The greatest climbing partnerships?

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mikeyschaefer

climber
Yosemite
Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 20, 2011 - 08:26pm PT
From way back when to current times, what are some of the greatest partnerships climbing has seen?

Is it the routes they've climbed together? Is it the epics they've been through? or how long they've actually managed to stay friends?
Gene

climber
Oct 20, 2011 - 08:30pm PT
I'll bite....

Robbins and Frost. For amazing bold climbs, techniques, style and gear.

Don't know if they are still friends.

g
tolman_paul

Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
Oct 20, 2011 - 08:43pm PT
From more recent times, Todd Skinner and Paul Piana.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Oct 20, 2011 - 08:46pm PT
Llama and Red Bull
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Oct 20, 2011 - 08:51pm PT
I know it's hard to believe, but there have actually been climbers who weren't American. Or even primarily rock climbers. Some of them climbed together regularly and got up things that weren't rock faces in Yosemite national park.

Lionel Terry and Louis Lachenal come to mind. Whillans and Brown. Bill Murray and whoever he was climbing with...
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:03pm PT
OK seriously Herb and Jan Conn several hundred f.a.'s of 5th class spires, the hardest route on Cannon cliff for a couple of decades or something like that, and exploring a huge cave system that became a national park. Not sure if they like Red Bull.
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:06pm PT
Bonatti and Oggioni (not sure of spelling, without looking).
They did amazing things together.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:07pm PT
Fowler and (take your pick) Lowe, Wilford, Copeland, Boskoff.
this just in

climber
north fork
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:09pm PT
The Huber bros.
StahlBro

Trad climber
San Diego, CA
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:21pm PT
Ghost beat me to it. Whillans/Brown seems pretty classic
Hilt

Social climber
Utah
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:24pm PT
Bachar/Kauk before they became frenemies. Together they pushed the limits that made them each individually great.
tornado

climber
lawrence kansas
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:41pm PT
Tech and Gordon. Rad.
marsan

Trad climber
Sydney, Australia
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:41pm PT
Kurtyka & MacIntyre
Kurtyka & Kukuczka
Kurtyka & Loretan & Troillet
Jstod

Trad climber
North Vancouver
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:42pm PT
Doug Scott and Dougal Haston!
martygarrison

Trad climber
Washington DC
Oct 20, 2011 - 09:48pm PT
hudon and jones still seem to get along.
this just in

climber
north fork
Oct 20, 2011 - 10:25pm PT
Another one for Schultz and Croft .
Honnold and Honnald
rick d

climber
ol pueblo, az
Oct 20, 2011 - 10:46pm PT
me and my right hand.

ooops, wrong thread- Locker save me.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:11am PT
What's with y'all? No luv for Mallory and Irvine?
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:20am PT
Hillary and Norgay

nah
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:27am PT
Bonatti and his balls made a pretty good trio
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Oct 21, 2011 - 01:00am PT
Salathe' + Nelson
Robbins + Frost
Kamps + Higgins
Burton + Sutton
Hudon + Jones
Skinner + Piana
Alex + Thomas (Huber)
Tommy + Beth
Dean + Timmy
Yuji + Hans
soaring_bird

Trad climber
Oregon
Oct 21, 2011 - 01:47am PT
How about Pete + his Crab,
uh.... LEB and Palin?

Seriously now, I second the votes for:
Habeler and Messner
Boardman and Tasker
The Huber Bros

.... and never to be forgotten....
Tom Evans and his camera(s) are a perfect match
and an endless inspiration for us all. Thanks for
all your great and thankless work.
can't say

Social climber
Pasadena CA
Oct 21, 2011 - 09:48am PT
Lechlinski/Gingery
Trusty Rusty

Social climber
Tahoe area
Oct 21, 2011 - 09:58am PT
Dougal Haston/Doug Scott
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:04am PT
Bonatti & Oggioni
Kurtyka & Kukuczka
Kurtyka & MacIntyre
Kukuzka & Hajzer
Hill & Yablonski

If you want a good read and look into the golden age of Polish climbing, take a look at Bernadette Mc Donald's Freedom Climbers.

"... there are those who, on the approach of severe pain, hear the very opposite call of command, and never appear more proud, more martial, or happy than when the storm is brewing; indeed, pain itself provides them with their supreme moments."

Nietzsche, Die fröhliche wissenschaft


I don't know what it is that makes Polish climbers espescially brave, but it was seen even during WWII. German soldiers have been telling stories about the extreme braveness and dedication of Polish soldiers.

