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nah000
climber
canuckistan
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May 15, 2014 - 06:21pm PT
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BK:
agreed. if one is to focus on influence regarding solely and purely the physical act of climbing i'd go with lowe, then bridwell, robbins or gill.
but if focusing on the influence regarding the totality of the culture of climbing, i'd go with chouinard, then hill.
if i'm going to be serious in my frivolous pedantry, i might as well embrace it...
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philo
Trad climber
Is that light the end of the tunnel or a train?
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May 15, 2014 - 06:40pm PT
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Just to clarify this is Donini's OP.
Topic Author's Original Post - May 11, 2014 - 09:02am PT
There are a lot of notable candidates from all of the realms of climbing from John Gill in bouldering, Lynn Hill in Rock climbing, George Lowe in alpinisim to John Roskelly in high altitude mountaineering and many I have not mentioned.
My vote, however, in terms of his influence on the world stage is Jeff Lowe. Jeff has been the epitome of the "all rounder" with demonstrated skill in rock, ice, mixed and alpinisim. He has always been a step ahead of the times, sometimes a step too far. A true pioneer, he has always explored ways to take climbing to the next level. He has never been content with the status quo. When you combine an ever inquiring mind with technical skill and an explorer's mentality you have the ingrediants of a true game changer.
And a game changer he has certainly been.....from cutting edge Himalayan alpinisim to being the "father" of modern ice and mixed climbing, he has been a profound influence for climbers around the world.
Alpine climbing was born in the Alps and many of its storied practicioners live within their shadows but they are all indebted to Jeff for showing them the way on steep ice and mixed climbing.
Astonishing new speed records are now the norm in the Alps but Jeff's route Metanoia on the Eiger, done solo twenty three years ago, has yet to be repeated.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 15, 2014 - 06:44pm PT
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Chiounard may not have been as good a climber as some but he gave the rest of them the tools and knowlege to get the job done.
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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May 16, 2014 - 01:00am PT
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"At length, I found myself at the foot of a sheer drop in the bed of the avalanche channel, which seemed to bar all further progress. The tried dangers beneath seemed even greater than that of the cliff in front; therefore, after scanning its face again and again, I commenced to scale it, picking my holds with intense caution. After gaining a point about half-way to the top, I was brought to a dead stop, with arms outspread, clinging close to the face of the rock, unable to move hand or foot either up or down. My doom appeared fixed. I must fall. There would be a moment of bewilderment, and then a lifeless tumble down the once general precipice to the glacier below. When this final danger flashed in upon me, I became nerve-shaken for the first time since setting foot on the mountain, and my mind seemed to fill with a stifling smoke. But the terrible eclipse lasted only a moment, when life burst forth again with preternatural clearness. I seemed suddenly to become possessed of a new sense. The other self -- the ghost of by-gone experiences, instinct, or Guardian Angel -- call it what you will -- came forward and assumed control. Then my trembling muscles became firm again, every rift and flaw was seen as through a microscope, and my limbs moved with a positiveness and precision with which I seemed to have nothing at all to do. Had I been borne aloft upon wings, my deliverance could not have been more complete. Above this memorable spot, the face of the mountain is still more savagely hacked and torn. But the strange influx of strength I had received seemed inexhaustible. I found a way without effort and soon stood upon the topmost crag in the blessed light."
John Muir,
His active climbing was in the 19th century but he was most influential well into the 20th. He influenced the creation of the first national parks. He directly helped preserve Yosemite. He influenced the science of geography and advanced the understanding of glaciation. He wrote passionately of climbing, wilderness preservation and humanism. When we each think of our cathedral in nature, we must thank him.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 16, 2014 - 07:41am PT
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Fritz is also a very strong earlier influence that can not be ignored unless you are from California.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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May 16, 2014 - 08:34am PT
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I think it's so cool donini mentioned Roskelly. I suppose Roskelly really did help point high-end mountaineering in a new direction and he was also a pretty damn good County Commisioner, for a red-neck town like Spokane, to boot.
In my own personal case, I would have to say Pam Ament's book on John Gill (which came out just before I started climbing) did a lot to give me a life-long interest in bouldering, even though I never got very good at this particular discipline. Also the stories about Peter Croft's early antics in the Leavenworth area really blew our socks off when we were beginners.
In a more general sense, I guess I would have to say that Lynn Hill and Wolfgang Güllich (I know, not American but who cares?) were the two most influential rock climbers of the 20th century. I can't think of anyone else who made such big strides in redefining the standards for high-end rockclimbing.
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TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
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May 16, 2014 - 11:33am PT
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My vote goes to Jeff, with Chouinard a close second. Barber and Hill are right behind them. Tough to pick just one.
TY
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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May 16, 2014 - 11:34am PT
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While not wanting to rain on anyone's parade. Tradmanclimbs said:
"Chiounard made possible Repentance, The Black Dike, The Last Gentleman,Le Promenade, Called on Acount of Raines and every single other ice climb harder than grade 3 in the entire world." sic.
Hmm, short tools were being used in Scottish gullies in the 1930s
From the Scottish mountain heritage website.... Quoting Bill Murray.
