superb "ABC" ledge just right of the second belay, a great place to hang out the first few nights while schlepping, hauling and fixing.

We also trundled an enormous tower of rock weighing several tons from the fifth pitch. Someone had retreated from that point leaving behind a big Camalot in the crack that they were too afraid to retrieve. They drilled a 3/8" bolt in the middle of the pitch, then bailed. The McTopo said "no cams on pitch", so we were surprised to see a giant crack there. Anyway, the block is gone, and there looks to be a nailable thin crack in behind where it used to be.

chill

climber

between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing

Jun 16, 2010 - 02:40pm PT

I didn't know him well, he had mostly moved on from Colorado Springs before I started climbing. The first time I met him he pulled up at the climbing shop where I worked in a bright red, full length leather motorcycle suit. He had just driven non-stop across the country on a Motoguzzi motorcycle. His hand was frozen in a curl from holding onto the throttle.
I used to run into him from time to time while bouldering around the area. He was always very friendly, very easy to talk to.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Jun 16, 2010 - 02:42pm PT

Jimmy is too busy with real life to do much in psyber-space.

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 17, 2010 - 05:54am PT

Jimmy called me last night. He hasn't read this thread yet, but I hope he chimes in here. I encouraged him to comment on the Earl Wiggins thread. They did some pretty crazy stuff together.
Jimmy told me that after he soloed the Cosmos, Royal Robbins wrote him a letter, congratulating him.

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 17, 2010 - 11:06am PT

Whitehorse ledge -80's. Jimmy had just completed the second ascent of an Ed Webster line and we were gearing up for the third. I said 'it sure looks a bit thin", James -'there's more up there than you can see" !

pyro

Big Wall climber

Calabasas

Jun 17, 2010 - 11:57am PT

killer thread! love to read about wall climbers.

cowpoke

climber

Jun 17, 2010 - 01:26pm PT

James -'there's more up there than you can see" !

was there?!?

what climb was that, Slabbo?

deuce4

climber

Hobart, Australia

Jun 18, 2010 - 10:25am PT

Hi Peter-

Actually, the last 6 ptiches (5 new) were definitely not relatively easy, despite the grade they were given. We got caught in a huge storm, the second worst of my big wall career, right at the point in which the direct finish begins. My inclination was to set up the bivy right there, but it was in a pretty exposed spot. Jimmy insisted we climb to under a roof two pitches up. The next two pitches were incredibly challenging in a major sleetstorm with horrendous winds, but eventually, past dark, we made it under the roof and had a sheltered bivy. I think the next day was spent under that roof, while the storm continued. Jimmy was near hypothermic, with a soaked down bag.
The next day we progressed upward, and the next several pitches were a nightmare--the most rotten rock I have ever encountered in Yosemite. The cracks were wide, and Friends just did not work in them, because the insides of the crack were too crumbly and exfoliating. We only had one 2" piton, which I had to continually reuse for protection, lowering off super dicey equalized junk to retrieve it from time to time. It was a mix of semi-freeclimbing and semi-stepping on dicey cams.
Then we joined the last pitch of Excaliber, and all was well.
Jimmy was fairly crippled on top from the days of cold, and was barely able to walk.

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 18, 2010 - 10:59am PT

POKE- it was revolt of the dike brigade 11a. It wasn't to bad, but I had never and HAVE again seen Jimmy on a slab ! A gimme NH 11 for sure.

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Jun 18, 2010 - 08:35pm PT

I'm going to type this in as Jimmie Dunn dictates this to me, because he doesn't know how to turn a computer on(yet).
Deuce-good report on the Cosmos. Good adventure with you. What do you think about climbing the last pitch left of the Excaliber pitch. Do you remember that wide undercling? Hope you, and your family are well. I miss you.
Jimmie Dunn

Mike Bolte

Trad climber

Planet Earth

Jun 18, 2010 - 08:54pm PT

nice story Deuce!