Tricouni

Mountain climber
Vancouver
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:10am PT
Don & Phyllis Munday (for exploratory mountaineering in the Coast Mtns)
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:18am PT
Cragman,

Hehe... tell us about the storms.
Gary

climber
Desolation Row, Calif.
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:22am PT
Todd Swain and Peggy Buckey
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:29am PT
Harding and Rowell
Steve L

Gym climber
SUR
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:40am PT
Kurtyka & Kukuczka

word.

I'm in the middle of Freedom Climbers now. Agree, its a very good read.

Yup, Poles are tough mofos. Its a proud, proud history.
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:41am PT
Miriam O'Brien Underhill & her husband Robert had a lot of climbing adventures together and separately.

Miriam(1898 - 1976) was best known for the concept of "manless climbing" - organizing all-women's ascents of challenging climbs, mostly in the Alps.

I like her book: "Give me the Hills." They had some great adventures exploring remote mountain ranges in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.


The Robert and Miriam Underhill Award is given annually by the American Alpine Club "to a person who, in the opinion of the selection committee, has demonstrated the highest level of skill in the mountaineering arts and who, through the application of this skill, courage, and perseverance, has achieved outstanding success in the various fields of mountaineering endeavor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_O'Brien_Underhill
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:47am PT
Cragman,

Hehe... not all Poles. It is no duty to be brave if Polish. And Poles are all over the scale from not brave to very brave, from not strong to extremely strong. And some Poles do not enjoy the storms connected to climbing all over their wife or being climbed all over by their wife.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:52am PT
Yes you are!
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 11:02am PT
Cragman,

Just remember your wife. She will have to be spotting you. If not the landing could be painful. LOL..
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Oct 21, 2011 - 11:10am PT
Bridwell & Stump
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 21, 2011 - 11:11am PT
Ain't that a good deal. First you can prove your Polish braveness and afterwards she can enjoy your life insurance. It's simply a win-win situation.
Melissa

Gym climber
berkeley, ca
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:31pm PT
"Greatest partnerships" makes me think of people who are known as a team above and beyond their own personal celebrity. Most of the people mentioned upthread may have had great partnerships, but I think of them as famous individuals, possibly in the context of lots of different parters, before I think of them as peas and carrots together.

I don't know what would make a partnership the "greatest" but these are some well known (at least here) duos that pass my peas and carrots test:

Already mentioned:

The Huberbaum
Em and Bruce
Mark and Max

Not yet mentioned?

Ed Cooper and Jim Baldwin (before JB died)
Bolton and Lucy Brown
Mark Chapman and Kevin Worrall (I'm not sure that any one person has been involved in the FA of more of my favorite routes than those that you two put up together They're almost always star-worthy.)
Cummins and Ager (ditto...Although I've never seen you two in the same place, your FA oeuvre seems to be largely shared and outstanding.)
The Mendenhaals.

I don't know how much they continued to climb w/ each other after this pic was taken, but the story that went along with it and the image of partnership is what jumped to mind when I read the thread title:

Eastman and Higgins:
Gary

climber
Desolation Row, Calif.
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:37pm PT
Chuck and Ellen Wilts. What they did in the Canadian Rockies was very radical.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:46pm PT
Donini and his blue... camalot. Yeah, that's it. His blue camalot. What a pair!
matty

Trad climber
under the sea
Oct 21, 2011 - 12:49pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:32pm PT
George and Joanne Urioste and Joe Herbst.
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Oct 21, 2011 - 10:46pm PT
John and Ruth Mendenhall

George Lowe and Chris Jones did okay on some inconsequential, throwaway stuff


and given the prominence of the Twight thread, I always thought Rackliff-Twight had an unbelievable couple of weeks in the Rockies
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Oct 22, 2011 - 12:30am PT
Rearick and Kamps

Ament and Dalke

Kor and Ament

Kor and Dalke

Ament and Higgins

(if you want to thing about bouldering partnerships, how about)

Gill and Ament

The reason I mention any of these is because they involve
enduring friendships, and we all had many adventures and
made many first ascents together.
Kili Climber

Mountain climber
Arusha
Oct 22, 2011 - 02:32am PT
Climbers partnerships vary.

Tourists can arrange mountain climbing partnership.If Tourist is alone and want to climb, then can find partner.

