Mayor of the Gunks Appreciation Thread

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Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Aug 24, 2014 - 10:40am PT

Some photos from Harvey Arnold's collection.

Kevin and Harvey in the Needles, 1981

]Steve Wunsch and Kevin working the protection, 1978

Fantastic portrait, 1977

Kevin and Barbara Devine, 1981

Kevin and George Willig, 1978

mongrel

Trad climber

Truckee, CA

Aug 24, 2014 - 12:49pm PT

Partly to keep this thread in our attention, and partly to fill in a small historical tidbit alluded to by rgold, one of Kevin's falls, this would have been March or maybe April 1969 (first trip to the Gunks of the spring), was from Strictly from Nowhere, which at that time anyway was sometimes used as a superior start to Shockley's. I wasn't right there at the moment, but the detailed statements afterward were that he arrived at the p.1 ledge and stood up, and the block constituting the ledge just slid right out of the crag. Having no pro close by, he went 70' to the ground and landed sitting down (a rare position for him to be in as we have seen), clonking the side of his eyebrow on a pointy rock between his legs and breaking a transverse process or two, just from musculature overstressing the doorjamb, so to speak. But otherwise hardly damaged, in good humor right from the first instant to his discharge from the hospital a couple days later (probably someone slipped staff the word to please keep him from going out climbing again for at least a few days). His bright and enthusiastic nature was of course completely undiminished and he was back on the rock later that spring, if I recall. I never knew about the seizures, but unless you witnessed one or heard from someone who did, for sure he would never have brought it up.

I can't say I recall if he was in the habit of wearing the JB helmet already or not in 1968-69. But that's a historical fragment I'm pretty sure of (most of the details, anyway). First of at least five groundfalls I witnessed (or nearly so) in the Gunks, mercifully none resulting in anything worse than a broken wrist or leg, and some (from 95'!) in virtually no injury at all.

MH2

climber

Aug 24, 2014 - 07:42pm PT

Worthy tributes. Thanks.

mike m

Trad climber

black hills

Aug 24, 2014 - 08:37pm PT

Wow thanks for the great posts. Did he do a lot of mountaineering?

jstan

climber

Aug 24, 2014 - 10:02pm PT

I visited Kevin in the hospital after the second fall. It was quite serious I thought and the epilepsy began then.

On another note take a look at the photo from an earlier post.

Kevin did not just listen. He was fully absorbed when listening.

Very rare talent.

steveA

Trad climber

Wolfeboro, NH

Aug 25, 2014 - 04:44am PT

I am glad this thread has re-appeared. Kevin was a great guy, and a good friend.

richross

Trad climber

Aug 25, 2014 - 05:19am PT

Kevin on the first pitch of Psycho in Eldorado Canyon, 1977.

guido

Trad climber

Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific

Aug 25, 2014 - 09:47am PT

Wonderful thread, especially enlightening slice of the Gunks and the East. What a pleasure to see the input from some of the characters from that era. More!

Bob D'A

Trad climber

Taos, NM

Aug 25, 2014 - 10:01am PT

On my first trip to SD to visit Kevin and Barbara with my wife and son we went up to their apartment, they were baking bread and the temp inside had to be at least 85 degrees and Barbara was wearing a down jacket.

I did a early repeat of Roadside Attraction and had to leave a number one friend that Kevin was going to retrieve for me, after going back three days later the friend was gone...I thought forever. I met Lew Hoffman who spend time in the Needles bouldering in the GOG one day, he invited down to the San Luis Valley and I went with Bob Murray early summer 1984, Lew was trying a crack and left a number one friend in...I led the crack, did the FA and got back my friend that I left in the Needles...small world indeed.

That picture of Steve and Kevin is on PR..and a "crack n up" is the piece being weighted down with stoppers to keep it in.

Bob D'A

Trad climber

Taos, NM

Aug 25, 2014 - 10:21am PT

My mind has always been a little stronger than my body and at times got me into trouble in the Gunks. I did a early repeat 1977 or 78 of a route called Tomorrow, Tomorrow on the Slime Wall. We used a Crack N Up to protect the crux at about 30 feet up, Kevin, Barbara and I laid siege and by bad timing or bad luck I got pass the crux only to watch the piece wiggle out and fall down the rope, a little panic set it and then I told Kevin to catch me as I thought about down climbing/jumping to the ground rather than falling out of control...Calmly Kevin told to reach up for bucket, I reached and the bucket was there, I survived and made it to the anchor, I ask Kevin how he knew a bucket was there, with that little smirk of his he told he didn't, he just didn't want to catch me.

I did some of my best run out hard climbing with Kevin...he could make you feel like you could climb anything at anytime. Most positive person I have ever met in the climbing world...period!

avue

climber

Aug 25, 2014 - 12:24pm PT

It is amazing how long it has been. I remember when he told me they were going over to the Alps and I wished them the best.
Great thread as well - brings back so many memories of those days. The entourage of climbers that would go to all the climbs not only for the climbing but the whole social atmosphere. Each often taking turns trying to get the gear higher, so that someone would get have the guns to get to the belay. I was lucky to have shared many climbing days and memories whether at the cliff or in the restaurant.

Paul Niland

wayne burleson

climber

Amherst, MA

Aug 25, 2014 - 12:42pm PT

Backed off the Matterhorn last week and thought a lot about this thread the whole way.
Now re-reading it in a restaurant in Lausanne... Wonderful writing by Alan and Rgold...
I never met Kevin but felt his influence through my Gunks and Boston friends.

Bob D'A

Trad climber

Taos, NM

Aug 25, 2014 - 01:39pm PT

One of few people I know who had a thousand or more best friends. :-) Special person he was.

richross

Trad climber

Aug 25, 2014 - 04:28pm PT

Barb looking cool.

Kevin on Athlete's Feat.

richross

Trad climber

Aug 25, 2014 - 08:05pm PT

Barb

The thin start of Country Club Crack.

Oldfattradguy2

Trad climber

Here and there

Aug 26, 2014 - 07:41pm PT

Rich and Rich,

Thanks for the great pics and stories. Kevin was the first "famous" climber I met, pretty awe inspiring for a teenage kid hanging in the gunks every weekend.

Watching the community rally around Barbra after he died set a standard for myself and others. It's the standard I use to compare any other community that I have ever been part of.

I used to get to enjoy watching him race the chairlift on his skating skis at Bellarye during my stint back at grad school in the Gunks in the years right before he died.