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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 26, 2015 - 11:46am PT
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I just received word from Joe McKeown that Mort Hempel died on Monday.
He was one of several icons for the golden age of Yosemite climbing, better known for his beautiful guitar playing and gentle song lyrics than his early climbing in the Valley. No Bay Area climbing party of the era was complete without him.
RIP
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couchmaster
climber
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Aug 26, 2015 - 11:51am PT
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He had a good run, thanks for sharing. The worst part of the old timers stepping into the void is that all of us left behind now take one step closer to the same.
Best to Morts family and friends.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Aug 26, 2015 - 11:53am PT
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I got to meet him in 1972, which was after his prime as a climber, but he was an interesting man. Besides, he was on the first ascent of both the Crack of Doom and the Split Pinnace Lieback, which were two of Yosemite's earliest 5.10's.
Rest in peace, good sir.
John
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Aug 26, 2015 - 12:14pm PT
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The light goes dim and we gather round
A campfire grim with a sweet old sound
Mort's playing a tune by the light of the moon
Pay attention, old man, you'll be singing it soon
Have another brew and another or two
As night draws down it will come to you
5.10, let's adjourn to the Circus Room.
Condolence to all the rest of you who knew Mort,
And thanks for the news, Guido and Jan.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 26, 2015 - 12:46pm PT
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I met Mort a few times in the late 60's early 70's in the Tetons. Love the route he put up with YC....the Snaz.
Sad to learn of his passing.
His final trip.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Aug 26, 2015 - 12:57pm PT
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Sounds like Mort had a great life.
Condolences to family & friends.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Aug 26, 2015 - 01:38pm PT
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Sad to have lost another!
RIP
Peace
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Aug 26, 2015 - 02:35pm PT
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I have written about Mort in my book. He and I were good friends. He lived with me in Boulder for about half a year as we got him settled and into his own place. He and I recorded a lot of music together, and we made a really fun tape of two pirates talking on the bow of a ship.... I rode the freights to California in the late '60s to see a girl friend and stayed at Mort's place. When I arrived at his door my face was black with train soot. He thought he had seen a ghost. Mort and I did a few climbs, one with Pratt, up the Left Side of Reed. And I took Mort climbing in Eldorado a few times. His life was a hard struggle, but with boundless riches, and we all loved him. He was in a care facility in Boulder at the end, where I last visited him....
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elcap-pics
Big Wall climber
Crestline CA
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Aug 26, 2015 - 02:41pm PT
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Sorry to hear of his passing. I met him in the late 60's when he stayed at Pratt's site in camp 4. Great guitar player for sure. He had some problems at the time but was super cool and an interesting guy. He will be remembered.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Aug 26, 2015 - 02:45pm PT
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Any friend of Guido and Jan is a friend of mine, especially a musician.
I just lost my father in law Saturday night, so I'm very in touch with deep loss right now.
Rest easy Mort, we'll take it from here, as best we can.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Aug 26, 2015 - 04:01pm PT
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^^^^^^
That's a great little piece of writing. :-)
RIP Mort. Belay off.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Aug 26, 2015 - 04:06pm PT
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My sincere condolences to Mort's family and friends...
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Aug 26, 2015 - 04:26pm PT
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He was a great man. Met him in Boulder at a few music venues. Very nice unassuming character who was a great guitar player. Talked with him about the " Crack of Doom " route. Glad I have done the route as it gave me insight to his character. R.I.P. Mort
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John Morton
climber
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Aug 26, 2015 - 05:20pm PT
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The spelling is Hempel.
For some reason his image is frozen in my mind wearing a yellow sweater, on the Berkeley campus around 1962, looking dashing and handsome, almost Ivy League. A bright, intriguing and creative guy.
I last saw him in the mid-nineties when Roper invited me over for dinner at his place. I hadn't known Mort too well, so I was puzzled to find he was the other guest. I guess Roper thought a musician would be a good bet. It was a fine evening, and I'm indebted to Steve for bringing us together.
rest in peace Mort
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Aug 26, 2015 - 05:28pm PT
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hey there, to jan and pat, all mort's friends...
my condolences and prayers, again, for the memories to bless you and keep the pain at bay...
at this sad time, we are in your corner...
thank you for sharing about the memories, of this man, and friend, and all
that he meant to you...