Another form of partnership is between Oversees Travel Agent and destination management company - DMC. Usually DMC is a local tour Operators offering mountain climbing trips while Travel agent do advertising and sales of the packages.

Mount Kilimanjaro is one of 7 summits known worldwide,others are Everest, Ancocagua, Denali, Elbrus and Carstensz Pyramid.Of all 7 summits mount kilimanjaro volcano is easiest to climb, walking starting from down to summit.

Mount Kilimanjaro have several routes which climber can use to reach Kilimanjaro peak. The Kilimanjaro trekking routes are Machame, Rongai, Marangu, Shira, Umbwe and Lemosho.

Climbers can partner and hike kilimanjaro on any route. Each route has different characteristic.

KILIMANJARO CLIMBING EXPEDITIONS AND MOUNTAINEERS ADVENTURES (KEMA) CAN ORGANISE YOUR KILIMANJARO CLIMBING TRIPS. Feel free to read more about Kilimanjaro trekking trips and Hiking prices.

Discover Mount Kilimanjaro Volcano, Plants and snow

ec

climber
ca
Oct 22, 2011 - 06:46am PT
Fred Beckey, et al
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Oct 22, 2011 - 06:58am PT
As so many threads, it seems,
a reasonably good thing has to degenerate...
I guess I should be more patient...


One of the really strong
partnerships, and it just now enters my mind is

Roger and Bill Briggs
lucho

Trad climber
California
Oct 22, 2011 - 09:15am PT
Mikey and Allentown ?

Cedar and Lucho ? Ha ha

You wouldnt believe the rock quality on the Dragons Horns! Incredible !
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Oct 22, 2011 - 10:46am PT
Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler ruled the top of the world.
Doug Scott and Dougal Haston would have ruled if they had survived.
Joe Brown and Don Whillans....the classic Rock and Ice masters.
John Long, Jim Bridwell, and Billy Westbay. NIAD defintely the coolest!
but Mark and Max are still at it.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Oct 22, 2011 - 12:16pm PT
Joe Simpson & Simon Yates
hossjulia

Social climber
Eastside (of the Tetons)
Oct 22, 2011 - 03:02pm PT
Bradford & Barbara Washburn

but my very first thought was locker & cosmic
ec

climber
ca
Oct 22, 2011 - 03:10pm PT
I would encourage my climbing colleagues to recognize their own greatest partnerships and celebrate them, if they are still able.

Cheers bro

DMT

O.K., I'll play:

Richard Leversee - ecjoe

Ed Sampson - ecjoe

Ron Felton - ecjoe

 ec
benditto

climber
Oct 22, 2011 - 06:06pm PT
i'd have to say that nico favresse and sean villanueva-odriscall are a crushing partnership.

Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Oct 23, 2011 - 12:36am PT
So I guess I offended you, Cragman, and
other(?) by mentioning some personal partnerships
that have meant something to me? Obviously this thread
opened up, to include good friends, mothers and daughters,
fathers and sons, whatever, that were meaningful,
didn't it? -- as opposed to "great," in the
sense of phenomenal accomplishment.
If those partnerships I mentioned, which include me,
translate to your ear as bogus or ego,
or whatever, I'm sorry. But
I did a lot of climbs with the people I mentioned, and
we remain good friends with great memories. I thought that
was what this thread came to be about, anyway, those
companionships that endured and were important to our
lives. But if we are not to mention our own, then
I apologize. And if you
are speaking in some literal way, I really
don't know what you mean by "Ament and Ament." I haven't
climbed with any other Ament than my two daughters. We
haven't climbed long enough to really call it a partnership.

It's so easy to offend people, and it seems some
jump to conclusions and read things in that really
aren't there, but I think I have an argument
for the partnerships I listed. I think I was honest
in mentioning them. I wouldn't compare them to anyone else
or say my partnerships were more valid or more meaningful
than anyone else's. I did enough climbs with Pratt that
I might even include him as a partnership that meant
a lot to me. It seems very personal.

Did I mention
Kor / Culp? That was
a pretty good partnership as well. They did a lot of climbs
together, including big things such as Chief's Head
and the Lost Arrow Chimney...
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Oct 23, 2011 - 12:41am PT
People yanking your chain Pat. Yank right back, they just got big penusenvy.
Kili Climber

Mountain climber
Arusha
Oct 23, 2011 - 02:14am PT
Mount Kilimanjaro Training!! Do climbers need Training???

NO, there is no training on mount kilimanjaro climbing.

