Thanks to The Bird

Search
Go

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List
This thread has been locked
Messages 1 - 49 of total 49 in this topic
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Original Post - May 28, 2015 - 09:40pm PT
I pay my respects to the mayor of Camp 4 and the ringleader of Yosemite climbing in the 70s. We have Jim Bridwell to thank for the magic of that time and place. Alpinist of the first order; brilliant, focused, fierce, visionary, inventive, hard as nails, funny as hell, generous, kind, always real, and continually driving everyone to be their best.




Jim Bridwell Appreciation
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=800705&tn=0&mr=0

Bridwell Stories
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=68084&tn=0&mr=0

Bridwell's Brave New World
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1217261&msg=1217261#msg1217261

Bird Lives!
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1220173&msg=1220173#msg1220173

Driving Miss Bridwell
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=734947&msg=734947#msg734947

A Summer Afternoon with Bachar and Bridwell
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=901172&tn=0&mr=0

Cerre Torre - FA Alpine Style
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1029543&msg=1029543#msg1029543

Dance of the Woo-Li Masters
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1215174&msg=1215174#msg1215174

Shadows - Half Dome
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=729469&msg=729469#msg729469
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa y Perrito Ruby
May 28, 2015 - 09:54pm PT

zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa y Perrito Ruby
May 28, 2015 - 09:54pm PT
Hey what happened here? Damn!
BLUEBLOCR

Social climber
joshua tree
May 28, 2015 - 11:20pm PT
Hear Hear! for The Bird 8^D





Good job Mark!
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
May 28, 2015 - 11:59pm PT
(reversed photo/ slide?)
(Werner writing)
Bridwell one day asks if I whanna go up with him to diving board to scope out a new route he's eyeballed.

Sure why not I ain't doing anything today.

So we're sitting there at the diving board and Jim is talking description of the pitches as he's seeing them thru his binoculars.

I was looking thru my binoculars and somehow his route and my route descriptions were completely different.

Suddenly Jim looks over at me and says; "WTF are you looking at????"

So I point to what is now the route called "Zenith" which I thought he was looking at and going to call it Bushido.

Jim then says; "No ... I'm looking at this thing over here" as he points to the route now called Bushido.

Uuugghh wtf is that POS man!!!!

Jim says it looks pretty good.

Then after a short while he scans over to potential "Zenith".

After a long silence suddenly Jim says; "Oh WOW!!! and that one is MINE too!!!!"

LOL .......
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
May 29, 2015 - 07:55am PT
"Dream Weavers" by Jim Bridwell.

http://issuu.com/rock-and-ice/docs/226-s/45?e=1647928/12483636
PhilG

Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
May 29, 2015 - 08:05am PT
brilliant, focused, fierce, visionary, inventive, hard as nails, funny as hell, generous, kind, always real, and continually driving everyone to be their best.

I couldn't agree more. How many climbers did he inspire and at the same time comfort us when we suffered our weaknesses?

Thanks, man!
hamie

Social climber
Thekoots
May 29, 2015 - 01:31pm PT
The Bird still rules.

Thanks for all of the links. Lots to read and enjoy there.
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 4, 2015 - 11:35am PT
There are stories to be told here bump.

The Bird is the reason for the magic we experienced in Yosemite in the 70s; he was the mayor of C4, the hub of the Valley scene, the ringleader, the catalyst for the energy then. He deserves his due respect because of it. Few have experienced or done what he has; few have what it takes!

Long live The Bird!
Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 4, 2015 - 11:44am PT
Yes, thanks Jim. Truly an Icon. I feel very fortunate to have made his acquaintance and share some thoughts about our experiences. He wears his stature well. Cheers to the Bird!
Bad Climber

climber
Jul 4, 2015 - 01:47pm PT
The Bird will always fly.

That is an UNBELIEVABLE resume!

