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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 29, 2006 - 07:11pm PT
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My good friend and wonderful climbing partner passed away Monday night from a heart attack at his SLC home after a day of skiing.
I first met Howie in the mid-70's in the Gunks. Big, strong and extremely funny, he was a great partner, a bold climber and blast to hang out with.
Anyone familiar with Seneca Rocks will know the bold routes that Howie did FA's of.
He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
I am glad I had my time with Howie. This is really sad news for me.
Howie in the Black Canyon on Scenic Cruise sometime in the early 90's.
Peace Howie...I will miss you.
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Nov 29, 2006 - 08:13pm PT
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Bob, I don't know you but I'm sorry for the loss of your good friend and climbing buddy. It is so hard to lose the ones we have shared so much with.
cc
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Nov 29, 2006 - 08:34pm PT
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Sorry to hear about that, Bob. I didn't know Howie, but I know a bunch of people who climbed with him and I've heard a number of wonderful "Howie" stories. My condolences.
Curt
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pc
climber
East of Seattle
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Nov 29, 2006 - 10:11pm PT
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Sorry for your loss Bob. I'm hugging my loved ones.
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Nov 29, 2006 - 11:57pm PT
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We should all hug our loved ones and our buddies. I first met Howard in 1971 at Carderock in the D.C. area, and climbed with him often, even as we moved to different places. Charlie Rollins and I took him with us the first time we climbed the Diamond because we knew we could not die with Howard with us. You always felt safe with him, even when he was driving his Shelby to Seneca! I have met very few people who were as kind and caring as Howard was. I have many fond memories of the times I spent with Howard and I will greatly miss him.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Nov 30, 2006 - 09:35am PT
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My condolences to his family and friends. How old was he and you mention Seneca Rocks, was he from West Virginia (like my mom)?
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Nov 30, 2006 - 09:41am PT
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Here is the funeral information from Adam Ehrlich:
Dear Friends,
The loss of our Dear Howie is without question shocking. All knew him to be a champion of health. For all those wishing to attend Sunday 12-3 services in NJ please reference the website www.normandean.com
Norman Dean Funeral Home
16 Righter Avenue, Denville, NJ 07834-2114
(973) 627-1880
There will be a group driving to NJ. To carpool please call me ASAP or email.
Note: At a future date, the climbing community will hold a memorial service in Washington. Prior to this gathering, we will request images of Howie and statements for a memorial platform.
Please Spread The Word…
Thanks
Adam
And the obituary from the funeral home:
Howard Thomas Doyle Jr. passed away at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 27, 2006. He was 64 years old.
Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ he had lived in Maryland for many years before moving to Utah eight years ago.
Howard achieved his Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland in 1966, then his Masters Degree from Montclair State College in 1969 and he earned his PHD from the University of Utah in 1971.
He had been a professor at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington DC before he retired in 1983.
Howard was a world traveler and an avid rock climber and skier.
He is pre deceased by his brother Michael James Doyle in 1999.
His brother Robert (& Ginny) Doyle of Rockaway, NJ survive him. His companion June Freedman of Salt Lake City, UT, his sister in-law Lynda Doyle, and his nieces & nephews Stacey Dimarco, Belinda Doyle Puglisi, Shaun and Jesse Doyle, and Shanna Bogart, also survive him.
Funeral will be from Norman Dean Home for Services 16 Righter Ave Denville, NJ, www.normandean.com on Monday December 4, at 9AM for a 10AM Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Marys Church in Denville. Friends may visit on Sunday from 1-5PM.
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Nov 30, 2006 - 11:50am PT
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Oh... that is a bad one... Howard... We climbed at Seneca RX back in the day... what a super guy... gone way, way too early in his life. Not much to say really... as we get older these great men will slip away .... enjoy your friends while they are here... So long Howard, you will be missed.
Tom Evans
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cts
Trad climber
sw PA
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Nov 30, 2006 - 10:20pm PT
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Howard was "the man" at Seneca Rocks in his prime, a really big guy he had huge guns and could hang out on hard routes forever, never touching the rope. He was trad always. Sewing it up was standard for Howard whether it was a easy 9 or hard 11, because at 190lbs (with no fat on this man) he could hit the rope pretty hard if he fell. Climbing with Eric Janoscrat and Marty McLaughlin, these three free climbed most of the old aid routes (with old funky bolts and pins)left at Seneca, calling 11s 10s always afraid to overgrade anything. Always encouraging he would try to get you laughing so hard you'd fall off, then he'd take over the lead. We got to do so many fine routes together at Seneca, Champe Rocks, and the Gunks it was a pleasure to share the rope with him, even if you'd have to argue with him for the sharp end. He was admired by everyone who knew him. Thanks Bob for the info, hope you and Laurel are doing well.
Cal Swoager
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jstan
climber
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In the 60’s and the 70’s Washington DC was, compared to now, still a small southern town. With the nearest sizeable rock as far away as it was, when I went to that city I at first despaired of finding much climbing there. But the area was incredibly rich in resources. Between Carderock, the C&O Canal, the Potomac Gorge, Seneca, and last but not least the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, you never had to look far to find a friend or a home. Until they tore it down we even had Touhey’s a mile down the canal from Carderock. Chili and beer for supper every evening after bouldering and you could get into a fight with a biker if you wanted to finish the day off in style. The variety in people was an order of magnitude larger than you would find anywhere else, I think. Teachers, professors, officials, on one occasion even the Secretary of the Interior. You could never tell what people were doing and most times you knew better than to ask.
Groups have very specific functions for people. Greg and Mel formed our vaudeville duo. Their routines were so good I really think they practiced them first. McGowan was our irresistable force. After breaking his ankle he went right back up soloing the same climb and broke his cast, then complaining about poor quality control. Fowler was our adrenaline junkie. You had to tie his ankles together. George Livingstone was our "mountaineer". A mountaineer is a person who is always completely at ease no matter how bad the situation. Geoge was always at ease. Tom Evans was, I think, the conductor. He is very subtle which is a requirement for conductors. It is all over if they are recognized as such. Then every group has to have a really big guy who is always soft spoken and who always listens to what you are saying. Calm sort of flows outward. That was Howard. You all are spot on correct. We will very much miss him.