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Jun 18, 2010 - 10:19pm PT

As dictated by Jimmie Dunn:
Go-B, and Steve.A- Actually I only climbed Drumstick 31 times in one day including 15 to 20 laps on various other climbs. The 31 laps were in sets, and not in a row. Although, it would be nice to do 31 laps in a row without stopping. Hellen said, "He looked like a nice shade of lichen green".
Steve.A-You are correct, I recieved a very nice letter of congratulations from Royal Robbins after soloing the Cosmos. I felt bad for never replying to his letter. Maybe it's not to late.

dgrud

Social climber

Florida

Jun 19, 2010 - 03:58pm PT

That beaver that bit J.Dunn in the ass must have been a female.Jimmie has a magic way with animals.

survival

Big Wall climber

A Token of My Extreme

Jun 19, 2010 - 05:34pm PT

Yikes guys!

I'm glad I wasn't there for that direct finish...

I've had enough of my own rotten crack storms.
Great story, and welcome Jimmy!!

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Jun 20, 2010 - 04:07pm PT

Great to read these stories, and see posts from lots of longtime friends.
I'm going to have to pull out and scan some oldies. I do still have
one mini-minolta slide from an EMS climbing school lesson I took with
Jim in 1973! Neither of us would have guessed after that not auspicious
start (trying to pull me up the squeeze chimney start of Cathedral Standard)
that I'd be working for him at the climbing school a few years later and climbing together almost 40 years later:
I also saw a slide show he gave the night before, on the second ascent of the Heart with Andy Embick and Roy Kligfield, and he also turned me on to
Pink Floyd and along with climbing, many other mind-body-life expanding adventures (and still does). He introduced me to the vegetarian diet, eastern philosophy and shared his books on the Tao Te Ching, showed me his collection of original Edward Curtis prints, rare minerals, and many other subjects that seemed esoteric at the time. His own photography has always been at the same high standard he reaches in anything he encounters, and he always shares his wisdom on whatever topic he is passionate about. I always found it curious that two college dropouts, James and Galen, are candidates for the smartest people I've ever known. The reverse was not true. There was a saying he had with yours truly in mind `You can be a genius and still not know what's going on in the world!' Fortunately he did his best to clue me in. (There was another saying that made it to a t-shirt, inspired by JD: `Climbing may be hard, but it's easier than growing up!' - Yogi Sklar-an-anda, a legendary optics guru who moved on to Los Alamos :-) I also remember the fair with the ladder on turnbuckles, and the guy running it could walk upright right up the middle! Actually one climber Did hit the buzzer at the top - Rich Goldstone who was up in N. Conway with Joe Bridges.

One big of many big contributions was the way Jimmie cross-pollinated the New England and Colorado Springs climbing communities (we will leave literal interpretations for another forum ;-) but another thing that reminds me of is it is because of Jimmie that I'm now a beekeeper. He did that and had amazing `Bees-Knees' honey from his hives. Ken Sims, Leonard (just Leonard suffices), Dan Maclure and many others came east, and Ed Webster, and many others went west lured by the pictures and tall walls and tales.
I've met so many great people through Jimmie, and one unforgettable one is Earl. The only time I succeeded on Anaconda was the time I was out there witb both Earl and Jimmie.

Well this is too long already and I have to go, but I will get back with more pictures and stories soon, and will leave with one favorite.

There's a climb on Cathedral called Youth Challenge, and most think it is just a challenge to the youth. But Jimmie had a VW bus he got that used to belong to, as was painted on the side, Youth Challenge Outreach, with a cross and the motto `One Way, One Job' (reminiscent of Tobin's helmet?)

Jimmie stopped to get gas at the station next to the old EMS, cleaned up after a lesson, looking somewhat like a hippie priest, and the attendant comes up wearing a huge cross, looks at the bus, looks in the back at me, Ajax Greene, and Ray Lassman quite scraggly in the back like we were right out of the homeless shelter, and says to Jimmie, `I see you're doing the right thing.' Jimmie nodded. As he paid him for the gas, Jimmie said `Have a nice day, my son.' The guy was beaming as we drove out.

I also remember Henry Barber's reaction to the beaver incident (they were going over to Zonked out that day I think) `You're complaining? I haven't been bitten by a beaver for months now...' It was on the ground outside of `Camp Climb' on Cathedral Ledge Drive...