BAd
jeff constine

Trad climber
Ao Namao
Jul 4, 2015 - 04:18pm PT
Worked with him a bunch BITD when I was guiding for Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School, general rule was to hit a few climbs after work, so after work me and the Bird were standing under This is only a test, a little 5.12a to d height dependent rig in Jtree. I asked him if he had done the route, he replied: never seen anyone do the direct start to Cactus Flower 11b, I said really, I tossed the rope down on the ground, tied in, handed him the belay side started up and sent, after I came down we smoked a fat bowl, and he said I thought you were gonna deck when you were trying to clip the 2nd bolt, but you blazed on through, good on you Medusa!. Did a few more with him, ill save that for another chapter..
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 4, 2015 - 04:23pm PT
That's the stuff! I want to "hear" more stories!
overwatch

climber
Jul 4, 2015 - 05:57pm PT
I'll chime in.
I met Jim through work as a stage rigger, we have climbed a few times together in the recent past. I was with him when he had his accident at COR. Thought I was seeing the death of a legend. I am so glad that wasn't the case and he was relatively unscathed although I think he still has some dizziness and isn't the same.


I consider him a good friend and a very interesting man who has accomplished amazing things.
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 20, 2015 - 08:31pm PT
Step up with a story you've been holding out on bump!

Long live The Bird!
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
Jul 21, 2015 - 04:16am PT
Jimmy Dunn never post here, so I'll relate this short story:

Just before Jimmy soloed the Cosmos, the Bird came up to him and threatened to break both his legs, or something to that effect, if he went up to do the climb.

After Jimmy returned to Camp 4, the Bird came up to him full of admiration, congratulating him, and then proceeded to take Jimmy out to a steak dinner, all on the Bird!
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 21, 2015 - 07:16am PT
SteveA, That's the stuff!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Jul 21, 2015 - 07:43am PT


Mark doing some ear hustling & schmoozing, over tacos.

"Suxie Belen's is the best in Oakdale."--JB (pd endorsement)
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
Jul 21, 2015 - 11:05am PT
Is that Jim Erickson, in the blue shirt, with S. Wunsch next to him, at the end of the table?
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Jul 21, 2015 - 01:46pm PT
Yes. Those are them. They are the ones.

The one did the ground-up FFA of Supercrack in the Gunks in '74.

The other the NWF Half-Dome FFA (with Art Higbee.)

Them guys.
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 21, 2015 - 02:29pm PT
Thanks for the post, Mouse! Yeah, quite the collection of my idols. And, the guy sitting across from me is Tom Choate; very nice guy and good company. He's in his 70s and had climbed Denali earlier that summer for, I think, the eighth time!
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2015 - 03:14pm PT
A Bird Birthday Bump!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Jul 29, 2015 - 03:27pm PT
Mark--
I didn't see that last post with Choate's creds. I met him at that function and he told me he's the oldest to have gone to the summit of Denali, I think.
Or, if you will, Choate, Tom, and Long, Dick.

MORE BIRD PHOTOS & STORIES, PLEASE!!!!
johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
Jul 29, 2015 - 07:05pm PT
Everybody's heard about the bird
ba ba ba bird bird bird
the bird is the word.


I can't ever hear enough about the bird.
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2016 - 08:35pm PT
Huzzah for the lord of Camp 4 bump!
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Apr 2, 2016 - 04:41pm PT
BUMP
Here lets have 'em together

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=68084&tn=40
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2016 - 03:05pm PT
I bow down to honor the king of Camp 4!

Give us your stories!

Here...


...or here...

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=68084&tn=40

donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 23, 2016 - 03:55pm PT
Let the Bird continue to soar....I had some great times with Jim. He inspired multiple generations.
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Dec 23, 2016 - 04:02pm PT
Jim bought me my first underage drink in the Mountain Room Bar, 1978, when it was still in the same building as the Four Seasons.
I've always grinned about that.

I was 17.
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
Dec 23, 2016 - 04:16pm PT
Survival! It's small world time again, were you there for this minor happening?

May of 1978, in the crowded Mountain Room Bar, when Jim Bridwell & his girlfriend politely asked if they could share a table with my Idaho buddy, Mark Mason & me.

Mark & I had been drinking a fair amount of beer, to celebrate our 3rd day of surviving being visiting “turkeys” from Idaho, in Yosemite.

We had some more beer with Bridwell & his girlfriend, while making small talk.

Mark overheard him say something about Upper Cathedral to another person and leaned over and asked him what he thought of Braile Book. Bridwell smiled and said something about really liking the route, since he had done the first ascent. At this point Mark stuck his hand out and said “Yes I knew that, you’re Jim Bridwell aren’t you?”