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horst
Trad climber
Lancaster, PA
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This is very sad news. Howard was an local hero for many of us who got into climbing (back East) in the 1970s. Howard was a talented climber, and a true gentleman and great spirit. RIP my friend.
Eric
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 2, 2006 - 10:58am PT
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Cal...good to hear from you. Laurel and I are doing good and enjoying our "Golden Years"
The news about Howie is a little to much to handle right now. I will post some of my favorite "Howie Stories" as soon as I can keep my thoughts about him together without losing it.
Hope you are doing well?
Later, Bob
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Ray Snead here, part of the motley crew of early '70s climbers in D.C.
I first met Howie in maybe '73, Professor Doyle, when he was still married to his first wife, living in Arlington Va, and pulling down a mortgage and trying to be a good citizen. That didn't last too long, pretty soon he had fallen in with the Carderock scene, tasted the various forbidden fruits of climbing, and met Lotus Steele. They shagged out a van together and headed off for a long road trip, a trip that really lasted for over thirty years though the personnel changed a few times. Howie was big, Italian, and very intimidating in those days (I was 16). Intimidation gave way to affection, and he has managed to somehow pop up almost everywhere I've been climbing ever since.
I've seen Howie every few years since I left D.C., but the last time I really spent time with him was in the mid-ninties in Rifle. Greg Hand and I had been caught up in the weird attraction of the place for some time, and Howie innocently joined us for a few days there. Howie hadn't been doing too much sport climbing lately. Greg's projects were way too hard, but mine seemed more reasonable ... Howie was IN. Let's just say the place didn't suit him, but as always he climbed with tenacity and his weird sort of powerful grace. But we had a great time, and you always did with Howie.
My Howie story of the period concerns a large pepperoni. Howie was always looking to climb at fighting weight (he was a BIG guy), and had a lifelong flirtation with various flavors of the Atkins diet. At Rifle, rather than enjoying the usual delightful dirtbag campground cuisine, we decamped to City Market, where Howie seized the largest, most anthropomorphic pepperoni imaginable. He ripped open the packaging, and proceeded to eat, no, devour, the at least 24" sausage while walking the aisles of the store. Were it anyone else, the jokes would have been inevitable, not to mention the sharp admonitions from grocery personnel about eating items not paid for. Not Howie, 220lbs, Italian temperament, and his quiet but take-no-bullshit demeanor.
And John Stannard has it right: appearances aside, Howie always listened.
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Howie, in the aforementioned shagged-out van, sometime in the mid '70s. Photo courtesy of Lotus Steele.
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Carlo
climber
Pittsburgh, PA
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Man, I always thought Howard was invincible. Watching him climb was like seeing tectonic plates calmly and inexorably pushing a mountain range upwards. He was as solid as they come, a force of nature, strong and gentle at the same time.
I never got to share a rope with him but I always seemed to run into him unexpectedly, Nelson's Rocks, Woodland Walls, a fast food place in Fayetteville. His great smile and encouraging demeanor sent energy to anyone who shook his powerful hand. I always expected to see him again.
Goodbye Howard, you will be missed.
Carl Samples
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Sneaky Pete
Trad climber
Peoria, AZ
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I have thought about Howie a lot these last few years, and was devastated to hear that he died. To me, he was elemental, a presence larger than life. Climbing with him was always challenging but extremely fun. He climbed hard and enjoyed life immensely. Eric Janoscrat and I did a bunch of routes with Howie at Seneca, and it was always great climbing, great companionship, lots of laughs, and adventures and memories that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Marty McLaughlin
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High Mnt
Trad climber
Potomac, MD
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I was saddened to hear about Howard passing. I thought I'd pass on a few funny remembrances of Howard and his climbing antics.
The first took place over 25 years ago. Boy, has it been that long! John Bremer and I were on a climbing trip to the Northeast with a stop in the Gunks. We ran into Howard, who was by himself. He asked if he could climb with us and we said sure. How could we refuse? He was over 6'2" and 200lbs and we were just wimpy kids. John started leading the first pitch and half way up he slung a small tree. I followed and left the sling for Howard to retrieve. When Howard got to the tree he took off the sling and looked up a John and said "You must be kidding" and promptly grabbed the tree, ripped it out, roots and all and threw it down to the ground!
Another classic moment was about 15 years ago, I was at the New River. There were several climbers about and Howard started leading a climb. I can't remember which. He made a few difficult boulder moves off the ground and when he got about 15 feet off the deck, he reached for his rack to place his first piece of gear. He had forgotten the gear in the commotion at the base of the climb. The moves were too difficult to reverse so he asked somebody to throw up his rack. I grabbed the rack and started to throw the rack up to him. Before I threw it, he said, "Ok, throw it hard and at my face!" Luckily I was able to get it up to him without putting an eye out!
Finally, a bunch of us were climbing at Seneca and somebody had lead Lichen or Leave It, another classic Howard Doyle route and Bill Hieronymus was seconding the climb. Howard was in the middle of the crux of Helter Skelter. For those of you who don't know Helter Skelter, it's just to the right of Lichen and is an extremely thin climb 5.11a with small, very small protection (I'm talking 2-3 RP) at the crux. Well for a big guy like Howard, that's a pretty committing lead! Howard was about 7' out from his gear when Bill started to shake at the crux. I think if he had fallen then, it would have been like skittle pool, Bill would pendulum into Howard, knocking him off. Well Howard would have none of that and in his no-nonsense manner took the bull (or was that Bill) by the horns and told Bill: 'Ok Bill, put your right foot there! Now left hand up, right there! Good, now right foot up to the left and right hand in to the good jam above'. I don't think I've ever seen Bill climb Lichen any smoother or quicker than that. Bill got to the top and Howard proceeded to finish the climb in his classic solid style.
Even though I haven't seen Howard in a while, I will miss his bold style of climbing and will continue to enjoy the many classic routes that he put up at Seneca.
