Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 51 of total 51 in this topic |
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - May 27, 2015 - 08:11pm PT
|
Hey there. My name is Leigh, I'm Drone Stephens's youngest daughter. I found this place via Google, searching for climbing stuff about him and noticed there was a pic of him, circa 1971. Kind of a stretch but was hoping that maybe someone here has stories, more photos, etc. to share with me? I came along after Yosemite for him and he passed away when I was a teenager so I missed out on a lot of stories about that part of his life. Anything anyone is willing to share with me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
May 27, 2015 - 09:47pm PT
|
^^^ AWESOME!
This right here for supertaco. Is the Goods!!!
Good Luck Leigh : )
|
|
Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
|
|
|
May 27, 2015 - 09:55pm PT
|
Yeah, I love when these connections happen.
ST rules for that!
I've had the pleasure of connecting with old friends too as a result.
Thanks CMac for creating these opportunities and good luck Leigh!
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
|
|
|
May 27, 2015 - 09:58pm PT
|
... maybe someone here has stories, more photos, etc. to share with me? I came along after Yosemite for him and he passed away when I was a teenager so I missed out on a lot of stories about that part of his life.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2015 - 06:05am PT
|
Thank you, Kevin! I believe I've met Bruce Brossman before, at least I know I've met Debbie, when my dad took me to Yosemite for the first time. I understand there are a lot of pictures here of Mike White as well? He was like an uncle to me. I'd love to get in touch with the aforementioned friends and try and find some pics, so thanks for the headstart!
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 07:20am PT
|
Who, me?
You need to check this thread, Leigh.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1172273&msg=1172273#msg1172273
I had this email come yesterday from Pilar.
Hello, my name is Pilar and Drone and I got together in Yosemite back in the early 80's.Ten years we were together and have a daughter who is now 28. Wow how the years have flown by! It was great to see all the old pic's of everyone from back then. Just wanted to say "Thanks"
Bless you both.
Drone and Mike (Whitey) were like twins.
Gypsy! Paging Gypsy!!
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 07:39am PT
|
So Leigh, is Babs your mom?
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 07:56am PT
|
Kevin
I was working on a NPS vehicle last summer when this guy and his daughter walk up.
I had no clue who he was until he started talking.
It was Mike, (Fig).
He looks and is doing real good .......
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 08:01am PT
|
Werner, are we talking about two Mikes? Or is it Mike Fig-White (sounds Brit, how cool)?
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 08:10am PT
|
Brian
This Fig did the 3rd ascent of Tissack and got a huge piece of lichen in his eye plus had an epic with huge falls due to expanding nature of the route.
With modern cams it's a pussy climb now ......
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 08:15am PT
|
Werner, better be looking out for "pussies"
good luck Leigh... I might be able to help you out with some contacts, email me on the STForum mail feature...
|
|
survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 08:18am PT
|
Leigh, I hope you find the things you're looking for here. Supertopo is great that way. You may have to follow a couple dead ends and dark alleys, but it will be worth it.
PEACE!!
|
|
BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 08:18am PT
|
Ellie Hawkins spoke at Oakdale Climbers' Festival last year. Steve Grossman would have her contact info. She wanted to contact Fig. Can anyone here help her out?? She'd be grateful.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2015 - 11:27am PT
|
Sorry for sporadic replies and lack of "quoting" but I'm on my phone and unable to figure out all the features just yet.
I'm not Barbara's daughter, I am Pilar's the one whose email is quoted above! I'm 28, Drone passed away when I was 15 and he was 56. Idk if anyone here knows Jolene, but she was my dad's significant other when he passed and she's bestowed upon me an amazing photo album of his, I'll have to double check for Camp Four pics and post them if I find any.
I'm not surprised at the lack of media given the time period, but am eternally grateful for all of your input! By the time I was born in '87, dad had already been out of Yosemite and no longer climbing. We went back to Yosemite to visit and I try and go as often as possible let because it's so amazing and there's so much heritage there for me. Again, thank all of you for your input!
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 03:23pm PT
|
Leigh,
Your father was in Yosemite when a great deal of dedication and sacrifice was a requirement for becoming a climber. This was a stiff barrier to entry. Because of this, to really drink deeply from the well, to attain mastery and gain satisfaction, many of us felt we needed to commit a great deal of time to the pursuit.