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Aug 26, 2015 - 06:11pm PT
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Awesome photo Mouse . . . those dudes are in their prime on pristine granite! The ravages of time have yet to take effect on them . . . RIP Mort, we will all be joining you, by and by.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Aug 26, 2015 - 07:06pm PT
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Yeti! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The Snaz is pretty special.
Mort would be happy to hear your story.
[quote]A bit over a year ago Steve Fankhauser read the following to Mort and reported that it brought him a smile.
http://www.dickdorworth.com/?s=the+snaz&submit=Search[/quote]
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Aug 26, 2015 - 07:16pm PT
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I always liked the Snaz, have done it three or four times over the years.
Met Mort in the Tetons in the sixties. Heard his songs, I think, at some of the Teton Tea parties.
RIP Mort.
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BBA
Social climber
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Aug 26, 2015 - 07:42pm PT
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OK, I’m an Old F. As Mort would say, “Sheeit yes Amborn.”
So of course I knew Mort. He, Joe (Guido here), Foote and I were more or less the climbing scene at Indian Rock in 60-61. You could add in Roper, Rowell and a few others, but it was really the four of us as the hard core.
I’ll talk about Joe and Foote when they croak, but today it’s about Mort.
Or should I say Morten Gregors Hempel? That was his name. His Dad was from Denmark, I believe, and taught somewhere. I met him once or twice and he was a nice gentleman. Joe and Foote went to El Cerrito High (or maybe Albany?) and Mort was in Berkeley High. I was a sort of a Junior at UC in the Escuela do los Arboles. I wasn’t much at being a student, but I was at Indian Rock every day. Mort showed up a lot, too. I think I influenced some of those kids a little, got them all riding bicycles, etc., and going to Indian Rock a lot.
Mort was a sensitive soul and in his visits at my apartment we listened to classical LPs I checked out from the Berkeley Public Library. Singing along to Handel’s oratorios (loudly) was good fun. Samson was our favorite. Mort also was at Roper’s place when we would have cornbread (10 cent package fed us all – just add milk and an egg) and Roper would wildly wave his arms conducting along with some symphony of Beethoven’s. What a gas.
Mort was not playing a musical instrument at the time. His guitar playing, including 12 string, came about as he was influenced by Bill Briggs who came to the Valley from Colorado (I believe). Briggs was an artist everyone enjoyed listening to.
We all went our separate ways long ago, and I find I prefer it that way. I get to remember Mort as a beautiful young man, forever young.
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E
Ice climber
mogollon rim
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Aug 26, 2015 - 09:05pm PT
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first summer outta high school I spent pretty much the whole summer in the meadows climbing and camping in the old soda springs campground.
mort was there in the evenings serenading everyone with his guitar.
Rest in Peace
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jgill
Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
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Aug 26, 2015 - 09:05pm PT
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Like Rich, I remember Mort from those long-ago evenings around the fire pits in the Tetons, sipping Teton Tea.
RIP Mort
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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Aug 26, 2015 - 09:11pm PT
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I remember meeting him many times in C4 and listening to him sing his haunting ballads so beautifully accompanied by his guitar.
Yes, he had some hard times, but he had a lot of good living as well.
He seemed very much at peace with all around him the last time I saw him in the Buttermilks at Doug Robinson's wedding there.
May he be at rest and leave good memories in all who knew him.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Aug 26, 2015 - 09:35pm PT
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Awesome recollection BBA!
This is what it is all about!
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Fan
climber
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Aug 27, 2015 - 08:18am PT
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"We all went our separate ways long ago, and I find I prefer it that way. I get to remember Mort as a beautiful young man, forever young."
Amen.
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PapaDrew
Trad climber
Idyllwild, CA
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Aug 27, 2015 - 11:12am PT
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My covers of Mort's music remain a large percentage of what I'm still performing to this day, thanks to his bemusedly tolerating my sitting at his feet taking notes by the light of the campfires.
Although the following Ian Tyson song was NOT one he sang, I reproduce the lyrics and a link to a scratchy recording here for three reasons.
The relevance of the lyrics.
The timbre of Ian's voice sounds close to that of Mort's, except Mort at his best could have passed for Johnny Mathis.
And without knowing he was already dead, I was thinking of Mort when I performed the song the night of 8/24/15.