Jack
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rickthompson
Social climber
Mount Nebbiolo, Colorado
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Bob, Greg, Ray, Cal, Eric, Carl, Jack, et al, I’m a little late to this thread as I just heard this very sad news last night.......it’s been a tough month for our graying group, first Todd and now Howard.....you know how it is when you first hear such news, you’re in denial......then, it really hits, the magnitude of it all, the loss of yet another of the great one-of-a-kind characters that weave a fabric of camaraderie in the world of climbing. Howard was a strong thread in that fabric and he will be sorely, sorely missed. My day has been filled with mental images of Howard in his glory days....at Seneca and New River....always the strong, fit and chiseled Apollo-like rock jock....always calm and in control....you're right Carl, he did almost seem invincible.....grace under fire was the modus operandi. See you on the other side of the hill H~
All the best,
rick thompson
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 5, 2006 - 07:56pm PT
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Howard was hot to do the Scenic Curise in the Black Canyon...Having climbed there a number of times I told I would do the route with him ( one of several we would do together in the "Black").
First we argued/discuss the rack. I was for going light (having done the route before)...He was for going safe...he won. He asked about water, I said a quart would be enough (I won/lost) that one.
Things went smooth with Howard leading the crux corner. Around the ninth pitch...I could see Howard fading a little. Lack of water (my fault) and the late May sun started to take it's toll on him. I led the traverse pitch leading to a nice ledge below a flaring roof crack.
We sat talking and looking at this beautiful canyon we were blessed to be together in.
Howard (almost 52) at the time was started to say how he wished he was younger so he could enjoy the route more. I (only forty) at the time wished that I would still be climbing like this powerhouse at that age.
Howard started the next pitch...groaning like a woman in labor... and by sheer will only...pulls him massive frame up and over to the the belay.
I reach the belay. Out of water and still a fair amount of light left I told Howard that route finding was difficult and maybe I should lead the last couple of pitches to the rim. We reach the top, sat on the rim, hugged each other and knew that we just spend a very special day together.
With Howard...you alway felt safe. In Gunks, RMNP, Black Canyon or the Neddles of SD....it didn't matter. He was the master of small gear and I almost felt like he could set a safe belay with RP's on a blank wall.
I loved Howard for the man he was, the friend he was and I will cherish the times we spent together. In a selfish way...I want more of those times.
Marty...How are you? Rico...give me a call.
Howie (on the left) in Sin City. Photo by Greg Hand.
Later, Bob
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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The first time I met Steve Levin is one of my Howard stories. Sometime in the 70's, Howard and I were climbing in the Trapps in the Gunks. After a full day of climbing where we were always pushing our limit, we were hiking back along the carriage road. When we reached the Maria area, we heard a lot of commotion up at the cliff. As we hiked up, we found Steve had fallen off bouldering Kama Sutra and had broken his leg. After surveing the situation, Howard put Steve on his back and proceeded to carry him down to his car. (I don't remember if I carried Howard's pack, he probably carried that also!) It was like being with a "John Wayne" character, someone bigger than life!
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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I heard about Howie Monday. He was one of my first real
climbing partners, we went out to the Tetons in '74, and
then cruised up all of the standards in Eldo in '75. He wanted
to drag me out to Italy in '76, but the lure of the Valley
and moving West was stronger for me. He was the best climbing
partner one could ever have wanted. I've got boxes of slides
showing him leading me up all of the classics. One story I shouldn't tell is the time we climbed Champe (sp) rock in WVA.
There's a belay cave up there, and he really had to go, badly!
O god, what a stench! Thank god I was belaying him so he could
dump it out of the chimney! And his intensity--whoo. But I learned so much from him. I wish I'd know he'd retired to Utah,
as we'd lost touch in recent years. Thanks, Howie, for all of the great memories.
Steve Williams, Denver
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Tom Halicki
Social climber
Boulder, CO
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Some recollections of my favorite moments with Howard:
During breakfast while camping at the New:
Howard: “Why don’t you go talk those women up?”
Me: “Howard, I don’t think they like men.”
Howard: “Yeah, I know, but I wanted to see you try.”
Howard, after trying to sandbag me on Blood on the Tracks, where I only succeeded in getting to the crux, getting a cam stuck with the cams open, lowering off, and relinquishing the lead: “Sh#t, I sandbagged myself.”
Sage advice that I still repeat about choosing a Friend:
“Figure out the size you want and choose the next size smaller.”
Howard, 20 feet off a large ledge (I’ve forgotten the name of the route, but it’s on the North Peak East Face) up a 5.10 face with a bunch of bent pins protruding from it:
“If I fall, I’m going to try and jump out as far as I can so I won’t hit the ledge.”
Me: I didn’t say anything, but I took a hard look at how far he was going to have to jump out, thought about the prospect of catching his bulk, and decided blind faith in his success was the best recourse. He, of course, climbed flawlessly.
Me, watching Howard climb yet another route: “Jesus, Howard …. How can you hang in there so long?”
Howard: “You should have seen me when I was younger.”
Howard, after listening to me complain about the quality of the climbing at Seneca:
“Seneca is like Mother Crag to me.”
I served a grateful apprenticeship with Howard at Seneca in 1990. I climbed a lot of routes that I never would have gotten up if he hadn’t led them. “Good route to follow” was a frequent comment. The next year, when I started going out with Elizabeth, my future wife, he warmly welcomed her and we had many more good trips to Seneca and Nelson. But better than the climbing, and what I will always remember, were the evening meals at Yokum’s campground, big pasta affairs with lots of cheap wine and good conversation. Howard was a rare man who wore his heart on his sleeve. It's a testament to his good qualities that over a week later it still hurts to know that he's gone.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Louis
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Though I never had the pleasure of meeting Howie, I've heard about him for many years. The stories are superb, especially when they come from the lips of Adam Ehrlich (enhanced a bit no doubt!) I feel happy to have spent five years solid climbing at Seneca - Howie's home crag. Condolences to all...