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 20, 2010 - 04:31pm PT

Bob
I'm about to become a grandfather. I know you have talked to my son Mark on occasion. He has a PHD from UPENN and just landed a great job with G.E., 2 miles from home. His wife is expecting in a few weeks and it is boy.
The last time I saw you was about 30 years ago, at the arches, , working out with Henry Barber.
I'm glad that I started this thread! Jimmy Dunn is the greatest and as I get older and smarter, I realize that one of the most important things in life is relationships you develop over time with people.
When I think back on it- climbing has been super important in my life.
I can't imagine another activity which has put me in touch with so many great people.
Hope your still climbing. I was up on Cathedral Ledge yesterday doing laps on Nutcracker. Boy, do I love climbing!
Best Steve

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Jun 20, 2010 - 08:59pm PT

Hey Steve, Thanks for the followup and that's really where I meant to start this - I met all of these people to begin with through my sister Julie who worked at EMS N Conway and the Touring center in Jackson. She's now been to Antarctica about 23 times as director of polar programs at NSF and I met you through her too. I've told her that I was in touch with you and Mark, and I'm glad Mark has been passing it along, he's sent some nice pics of your land and what you've been building. I remember hearing you tell the story of you and John Bouchard getting hit by lightning at the top of the Walker Spur, and well all the dream climbs you developed when I felt like a latecomer to climbing, in NH and the Boston area, Hammond. I need to get on some climbs with you, Al, Sam Streibert too, been way too long. If my remaining brain cells are right, I climbed with Al and Jimmie in the Valley on Bircheff-Williams before I left Cali...? I miss Sweet New England in the autumn! I did dig out some old prints that I'll take up to school and scan tomorrow, then look for some other ones. Here are a couple more from a couple of Memorial Day's ago:

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Jun 22, 2010 - 02:00am PT

OK, a couple of climbing stories, and some random photo collages to make the scanning a little quicker. Some better pics when I get to go through some other albums.

One of the most impressive bits of climbing I saw in the 70s was when Jimmie did the first ascent of Black Magic on Cathedral Ledge. I don't think it has seen many repeats? On top of involving steep hard 5.11 to the crux fist crack over a roof on loose rock (some major torpedoes came down so we onlookers all cleared far out of the fall line), there were huge spiders webs inhabited by huge spiders that were defending the roof. Every time one of them crawled onto him he let out a wail. Some he managed to flick off to the ground, but a couple were caught in his hair and were not so lucky. All he could use to protect the route were big hexentrics behind
the loose flakes in the crack, since this was shortly before Friends were available. Jimmie persevered and when he got to the mud and moss covered
shelf where the crack ended, he dug his arms in up to his elbows and pulled his body over the edge! I do have a picture somewhere of his legs hanging out precariously over the ledge with his upper body sprawled trying to hang on to the dirt and small bushes! We yelled up to see if he was ok, and we heard him say `Now I know what my [climbing school] clients feel like! This is 5.2 and I can't even move!'. In a couple of minutes he did regroup and set up a belay.

There's been mention of some incidents with ropes mysteriously becoming untied. I remember Jimmie telling me about an ascent of Anaconda (maybe the FFA) in which Jimmie arrived at the belay and Earl asked him about the knot on his swami belt, at which point he realized there was no knot! Well one day Jimmie was trying a new route on Maverick Buttress above Potash Road with Betsy McKittrick and my. There was a crazy flared sandy off-width through a bulge, the kind of thing he usually floats up quickly but this seemed to require all of attention, and we could hear him breathing pretty hard. The outcome seemed in doubt to the very end with an occasional slip of the hand or foot, or a chunk of sandstone exploding off, but finally he pulled over into the alcove above. His reaction was pretty unusual however. As he placed a piece of gear, he said loudly for us to hear, `I don't believe it! I don't *** believe it!!' `What?! What?!' we both yelled up. After clipping the rope through the piece and carefully holding the strand leading down in one hand, he dramatically took the rope leading to his harness in the other, and pulled it gently free. The whole time he hadn't been tied in at all. He called the climb Boot Hill... 5.12b.