Friends of Mine
Ian Tyson c. 1966
These friends of mine, we shared some good times together
Days of sunshine, days of rain
Th many jobs and many towns we worked and never
Cared if we saw the same towns again
Then one day, we weren't as young as before
Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
But by all those roads, my friend, we travel down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you
These friends of mine, they never cared about tomorrow
It was too early in the game
They'd stay a while until the day they'd get to wonderin'
If the far side of the hill looked the same
And they'd settle down somewhere along the way.
And some went wrong, as some men do.
But by all those roads, my friend, we traveled down,
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you.
Ah, Rick...
(Rick Turner played the guitar break)
And they'd settle down somewhere along the way.
Yes, and some went wrong, as some men do.
But by all those roads, my friend, we traveled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you.
And by all those roads, my friend, we traveled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you.
http://mp3song.rocks/play.php?id=MXBaTRUtvTDI2RUtvTDdV
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 27, 2015 - 11:32am PT
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Joe McKeown just sent me a note that the Memorial Service will be Monday, Aug. 31st at Trinity Lutheran Church, at Broadway and Mapleton in Boulder 10:00 am.
I hope they will play some of Mort's music there.
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Neander
Mountain climber
Reno, NV
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Aug 27, 2015 - 06:17pm PT
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"In 1972 Mike Cohen and Mort Hempel climbed the North Buttress of the Silver Turret at III, 5.8, A1, by far the longest and hardest route in the area at that time." It was a good day, with a kind and patient companion. Mort was a fine partner in the mountains.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 27, 2015 - 07:23pm PT
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A sad day indeed. A most talented, creative, sensitive and at times horribly troubled man who courageously persevered and eventually reached a level of contentment few people ever achieve. We shared some wonderful adventures together. Rest in peace old friend.
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Nowonmaui
Social climber
Lahaina, HI
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Aug 27, 2015 - 07:29pm PT
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Aloha! I found out about this forum and felt compelled to say Thank You from the Hempel family.
My sisters Bhavani (Anne), Karin, Lisa and Britta and I were very sad to see Mort leave us. Our solice is that Mort died completely at peace. We believe he is now in Valhalla or in Yosemite reclimbing the old routes and singing in Camp 4.
You have no idea of how much it means to us to hear your stories and see your old pictures. As Mort's "little" brother, he was kind enough to let me attend some of the Teton tea parties that were occasionally thrown at Camp 4 and at his place in Berkeley.
I remember many of you and certainly your names because Mort frequently and very fondly spoke about you and your climbing exploits.
Mort had been sick for some time. He had contracted Parkinson's disease induced by the drugs he took to control his schizophrenia which he had since his early 20s. He was in hospice in Boulder, CO for the past year.
He was deeply religious and found great friends and comfort at Boulder's Trinity Lutheran Church at which his funeral/memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 31.
He was a very kind, peaceful, generous and old soul and we'll miss him dearly. Thanks again to all who posted - he loved you all.
Jasper
P.s. Our family has the cassette referred to in earlier posts. His music will be played at the Memorial Service.
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Patrick Oliver
Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Aug 27, 2015 - 07:57pm PT
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Thank you, Jas, as Mort used to call you. I too have various tapes of his music. He was never satisfied with the studio recordings he did of the old folk songs. Somehow the environment, I think, was not as pure and beautiful as when he played the songs for friends in Camp 4. Nevertheless it would be good to hear his voice.
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Jane Levy
Trad climber
CA
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Aug 27, 2015 - 09:05pm PT
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Mort was an important part of my early years as a teenager when I knew him in Berkeley. Since I was a few years older than him, I often drove him here and there in my family's car. We got together at Sierra Club climbs in the late 50's. I admired his beautiful climbing on Indian Rock and Hunter's Hill, and his playing the guitar. At that time he was a bit unhappy, suffering quietly, but special, committed, and unique.
I saw him occasionally in the the 60s but lost touch with him after that and so never knew the pain and troubles that he met with in later life.
My memories of him are all good.
