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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 12, 2006 - 02:50pm PT
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Heard a disturbing rumor yesterday and haven't been able to confirm. Supposedly died of a head injury @ his home in Donner Lake. Anybody know the scoop? Unreal
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 12, 2006 - 03:23pm PT
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dang, say it ain't so.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 12, 2006 - 05:12pm PT
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Say what!!!!!??
I'll put my ear to the ground. Where are them Donner boys when you need them?
Unreal if true.... wow, what a mad bummer....
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2006 - 05:20pm PT
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GOOD GOD it's true! Just got off the phone...died three days ago. Found him dead in the bathroom. SORROW.Nad was one of the most affable and generous of the old schoolers I ever met. Always with a smile and meadows burger for us dirtbags lurking behind the grill. An outstanding and motivated climber with many early ascents of El Cap by high standard routes. Many will remember him as the backcountry ranger @ the Snow Creek cabin - always welcoming and hospitable - a veritable party machine. That photo of him working at the gas station is priceless. What in the world will do without him...TRAGIC!!!!
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 12, 2006 - 05:29pm PT
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Jeeze.... so sad. Nadim was the bomb man..... so sorry for all.
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Dave LeWinter
climber
here
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May 12, 2006 - 07:12pm PT
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Nad was my Pal and I never met a guy true as him ,truely one of our biggest loses
R.I.P Bubu Bear
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T2
climber
Cardiff by the sea
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May 12, 2006 - 08:16pm PT
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Sheesh what a drag! I sure hope Rad Nad, Jeff and Raliegh all get to hang with each other on the other side.
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Calif
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May 12, 2006 - 08:33pm PT
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This is getting a bit scary with all of the people who've departed this Earth recently. The guy was hardcore, skiing the Muir Trail in Winter, solos of El Cap, etc. Nad was one of the coolest guys ever. You'll be missed brother!
Levy
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curtis sykes
Trad climber
tahoe city, ca
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May 12, 2006 - 10:05pm PT
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had the pleasure of slinging burgers at the grill with nadine
such a hard blow
he will surely be missed here in tahoe
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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May 13, 2006 - 04:13am PT
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One of the most easy going, generous guys I have ever met. I have always admired and looked up to him. Nad had a heart of gold- this really sucks
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seamus mcshane
climber
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May 13, 2006 - 07:01am PT
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So sad, I met him thru Pat "the Rat" Shryock in the mid- 1990's.
Nadim was a cool dude...
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Lacey
Social climber
Boise, Idaho
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May 18, 2006 - 07:26pm PT
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It blows me away the lack of response to Nad's death. I'm shocked and sick to my gut about him...... Does anyone know of a memorial service for him???? I loved that guy........so so sad and what a loss.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 18, 2006 - 07:31pm PT
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ditto.
i spoke with tom carter, who lives in tahoe.
things are a little foggy; i don't know about a service.
thanks for the bump.
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Sis
climber
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May 21, 2006 - 07:08pm PT
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Thank you all for the kind words about my brother Nadim. It was a great shock to all of us. On April 13th we lost our mother to cancer. It was the last time we got to see Nadim. His brother, George and my husband, Anoush will be in Donner Lake Monday morning. It was Nadim's wish to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the Sierra's or El Cap if possible. He is currently at the Truckee/Tahoe Mortuary.
We would love to hear any stories you may have with him.
Our only condolence is that he is resting in peace with our mother.
Mary
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 21, 2006 - 09:12pm PT
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first time i met nad, mammoth lakes 1980 or so.
there was quite a contingent of climbers there:
clevenger, rosenthal, leary, stimson, carter, bard.
marco milano, bob finn and i wandered over to see nadim.
he was hangin' in a great big lazy boy inside a cabin next to a big fire, totally worked from some ski adventure. just about the friendliest happiest, and in a way most unlikely dude for the times. i mean he was clean cut and bright eyed at a time when the rest of us were naught but ragamuffins.
on an early spring yosar rescue i did with him, he was the guy to stop regularly and brew up, he knew about morale and worked the cheerful side of things for us.
thanks nad.
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Chute
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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May 22, 2006 - 12:54pm PT
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Nadim, I can't believe you are gone. I love you always.
Cathy
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dbs
climber
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May 22, 2006 - 05:27pm PT
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To all, I just found out and am sad. I was the lucky one who Nadim approached and asked if I would ski an extended version of the John Muir Trail in the heart of winter. What was originally planned to be a 2 week journey morphed into a 44 day winter epic which included avalanches, starving, frost nip, and all kinds of heart felt moments.
When Nadim approached me, he was not a climber as of yet. He was the wilderness ranger at Snow Creek cabin. I didn't know him at all. When our journey was over, I had the utmost respect for this man!
If you want stories I have them.