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 22, 2010 - 11:31am PT

Bob- no pix from Camber ??? I HOPE Black magic has never been repeated ! I know that certainly never wanted to do it

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Jun 22, 2010 - 03:36pm PT

I'll check for Camber pics. I do have one from the lookout I think. I think Alison Osius did Black Magic! BTW, the motorcycle pic is in the N. Carolina days, early 80s. The bouldering shot is in Colorado. The one on top is on Cathedral, the middle two are on a Kancamagus classic...

Here are a few more, three NH, two CO

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 22, 2010 - 07:30pm PT

Lichen it a Lot, crack in the Woods ? Zonkers and.....?

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Jun 22, 2010 - 07:46pm PT

Ali-O did Black magic ???? She could prolly fit her whole body in.

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Jun 23, 2010 - 02:10am PT

I thought that was Lichen Delight, barefoot, about to go around the corner, but perhaps the other? Either way, very good call. Then yes, Crack in the Woods, the start and the stem up high. The belayer - Walter Dembitsky if I got that right myself? Screaming Yellow Zonkers. Nice IDs. The boulder is Cloud Shadow at Flagstaff, I have to find some better Ute Pass pics. I think the motorcycle was Motoguzzi? Bimota? Other pictures were, upper pitches of VMC Direct-Direct, First pitch of the Beast 666, Jimmie and Mike Sciaca at Shelf Road, and the ice climb is Jimmie on Hully Gully, (Colorado Springs).
And I'm pretty sure she told me about doing Black Magic. Ali-o, I haven't heard that since probably before we first met in the 80s in the Gunks. I was telling a friend a couple of positive thinking climbing concepts that she taught me back then, I remember especially her lead of Comedy in Three Acts (or one of those). One was being `all dressed up', the dangly earings, etc, so that you just Had to climb well! She said she picked that up from Huey!
The other was `leeway', that the holds were good enough that even if you weren't using every one perfectly, you had leeway to still not fall...

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Jun 25, 2010 - 06:35am PT

Bob,

Thanks for the cool stories of inspiration, and partners still climbing together so many years later!

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Jun 27, 2010 - 12:51pm PT

As dictated by Jimmie Dunn:
(Throwpie)-Thanks for the interesting story about my stolen, "Cosmos" gear. I always wondered what happen to that stuff. A Yosemite climbing friend Chris Vandurmer mentioned something about a liitle bit of the stuff being found. Sorry you never got your fifty bucks back. I never got the gear back either. Sometimes I think it would be kind of cool to see the lost arrows with flattend eyes, ripped hamock, broken hammer, etc... Anyway thaks for the story, it's appreciated.
Jimmie Dunn

GBrown

Trad climber

North Hollywood, California

Jun 29, 2010 - 03:52am PT

Hey Steve, good job throwing out this thread idea. Sure sparked some fun. Hope to see you at the Gunks when I get back Northeast in October. Best, Gary.

steveA

Trad climber

bedford,massachusetts

Topic Author's Reply - Jun 29, 2010 - 10:31am PT

Hey Gary
Keep me posted when your going to be in the Gunks!
Best, Steve

throwpie

Trad climber

Berkeley

Jun 29, 2010 - 04:58pm PT

Hey England...tell Jimmy no sweat on the 50 bucks...I've got more than my moneys worth from how many times I've told the story. My brush with fame, you know....
I'll bet that gear is stashed away in some back corner at the ranger's office...I left it at the mountain shop and that was the last place I saw it.

meat

Trad climber

san diego

Jun 29, 2010 - 05:51pm PT

1988. I was a 20ish wanker then (now a 40ish wanker) and had just started climbing since moving West from NY. I was in Moab at Linn Ottinger's rock shop. Moab was a lot different then. Anyway, me and another guy whose name I can't remember (and whose bright yellow 10mm hand-knotted cordelettes I still have somewhere) wanted to go climbing. Linn knew Jimmy and we all went up to do North Chimney on Castelton. JD put in 2 pieces at the crux and soloed the rest of it. Fast. I was #3 guy with Jimmy leading the whole thing so I did not see him until the top. We walked down together to the cars with me getting regaled by Jimmy with horrific stories of his run-ins with our friend Johnnie Law in South Florida. Later on that day we went to Warren Hardings place in Moab. I remember Harding opening the fridge and it had beer in it. Only beer. Full size fridge to boot...