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Stefan Jacobsen
Social climber
Danmark
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Aug 28, 2015 - 02:10am PT
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Mort was a distant relative of mine, who I learned about at my fathers birthday party a few years ago (2011). Aunt Bhavani (Anne, Morts sister), was at the party too, and we talked Yosemite as I had plans climbing there later that fall. It soon became clear to me that Mort was part of the Yosemite legend both for his music and quite a few climbs too. I was in awe and I kept asking about his merits. I even got a CD copy of his music for me to listen to in C4. It was very special to me.
Now he is no more, but he is an important part of my memories of Yosemite. May he rest in peace.
Stefan
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Aug 28, 2015 - 07:36am PT
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Definitely things will be a bit different here on out. Mort's dad was my mathematic instructor back in then- Garfield Junior High. Homeroom teacher too. Kindest, subtle Danish man. Everyone loved Mr Hempel. Yeah it does feel we are all in a line and now nudge forward one step further.
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Anne-Marie Rizzi
climber
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Aug 28, 2015 - 06:10pm PT
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Oh Mort. A favorite old friend.
I met him in Camp 4 in the early 70s, but we became friends when I was a student at Berkeley in 1972. He would come over to my apartment, play his guitar, and together we would discuss life. This was after/during his treatment for his mental issues. We'd smoke, I'd drink (he was sober by then), he'd play, and we'd talk.
I always loved his personal style--retro even then: the swept back hair, the skinny pants, perpetual cigarette in hand. Sort of a latter-day beatnik.
He was the first person I met who was open about mental illness. Remember these were the days that it was still such a stigma. And one of the first men I met who would openly discuss his emotions.
What a charming man! I think we wrote for a period, then lost touch. I've always remembered him with fondness and hope his later years included serenity.
Anne-Marie
(I wish the title of this thread could be changed to include the correct spelling of his last name: Hempel.)
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BBA
Social climber
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Aug 28, 2015 - 06:41pm PT
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The more I read, the sadder I get. Ah, Mort.
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Aug 28, 2015 - 06:55pm PT
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Didn't know him but saw his name a lot in my little green bible.
RIP
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 28, 2015 - 07:07pm PT
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Sorry about the misspelling of the name. I put in a request to the webmaster yesterday to change it but haven't heard back.
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Inner City
Trad climber
East Bay
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Aug 28, 2015 - 08:03pm PT
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This thread is great. Best thoughts to all who knew Mort.
Life is so short and some folks do so much.
Mort sounds like an interesting person.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 28, 2015 - 08:26pm PT
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Aug 28, 2015 - 08:50pm PT
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As a kid in the Tetons, I always thought Mort was much older than I was, since he was so much more accomplished at both climbing and...life. Now it seems that, all along, he was only 18 days older than me.
But still so much more than that in many ways. Rest in peace, Mort.
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Fuzzywuzzy
climber
suspendedhappynation
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Aug 28, 2015 - 10:18pm PT
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I met Mort through Allan Bard way back in the 70's. He always treated us youngsters as equals and shared wonderful stories with us- He listened to ours as well and encouraged us to follow our dreams.
I remember A.B. climbed S. Buttress Rt. on Moran with Mort, and said they laughed their way up the route!
We will all miss those two.
TC
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Aug 29, 2015 - 05:49am PT
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Mort stopped by the guiding school in the meadows a few times to visit with TM, play his guitar, and hangout. We also crossed paths through our mutual friend Jani Roper. Great guy. My sincere condolences to Mort's family and friends.
This photo is so evocative. Galen and Mort's stances, with their hands in their pockets, are absolutely spot on. Mort on the edge, leaning in, captures him perfectly. Guido, who is in the red shirt, and the two lovely ladies?
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Yeti
Trad climber
Ketchum, Idaho
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Aug 29, 2015 - 09:47am PT
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If this photo was taken at Buttermilk at Doug Robinson's wedding as I believe it was, it is more evocative than meets the eye. But, then, it was an evocative day.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 29, 2015 - 12:46pm PT
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Yes, it was DR's first wedding and that is Nancy Chambers on the left, then General Dennis von Hennck, Guido and his first wife Trish the Dish-Galen and Morten.
I think the wedding celebration at the Buttermilk lasted several days, almost as long as the marriage.
All in good humor and DR gave us many more opportunities in the future to attend his wedding ceremonies.
