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ddscott
Trad climber
Boulder,Colorado
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Nov 19, 2010 - 02:09pm PT
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Phil,
Let me know when you get back from Vegas. got me wondering on the details on this.
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JU Vegas
climber
Las Vegas, NV
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Nov 19, 2010 - 02:11pm PT
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The three of us were sitting at different picnic tables beneath Lembert Dome in summer of 1977. Our smoky, soiled painter’s pants and pile were a screaming give-away that we were climbers, so Jorge and I hollered to the greasy hippy to come over for top ramen and beer. That’s how we met John Rosholt. Soon we were all roped up together on the pure white Tuolumne granite, where Rosholt pinched tiny crystals, dancing up the glacier polish with an eternal dimple-scrunched grin.
A few months later, he visited us in Vegas for a month. I remember that he loved to hang out in the morning over a pot of coffee and banana bread, seemingly gathering power for explosive action on the cracks as we got to the crags. Some of our first climbing on Velvet Wall was with him, where we explored the beginnings of what would later become Refried Brains. His clean, onsight lead of pitch three was a beauty to behold. All done with passive gear.
Some years passed with the three of us getting out of climbing, but we’d periodically bump into one another at Promarres Thai Restaurant. One time I barely recognized him, he’d gained so much weight. Despite his double chin and lizard cowboy boots, his dimpled grin still punctuated his story. “I make my living playing poker at tournaments the world over.” We stepped outside as he showed us his brand new 4-Runner. “Sometimes I play for 20 hours straight. You need control just like in climbing. Keep a blank face, don’t show the fear, and control the adrenaline.”
Next time I saw him was in the late ‘90s when he walked up to a crag where I was climbing in Red Rock. He was so buff that it looked like he’d had silicone implanted in his bulging forearms. It was an incredible hulk transformation! Even his fingers looked like little hot dogs. Although some hair was silver, I still recognized him by his dimples. After that, I saw him a couple more times, but our lives went in different directions. I knew of the legendary routes he’d been putting up on the Velvet Wall and I admired him from afar.
A few years later I heard that he’d disappeared. Speculations raged: Had he escaped to his own private island? Had he been murdered by some hit man? Years of silence. Then recently, his bones turned up at the base of the Velvet Wall, at the exact spot where he and Jorge and I had first set foot on it, truly the grandest of cathedrals. My heart wells up for a life fully-lived. Creative and intense. My friend.
Joanne Urioste
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Nov 19, 2010 - 02:33pm PT
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That was beautiful Joanne.
Tears...
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Nov 19, 2010 - 04:31pm PT
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Yep, fantastically well said.
Cheers.
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Randy Carmichael
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Nov 19, 2010 - 04:43pm PT
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In the late 70s, John was our climbing mentor. He was always working on a project that was at a whole level beyond our abilities. To John, there were no boundaries. He had the confidence to do anything, but was always humble about his accomplishments. My memories are of him heading up a pitch with a hand full of nuts and hexes, and watching him climb effortlessly. He was always a patient teacher. Even back in town and away from the crag, John was always looking for new lines on buildings. He even enjoyed aid routes on buildings and showed me a great roof pitch he set under the Jefferson County Stadium. I’m sure the pitons are still there waiting for a second ascent. He was definitely a buildering pioneer.
John told me two wild stories long ago. I am not sure of the complete accuracy, but these are the stories I remember as he told them to me. He gave me a firsthand account of a second ascent he made on the Leaning Tower. He was making the last few moves of the climb in darkness, and reached over the top to blindly set his last piece. When he weighted the piece, it popped and he sailed off backwards into space. He ended up spending the night in his harness dangling thirty feet out from his partner. On another adventure he told me about a fall high in the Black Canyon, a piece pulled and then his next two pieces pulled. He fell over 80 feet when the rope snagged on a flake. When he regrouped, he found that the core of the rope was cut and only seven threads of the mantle remained intact and had saved his fall. When I asked him how he got the courage to get back on the lead, he said he was confident the same thing wouldn’t happen twice.