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Jun 29, 2010 - 06:17pm PT

Beer?
Warren??

Doesn't sound like Warren and Alice's fridge to me,..

Benn

Sport climber

Jersey

Jul 22, 2010 - 01:58pm PT

Hi, to All, and thanks for a great read. This thread is fun! Jimmy Dunn is certainly an accomplished teacher, climber, miner and father, and I give him homage for all those. But I think that what people love about him is the kind of person he is. He's a one-of-a-kind, noble and special guy - you gotta love him! There are very few I've met that give like he gives. Or that have his verve for life, his energy, and his humility. I am privileged to have known him. I'm not really a climber, but for 5 or 10 years I got to do it in my own small way and felt the fun of getting to the top, and the splendor of the desert and the forest, mostly thanks to Jimmy. He showed me some great hikes and beautiful country. He helped me get in shape with multiple climbs in the Garden and on Turkey Rock and later introduced me to Moab, Arches, Fisher Towers, Castleton and many more, mostly walls & towers. And he also introduced me to dozens of his friends - it seemed like every time we hung out together we'd cross paths with climbers that knew him, usually from long ago or far away. He told me once (was he just joking?) that climbing was just an excuse to go off with your friends to spectacular outdoor settings. And I'll always remember Jimmy's amused admonition, shouted up to me on the cliff face: "Gravity's comin' to get you!" It was a wonderful period in the wonderful world of climbers. Magical times with some of the world's greatest people!
Thanks, Jimmy!

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Sep 1, 2010 - 09:56pm PT

As dictated by Jimmie Dunn:
This in response to my good friend Leonard Coyne's article in Robbie William's Black Canyon of the Gunnison's guide book. Leonard says, "James also beat the offending offwidth of Air Voyage into submisson by hammering in several tube chocks, rendering the crack relatively harmless". I should not, and cannot accept credit for the dangerous, and strenuous rap down North Chasm View Wall, I was 2000 miles away in New Hampshire(1978ish). When the modest Leonard Coyne did the hard work of rapping down the North Chasm View Wall, and hammered in 5 or 6 tube chocks while Kenny Simms patiently wait on the rim, most likely wondering if Leonard was safe. I climbed this offwide pitch the easy way, from the ground up. In 1974 Dean Tsappatt, and I did the FA of the Eighth Voyage. Late on the second day with low water rations, and very thirsty, I climbed the 5" to 7" offwidth pitch. After climbing about 60 feet from the belay, I placed our only tube chock, a 6". Slithering past the dicey tube seemed dangerous, I though my left knee would knock it loose, so I pounded it down to make it safe. Then I pulled past it holding on to the green sling. I almost free climbed this pitch, but did not get it. This pitch is now rated 5.11+ or 5.12A. In 1980 Leonard Coyne, and myself free climbed the Eighth Voyage in about 9 1/2 hours using his pounded in tube chocks. The day before our ascent, I rapped down, and placed a gallon of water, and a bag of M&M's which made our ascent much more feasible. I always regretted bringing the climb down a notch, and not bringing us up a notch, but the climb still was not easy.
Jimmie Dunn setting the record straight

Chiloe

Trad climber

Lee, NH

Sep 1, 2010 - 10:56pm PT

Ever look back and see times in your life when history knocked, but you told it you were busy?

Spring 1972, Joe & I hit the Valley psyched for the Salathe. We'd just done the FA of Triassic Sands, then almost got killed attempting Rainbow; after that, we wanted some safe classic granite. Climbed the Harding route on Liberty Cap as our warmup, maybe about the 3rd ascent?

Anyway, ran into Jimmy soon afterward. He'd tried Cosmos once or twice already with partners, most recently Doug Snively but they came down with Doug's thumb broken, I think, due to some fall he took following a traverse. Jimmy desperately wanted to get back and finish his route, and tried to talk Joe and me into joining him. No thanks, we said, sounds too doubtful, we're gonna climb a sure thing like we planned.