"The idea of the shorter ice axe came from Bill Bennet, who had a slater & plumbing business in Glasgow. They took a 14-inch slater's hammer, cut off the side-claw(used for levering slates off roofs), and they had a heavy but short ice hammer for steep ice cutting. Doug Scott, who on occasions climbed with Murray, had a short axe made for himself by a blacksmith in 1936, making the 3rd winter ascent of Crowberry Gully with it. Mackenzie made the 2nd ascent the week before, but with a longer axe"
And of course concurrent with Chouinard's development of the curved pick, there was the development of the Terror by MacInnes in 1970. From the Cold Thistle blog....
Doug Robinson sez:
" the catalog date of introduction of the Piolet is listed as 1969. And by October of that year Yvon delivered to me on the edge of the Palisade Glacier the hickory-handled 70 cm one (and that hand-forged Alpine Hammer) that we put to good use on the V-Notch the next day.......He was very intent on letting me know in no uncertain terms about Scottish primogeniture of the droop. Others listening agreed. May have even said that YC had come through Scotland to take in their development. "
Robinson's recollection was even Chouinard gave credit of his "curve" to the Scots. And that actual production started in '69 on the Piolet. The thought process months prior to the summer of '66.
Chouinard was undoubtedly an incredibly influential climber, but perhaps not quite as influential as Tradmanclimbs suggests?
Steve
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Anastasia
climber
Home
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May 16, 2014 - 11:37am PT
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I am influenced the most (being a woman) by Lynn Hill. I was also highly inspired in the 80's by Tiffany Levine (Campbell).
Yes, there are ton of guys that are awesome but women were such a rarity then, it was great to see these girls out climb the boys for a change.
AFS
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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May 16, 2014 - 01:32pm PT
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I've been most influenced by Robert Underhill. I use a rope and belay when I climb.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 16, 2014 - 01:41pm PT
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it was my understanding that the common practice was to have an ice ax in one hand and a spike or ice piton in the other hand. Chiounard was certainly the one who introduced here in the north east the idea of climbing with a short tool in each hand and front pointing.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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May 16, 2014 - 01:55pm PT
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I don't know what the real answer to this question is. But the answer should be Jeff Lowe.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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May 16, 2014 - 09:50pm PT
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I said Charlie Porter earlier and I stand by that. Big wall, ice, true wilderness expedition climbing, often done solo. Who had a keener eye for "The Line"? I mean, Zodiac, The Shield? Damn.
That said, George Lowe has been hugely influential, as has Mugs Stump. In my opinion, their example -- not their rhetoric, but their example -- reoriented American alpine climbing from plodding expeditions to DIY affairs.
The great thing about this thread is that there is an embarrassment of riches. I haven't seen a wrong answer yet.
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Riley McDonald
climber
CA
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May 16, 2014 - 10:41pm PT
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For me, in terms of pure style, achievements, and attitude, it's been Mugs and Porter.
Twight gets an honorable mention though...
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Crump
Social climber
Lakewood, CO
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May 16, 2014 - 11:18pm PT
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Forgive my earlier jest, but seriously I vote for Jeff.
As much as he traveled and did elsewhere, he took the time to travel to Texas and teach. He and his business partner Kevin Donald, made several visits to Texas, Austin, Enchanted Rock, ...
He made the first on-site of Fear of Flying, a route that I had lead 3 months priori, but had previously hiked on top rope...
Jeff smiled, pointed, and sent. Most off all he taught and inspired. So on behalf of Texas... We says Jeff because of the love he showed us.
https://vimeo.com/31061211
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selfish man
Gym climber
Austin, TX
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May 17, 2014 - 12:00am PT
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I wonder how many unsung climbing heroes there were, who were every bit as good as anyone else mentioned but who never cared for being in the spotlight. But then again, they won't qualify as "influential" except in narrow circles
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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May 17, 2014 - 12:25am PT
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Donini posts a question that helps explain why Pagans like to have many gods!
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Santa Cruz Mountains and Monterey Bay
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May 17, 2014 - 12:34am PT
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i am amazed this discussion has gotten so far without mentioning Frank Sacherer
in the early 60s there were less than a dozen of us pushing standards in Yosemite, with Harding and Royal leading rival hammer and piton teams that still capture the history attention, while Chouinard and Becky drove interest in alpine ascents
i was a younger brat whose Gill-inspired passion for free soloing was generally considered an embarrassment to the community
however it was Frank Sacherer who really drove the ethos of modern fast and free Yosemite wall ascents, encouraged by Kamps and Higgins
in the space of two years Frank completely shifted the focus from heavy hammer haul bag ascents to fast and light and free
i watched this happen as a younger regular partner to both Frank and Royal
Royal has pointed out to his audience, that he has forgotten a lot of the details, and they should ask me, as i was there and i remember
i don't claim to be any sort of ultimate authority, but it is intriguing to me hearing what various authoritative people say about events where i was there and they were not
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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May 17, 2014 - 12:54am PT
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Sure RR is the sh#t but he hardly scratched the surface with alpine climbing, and you can hardly say the word climbing and ignore the mountains. every single high impact climber never amounts to sh#t unless he takes it to the mountains. Thats just a fact jack.
That's both an ignorant and elitist statement.
Beyond the thread title, the key qualifier I read in Jim's question was all round (including alpine).
Jeff certainly qualifies as do George and Alex.
Ditto for Robbins, Chouinard, Sacherer, Porter, Sorensen, Barber, The Bird, Kauk and Fowler, all of whom were masters on the stone and made impressive forays onto the ice and into the alpine.
All of these guys were and still are influential to me.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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May 17, 2014 - 01:24am PT
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Jim Whittaker
Clint Eastwood
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