Tourists planning for kilimanjaro trekking trips need a exercise and acclimatization.

Exercise is needed so that your body can be physically fit and start a light exercise walking around your local area a week before coming to climb Kilimanjaro.

Acclimatization is important so that you become used to the Kilimanjaro weather and altitude heights. Acclimatization is done on Kilimanjaro slopes or right on mount kilimanjaro.

Example normal days for kilimanjaro climbing is 6 days, how ever extra day will make enough experience. Most 6 days kilimanjaro trekking routes are machame, rongai, marangu and umbwe.

Climbing Kilimanjaro routes information


tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Apr 6, 2017 - 09:12am PT
Screw the hero worship crapola. the greatest partnerships are those that have a special place in your life...
BigB

Trad climber
Red Rock
Apr 6, 2017 - 09:35am PT
Anker/Lowe
Caldwell/Honnold
Kennedy/Kruk
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Apr 6, 2017 - 07:49pm PT

What about Long and Hill???
Prod

Trad climber
Apr 6, 2017 - 07:57pm PT
Stucco and English Ivy...

Prod.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Apr 6, 2017 - 08:16pm PT
The greatest climbing partnership of all time was...

BURT BRONSON
tuolumne_tradster

Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
Apr 6, 2017 - 08:29pm PT
Peter Boardman & Joe Tasker

Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Apr 6, 2017 - 08:31pm PT
There was a point I time when Bachar and Kauk were effin' on fire. People would gather from all around to watch them burn.

Watched them climb Rostrum from Reeds in '77with a telescope and they were stunning.
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Apr 6, 2017 - 09:13pm PT

And don't forget Willy Unsoeld and Tom Hornbein!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 10, 2017 - 05:11pm PT
Pat Ament beat me out of Kamps & Rearick. Good call, Pat! All-timers in my book, too.
Dave Davis

Social climber
Seattle, WA
Oct 23, 2017 - 10:07pm PT
Madsen and Schmitz were tearing things up before Jim's unfortunate early demise.
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
Oct 23, 2017 - 10:17pm PT
Caldwell/Jorgeson.
Not sure if that post was meant to be tongue in cheek. While the great partnership was on full display between Caldwell and Honnold (mentioned up thread) in, say, the documentary on Fitz Roy traverse, A Line Across The Sky, I don't know that "Caldwell/Jorgeson" partnership has a place on the "greatest" list. I hope the greatness of partnership is not graded solely based on visible achievement.

If you read Caldwell's book, The Push, you'll see what I mean. It's a book very much worth reading in every sense anyway.
Mark Rodell

Trad climber
Bangkok
Oct 23, 2017 - 10:28pm PT
Chapman and Worrell did some fine stuff
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
Oct 23, 2017 - 10:36pm PT
Just read the book and you will know everything about who you tie into a climbing rope with.
Huh, is that outrageous statement related to something I wrote? What I was referring to was the awkward dynamic between the duo that Caldwell observed and wrote about. It's my understanding that the partnership did not go beyond Dawn Wall.
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
Oct 23, 2017 - 11:11pm PT
Okay, I'll give it one more try before I sign off. Not sure what "outrage" YOU were referring to. I was just surprised that you took a part of what I said (the book) and made it into something completely unrelated ("know everything about...") . It's always frustrating to have my words twisted into something else. I should have known what I signed up for by writing on Supertopo, but it still stings a bit when that happens.

I made my initial comment because I personally believe a great partnership goes beyond achievement. There is no personality or character attack in my post, or in Caldwell's book for that matter. It's simply his honest observation. He appreciated Jorgeson's great role in their team success and said a lot of good things about him, but also acknowledged that they never got close. It's just how relationships sometimes work. It either clicks, or not, often times, at nobody's fault. Again, I chimed in only because I personally believe a great climbing partnership is beyond climbing achievement. Hope that clarifies.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 24, 2017 - 01:40am PT
Let me say, Mei, I was in earnest. To have stuck together to meet the objective for so long a time is a sign of great dedication to the goal, if not each other.

Call me naive, call me a fool of the media, but they were a pretty special team, after all the hoopla. Harding and Caldwell as a great team, in comparison...how's that sell? Hmm? They fell out after their epic.

Each deserves an equal amount of credit for the achievement, In My Opinion (never humble). I don't have to read the book to feel this way, but now you have me intrigued, so I may do so. I can't say that I'll stick to my guns, of course.