So Joe and I headed up the Salathe. Looking down from somewhere high on the route, perhaps El Cap Spire, we saw Jimmy soloing Cosmos.

Chiloe

Trad climber

Lee, NH

Sep 1, 2010 - 11:09pm PT

FA Candlestick Tower, 1974:

Jimmy Dunn, Doug Snively, John Byrd, Larry Hamilton

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Sep 2, 2010 - 09:30am PT

Was the quote from Cosmos- " Like following the path of a madman" ? Or perhaps more properly - a "man possessed"

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Sep 2, 2010 - 01:32pm PT

I took an upside down fall on Sienic Cruise in the dark and lost my head lamp and hat. My partner didn't have a head lamp so we had our first unplanned bivi. I was a long night and we topped out the next day. 24 hours car to car.

The next week my partner went back with Jimmie and they shaved 20 hours off of our time. He had about 4 or 5 pieces of gear for the whole route. When they got back Jimmie was telling me about what a great time they had and that he even stopped to pet a lizard and then he was like oh yeah here's your hat. I found it stuck to the wall.

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Sep 2, 2010 - 03:50pm PT

Larry Hamilton was telling me about when him and his buddies were heading out to do the 6th ascent of the Titan that Jimmie (who just started climbing) begged them to come along. He ended up leading the whole thing.

The Larry

climber

Moab, UT

Sep 2, 2010 - 03:53pm PT

England, Thanks for the channelling. I doubt Jimmie remembers me but tell him Pagan Larry says hi.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Sep 2, 2010 - 05:38pm PT

LOL Jimmy just answered his phone in the middle of a solo.

Said he thought Coyne had gone down under.
Phone and email no good, anybody know?

TrundleBum

Trad climber

Las Vegas

Sep 2, 2010 - 06:44pm PT

Bob Palais

a Kancamagus classic...