As they shook hands, I blurted out: “You’re not Bridwell!
Bridwell has a mustache!”

Bridwell laughed, stroked his face, and pleasantly remarked that Bridwell did not now have a mustache.

I stumbled through an apology, then slumped back against the wall with my “red-face,” while Bridwell & Mark chatted pleasantly about climbing.

It was only one beer later that Mark looked seriously at Bridwell and said:
“Do they just pound those chrome-moly pitons into the rock, or what??”

Bridwell looked like he had been pole-axed and could only stare dumbly, while my mind recalled that Mark had been very-impressed by the thin aid-crack on Bishop’s Balcony.

I quickly explained the Bishop’s Balcony aid-crack was what Mark was likely thinking of.

Bridwell now knew he had not one, but two, hopeless idiots sharing his table.

The conversation faltered, and Mark & I soon stumbled out into the night.
rick sumner

Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
Dec 23, 2016 - 04:40pm PT
As an underage drinker in the Mountain Room bar circa 1974 I bought him a few rounds.

To borrow Ament's book title- He was the spirit of the age, probably for longer than any other climbing individual of the 20th century.
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2016 - 04:41pm PT
He was the spirit of the age, probably for longer than any other climbing individual of the 20th century.

Here, here! May the Bird continue to soar.

Fritz, thanks for that story about you, Mark Mason, and Bridwell - good stuff.

Survival, Bridwell has always been about helping people around him have newer and bigger experiences!
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2017 - 07:50pm PT
Bump for The Bird. How willing has he always been to help us reach in for our biggest nature. One and all - even for those lower on the ladder like me - he would give an encouraging word and a push to go and get it done. You didn't always have to have talent - as long as you showed heart he is your advocate.
BruceHildenbrand

Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
Mar 29, 2017 - 01:09am PT
I remember when the Mountain Shop burned down in 1974(?) Jim and Dale Bard were met by the feds coming out of the remains one night on an unannounced fire sale.
WBraun

climber
Mar 29, 2017 - 07:39am PT
Bruce H -- "I remember when the Mountain Shop burned down in 1974(?)
Jim and Dale Bard were met by the feds coming out of the remains one night on an unannounced fire sale."

Didn't happen like that.

Bridwell was the lookout, except him and Dale didn't know there was a stakeout that day.

Dale used my climbing pack with my name on it without me even knowing anything about their plans.

Dale tried to run and escape on the roof of the shop was caught.

They saw my name on the pack he was carrying full of the goods and thought I got away.

During this whole time I was in the broiler room with one of the off duty leo rangers eating dinner.

There was an APB out for me and when I got to C4 I was surrounded by Rangers and apprehended.

They asked where I was in the last hour or so and told them where I was.

They didn't believe me until they called my alibi to confirm.

I still had no clue what was going on at all until Bachar and Kauk showed up a few minutes after the rangers left and told me ......
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Mar 29, 2017 - 09:03am PT
The 70's in the Valley were fun. Unfortunately, the "outlaw" nature of life in Camp 4 led to a rift between climbers and rangers that remains to this day.
i-b-goB

Social climber
Wise Acres
Mar 29, 2017 - 09:45am PT
^^^
Ranger Danger vs Ranger Dinner!
life is a bivouac

Trad climber
Bishop
Mar 29, 2017 - 02:34pm PT
I kind of remember, what might have started the "bad blood", was the "Stoneman Bridge" fiasco. After that, the next year and on, the Feds were all over the place.
That was a long time ago; perhaps Werner or another can shed more light on this. Before that happened, "we" still had a good low profile relationship with those dog gone Rangers...
Cheers Russ
Rollover

climber
Gross Vegas
Sep 18, 2017 - 10:12pm PT
We hit it off immediately
I had Camels
Just gassing up
Semi-blazing mush (booms)
From the night before
Mobil Mart or whatever it was
Beater wagon rolls up to the pump
Bridwell and 2 super fit dudes
WAY poor communication
In shitty what sounded like pig Czech and Spanish mixed together
Jim instructed them to gas the beast and sniffed out my smoke instantly
Over he came
My 19yr old protégés Jason and Jason respectively
Murmured reclusively and warned of the oncoming Bird
In stark contrast
Jim was THE gentleman of gentlemen as he made his approach
No intimidation factor whatsoever