In fact this pursuit enveloped entire periods of our lives. We were not weekenders. We didn't so much have individual climbing partners, instead we drew from a rich and varied climbing community in which we all participated, daily. This allowed for lots of cross pollination of ideas and rapid improvement of skills. The melting pot arrangement provided a bulwark against stagnation. There was a great sense of belonging for all involved. We were indulging in a rich and rewarding kind of tribalism!
Maintaining the climbing lifestyle was nearly as challenging as the climbing itself. In this regard Drone was a master. He was savvy, resourceful and cunning when he needed to be.
One day hanging around Camp 4 in 1980, Cochran, Whitey, Carter, and maybe Hitchcock or Ashworth said "let's go over to the Ahwahnee and visit Drone!" You see, most of us lived at various times in Camp 4 and quite often in our cars in the surrounding parking lots. The smart people maintained a low profile (or thought they did, ha ha).
So, as we were walking over to check in on your dad, Cochran said "Drone is the Mayor of the Ahwahnee !!!" [parking lot]… “Check him out youngster and see how it's done right … Drone has class". Your dad was sitting in the bright sunshine on the tailgate of his pickup truck wearing a smart looking straw hat. He had light-colored skin and a tidy mustache. I looked around and realized he was parked in much more becoming surroundings than the rest of us! He was in the garden spot. He was also probably there being very low-key, for reasons best left to another story.
I didn't know your father well, because I was of the next generation and he moved on. I had the feeling that one needed to be well-established within the community to meet somebody such as Drone. By that time he was a tribal elder. His friends venerated him; that much was clear. And my sense was the impression he made had less to do with his feats as a climber per se. It was more about his character: it was about his hard-won smarts, his acerbic wit and his ability to be a consistent survivor.
Best,
Roy
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 04:19pm PT
|
Here's the only photo I have of Whitey.
Taken by somebody else, it was from a discussion here on the forum quite a few years ago.
It was from a bigger photo (I think he is standing next to a portaledge ) ... and we needed lots of enlarging to determine whether it was Mike or not ... It's him!
I'm sure he was one heck of a great uncle to you Leigh!
You could probably tell us some stories!!!
|
|
Urmas
Social climber
Sierra Eastside
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 04:27pm PT
|
FYI the Fig pictured above is not Mike Breitenbach.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 04:49pm PT
|
Mike Brietenbach (the first Fig) is the one that showed up last summer at my work bay with his daughter ....
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 05:11pm PT
|
Leigh, As all here have said we are all in, in the legacy thing i think. and will beat the weeds of our collective. . . mind (but, it may take time for some who lurk are very sporadic, especially
during the high season for climbing.
my best wishes and good start ! the real ones have answered you I must say to check them and there posts for their pedigrees.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2015 - 08:34pm PT
|
Again, I want to thank everyone! Any input at all is sincerely appreciated! I'm meaning to come and compose a more comprehensive reply, as soon as my laptop is done with its "12 of 39 updates" -.-
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2015 - 08:35pm PT
|
Does anyone know how to contact Mike White? I've searched the Facebook to no avail.
|
|
chappy
Social climber
ventura
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 12:00am PT
|
Mike White would be a good guy for you to contact Leigh. Dave Hitchcock perhaps as well. Bruce Brossman of course. I would think someone on S.T. has contact info for these guys. At one point Drone had a piece of property in Oakhurst. Hugh Burton was helping him build a house there. I remember visiting him there once and watching a video tape of the movie Tron. I believe he did tile work later in life. I think he tiled the kitchen/living room area of Lynda Ballerini's house in El Portal. I wasn't aware he passed away. Sorry to hear that. Good luck in your search!
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 04:55am PT
|
Hitchcock is on Facebook.
Don Harder (Mastadon) or Tom Carter may know how to reach Mike White.
One of them sent me a picture in 2010 of a visit with Whitey and many of the other usual suspects. Mike White is in Grass Valley California.
Here's a note from Hitchcock about that gathering:
I got to see Carter a bit last summer, which was fun. We went to a house warming party at Mike White's place in Grass Valley. I got to hang out with Don Harder, Auggie Klein and Phil Bircheff.
That should give us plenty to go on per finding Whitey.
I'll give these three guys a jingle.