'A Crack In the Woods'?

~~~~~~~~~~
As kid that learned to climb at Cathedral in the mid/late 70's...

Jimmie Dunn is a God!

My first time discovering the North End Practise slabs was after getting myself almost killed on 'Fun House' and looking for something to top rope. Jimmie and Martha were there teaching a class. Martha was awesome. Long story short she noticed 'Goofy knots' on some of my nuts. (I untied some double fisherman but couldn't re tie them so I ad libbed). She took the time to sit me down and go over knots until I had them wired. All this (free instruction) while Jimmie was teaching an E.M.S school class.

I remember the split windshield bus
The crack machine in the attic of E.M.S
The helmets he painted to look like amanita mushroom

My first trip out west I developed a penchant for the taste and ease of preparation of Mexican food. One day Tom Callaghan and I were at Jimmie's house on West Side road. We had told Jimmie that we were going to go back to the woods and make an early dinner (Mex). He told us to just bust out our grub and use his kitchen, which we did.
When Jimmie saw us pull out a jar of crappy, commercial salsa he about spazzed. He refused to let us even open the bottle. He started bellowing stuff about fake food and kicked us out of the kitchen. About 4 minutes later he had a half a blender full of the most awesome, homemade salsa. Rosarita salsa was just never the same after that!
We finished eating and all of sudden Jimmie gets all wound up again. He told us he had something awesome to show us and 'Follow me'. He ran at high speed over to the neighbors house and squatted down next to the foundation slab. There he pointed to a small cone like depression in the ground next to the slab. He was all excited, we were not, untill... He grabbed an ant or some insect and dropped into the inverted cone shape in the dirt and... Something, in a flash reached out, grabbed the insect and disappeared back into the sand in the blink of an eye. "Whoa WTF was that Jimmie?". He laughed and said something like isn't that cool that is an Ant Lion.
We feed that Ant Lion until it was apparently sated because it stopped grabbing the prey we were sending it's way.

He dragged me up Camber one day ;)

Those were good times in N.H
some of the Gods:
Jimmie, Bouchard, Webster, Aughton, Kane, Hurley, Doug Madara, Mark Ritchie, Alain Comeau, Kenny Sims, Kurt Winkler, Jim Tierney, Base, Steve on and on...
Oh yeah how can I forget my red necked, good ole boy God, Bob Rotert!

Some of the mortals:
T.Callaghan, J.Strand, J.Mallory...

Looking back I miss those times. Camping/bivi under the roof, swimming in the river between morning and afternoon sessions at the crag, Working out in the attic at E.M.S or playing foosball at I.M.E on rainy days. North Conway annual 'Mud bowl'. Pirating shows at the 'Oxen Yoke Inn'.

cintune

climber

the Moon and Antarctica

Sep 2, 2010 - 06:48pm PT

Just finished reading a story by him on the Diagonal, 1975, Black Canyon, with Earl Wiggins in this month's R&I, "Bad Trip" p.25-28. Good historic read. "I lobbed a #9 hex into the right-leaning parallel crack...."

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Sep 2, 2010 - 08:47pm PT

Ah yes the - jimmie- naysium. I could never do ANY of the crack machine or the famous 4 X 4 palm board. (Do pull ups off a 4x4)

Bob Palais

Trad climber

Sep 2, 2010 - 09:18pm PT

Wonderful post TrundleBum!! Another thing, seems I didn't include it in previous posts, Jimmie (our friend Billy R writes `Jimmy spells his name wrong! ;-) schooled me on chess numerous times! Was wearing the Morris designed amanita EMS climbing school t-shirt just last week... Happened to be in the neighborhood the day Jimmy and Helln moved in to a new spot closer to the canyons in the Springs. Lotsa nature in the backyard, and it will give Jimmie a chance to get back into beekeeping!

Leonard is active on Facebook. Just ran across pics from a Valley trip with LC, posing together at the top of Rostrum.

Check out the cool `Nice climbers' thread, where Jimmie and others showing up here are also mentioned. Add your own!

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Sep 2, 2010 - 09:22pm PT

SWEET- The kind guy who was crankin' 12 wide BITD

I will always remember " there's more up there than you can see"

England

Mountain climber

Colorado

Sep 6, 2010 - 10:37pm PT

As dictated by Jimmie Dunn,
8th Voyage Black Canyon-Leonard Coyne's quote in the guide book.
"James approach seemed to work, we sent the route with minimal ado". This sounds good, but it's a bit of an exageration.
1. Leaving a gallon of water on the route made it easier, and less of a commitment.
2. I found the route difficult, and I did not use minimal ado.
3. In those days Leonard was a stong very motivated climber who spent most of his energy climbing. However, Leonard did not use minimal ado. He backed off leading two pitches, and found seconding even difficult.
4. The Nalgene gallon water bottle was the cause of much screaming between us. He wanted to jettison the bottle, but I wanted him to climb with it. I know it was bulky, and made climbing much more difficult. Sorry Leonard.