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DCosby
climber
Charlotte, NC
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Dec 11, 2006 - 11:35am PT
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I am so sad to here about Howard. I have been out of the DC climbing scene for a decade now and only just heard the news. I consider my self lucky to have hung out at the crags with him on so many occasions. I know some of you that have posted here were very close to him and I extend my sincere condolences. Howard was indeed a fine man.
Crimpergirl, while it is true that Adam is a gifted story teller, I suspect his Howard stories required little if any enhancement.
I will always remember one day climbing at the Meadow River. Howard and his partner were climbing some distance down the cliff. A member of our party suffered a fairly bad injury and I was chosen to go for help. Without even thinking about it I ran away from the car and toward Howard. It is true that he was calm under fire and definitely the person everyone turned to if the going got tough.
Best wishes to you all,
Doug Cosby
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russ clune
climber
new paltz, ny
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Dec 11, 2006 - 12:06pm PT
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Hey Gang--
Wow--Howard would be psyched that he has created such a reunion of old farts! It has been nice to read all the remembrances.
I just heard about his death yesterday. What a complete bummer, though I wouldn't mind going out in the same manner--suddenly and quickly, after being active and healthy up to the last moment.
I would see Howie every so often out in SLC when visiting for work, usually running into him at one of the climbing gyms. What a great guy and like most of you, I found him a real pleasure to share a rope with; although I always did find driving with him way more frightening than any route!
Sorry I didn't get to see him recently. Another old friend to miss.
RIP, buddy.
Cheers to the rest of you.
Russ Clune
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Dec 11, 2006 - 01:13pm PT
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I never met him (surprised a little by that), but Howard sounds like one of the great ones in our little group of climbing souls. Sincere condolences to his friends and family. May we all be so fortunate to leave such positive memories with the ones we love.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Louis
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Dec 11, 2006 - 01:26pm PT
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Doug: True enough!
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 11, 2006 - 02:26pm PT
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About Howard's driving...We went to do a route in Boulder Canyon on Bell Buttress in 1980. The route was somewhat runout (Front Line 5.11) with two 1/4 bolts and gear.
I led the route and Howie followed no problem. He asked me how I could trust the bolts all the while he was driving at least 80 miles an hour down the canyon with the creek and rocks nothing but a blur.
I scream at him to slow down and said I would take the f*#king bolts any day over his driving when it came to feeling safe.
Seeing the fear in my face...He just gave me a little smirk and pick the speed up a little more.
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Laura Smith
Trad climber
Reston, VA
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Dec 11, 2006 - 03:33pm PT
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IMG]http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q11/bustersmith33/Seneca_Howard.jpg{{/img}}
Hi, This is Laura Smith. I first met Howard Doyle and Lotus Steele in the Gunks in the 70's. Russ Raffa and I spent many great days with them to include a couple of trips to Seneca and to Colorado.
During the 70's there was only a handful of cars parked at the Uberfall. We noticed climbers who were from another area, but even today it would be hard to overlook a commanding presence like Howard Doyle. Howard was also originally from New Jersey so he was attracted to our group of climbers who were also mostly from Jersey. I remember the weekends that Howard and Lotus showed up were always more fun.
We all became fast friends.
Howard was a paradox. He was big, but moved with an unusual grace when he climbed. He was intense and bantered with the guys (Russ Raffa, Bob D’Antonio, Elliot Williams and others), but was also soft spoken and compassionate.
Howard and Russ climbed a lot together along with Bobby D’. The interactions of these three guys were hilarious. They would argue over where to go, what to do, whose guidebook to use, politics, you name it. They would poke fun at each other’s physiques (the three of them were very good looking and in the prime of life so any imperfection such as a bump on the nose, flabby gut, sore ankle was cause for jokes). It was a tough guy club and Howard was the toughest guy in it. But they also cared about each other. Howard loved Russ and Bobby and they loved Howard; they were like brothers.
One day Howard and I climbed Son of Easy O. It was one of my first leads and the 2nd pitch is especially steep. I was nervous moving upward, but Howard was at the belay. He encouraged me. But more important I just knew (I absolutely knew), if I fell and all my gear ripped out, Howard would catch me with his bare hands if he had to as I tumbled down the cliff. He inspired others and always made you feel safe.
I saw Howard only once in the 1990s. He climbed in the Gunks with my husband Gene. They climbed at Skytop. Howard was in his 50s but easily led Deliberence, a 5.10R route. It was his kind of climb: a steep face with difficult protection. He loved the challenge of climbing and taking a calculated risk. But really I think most he enjoyed the friendships that sprung from being with others who shared this passion.
We moved to Washington DC in 1999. I was excited to see Howard and called his number. We got a voice mail that said he had moved to Salt Lake City. I was very disappointed. Howard called us back and we had a great talk. Gene and I thought we’d see him at some point, but the years went by. The news of Howard’s death is so shocking and so sad. What a great spirit we have lost.
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Laura Smith
Trad climber
Reston, VA
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Dec 11, 2006 - 03:56pm PT
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One more photo of Howard.......
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Dec 11, 2006 - 03:59pm PT
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Wow, Laura, what a great picture. Yourself, Howard, Lotus Steele, Russ Raffa, Kevin Bein, and Barbara Devine. I think Bragg and I were out in Eldorado at the same time. Great memories...
I knew Howard peripherally. Talked with him a bunch; never climbed with him. We found ourselves in the same places a lot.
The last time I saw him was around 1988. We went out to dinner and he came home with me because Mara and I had recently had our daughter Sarah and he was very curious how a very active climber like me made the transition to being a "family man." I don't know what he learned from the evening, but it seemed clear that he was searching for some answers.
There's something about seeing Howard and our beloved Kevin in the same picture that is particularly poignant. Rest in peace old buddy.
Richard
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Dec 11, 2006 - 04:20pm PT
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Laura,
I think I met you and Russ in Boulder 1980 when I did Country Club with Russ. The picture of Howard at the van is a great picture. I bought that van from Howard when I moved from DC to Boulder in 1980.
