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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 30, 2014 - 06:15pm PT
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Avery told me that Nick Cradock had posted on the Bold NZ Solo thread....Sure Enough!!
Some of you may know more about Nick than I do, but I knew him a bit way back in the day. I got to know him in the summer of 1980, when I climbed the PO Wall with his countryman, John Dale.
Nick was climbing plenty of hard stuff that summer as I recall, and had a reputation as one of New Zealand's hard men.
From the little I know just through round about tales, Nick was, and is one of the finest rock climbers and alpinists to come out of NZ.
Anyway, I only wanted to extend a warm Supertopo welcome to the nuthouse, and hopefully we can milk some stories and photos out of him.
WELCOME NICK!!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jul 30, 2014 - 06:19pm PT
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Welcome Nick; bring more Kiwis as well!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 30, 2014 - 06:23pm PT
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By the way, Nick, you were 100% correct about the various Popes Nose routes.
I'm sorry for such an obvious blunder!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 30, 2014 - 06:27pm PT
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Hey Nick, an anecdote or two about your climbs with Tobin Sorenson would be great.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2014 - 06:34pm PT
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I believe Nick did some hard El Cap routes that summer also, I just can't recall which ones.
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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Jul 30, 2014 - 07:12pm PT
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Welcome Nick! Did you do any climbs with Bill Denz, either here or down in KiwiLand?? We'd love to hear stories and see photos of any climbs or other adventure travels!
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 30, 2014 - 10:23pm PT
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He also did the FA of Deprivation on Hunter, before Mark Twight did it and called it Deprivation....
Seems I heard something like that from a friend in AK many years ago.
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 30, 2014 - 11:42pm PT
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News about Deprivation by Marc Twight:
"In 1988, Nick Craddock and Lydia Brady from New Zealand climbed through the Third Rock Band but were forced to retreat from high on the wall."
(Info courtesy of the AAJ)
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 31, 2014 - 12:04am PT
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Yes Bruce, you would be referring to Dave Fearnley.
PS: You have the temerity to question the great Marc Twight!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 31, 2014 - 01:59am PT
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That would be Paul Aubrey.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 31, 2014 - 08:06am PT
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Welcome....the eleven Kiwis climbing next to us on Torre Egger certainly brought some fun to, what was then, a remote area.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2014 - 10:14am PT
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Is it possible that Nick was one of those eleven Kiwis?
This Galen Rowell piece includes Nick.
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197849300/print
This comment on 2013 piece on NZ team in Patagonia was submitted by Nick talking about climbing two Torres in 87.
Nice job boys, you're going well. Be good to bag all 3 Torres. Good choice on Torre Egger as a objective ( almost envious). My 2 cents is that if you get 2 Torres take a rest, even if wx fine. Braddock & I made the mistake of not resting in 87 after climbing CT & Fitz. in 3 weeks. We burnt out under west face of TEgger with plenty of time left in the area.
Nick, in orange helmet I believe, guiding in the modern era.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jul 31, 2014 - 10:36am PT
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Ken Boodawg,
Yes, Nick Cradock knew Bill Denz well. They did Tangerine Trip in 1978; Excalibur in 1979 (with Murray Judge); Zurbriggen Ridge to Summit Rocks on Mt Cook in 1978 as part of guide certification with Nick C. and G. Jackman.
Paul Maxim's definitive biography on Bill Denz spells Nick's last name with two d's but I see that is incorrect now.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2014 - 10:45am PT
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(note the double-d in Nick's last name).
Peter, I have always spelled it with a double d myself, but then I find numerous places online where it is spelled with a single d.
Nick himself used a single d when he signed up on supertopo. One would think he knows how to spell his own name....
Even Alpinist spelled it with a single.
This is a classic "long history of failed attempts" climb. The face has had just one winter ascent, in 1990. The driving force behind this one was Nick Cradock. He tried it lots of times (not sure exactly how many) and had some fairly epic bailouts by all accounts.
Adventure consultants uses a single d on their site also.
http://www.adventureconsultants.com/adventure/New_Zealand_Guides/
Hopefully Nick will step in and clear up this burning issue for us!
Sierra..Sierras?
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Jul 31, 2014 - 10:56am PT
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Nick has only one d in his name.
Great all round alpinist that did a lot of stuff and didn't spray about it. Just got it done. Has a really good eye for great lines.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 31, 2014 - 11:29am PT
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No, Nick wasn't one of the eleven but Murray Judge was.
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Nick Cradock
Trad climber
NZ
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Jul 31, 2014 - 01:56pm PT
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Thanks for getting my name spelt correctly. Yep, I spent 5days or so with Tobin. Can't add much more to his legend which hasn't already been said. We thought he had a Top rope from Jesus .
No Jim, I was not 1 of the big grp of kiwis you met in Chaltan. I was there a few years later 1979 and after a war of attrition climbed Fiztroy by the Chounaird / Thompkins rte. Spent a lot of time with JB . Saw the falling apart of his original team [Bacher was worried his legs were getting too big with all the load caring...ha, ha). Was only 19 at the time when we arrived at the 1 building in Chaltan on Xmas day and was greeted by JB and handed a tab. Very impressed.
On the walk down the Torre gl after yet another failure on the Super Colouir I watched JB and Brewer topping out on CT headwall, which inspired me immensely.
Yep myself and Dave Fearnley got very high on Deprivation, but got caught in a storm below the final rock band and retreated. Being able to take my harness and overtrousers off and the cut out my underwear that I had crapped in at the beginning of 30 or so raps was something I haven't forgotten.
Never forgotten what I learnt in Yosemite either.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2014 - 02:18pm PT
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Great post Nick!
Just as I remember, a man of few words at times.
Do you remember what you climbed in Yosemite, in the summer of 1980, when I met you?
And maybe you could take one of those tales you just mentioned and expand on it a wee bit???
Me on Mescalito, to maybe get the memories flowing?
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jul 31, 2014 - 02:29pm PT
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Nick, did you by any chance get some photos on Hunter? A trip report with pictures (or without) would kick ass. Sounds like quite a climb!! I read a bit about it in Beyond The Mountain.
Oh yea, welcome to the jungle!
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Avery
climber
NZ
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Jul 31, 2014 - 02:58pm PT
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Hey Nick, how about a few details on your Zenith climb. I believe you made the third ascent with Greg Child and Graeme Everett.
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