Condolences to his friends and family. Peace, Randy
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Nov 19, 2010 - 05:25pm PT
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Randy, that route is the infamous Plunge.
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o-man
Trad climber
Paia,Maui,HI
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Nov 19, 2010 - 06:04pm PT
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ddscott
Trad climber
Boulder,Colorado
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Nov 19, 2010 - 07:40pm PT
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Randy that other route he took a good whipper on was the Leaning Tower's Wet Denim Day Dream.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Nov 19, 2010 - 08:01pm PT
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Condolences to all who knew John.
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MisterE
Social climber
Bouncy Tiggerville
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Nov 19, 2010 - 08:12pm PT
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Thanks everyone for the wonderful stories of John.
The number of people with first posts on this thread says volumes about John.
I climbed with him one day years ago during an extensive road-trip, and I remember him being a quiet man, strong on the rock.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Nov 19, 2010 - 08:21pm PT
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The number of people with first posts on this thread says volumes about John.
I thought the same thing. Must've been a cool guy to climb with...
I'm sorry I never had a chance to meet him.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Nov 19, 2010 - 08:34pm PT
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I knew John well from his visits to Josh and he was a great guy! I'll see you of the flip side bro:)
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pthurston
climber
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Nov 19, 2010 - 10:24pm PT
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Condolences to his family and all who knew him
John was a great person who had a powerful influence on me although he probably never knew how much. He talked me into going back to college and introduced me to geology, an outdoor science that has taken me all over the world for work and always serves as a good excuse to get out and go look at the rocks. He was a super strong climber yet quiet and patient. I'll never forget the road trips in the orange Datsun pickup, sleeping in the back in Vegas while he went and played a few hands for gas money, Hilltop Liquor in Grand Junction (no beer in Moab back then), weekends at the North Rim campground, calmly waiting while I thrashed and flailed trying to follow him up the Diving Board in Eldorado, the miracle of finding the original summit register on the Castleton Tower.
Here are a few photos I dug up from the archives, hope they bring back fond memories.
RIP John
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Harrison
climber
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Nov 19, 2010 - 10:47pm PT
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John or "The Gambler" as we called him has always been close friend of my dad's as well as a great friend to me for many years. I grew up around his company and kindness for many years starting when I was just a baby and I enjoyed every minute of being around him. He was always extremely nice to me when I was a child and I have fond memories of him keeping me entertained and talking to me for hours when I was a child. Overall he was a great man whose kindness and caring demeanor made him a great friend. He had such an impact on my family that we dedicated a route at the Sweet Pain wall in his honor named "The Gambler". He has been missed by me as well as my family for years and his great attitude and personality will continue to be missed for many more.
-Lisa Harrison
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Allen Hill
Social climber
CO.
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Nov 19, 2010 - 11:06pm PT
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You guys were the best teachers ever. The picture of John, Doug, and friend (Carol?) sums the up the era so well. I'm much better a man for being sent out to buy beer with a fake ID to resupply one of the poker games in Gunnison. And then once, the day after a game, John showed up for the cluster f*#k mass assault on a climb which become latter that week one of the first 5.12's on the western slope.
He worked it hard that afternoon.
Years latter I was doing a film interview with a couple of well known British climbers on the South rim of the Black Canyon. These guys where 23 and 24 years at the time with a small amount of time spent in the US, and mostly in The Valley. Anyhow we (me and Ken Sauls), but mostly Ken, started tracing out routes on North Chasm Wall with his finger. The Plunge was mentioned as was John. And out of the blue one of these guy's says, "you mean the guy they call the Gambler?"
Rest in peace John
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nature
climber
Tuscon Again! India! India! Hawaii! LA?!?!
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Nov 19, 2010 - 11:14pm PT
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Amazing and genuine stories. It's strange... I'm old enough, and have been climbing enough, that I should have met John. So many of my friends have but our paths never crossed.
It's such a strange strange world but there is closure for so many and for that I am glad.
rest in peace, John.