He was a truly wonderful man with a big heart.
kindest regards to all
dbs
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2006 - 05:27pm PT
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Booboos' Believe it or Knott
Ladies Man : once " dated " two girls that were best friends. So discreet it was two weeks before they caught on
Exteme Hiker : once did the rounder on the Snow Creek switchbacks (20 miles 3000 ft) for a box of jujubees - in a snowstorm
Hardman : once on El Cap violently pooed his sleeping bag and simply turned it inside out for three more days!
AMAZING BUT TRUE!!
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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May 22, 2006 - 11:47pm PT
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Unbelievable news.
The last time i saw Nadim was in the Valley at the Lodge store in the year 2003 i believe, in his softspoken trademark way he said he was off on a backcountry hike, and off he went.
The last time i saw him before that incedint was when i went to the base of a route on El Cap with Nad and Plunkett. They had inadvertently forgotten an El Cap staple.
They sent me down to get it, and when i returned Nad was one pitch up the route, with Plunkett doing his usuall sleep belay with his head in the food bucket, when i showed up P said " run over the slab and give me the goods" .
Of course i had "slab-insins disease " as some may know i get , and couldn't make to over the slab.
They were doing a route at the bottom of the cave on the right side. So P ties Nad off and comes down the slab to retrieve the ever so needed vegitation to do the route.
Nad was the calmest person i've ever met in my life, RIP smiley.
Chez
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 23, 2006 - 01:22am PT
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Exactly, how many routes did Nad do on the Captain - FAs & repeats? If someone is able to compile a list & post it here, that would serve as a memorial. It would certainly be long & impressive.
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NadsChildhoodfriend
Gym climber
los angeles
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May 23, 2006 - 09:23am PT
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Thank you all for your kind wishes. I grew up with Nad but I only saw him when he came back to LA to visit.
I am putting together a memorial video. I have all his pictures that he took. If anyone has any special pictures that they would like included, please post them.
Also, if anyone knows what his favorite song was I would like to use it in the video.
I will miss him.
Joe
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NadsChildhoodfriend
Gym climber
los angeles
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May 23, 2006 - 09:28am PT
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Nad was cremated yesterday. His Brother George and Brother in Law Anoush where present. A priest did the blessings and the family had a small gathering at the time.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 23, 2006 - 01:06pm PT
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dbs:
please float this thread a bit.
'would love to hear some of what you recall.
one of the things i found endearing about nadim was the particular sort of way he sounded when he talked. his annunciation was sort of centerd in his throat.
he was sensitive without being mushy.
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Chute
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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May 23, 2006 - 01:29pm PT
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Nadim was a Ladies man. {take notes AlDude!} ;-)
In spring of '88 I was working for NPS in Tuolumne. My sister came to visit me from the E. Coast. She was pregnant so we spent a lot of time eating burgers at the Grill. Nad (who I'd known casually for years) would always come over and chat and give us ice cream cones.
I was suprised one day when he asked me out for dinner but he was pretty cute so I thought what the heck. We hiked into Snow Creek Cabin and Nad cooked up a fantastic dinner of salmon, wild rice and veggies. Then we watched the sun set over Yosemite Valley and we watched the moon rise and we hiked back out in the moonlight.
I told Nad I was seeing a NPS guy and he said,"That guy is a chump and he has a girlfriend in the valley." (Nadim would know!)
"You should go out with me." How could I say no? It's still one of the best dates I've ever been on!
Miss you!
Cathy
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Sis
climber
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May 23, 2006 - 04:19pm PT
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A tribute to Nadim. Enjoy the pictures. I'm not sure when these were taken. If anyone recognizes the pictures, please let us know when and who he was with.
Thanks for all the stories, keep them coming.
Nadim's family
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 23, 2006 - 04:24pm PT
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GREAT PICS!!!!
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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May 23, 2006 - 04:33pm PT
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I never even knew him, though I Must(?) have met him. After reading all this I miss him. Condolences, all.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 23, 2006 - 07:19pm PT
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this is quite appreciated.
great pics sis.
thanks.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Same place as you, man...... (WB)
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May 24, 2006 - 12:39am PT
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Good job Joe.... Love those old shots in the black and white...
Damn.... See ya on the other side Nad.
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sis in law
Social climber
woodland hills , ca.
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May 24, 2006 - 03:03pm PT
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Mary joon
You know that I met Nadim, your brother, only breifly and couple of times. But I could tell what a nice and good hearted person he was.
Of course at that time I only knew he as a climber, but I, like lots of other familly member did not know what a great climber and big acheiver he was??
Absolutly his absence would be felt, not only with Nadim's familly, also amoung his BIG GROUP OF FREINDS, big time.\
I am sure you are proud of him, no I correct myself, we all are very proud of NADIM MELKONIAN.