Greg
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 11, 2006 - 04:56pm PT
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This is turning into a beautiful tribute...let's keep it going.
Laura...great photo's.
They were by far ...some of the most wonderful days of my life.
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Rob Carter
Trad climber
Richmond, VA
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Dec 11, 2006 - 08:38pm PT
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Howard,
We won't be running into you at Seneca anymore. Thanks for the beta at the Manchester Wall in Richmond. It was unbelieveable to bump into you, out of nowhere, in the Uintas a couple of years ago. Snow and all. You are so missed. Thanks for your climbing legacy. Be well where ever you are. Your spirit rings within us. And, as Royal Robbins always says, " When you get to the top, keep on climbing!" Not so corny when you get there.
Old friends,
Rob Carter and Jamie McGrath
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rrrr3
Trad climber
new paltz
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Dec 11, 2006 - 11:03pm PT
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All,
Hard to believe Howard is dead. We survived too many fiasco's together... Howard and I first hooked up together In 77" and went to France to explore the Verdon Gorge. Being one of the first americans on the scene, we didn't have a clue what we were doing. We arrived with our little "free climbing rack"...2"swamie belt...and white painter pants. The French must have thought we were insane. We rapped down the 2,000 ft wall with little apprehension. After endless hours of repelling on" twigs" protruding from the vertical limeston...we knew we were in for some action. The action continued for next two weeks...with loose rock...impossible route finding and insane rap anchores.
After two weeks of free climbing the french "free" routes,... we found out that the french considered "free climbing" hanging from bolt to bolt. I estimate that Howard probably did the FFA of over 20 routes durning that period.
Too much fun...RIP
Russ Raffa
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morse
Trad climber
CT
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Dec 12, 2006 - 01:12pm PT
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I was a college student in Ohio back in the early 1980s. One lucky morning, thanks to an introduction from a mutual friend, I was able to climb with Howard for a few pitches on CLIMBIN' PUNISHMENT and AMBUSH on the Southern Pillar at Seneca Rocks. Of course I was in awe and a little nervous about how I would perform, but Howard was nothing but patient and supportive.
The last time I saw Howard was a random encounter in the Gunks in 1982, but the memory is still vivid. He had just finished the day's climbing out at Millbrook, where Rich Gottlieb, Russ Clune and he had put up a new line. I think it was the WIRE WIZARD. Howard was just glowing with satisfaction from the day's adventure, and his positive vibe, even though he didn't say too much, rubbed off on everyone around him. For me, it's very gratifying to know that Howard had so many great days like this and so many great friends in his life.
Years later, I got to know Howard through some of his harder routes at Seneca which were bold, beautiful and uncompromising. I didn't know Howard very well at all in the scheme of things, but he was always enormously generous to me with good advice – for climbing and life in general.
Chad Hussey
Belay that, the route at Millbrook is UNDER THE WIRE 5.11 -
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Laura Smith
Trad climber
Reston, VA
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Dec 12, 2006 - 02:34pm PT
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Rich, Great to hear from you! Didn't realize you were still in the Hudson Valley. My best to Mara!
Greg, Hi! Yes Russ remembers the climb with you! Seems like a life time ago! Thank you for the reply and great story about buying that van!
Russ, More Howard stories pleeeeeeease!
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russ clune
climber
new paltz, ny
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Dec 12, 2006 - 08:47pm PT
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Here's one of the best, typical Howard stories I remember, told to me by Howard. I certainly can't comment on the veracity of the story, but it went like this:
Howard, always fond of machines that go really fast, stopped by a motorcycle shop to test out some crotch rocket he had been thinking of buying. He talked to a salesman for a bit, the sales guy became convinced Howard was indeed a potential customer, and let Howard take the rig for a test spin.
Howard guns the thing around a block or two. Coming back to the alley where he started, he drops a gear and hucks into the alley way full throttle to see a delivery truck coming his way. The alley is way to narrow to go around the truck, so Howie lays the bike down and ditches. The bike skids under the truck with Howard right behind. The horrified sales guy comes running to the scene to find Howard crawling out from under the truck, bruised and banged up a little, but otherwise fine. The salesman is babbling at Howard, but Howard gets him to calm down and call an ambulance for the truck driver, who is elderly and having heart palpitations. Afterwards, Howard tells the salesman thanks, but he's no longer interested in the bike--didn't like the way it handled.
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Dec 13, 2006 - 08:18am PT
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Bob D--talking about driving fast. . .
His old Gold Chebby wagon on to Eldo in '75. . .
Leadfoot, we called him, two 'awards' from the
Kansas State Patrol within 15 minutes steaming
out west, the second where he had to deposit
$100 cash money in an envelope and put it in
the mailbox in front of the trooper. . .thank god
they didn't have computers like today, we'd have
been locked up for sure. . .
Steve W
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Dec 13, 2006 - 08:44am PT
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Bob et al,
My condolences; sounds like a solid partner and guy.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2006 - 07:09pm PT
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Russ, Laura...do you remember the story about Howie driving into the wall of a bowling alley when he was in college???
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MikeW
Trad climber
Sterling, VA
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Dec 14, 2006 - 12:51am PT
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I had the great fortune to climb with Howie (and Eric Janoscrat and Cal Swoager) during the great days at Seneca Rocks in the early 1980's. Howie and I were the heaviest pair you ever saw on a rope. It used to really freak people out to see two guys over 200 lbs climbing with just a double rack of RP's! Howie hauled me up some of the best climbs that I ever did and even though the last time I saw him was at my wedding over 20 years ago, I always thought about him whenever I drove past UDC or Carderock.
Some of the others stories of Howies driving antics do not even come close to the "fun" we used to have driving from DC to Seneca on a Friday night to meet up with Eric J (and Barb) and Cal S. The best driving story from Seneca doesn't involve Howie but Eric taking a mortally injured John Gregory from Church Rocks to the hospital in record time with me playing chase car in my pickup but that is another story for another time.
I will miss Howie and I will go back into my office and look through my climbing photos to see if I can find any good pics of the big guy to post here.
 mike whitman --
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Mike McGill
Trad climber
Catonsville, MD
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Dec 16, 2006 - 12:39am PT
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My condolences to June...