I don't want people reading the guide book, and thinking that we were so good that the 8th voyage was easy. It's a tough climb! My plan was to go back, and free climb it with no water, but my son Rane was born in March of 1981, and I completely stopped climbing for five years. Peter Gallager, and I attempted to free climb the route about a week or two before Leonard, and I did it. We got up to the difficult offwidth, and then traversed off. Earl Wiggins, and Steve Hong had attempted to free climb it, about a year before, and the pitch above the hard offwidth had a rope lowered to them. Earl told me he placed two hexs(#4 & #5 I think)he hung from them, and yelled for a rope. This is one reason I most likely left water on the route. I guess I was worried about that upper pitch. Hope this clears up some of the 8th voyage history.
Jimmie Dunn

domngo

climber

Canada

Nov 12, 2011 - 08:45am PT

bump. Thanks for the awesome stories everyone

M. Volland

Trad climber

Grand Canyon

Nov 12, 2011 - 09:24am PT

It was 2003. My friend and I were one pitch up on Ancient Art, sitting on a ledge, admiring the odd landscape around us that make up the Fisher Towers. We witnessed a strange looking man, dressed all in black, with a red swami belt wrapped around his waist. This ninja looking dude quickly climbed the Cobra, before heading our way. A few minutes later, he pops his head up on a ledge off to our left. He is not carrying any gear, and has his end of the rope clenched between his teeth, not tied to his swami belt. He belays his second up off his hip, using nothing but his hands and his waist. Looks over at us and confidently says, "Don't worry, I got her good!" Just before a middle aged blond woman pokes her head up and mantles the ledge.

He found out that we were from Yosemite, and politely asked us to tell Ron Kauk to pay him a visit sometime soon. Said his name was Jimmy.

slabbo

Trad climber

fort garland, colo

Nov 12, 2011 - 09:31am PT

There is of course the "tequila incident" from Yos BITD, but that may be better kept under wraps for now.

hoipolloi

climber

A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi

Nov 12, 2011 - 11:48am PT

Cool thread. Cosmos has been high on my list for a while now. Maybe this coming season.

climber

Greenville, NC

Nov 16, 2011 - 11:15am PT

Steve A,
I asked Jimmie about the Beaver incident, and he did laugh when he told the story. He was quite afraid that the beaver might have rabies, so the authorities offered to open up the animal's brain to confirm if it did have rabies, but Jimmie's love for animals prevented him from accepting the offer. Which reminds me..... we were walking back from a climb and Jimmie stopped to pick up something from the road. It turned out that he picked up a deceased animal, I think it was a bee, and tossed it into the grass. He doesn't like to see dead animals on the road. He said that they belong with nature.

Jimmie is one of the most genuine and friendly climbers I know. It's astonishing to me how much energy and motivation Jimmie has to climb, to this day. From the second I shook his hand when we met at Garden of the Gods to the moment he hugged me goodbye in his driveway, I knew this man was going to impact my climbing career.

The first time I saw Jimmie I was intrigued by his mad scientist-like phenotype.
I was on a cross-country climbing road trip, and as I made my way into UT and CA, Jimmie kept in touch with me and connected me with his friends along my way. Jimmie was especially psyched to hear about my trip to Canyonlands and El Capitan. While I was climbing in Mill Creek, UT, he left me two very long voicemails detailing the various towers that I must climb. He followed each tower by its history all the while Charlie Joe was causing ruckus in the background. As I listened to them, I couldn't help but laugh because he was going on and on about towers, funny guy....

recent photos: last week

The Mayor

Social climber

Billings, Montana USA

May 12, 2012 - 07:51pm PT

Summer 1978, my first day climbing ever. I took a lesson with Mack Johnson out of IME. Afterwards we had some time to kill so he offered to give me a tour of some local ares, one of which was Woodchuck Ledge. At the foot of the crag there was a guy sitting on the ground facing the rock doing some kind of lowball bouldering moves with one EB and one barefoot. My thoughts went from thinking "what a yahoo" to this climbing business is sure getting complicated. Mack and this character exchanged hellos and we continued on. Mack explained that that was Jimmy Dunn who had made a lot of first ascents in the area and out west. Oh.

steveA

Trad climber

Wolfeboro, NH

Topic Author's Reply - Dec 16, 2015 - 12:58pm PT

Here is a recent photo of Jimmy, doing what he has been doing for years, mining for minerals, in Arizona. It's hard and dangerous work.

ElCapPirate

Big Wall climber

Ogden, Utah

Feb 10, 2016 - 04:39am PT

Bump for an awesome, inspirational and legendary man!

And a reminder of what this forum should be about.

Jimmie is doing well, still chasing wulfenite down in AZ with my brother Gabe.

slabbo

Trad climber

colo south

Feb 10, 2016 - 07:06am PT

Cool photo SA...I wonder what he will be up to next ?

smith curry

climber

nashville,TN

Feb 11, 2016 - 06:42am PT

Coolest guy ever...I met him out at the Fisher Towers about 15 years ago and he was super kind and encouraging---I felt pretty wimpy as he shook my soft hand with his leathery mitt haha. A year or so later I ran in to him in El Portal in mid December; I had just climbed the Zodiac, and he and his gf had just bailed off of the Nose due to weather. He kept gushing about how awesome me and my partner were for sending, and I felt like in Wayne's World when they meet Alice Cooper: We're not worthy!!!