He is with your mom now and MAY GOD BLESS BOTH.
We allways be there for you and your familly, LOVE U.
SOUSAN & IRADJ
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sis in law
Social climber
woodland hills , ca.
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May 24, 2006 - 03:03pm PT
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Mary joon
You know that I met Nadim, your brother, only breifly and couple of times. But I could tell what a nice and good hearted person he was.
Of course at that time I only knew he as a climber, but I, like lots of other familly member did not know what a great climber and big acheiver he was??
Absolutly his absence would be felt, not only with Nadim's familly, also amoung his BIG GROUP OF FREINDS, big time.\
I am sure you are proud of him, no I correct myself, we all are very proud of NADIM MELKONIAN.
He is with your mom now and MAY GOD BLESS BOTH.
We allways be there for you and your familly, LOVE U.
SOUSAN & IRADJ
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Lacey
Social climber
Boise, Idaho
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May 25, 2006 - 07:16pm PT
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Thank you Joe !!! What an incredibly moving tribute!!! I can't stop crying now for sure...... I will always miss you Nad...R.I.P....
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Chute
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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May 26, 2006 - 03:30pm PT
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Great video Joe! I went through a full box of Kleenex.
Cathy
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Mimi
Social climber
Seattle
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May 26, 2006 - 09:16pm PT
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NO, not another great guy gone?! What a huge bummer!
Despite getting hassled for it, Nad took me on my first El Cap route, Never Never Land. We had a great time despite the heat and all that water to haul. He was a generous friend and I'll always remember that smile and jovial attitude.
Take care, Nad.
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2006 - 01:33am PT
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Friends of Nadim, check out HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS thread for a look @ Rad Nad ; a memorial route for Nad. Steve suggested the name and Nad will be looking down smiling. Thanx to Stevenson for those awesome El Cap pics
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kcelizabeth1
Mountain climber
Tahoe City
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I never got to say "Hello" again, and I never got to say "Hey, catch ya later". Nad was a big part of mine and my daughter's lives, we will dearly miss him.
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c.c.
Sport climber
mammoth ca
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I met Nad when I was 19 in 1989. I look around the cabin in Mammoth where I now live with my family and see so many of the gifts he gave to me. Nad was an inspiration in my life that will never burn out. He taught me about nature, climbing, telemarking, kyaking, art, gardening, the backcountry. I always thought our time together was short but now I realize how much he helped me to become the person I am today.
He loved his family and spoke of them often. The last time I saw Nad he was on his way home from his parent's 50th aniversary. He was in a good place.
I always thought I would see him again. A true heartbreaker, he will be missed dearly.
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Weenis
Trad climber
Tel Aviv
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Nadim, Time, life, wow. We did the Muir Wall in the summer of 1980. It was your first Captain route and you did great. Your card in the rolodex is a few decades old... but I'll keep it in there.
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clea JACOBS
Social climber
truckee
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All I could think of when I heard the news was "what the fu--"
Nadim was a good friend and a great man, and I will always honor him for sharing his wisdom while he was with us .I will miss him. Clea
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Lotte
Social climber
Sacramento
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So sad to hear about Nad. I feel very blessed to have known him and spent time with him when I lived in Tahoe and Tuolumne. He was an incredible person and athlete and will be missed.
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Sis
climber
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For anyone who knew Nadim, I recently found this story told by Dale Bard for a book called "Yosemite Epics: Tales of Adventure from America’s Greatest Playground." If you knew either Dale Bard or Nadim, you my have heard the story.
Nadim had mentioned the adventure, but it was great to see it written and remembered. So I hope anyone who sees this will enjoy the story.
http://adventuresportsjournal.com/climbing/dale-bard-%e2%80%9cin-the-dead-of-winter%e2%80%9d
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nita
Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
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I remember being very upset and could not post up when this thread first appeared.. Now i see.. i never did post...)-;
..................................
When i think about BITD, Nadim is always in those memories... Sending out a belated condolence to Nad's family and friends......He was much Loved.. and is missed.
Hey, Sis..what happened to the sweet little video that one of Nad's friends/ family members made?
The link i have is not working for me.?
http://209.132.209.166/nadim.wmv
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Thanks for posting the link to that writeup Sis!
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Scole
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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"Rad Nad" or " The little Egyptian" was a fixture in Mammoth BITD. I remember climbing Magic Mushroom with Nad and having a blast one of the most laid back wall partners I have ever had. I have never smoked so much on a wall in my life, easily a Q.P. in five days.
Mammoth mornings would often start with a couple of record breaking hand rolls and cups of strong coffee, then skiing deep, un-tracked snow in the backcountry. After skiing it was back to the record books. I believe the record held at 1.86g for quite some time: No easy feat with a single white zig zag.