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Beryl Knauth
Mountain climber
Fall City, WA
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Aug 30, 2015 - 11:14pm PT
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I have so many memories of Mort, don't know where to start. I've been in touch with a lot of people who knew him and us (when we were together). There's so much sorrow over the loss of Mort along with a realization of how much he meant to many of us as well an appreciation for having had him in our lives. I posted the following response to Joe McKeown's notification of Mort's death.
Hi Joe and to everyone else that loved Mort,
I am devastated to hear about the news of Mort's death. We had been emailing each other in the last several years. He was my first true love when we were both very young. Our relationship was deeply important to me (and to both of us) when I was 17 until he had his mental breakdown when I was 19 and he was 21. We hung in there together for several more years. We continued to stay in touch and I have never wanted anything but the best for this wonderfully talented, sensitive and tortured fellow human being who persevered in spite of all he endured. I loved his parents, especially Birgit (Mort's mother). The last I heard from Mort she was still alive and he spoke of his siblings.....Anna, Jasper, Karen, Lisa and Britta. I hope they are all well and moving forward in their lives in a positive way. I would love to hear from anyone who knew and loved Mort. I want to pay tribute to him and connect with others who cared for him.
Blessings and love to all,
Beryl Knauth
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 31, 2015 - 07:00pm PT
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I've just come back from Mort's memorial service. The climbing tribe was represented by myself, Pat Ament and his daughter Maren, Sibylle Hechtel, and Andy Lichtman, who flew in from California. The event took place in a Lutheran church so a lot of religious content, which the minister explained had been selected by Mort himself, several years ago. There was also plenty of time for people to remember Mort, memorial style.
What came across was the unique nature of Mort's journey through life. The many disparate threads woven together from being born Danish in Copenhagen, to immigrating to the U.S. at the age of 3, high school in Berkeley, to climbing and Camp 4, the psychedelic scene in the '60's, his migration to Boulder, and his life here when he became very religious (it turns out he had a grandfather who was a bishop).
At first it seemed he had done a complete turn about in life styles, but the single strand woven throughout was his sensitivity and gentleness, first through his singing and later through his spirituality. The phrase purity of heart was used several times. Throughout life he also had a keen sense of humor and a mischievous streak. His sisters told stories that made us laugh. Clearly the Lutheran community in Boulder was very fond of Mort and had given him a lot of support over the years, becoming an extended family for him. They knew vaguely about his climbing and singing career as there were photos from that time displayed, but were surprised that some of his friends from that era had come in memory of those days. Beryl's note, posted above, was read as the last tribute at the end of the service.
At the reception afterwards, we received copies of his music to take home and left feeling that his very different tribes had given him a good send off. Of course, it also made the rest of us ponder how our life would be summed up when done.
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sibylle
Trad climber
On the road!
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I was at the service yesterday, and was glad I related the story of meeting Mort. I was at the Tenaya Lake Beach in the early 70s with my parents. My father had plans to climb with Roper, and Mort showed up with Steve. Mort suggested we also climb south Crack on Polly dome. I'd never led a 5.8, but Mort encouraged me to lead the second pitch. He was very positive and supportive, and a big help at the start of my climbing career.
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Sorry you're gone, Mort. Great guy, great part of Valley history and old friends.
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Zachary Barr
Social climber
Denver, CO
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I met Mort once in the summer of 2014. I was helping produce Valley Uprising, we wanted to use Mort's guitar music under the scene when Royal and Liz Robbins meet in Camp 4. To ask his permission, I visited him at the care facility where he lived. I ended up staying a long while. We chatted a lot about his life and regrets, not so much about climbing. He could not have been warmer or more open. My condolences to his family and loved ones.
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Bill St. Jean
Trad climber
Bishop, California
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I met Mort and his sister Anne (who lives in Denmark, both were Danes) through Chuck Pratt in "69". (Thank God for the Ski Hut). I had the pleasure of climbing with Mort on several occasions, mostly in the Valley, Smooth, very, very smooth, something a lot of "Old Timers" seemed to have in common. He held out in Bishop one winter and I heard him play and sing, like having Gordon Lightfoot in your kitchen, only better.