I've heard Tommy discuss The Push during a radio interview, but can't recall his saying anything like what you have described, off the top of my head.
Podunk Climber

Trad climber
Oct 24, 2017 - 06:00am PT
I always thought Hennek and Lauria did well together (always humble). They opened the gates. If they could do it, anyone could do it.

DMT,

Hennek and Lauria are still and have always been the best and closest of friends ... that's 55 years.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Oct 24, 2017 - 06:38am PT
Walter Bonatti and the teddy bear he took with him on some solo ascents.
Gary

Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Oct 24, 2017 - 07:01am PT
The greatest climbing partnerships? The partners having the most fun.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Oct 24, 2017 - 07:05am PT
Macronut and Micronut.

Adam and I have been exclusive climbing partners and each other's main squeeze on the rope for coming up on 20 years.


He's always game despite having a wife and seven kids and a full time job.

Here's to great partnerships and no excuses for getting out there year after year after year together!

Oh yeah, Boardman and Tasker were ok too.
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
Oct 24, 2017 - 10:31am PT
Thanks Mouse for explaining. I was genuinely not sure whether you had read the book and drawn the same conclusion that I had (that they weren't exactly friends), and thus picked a studio posed photo that does not showcase chemistry between the two -- there are better photos out there -- just to be satirical (thus my "tongue in cheek" interpretation) or you actually meant it. I see where you came from now and respect your view. Business partnership is a form of partnership as well and deserves to be respected.

Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Oct 24, 2017 - 10:47am PT

 Swiss guide Christian Almer (29 mars 1826 - 17 mai 1898) and Edward Whymper
 Swiss guide Melchior Anderegg (28. März 1828 - Dezember 1914) and Leslie Stephen
 French guide Michel Auguste Croz (22 April 1828 - 14 July 1865) and Edward Whymper
 French guide François Devouassoud (September 1831 – 1905) and Douglas William Freshfield
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 24, 2017 - 11:22am PT
Mei, from your writing of late, I respect your views and judgement and believe that, were I a much younger man, that we would be two who might have commonality enough to at least give partnership a try.

Besides, I've always thought it good to have a rope gun! Now that is "tongue in cheek." :0)

MFM
Mei

Trad climber
mxi2000.net
Oct 28, 2017 - 07:43pm PT
Kris, once known as ODub, has a good podcast series. This latest one probably belongs here:

Episode 63: Belief and Partnership, with Tommy Caldwell
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Oct 29, 2017 - 08:18am PT
Conrad Kain and Albert Maccarthy.
rurprider

Trad climber
Mt. Rubidoux
Oct 29, 2017 - 05:34pm PT
Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.

Dougal Haston and Doug Scott.
aspendougy

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Oct 29, 2017 - 07:02pm PT
Honorable mention for Henneck and Lauria for their 2nd ascent of the N.A. Wall.
Kalimon

Social climber
Ridgway, CO
Oct 29, 2017 - 08:27pm PT
Loretan and Troillet.
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Oct 29, 2017 - 11:06pm PT
Seriously now, I second the votes for:
Habeler and Messner

Agree. So sad they ended up on the outs. They accomplished so much together.

Also Scott and Bonnington. Their descent down the Ogre will always be in my mind.
Lorenzo

Trad climber
Portland Oregon
Oct 30, 2017 - 01:24am PT
Hans Kraus and Fritz Wiesner.

They climbed together for about 50 years.
chappy

Social climber
oakhurst
Oct 30, 2017 - 05:39am PT
This isnt meant other than as a chuckle...but after seeing the Batman and Robin post I had to mention the climb fighting duo of Chapman and Warbler!
zempto

Social climber
Bow Valley
Oct 30, 2017 - 07:38am PT
Mick Fowler and Victor Saunders
the goat

climber
north central WA
Oct 30, 2017 - 04:48pm PT
Looking north-
Sutton/Burton
Hatton/Weinstein
Bennett/Smail
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Oct 30, 2017 - 06:00pm PT
I had to mention the climb fighting duo of Chapman and Warbler!

Yeah
NorCalHutch

Ice climber
NorCal
Oct 30, 2017 - 06:20pm PT
Johnny and Micah

Gone way too soon.
the goat

climber
north central WA
Oct 30, 2017 - 07:42pm PT
Honorable mention for Henneck and Lauria for their 2nd ascent of the N.A. Wall.

And 3rd ascent of the Dihedral Wall.
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