Climbing with Brutus of Wyde

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The Chief

climber

Lurkerville east of Goldenville

Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 1, 2015 - 10:07am PT

I got some stories. I only imagine that so many here have theirs.

He is a Good Man and talk to him every time I go up Morgan Pass-Pine Creek-Granite Park and get them Monster Golden's.

All I hear is a resounding ....

"STFU Chief and let's GTF off this thang...NOW!"

Post em Up.....

Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Sep 1, 2015 - 12:29pm PT

I said it before but I guess here too and to both of you. . .

Yu' Da MAN!! Or Men. . .

Old5Ten

Trad climber

Berkeley and Sunny Slopes, CA

Sep 1, 2015 - 08:47pm PT

I met Brutus while working at the Wilderness Exchange in Berkeley. He'd come in fairly frequently and every once in a while he stuck around long enough to part with a few words of wisdom, always a bit cryptic. I would see him at City Rock, putting his gymnastics background to good use while climbing the flared bombay chimney on the main wall, upside down. He had that thing wired and it was funny to watch the non-initiated, mouth agape ;-)

Over the years we had sporadic conversations, which eventually led to us climbing and rebolting Hairline on Mt. Whitney with our significant others. We ferried hundreds of pounds of gear and spent a week working on the wall. He taught me the intricacies of bolting, along with many other tidbits along the way. I always marveled at how organized and meticulous he (and Em) were, down to the wine and other goodies that suddenly appeared from the haul bag. You never new what treat would appear next.

Although I used one of my nine lives on that climb (jugging a coreshot line), I rank the overall experience among the best I've had in 28 years of touching rock and Brutus was a big part of that.

Some time later we climbed at Tahquitz and I remember laughing the entire way to the crag, so hard I had tears in my eyes. Brutus had a wicked, incredibly funny sense of humor, morbid, off-beat, simply fantastic. I made the unfortunate mistake of telling him that I would record his wit and share it with others - it got a bit quiet after that.

Brutus was talented in many ways and had quite an artistic side. Check out his topos and drawings/sketches if you ever get the chance. He also was an incessant planner, always searching for the next climb, the next trip, and the next adventure. His pictures on Summit Post tell much of the story.

Above all, you could tell that Brutus had a big heart and was always willing to help and go that extra mile for a friend or someone in need.

In some way he is still with us...