Then he was on me

As much to bum a cig as much to chat
And snap the filter
Most of you here have the best of the Bridwell stories
Some certainly similar

But none of those could ever be mine

We talked for like two hours
Gassing up
Birthday's a day apart it seems
Same secret areas in Tahoe
Skiing and otherwise
Championship bullshitting
And of course the topic of sport f*#king
Gassing up


I am just a moe
And maaan did we talk

Wasn't the last time
We are both named Jim it seems


Don Lauria

Trad climber
Bishop, CA
Sep 18, 2017 - 10:37pm PT
On an afternoon circa 1966, a very young Jim Bridwell accompanied by a very young, but already bald, Chris Fredericks, came rushing up to me to announce he and Chris and others had just done a first ascent. It’s only 5.7 (Yeah, sure. It’s really 5.8) and it’s an incredible climb. You gotta do it. We named it “The Braille Book”.

Well, we sat down at a table broke out some beers and began chatting about life in general around the Valley. Jim said he was sick and tired of the incessant queries from tourists who would walk up to him and ask if he was a rock climber. This, while he was standing there with a huge hardware rack and two ropes draped over his shoulders. He and Chris were getting some tee shirts made up that stated plainly on front and back, “High Country Spire Repair Service”. They hoped that this would eliminate any further inquiries.

I have used the label “Spire Repair Service” innumerable times since in formulating answers to the inevitable questions from the uninitiated tourist.

NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Sep 19, 2017 - 10:32am PT
Spire Repair Service is pretty funny :)
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2018 - 09:03pm PT
Tell your story bump
rgold

Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
Feb 15, 2018 - 10:26pm PT
He and Chris were getting some tee shirts made up that stated plainly on front and back, “High Country Spire Repair Service”. They hoped that this would eliminate any further inquiries.

Hmmm...

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1986011&msg=1986609#msg1986609
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Feb 16, 2018 - 04:39am PT
Well then I will add this from the Link below the pix, cap'tn obvioushttp://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1621352&msg=1621997#msg1621997
Wayno

Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 16, 2018 - 10:14am PT
When I was a young noob in Yosemite way back I ran into the Bird a couple of times but never got to know him or even been formally introduced. The one time I did interact with him was when I was stuck trying the "nut throw" on the Trip. He was coming down from fixing on a new route to the right of the Trip and paused below us on the ground to watch my shenanigans. He eventually shouted up something about a hook move and sure enough after a few tries I hooked over and got it done without the silly nut throw.

Fast forward some thirty plus years later I find myself at the Oakdale fest hanging out with Jim. We seemed to be hitting it off pretty well and I tell him the Trip story. He laughs and says he remembers that and then just shakes his head and says, " f*#king guidebooks."

Priceless.
E

Ice climber
mogollon rim
Feb 17, 2018 - 06:07am PT
When I was 19 I was allowed to borrow my dad's car to go to the valley. Hit a big snowstorm and had to beach it in fish camp and thumbed the rest of the was into the valley. I went to camy 4 where I ran into bridwell and John long who took me under their wings and allowed me to hang with them probably because I had weed. Jim was driving a green dodge van with a doghouse on top which is where I got to stay.
It snowed pretty much all week so alot of stories were told sitting in there. We got out climbing at least once to arch rock which was awesome! When the week was over and I hitched back to the car all the freeze plugs had blown and it had to be repaired in coarse gold and boy was I in trouble....again

EE
BruceHildenbrand

Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
May 10, 2018 - 12:49pm PT
Here's a reposting by Rock and Ice of Jim Bridwell's account of the FA of Sea of Dreams.

http://rockandice.com/snowball/24307/
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2018 - 08:08am PT
Share yer stories bump!
Mark Force

Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 2, 2018 - 03:51pm PT
Thanks to all that Bridwell gave us bump!
Messages 1 - 49 of total 49 in this topic
Return to Forum List
 
Our Guidebooks
spacerCheck 'em out!
SuperTopo Guidebooks

guidebook icon
Try a free sample topo!

 
SuperTopo on the Web

Recent Route Beta