I met Howie in the early 90's through Bobby D in Philadelphia. I later relocated to Salt Lake City for work in '97, which is about the time Howie retired there. We climbed together from time to time. My wife and I had Thanksgiving dinner with he and June in '99. The climbing was great, but I remember the conversations we had way more than the climbing. He knew something about everything. He thought I was nuts when I told him I was transferring back East to Baltimore. It's hard to believe Howie has passed. He was a force of nature, yet he exuded this sense of calmness that made everyone around him feel instantly comfortable.
Here's a story he once told me: Howie was driving up Big Cottonwood Canyon to go skiing at Solitude Ski Resort (about 15 miles outside of SLC). About five miles up the road is an "S" curve. Also at the "S" curve is a small sport climing area about 300 yards up the mountain. As climbers often do, Howie briefly glanced up at the cliff as he passed by. To his surprise, he sees somebody standing on top of the cliff. (To set the scene, its January, the cliff is at about 6,000 feet, so there is a ton of snow all over, and the cliff is perched into the side of a 45 degree slope. The most prominent feature is a 20 foot roof). Anyway, as Howie drives by, he sees the person standing at the lip of this massive roof fall off! It's about 70 feet to a small talus field from the lip of the roof. Howie slams on the brakes, jumps out of his car, runs up the snow covered trail and starts searching for the guy. It takes him a few minutes, but sure enough, he finds the guy in deep deep snow -- still alive! He's groaning and bleeding, but alive. Howie then starts yelling for help, eventually gets somebody with a cell phone to call an ambulance, and the kid survives. He was apparently in some youth group hiking trip and thought it would be a neat view from the edge of the roof. Unbelievable, right? If Howie hadn't been driving up the road and looked up at that instant, the kid wouldn't have been found until Spring. I hope that kid, wherever he is, raises a glass in Howie's name when he finds out Howie is gone. I know I did.
Mike McGill
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ghand
Sport climber
Golden,Colorado
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Dec 16, 2006 - 01:26am PT
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Mike,
Good to hear from you.
Howard told me that same story as we were driving up the canyon one day. And he always told great stories. He was so animated and full of excitement. You felt you were there with him while it was happening. Let me know if you come out west again and we will meet Bob D down in Taos.
Greg
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jdbremer
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 16, 2006 - 04:32pm PT
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What can one say here that hasn't already been said about Howard? I consider myself lucky to have had Howard as friend and at this point value the great memories of time spent with him. Reading everyone's stories here has been wonderful and brings back one's own memories of Howard. Jack Beatty recalls well the incident of "Howard vs. the Tree" (Howard won, the Tree lost) at the Gunks in 1981 (I think the climb was "Midnight Cowboy", and I believe the tree was the best piece on that first pitch).
I've since heard Ray Snead say he witnessed the same incident (different venue, different tree, same result). I also read here Ray's story of Howard and the pepperoni in Rifle. Well, I know I saw Howard do the same thing with the French equivalent of a pepperoni in the small shop in Verdon in 1984. (The best part were his justifications about “free radicals” and how eating sausages was highly recommended from an athletic performance perspective.) Jesse Guthrie, Matt Lavender and I ran into Howard there that Spring as Howard and Pannell Jones were "touring" the south of France in a brand new Porsche 928 they had taken delivery on in Germany. Needless to say, everyone's stories about Howard's driving were the same on the twisty roads atop the Verdon Gorge (the only good part was the car had an early version of ABS).
As most have noted, his driving escapades were legendary. Besides Verdon, there was the trick of trying to see how far one could "coast" down the big hill starting at the West Virginia/Virginia state line on the way back from Seneca. I'll also never forget his Sirocco, and at the Gunks racing him back up to the Carriage Road from New Paltz at night (as with trees, he never lost). And I will always remember his strength from the story of when he totaled that Sirocco. He rear-ended a truck and wasn't wearing a seatbelt. He described how he straightened his arms on the steering wheel to take the impact. He was pretty sore afterwards, but no doubt a lot better off than he should have been.
Lastly, I echo Greg Hand's comments about having Howard with you meant you weren't going to die. I can't think of anyone else I would have wanted to be with that first time rappelling into the Verdon Gorge.
It was just good to be in his company. I'll miss him and his force in this world.
John Bremer
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 17, 2006 - 05:12pm PT
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Three photos of Howie, courtesy of John Bremer.
Shady Lady at the 'gunks in '81
Verdon in '84
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muscle beach
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Dec 17, 2006 - 05:31pm PT
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We had a sort of a wake for Howie in Boulder last night at the Rio. Thanks to Mo Hershoff and Susan Schima for organizing. A partial list of attendees:
Bob Barron
John Bremer
Jim Erickson
Inger Gallo
Greg Hand
Mary Ann Hand
Dan Hare
Mo Hershoff
Steve Levin
Kent Lugbill
Mike Munger
Susan Schima
Paula Sewall
Ray Snead
Lotus Steele
My apologies for anyone I missed ...
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BoulderLotus
Trad climber
Longmont
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Dec 17, 2006 - 11:03pm PT
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I've been thinking about posting something about Howard, but I have so many memories, and it's been very sad to think of him gone, even though it's been 12 years since I saw him last (at Seneca Rocks). I wanted to share a story. In 1977 Howard and I went on a road trip. Our frist distination was Yosemite. Morry Jaffee hitched a ride. That was an experience in and of itself. But when we three arrived in the Valley, we jumped out of the car and climbed Bishop's Terrace. Morry lead the first pitch. When Howard arrived at the belay and discovered that Morry was belaying him on a single nut (not off his harness), Howie blew up. He ripped Morry a new one, and I think everyone in the Valley could hear. Needless to say we didn't climb with Morry anymore. Howard was very safe. I basically learned to climb (and ski)from him. I learned a lot. After 4 years together, even though it was a very long time ago, I still have fond memories of that man and the time we shared.