I should be able to reach Ellie Hawkins as well. (Bruce Hawkins is eternally difficult to contact ... But I keep trying)
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 06:27am PT
|
Leigh,
I knew your father fairly well and I met your mother a few times, once when she was pregnant with you. I've always wondered what happened to Pilar-she was a beautiful, graceful woman. I also always wondered what happened to the child she and Drone had. Now I know.
Whitey (Mike White) was your father's best friend. He chokes up every time he talks about Drone. If you email me through this site, I'll give you his phone number.
I once called Whitey after not talking to him for a long time and left a message on his phone pretending to be his son that he never knew he had from a woman he'd long forgotten. I waited a month to talk to him and asked him about his son. He started sputtering and swearing, telling me that he hadn't slept a wink in that month wondering about his son that he didn't know about.
What I'm saying here is that he's gonna blame me for setting this up and may not believe that you are who you say you are if he finds out I'm involved…. I'll call him and warn him.
Don Harder
Here's a crappy picture of Whitey on El Cap in 1980. I don't have any pics of Drone, sorry.
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 06:36am PT
|
What I'm saying here is that he's gonna blame me for setting this up and may not believe that you are who you say you are if he finds out I'm involved…. Harder that is absolutely hilarious!
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 06:37am PT
|
Thanks for the email Tar-baby! I'll call you one of these days and catch up.
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 06:52am PT
|
Kathy Dermitzakis and Hugh Burton knew Drone very well.
Kathy talked about Drone even before I met him and I'm sure she would love to reminisce. Kathy very occasionally posts here as Kathy D.
I'll try her through e-mail.
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 07:28am PT
|
A story comes to mind to share about Drone. Talk about the fickle finger of fate, too!
Step in and correct me, guys, if I get some of it wrong.
Andy Cox and I think George Myers and another enterprising young stud (probably Whitey) went up Kings River, intending to climb Tehipite Dome. Andy got separated and that was the last his partners saw of him.
It was presumed that Andy's coke-bottle lens glasses got dropped and he was searching around for them, blind as a bat, when he went into the river.
It was during the search that ensued for Andy's body that Drone got bitten on a finger by a rattler, poor guy!
From there on, I don't know the rest of the story.
I was told this by Jeff Mathis, who visited me and my wife in Ventura County during the summer of '72, a little after all this went down.
Any other recollections of this out there?
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 04:47pm PT
|
Drone did indeed get bitten on the end of a finger as Mouse describes. The tip of his finger was black from then on.
Mark- the house at Bass Lake near Oakhurst didn't belong to Drone, it belonged to Red. Sutton, Burton, Drone and others worked on the house at various times.
I called Whitey this morning. He would love to talk to you, Leigh. He remembers you when you were little.
Here's a picture of a bunch of Valley bums: Hitchcock, me, Whitey, Debbie Brossman, Chuck Cochran is hiding behind Brossman, Hugh Burton, and Terry Counts/Minks and Charlie Rowe looking longingly in each other's eyes
Chuck Cochran was one of Drone's good friends, also.
|
|
WBraun
climber
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 05:42pm PT
|
Awesome haven't see Hitchcock and Whitey in years.
Why is Debbie flippin me off? :-)
Then there's Charlie bad to the bone skier and climber.
The whole crew is in that photo ......
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 29, 2015 - 07:09pm PT
|
This is all just amazingly overwhelmingly great! This post keeps bringing a smile to my face. I'm going to dig through my own pics and see what I can find and, once my laptop isn't dead or updating, come and reply to everyone in a more reasonable fashion! :)
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2015 - 10:37am PT
|
Thanks for the number! I'll call him later today. I guess he lives not all that far from me, only a couple of hours.
There was a time dad explained to me what ophidiophobia was. I think I must have asked him what the large, permanent knot on his finger was and he told me about the snake. He was terrified of snakes his whole life thereafter!
He did become a tile setter later in life, and that was his career. He was a real craftsman, taking pride in his work and created some beautiful finished products. I remember, he laid the brick on Mike White's back patio one year... He also set tile for Willie Mays, a proud moment in his life. I inherited his autographed Giants baseball cap.
He always took me to 4th of July Giants games since I was a kid, back at Candlestick. Consequently, I'm a huge Giants fan to this day and make a trip out to AT&T every year.
Hearing everything everyone has to say about him is really... overwhelming. But in a good way. To see how much people enjoyed his friendship... It makes me realize how much we lost when he left us. Having never known him as an adult myself, I'm blessed to be able to reach out to others for memories of him at a time I never knew.