Yep, he'll be missed. God dammit
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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As BBA said this is so sad to read all these but then again so heart warming to have the feedback from our friends of yesterday.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Mort Hempel's Valley FAs
North Dome, South Face Route, FFA, 1960 Mort Hempel, Irene Ortenburger, Steve Roper
Camp 4 Tree, FA, 1960 Mort Hempel, Bob Kamps
Crack of Doom, FA, 1961 Chuck Pratt, Mort Hempel
Middle Cathedral Rock - East Buttress - regular, FA 1961 Yvon Chouinard, Mort Hempel
Split Pinnacle Lieback 1961 FA Dave Rearick, Mort Hempel
C.S. Concerto, FA, 1967 Yvon Chouinard, Chuck Pratt, Mort Hempel
EDIT to include a couple more, thanks Urmas
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Urmas
Social climber
Sierra Eastside
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Ed, I seem to recall that he also led the 5.10c lieback variation to the summit block of Split Pinnacle.
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PapaDrew
Trad climber
Idyllwild, CA
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To answer Urmas' question, Dave Rearick told me this history of the Split Pinnacle lieback.
He first climbed it by top rope. I don't know who was his belayer or when the bolt was placed midway to protect it as a lead. Roper's guide book reports that Rearick placed it from a rappel, a method of protection that still was frowned upon then by some of his free-climbing colleagues.
Planning to attempt the first-ever lead, Rearick lost some weight over the next week before he returned and sent it with Mort as his belayer.
The next lead of the pitch may have been Galen Rowell's. When I spoke with him soon afterwards, Galen expressed admiration for Rearick, because Galen nearly came off so high above the belay ledge that the bolt might have not helped: just as Galen no longer had the strength to sustain the overhanging lieback, he threw himself into a jam behind the flake, averting disaster.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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bump for Mort
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Mort before he passed and got a good sense of his life and talent. He had made peace with his demons and was very happy to have some informed company to talk about climbing which was certainly the best thing that life offered him.
His sense of humor and perspective was very engaging and I got some great footage. He was talking about climbing as safely as possible at one point in our discussion when I looked him straight in the eye and said "There are always exceptions, so let's talk about the Crack of Doom". He let out a very deep and knowing laugh before going into his recollections of doing that daring route with Pratt.
Had he not been forced to deal with serious mental health issues he would have been as prolific a climber as virtually anyone active at the time since he certainly had the ability.
I found Mort when an interview with Dave Rearick was postponed because I was having technical problems with my microphones. Once I was able to sit down with him, I asked Dave about the Split Pinnacle Layback and he recalled aiding up to place that controversial bolt as the flake wouldn't take pitons good enough to hold a fall in his estimation even if he had been able to stop and place them. Roper got that detail wrong in his guidebook.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Guido, Only photos of Mort I have are hardly photos of him, but he was at this party and if I remember correctly he did pick up his guitar that evening. Recognize any of the other characters? Find Mort?
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Bruce Morris
Trad climber
Soulsbyville, California
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I remember Mort singing and playing guitar around the campfire when SAR was moved out of Soda Springs and relocated in the Tuolumne Meadows campground. He was also a frequent visitor at the old Soda Springs rescue site when Vern Clevenger and Bob Harrington were in residence there. Everyone from Berkeley seemed to know and like Mort. He did have beautiful singing voice. This would have been c. 1975 I'd guess.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Whoever is that in the left margin of #2? It's Royal, I betcha.
And he's in the same relative spot in the other shot, as well.
For dozens of years Jeff Mathis drip-brewed his coffee using a Chemex brewer bequeathed to him by Mort when he left the hills behind. I can't recall having been fortunate enough to have met Mort. I'd have loved to have heard him perform.
Thanks for hunting those photos up, Don.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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I never had the good luck to meet Mort, but I was impressed some time ago by a climb he and Mike Cohen (?) did in the Gorge of Despair in 1972. Their route, the North Buttress of the Silver Turret, was the biggest climb out there at the time. 5.8 III A1. The aid was a short pendulum. That place is rarely visited today, let alone then. A big adventure for sure.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Mort also did the FA of the Snaz with Chouinard in the Tetons in 1964.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Does anyone know anything about Mort's partner in the Gorge of Despair, Mike Cohen?
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Cascade Mountains and Monterey Bay
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I don't recall ever climbing with Mort, but do recall his presence and music around the camp fires in the Tetons and Yosemite and in Berkeley.
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| Messages 1 - 67 of total 67 in this topic |
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