As a post scrip, that same trip to the Valley, we met up with Charlie Fowler (a local Carderock friend) in the Yosemite Lodge Cafeteria. He said he didn't have a climbing partner the day before and had gone up and soloed the DNB on Middle Cathedral. A few years later when I went up to climb it myself, I relaized what a feat that was. That day we offered to hook up a rope with Charlie and he led us up Mobey Dick. Howard and I (two Gunks climbers) struggled up the cracks while waltzing the bouldery start. Ofcourse Charlie cruised it. Hope Charlie is OK.
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Hunt Prothro
Social climber
Rohrersville, MD
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Dec 20, 2006 - 12:28pm PT
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I heard about Howard on the Monday night of his death. Adam Ehrlich called me after June called him. It hit me like a ton of bricks, as it did all of us in much the same way it seems. I talked to many people pretty quickly, but have been submerged in a show and unable to sit down on the machine for a while. Mel Banks, Adam E., Tony Rickert, a couple of others, and I went to a dive in Rockville on Wednesday after that Monday to drink beer and talk a bit. By then the e-mails were starting to come in and all the concentric stories with Howard as the focal point. Then I saw Ray's link to the Super Topo site and just this morning logged on to this terrific chain of love. I saw Susan S. a week ago, in MD, and I had talked to Charlie Rollins earlier, too, but had not been in touch with the other Boulder climbers, so I was glad to read of the Rio wake. I wish I had been there. However, right about the same time, on Sunday, the 17th, PM, I was driving home from Seneca after a uniquely warm day for December. It was the first time I had been to Seneca since Howard's death and I wanted to do a route of his for sure. We had climbed together over a very long period of time. The first time I heard his name was at the Gunks in the summer of 1974. Ray Snead and John Stannard and Charlie Rollins and I were walking down the carriage road. Howard was on "Modern Times". Charlie and I had just done it the day before. Stannard said, "Howie is going to kill himself." I said, "Who's Howie?" Howard had more or less just started climbing and I guess Stannard didn't know him that well. He wasn't about to kill himself. I later had plenty of time to find out for myself who Howard was. I was glad to see Lotus's forum filing from a day or two ago. She was one of the first people I thought about when I heard of Howard's death. I'm not so sure Howard ever recovered from her rejection of him after his return from France that first summer, sometime in the late 70's. He had made up his mind to ask her to marry him and I don't think it crossed his mind that it would not be accepted. He was very confident in many ways and it was always a pleasure to climb with him in part because of that confidence and his skill with gear. It was torture getting his pieces out. He set them well. He did not praise lightly, either; even as he was confident of himself he was a little suspicious of others, at least until one had proven himself. He and I put up at route at Nelson, in the early 80's, which I named after a Blondie song, "Die Young, Stay Pretty". (Howard often told me I was 'pretty', which I don't think he thought was a good thing.) It was 'difficult to protect', as we used to say, or "dicey", as Howard would say. And, it was pretty hard. It has disappeared in all but oral history; I still hear about it from time to time from Kris Kline, or Ed Begoon, as though recalling a half-heard story. As I belayed Howard up on second, not failing to notice that all the protection was hanging on the rope at his harness, I asked him what he thought about the gear. "What gear", he said, "that was one of the nicest leads I've seen for a long time." From Howard, I was shocked. I don't think I have ever received a higher compliment. On the way home that night he bought an enormous bad of chocolate chip cookies at the 7/11 in Petersburg. I had one or two. He was deep into the stash when suddenly he threw the bag at me and said, "Eat some of these things, Goddammit, before I eat the whole bag." So, last weekend, I wanted to do a Howard route, but I wasn't really sure which one I wanted to do, but not "Lichen", or anything on the east face, the classics. By late in the day, we had done "Gumbie Patrol", a Harrison Schull route, and "Spinnaker", another Harrison route, and we were rapping down the lower east face, next to all the 'new' bolt lines, when I realized we were rapping right over "H and H", the 'dicey', bold 5.9 Herb Laeger/ Howard Doyle route from the mid-70's, maybe done just before Herb left for CA. I had only done it once before, with Mike Goff, fairly recently and I thought 'perfect'. So, we did "H and H" at the close of day, in the purple winter light of Seneca, the shadows falling rapidly and a chill coming on. I was thinking only of Howard and the life he led and of the far too brief life he and I shared and which none of us ever thinks will end. Every hold was a whisper of touch and chalk dust and Howard. He was a powerful creature among us all in this rich life we share as climbers and I, too, am brutally sad by this way too early death. However, it is a deep, if melancholy, pleasure to follow in these footsteps of memory, left in honor of Howard and it's fantastic to hear from so many whose voices I know so well, but have not seen for way too long. I hope to see everyone soon. Love, Hunt Prothro
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Berc
climber
SLC, UT
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Dec 20, 2006 - 12:45pm PT
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Some of you have seen this email before. I came across this string after Ben sent me an email. I hope he doesn't mind the re-telling of the story.
"It's great hearing all these stories. It brings back so many memories. One thing that I'm eternally grateful for and somewhat amazed by is how guys like Howie and Mel could put up with a bunch of snot nosed brats that many of us were. I think Greg Hand coined the term "snot nosed brat" after one particularly insufferable Carderock session with me.
Here you have grown up mortgage laden men with kids and wives spending weekends on a rope with kids who thought they knew everything but really didn't have a clue. Says something about the sport and the people it attracts.
My favorite Howie story was the one about him, Lotus and Ben Mealy. Ben got a ride up to the Gunks with them one summer weekend and left his spare EBs in the car that Saturday. Lotus and Howie came back to the car after a good hot day of climbing, cracked the door and fell back at the onslaught that assaulted their olfactory nerves. After choking down their gorge they managed to open all the doors of Howie's brown station
wagon and observe the fall out. People passing by the car would recoil at the oder and ask what died.
After a brief consul on who would do the looking (Howie lost) Howie found the source of the stench to be Ben's shoes. They were summarily flung into the bushes until the offending owner turned up. Ben, as was Ben's wont, was bemused by what the fuss was all about. No amount of debate would allow the shoes back into the wagon and they were tied underneath the hood for the ride into town for dinner. There they remained for the remainder of the trip.