I found some pictures in a photo album of his:
Sorry for the poor quality, I had to take pictures of the pictures because I can't find the cords to my scanner anywhere.
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
May 30, 2015 - 11:23am PT
|
Howzat?
|
|
Leigh Stephens
Social climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2015 - 11:35am PT
|
lol, perfect! It's the quintessential Yosemite picture, that's for sure.
Still haven't nailed down this "quoting" thing yet.
|
|
Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
|
|
|
May 30, 2015 - 12:02pm PT
|
Ho what a great group of folks!
I am just a lurker and hey
If you are lurking, sis, judas see this thread!
Now thank you all for pulling out the crusty grey old memories to re animate so much of what set the course of modern climbing.
You guys deserve the accolades and the whipper snappers of today can not imagine all the group dedicated to the furthering of the Harding way over the staunch boring Robbins church.
|
|
Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
|
|
Hi Leigh,
I knew your Dad in Yosemite in the early 70s. I searched my photos but could not find a picture of Drone. I did find a nice one of Fig, Mike Brietenbach.
I think that this is at the base of the East Buttress of Middle in 1973. We climbed the whole route, in the corners and chimneys on the left, but our purpose was to climb the bolt latter free.
Drone, Fig, Mike White were great guys. Mike was a guide at YMS the last season I guy. Great to read about and see pictures of those times.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
Leigh....I knew your father in the early 70's in Camp 4. He was a great guy who was friends with everyone.
|
|
MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
|
|
Those were the days...
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
Fig, Drone, Whitey and Will Tyree all worked logging on the peninsula of Washington in the town of Forks. Whitey has some pictures of those days. Rough times.
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
Mar 28, 2019 - 10:25am PT
|
Pictures? Let's see 'em.
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
Mar 28, 2019 - 12:41pm PT
|
Here you go, cowboy. Whitey’s the tall one. Drone is the second from the left on Whitey’s right arm.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2019 - 12:47pm PT
|
Wow, they look like a hardy bunch a dudes!
On another note, but still related to Mike White, I'm an awful person and never reached out to him in 2015 when we discussed it.
I'd still like to, I'll have to dredge up his number and get in touch. It can be awkward and hard to talk to someone for the first time in decades. But I live not two hours from him, and should meet up for lunch or something.
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
Mar 28, 2019 - 12:56pm PT
|
He would love to talk to you. Let me know if you need his number.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2019 - 08:30pm PT
|
I messaged you here for it, but I also don't understand how messaging works here... I sent myself a "test email" and... still haven't received it.
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
Mar 28, 2019 - 09:32pm PT
|
The messaging feature has been disabled. I think some people were getting creepy messages. Mike’s number is: 5 three zero 2 zero 6 6 three four 5.
I spelled some numbers so his number can’t be phished as easily. He’s expecting your call.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2019 - 05:29am PT
|
Thank you!!!! I'll call him tomorrow or Sunday. I really appreciate it!
|
|
Tobia
Social climber
Denial
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2019 - 06:56am PT
|
Leigh,
I knew your father in the late 70's when I came to the park and took an interest in climbing (1978). He was very accepting of a green horn to the Valley and was always friendly and willing to talk or answer questions.
I ended up living in his old truck after he sold to a friend (Bill Frey) my last summer in Yosemite. Bill worked for the mountaineering school and had company housing, so he let me call it home. I remember the truck from my first summer there.
Mastadon can verify whether I am correct or not as to whether it was your dad's truck as I believe. Here are a couple of pictures of it.
Bill with the truck in Curry Village
Below parked by the mountaineering school in Tuolumne Meadows.
|
|
Leigh Stephens
climber
Chico
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2019 - 06:25pm PT
|
Well that definitely looks like a truck he might have owned! lol
Just got off the phone with Mike White, he's gonna send me some pics and we'll hopefully meet up sometime soon to reminisce. Thanks to this forum for all the help on this front, I'm excited to be 32 and finally learning about this history that's news to me!
|
|
mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2019 - 07:16pm PT
|
Awesome!
|
|
Tobia
Social climber
Denial
|
|
I talked to Bill Frey today, he did buy the truck from Drone. It was a great truck! Someone had replaced the original engine w/ a 327 Corvette engine, plenty of power for the roadways of Yosemite.
|
|
| Messages 1 - 51 of total 51 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!