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Johnny K.
climber
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Whats the story behind "The little Egyptian"?
Nadim's ethnicity was Armenian?
The story about Nadim and Dale Bard is wild reading ,lots of interesting stories.
This is the first time reading about Nadim. Sounds like he was an exceptional person and climbing partner,cheers to Nadim,condolences to family & friends.
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Scole
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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Perhaps the family can answer more correctly, but he always told us his family was Egyptian
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nita
Social climber
chica de chico, I don't claim to be a daisy.
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The first day i met Nadim i asked him the origin of his name... because many people wrongly called him Nadine and not Nadim.
Scott is right.....He's Egyptian....
The video link i posted above (that no longer works) showed pictures of his family immigrating from Egypt to the U.S., when he was a little kid.
Edit: Sis, Thanks for the clarification, and the video repost......... interesting, your brother told many Yosemite folks he was Egyptian..
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Sis
climber
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We were all born in Egypt and came to US in 1963. Although our father was also born in Egypt, our ancestors were Armenian from Syria. Confused! A little mix of the middle east.
I'm trying to get a hold of my cousin to get a copy of the video. As soon as I get it I will repost it.
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Scole
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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Nadim was a great friend and an awesome climbing partner!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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I gave this guy , who had just skied out of the backcountry and was starving , a ride down to town....He was very polite and i was taken back by his calmness inspite of his desperate state... his name was Nadim....Condolences to his friends and family...
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Fletcher
Trad climber
The great state of advaita
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What a wonderful spirit Nadim was! Evidenced not only by the stories people have told here, but also by the warmth and fondness exhibited in the telling.
I read that story of Dale Bard and Nadim doing the high Sierra ski-traverse... mind-blowing!
Peace,
Eric
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Aug 12, 2013 - 11:46pm PT
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Bump for one of the sweetest dudes you could ever meet.
I got this slide from Nad probably fifteen years ago and I just dug it up so I thought I'd post it here. It's of him on his epic solo of The Shield in the early eighties. Aldude touched on it up thread. I remember him telling me how had a wicked case of food poisoning and he dry heaved bile up there for the better part of a day and a half. After getting it together and with minimal water, he went on finish to the route. You can see him in the lower left corner on the first? headwall pitch.
Miss ripping around at Sugarbowl trying to keep up while you shredded your three pins buddy.
PS, click the enlarge photo feature to see him clearly.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Aug 13, 2013 - 12:22am PT
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Not my shot E but thanks. Nad was a badass.
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Chute
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Sep 24, 2013 - 03:42pm PT
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I remember Nad complaining about the Feds: On one hand he was probably the only Egyptian working for the NPS but they wouldn't classify him as a "minority" so he didn't get a hiring preference. On the other hand, a Federal Judge in Fresno demanded he prove his american citizenship by producing his passport to prove he wasn't an illegal alien because he was born in Egypt!
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Sep 24, 2013 - 03:54pm PT
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Didn't he do the first solo of Excalibur? Back then there were a few mandatory free parts of that route that made it a proud solo.
Werner knows this. I think I'm correct.
I never met him, but we had mutual friends. I'm sorry for the family's loss.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 28, 2017 - 12:20pm PT
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It would be cool to see a list of all the routes Nadim climbed on El Capitan.
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johntp
Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
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Jul 12, 2018 - 10:37am PT
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Bump. I did a search for Joon Ma and this came up. Not sure if she is one of the posters on this thread.
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errett
Social climber
Grumpy Ridge
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Jul 12, 2018 - 12:25pm PT
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I knew Nad well from the Valley, Tuolumne and Mammoth. Back in the early '90's while I was knee deep in school, my x spent the winters working at Tioga Pass winter resort. I was able to spend weekends and holidays up there an also took a semester off to work there the whole winter.
Nad was a regular visitor and would book a room for a week a couple of times each winter. We would go looking for the untracked of which there was plenty. One time we went up on the slope south of Peak 12,002 where there was a nice chute we often skied but it was new to Nad. We knew from experience that the top was very dangerous -- just a wall of rock that was plastered by snowstorms. It would most often slide during or right after a storm but sometimes the snow would stick but we avoided skiing it.
When Nad saw it covered with snow he insisted on skiing it in spite of our protests, so he switch backed up there while we un-skinned and prepared for skiing in the trees next to the chute. As we were packing up we heard a low rumble and saw clouds of snow billowing out of the chute. So we ran over there and saw his ski cut into the rocks where he had cut off a slab. The entire top of the chute was sliding and he was nowhere in sight.
Several hundred feet below us was a section of the chute that flattened out for a bit and when the slide reached that section it slowed down and stopped and just as it did, Nad's head and upper body popped out of the snow! We rushed down there and helped dig him out. He was a bit contrite about not listening to us.
I really miss him and think of him often.
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