Doug
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homemade salsa
Trad climber
west tetons
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Nov 19, 2010 - 11:31pm PT
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Thanks for the photos and the memories Zippy and Douglas. I only met John through you guys, but sure heard enough stories. His quiet manner and scary reputation made him hard for me to talk to as a newcomer to the scene in the early 80s, but watching him climb taught me a lot about how to be precise and thoughtful, no thrashing allowed.
Lynne
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Esparza
Trad climber
Westminster, CA
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Nov 19, 2010 - 11:45pm PT
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Hey Russ, I remember reading about John Rosholt on your website. Odd how events transpire; Condolences to those left behind and nice to hear the family having some peace with this closure.
My best, Mike
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namaste
climber
Vegas
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Nov 20, 2010 - 11:21am PT
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Met John in Velvet Canyon many years ago while climbing with some friends I grew up with here in Vegas. He seemed to always be working on a project and was always stoked to share his contagious love for climbing and life as well as the beta w/ some detailed topo's of some new gems. Had no idea until reading this celebration of his life thread that his roots ran so deep yet really not surprised because when you would watch him climb he was so fluid and focused on task at hand and from some stories he shared carried this talent to the poker table to support himself climbing abroad. Had always wondered what had happened to him after his disappearance and hoped he was living large on some crag ridden island with all his needs met. The day it was reported about the bones found in Velvet Canyon something told me perhaps it was John so called SAR and shared what info I had and directed them to ST for more details to hopefully help identify the remains and bring some closure to many though when I found out was him I was selfishly bummed he wasn't on some exotic island living the dream. Knowing he went doing what he loved does help yet know your missed my friend and thanks for the inspiration and good times and will catch ya on the rebound.
Blessings to family and friends and thanks for sharing some great stories and pics,
Donnie
Looks like SAR said remains were found below Prince of Darkness...
LAS VEGAS -- Metro officers scaled hundreds of feet down a canyon wall Friday to retrieve more of the skeletal remains found near Red Rock Conservation Area.
Metro police officers Adrian Crandall and James Rogan had just inches to spare as they navigated a sheer cliff face known by local mountain hikers as "Prince of Darkness."
"There's not much room for error up there. It's 6, 7, 800 feet up," said Officer Crandall who added that he doesn't get nervous. "We do this all the time. I've been doing this for 11 years. Just another day at the office."
Human remains were found by a hiker on the Black Velvet Canyon trail Thursday afternoon. It took until Friday morning for Metro Search and Rescue to recover the remains safely. The officers needed to rappel off the side of the cliff another 100 feet from the spot where the helicopter dropped them off.
Hikers tell 8 News NOW that the steep terrain can be difficult.
"Everybody out here hikes usually on the mountain bike trails and the horse trails. If you get off the trails without a compass and knowing where you're going, you'd be in trouble," said Don Beach who often hikes the area.
Police found parts of a spine, skull, ribs, and a variety of other bones along with some cloth. "What appears to be the clothes the person was wearing. The bones ended up being in the shirt and pants on their own," said Officer Crandall.
Metro believes the remains belong to a hiker and given the location do not believe it is a homicide. It's too early to know the age or gender of the person.
"There's family, there's people wondering what exactly happened," said Sgt. Gavin Vesp, Metro.
"You always feel good when you can help somebody out or close a chapter in a book. There's definitely some family members out there," said Officer Crandall, Metro.
Metro says 2010 is no more or less busy for them than previous years. They've done around 150 hiker rescues and recoveries this year.
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13494380/las-vegas-police-retreive-remains-from-red-rock
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Nov 20, 2010 - 01:23pm PT
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John was a very cool man indeed . . . at the ripe old age of 16 or 17, 1978 or '79, I was blessed with an opportunity to climb with him at the Cookie. I flailed on the Waverly Wafer yet he was totally positive and supportive toward my efforts. He took over the lead, brought me up to the belay and then proceeded to fire Butterballs while I belayed, watching in amazement as he floated the route. My high school climbing buddies and I were totally psyched to listen to his climbing tales and spend the afternoon with him. We will always remember the motto "blotter is my spotter"! Thanks Mr. Rosholt for being the real deal.
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