Howie and Lotus' plans for that evening were somewhat disrupted by the lingering stench and I think they slept outside that night. As I recall Ben and his shoes had to find a ride back to DC. Howie said the stench never really left and when the breeze was right he would catch a whiff flashing him back to that day in the Gunks.
I also remember the day when Howie went to lead Buddy's route on the lower west face and found the bolt missing. Assuming me to be the chopping culprit he located my whereabouts and proceeded to let me know what he thought. Luckily I was a pitch up on some east side route and out of reach or I'm sure I would have been toast.
The past couple of years I saw Howie on and off at the local gym and while skiing. True to form he always had an encouraging word and tips to help me ski better.
Due to circumstances we never spent the amount of time we would have liked with each other. He went out strong as a bull. When I last saw him his bench was climbing and he was repping DLs that I could only dream of attempting. He was always up on the latest routine from the latest research and always wanted to hear your thoughts.
The gym we went to, Thong Tech, as Clune referred to it, was not a hot bed of hard core lifting but had the right equipment with some good lifters. Most of the people there were not "serious". When Howard and June were there it felt more like home; people who understood the value of chalk in a gym. Howie loved rubbing his nose with a chalked hand to give the other clientele something to talk about."
John
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MelB
Social climber
Silver Spring, MD
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Dec 20, 2006 - 05:17pm PT
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Here's yet another:
Howie and I were doing Climbin' Punishment on a dreary, overcast day in October. As we got to the base of the third pitch, it started to rain. According to the guidebook, "Many parties avoid the last pitch, which is hard to protect." Being my lead, I naturally suggested we avoid the last pitch, given it was not only raining but cold as well, and as the guidebook also says, "The first two pitches make an excellent 5.8 route." Not Howie. Feeling like a wuss, I belayed in awe (as well as fear of catching a 200+ pounder falling a couple of body lengths) as he gracefully led the dripping wet pitch, barely pausing for protection and without a single whimper.
Other great memories of Howie:
Surviving trips to Seneca with Howie at the wheel, whether in a Porsche or a pickup. I don't know which vehicle scared me most. He was reputed to have the record time to Seneca from DC, something around 2 hours. Thank God I wasn't on that trip.
Planning get-rich schemes over a bottle (or two) of Lambrusco.
Climbing all day at Red Rocks, then dropping Howie at the chiropractor to have his neck stretched, while we got drunk in the bar next door.
It's great to see so many tributes to Howie. What a testament. Maybe he can see them too, who the hell knows. Ray, what about that reunion?
Mel
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woj
climber
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Dec 23, 2006 - 08:39am PT
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I knew howard from seneca rocks from the 70s80s. he live down in D.C at that time drove a porche up from DC on weekends . person who road with him said it was a memorable experience . he is a list of first ascent from the seneca guide ambush 5.10(1979)slipstream 5.9worthy committment 5.9 (1977)silent suffering 5.9 (1980)bitterend 5.9 (1980). this just a partial list ther are at lest 12 more first in the guide. howard and I ski in jackson hole in the late 80s he was also a world class skier. it is with profouend saddens that I writes this james wojciechowski (woj)
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niece
climber
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Dec 28, 2006 - 12:14am PT
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Hello to all,
A few weeks have passed since my uncle's death and I still feel like it is not possible for him to be gone. It came as quite a shock to all of us. We never expected my uncle, who was in such great shape, to die so suddenly. Although I miss him dearly it has been very nice to read all of the wonderful stories and sentiments you have all shared. My family and I truly appreciate your kind words. It is nice to know that Uncle Howie made such an impact on so many people. I remember hearing some of the stories that have been shared, but most of them were new to me. Thanks again for sharing.
Stacey
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Dec 28, 2006 - 01:44am PT
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"...Surviving trips to Seneca with Howie at the wheel, whether in a Porsche or a pickup. I don't know which vehicle scared me most. He was reputed to have the record time to Seneca from DC, something around 2 hours. Thank God I wasn't on that trip.
.."
This reminds me of a Howie Doyle story related to me by Frank Minunni, who made that DC to Seneca trip with him in his Porsche. When the two of them pulled into a service station to gas up, the attendant tried as hard as he could to scrub the bugs off Howie's windshield--to no avail. Finally, the attendant turns to Howie and says "them's 90 mile an hour bugs, ain't they?"
Good stuff.
Curt
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Maeve's Dad
Trad climber
Herndon, VA
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1-1-07
Re: Howard Doyle
I still can't believe Howard is gone. It is with great sadness and tremendous respect that I write this, and it is going to take a long, long time to adjust to the fact. There are so many things we all take for granted - too often our great friends included. I guess I just thought Howard would always be around. And even though Howard hasn't been around our area much lately (having moved out West some time ago), he would return once in a while to his "Mother Crag." I always thought I would still see him at Seneca, if even only occasionally - even once each few years or so. And talk with him briefly, remember the glory and excitement of the "good old days," ask his advice on things, and just bask in his grand but comforting presence. How could we not expect to see him again? Howard was truly the "Grand Master" of our beloved crag.
There are several things I remember in particular about Howard. I didn't begin climbing at Seneca until 1976, part way through college. And as a pure beginner, I was truly challenged leading things like "Candy Corner," "Banana," and the "Gendarme." I clearly remember dreaming and wishing " . . . if I could just lead a 5.7 some day . . ." I would be satisfied with my climbing achievements for the rest of my entire life (well, we all know what happens with the numbers game . . .). But anyway, not many trips to Seneca later, I saw Howard for the first time. After those first few trips to Seneca, I had finally gotten up the gumption to venture around to the East Face, and I saw Howard on one of the East Face classics. I can't remember whether it was "High Test" or "Nip and Tuck," but I was in complete AWE! Here was this VERY big, and obviously VERY strong expert climbing with total control at a level I couldn't even comprehend! I watched. I just watched with my jaw hanging open - completely entranced. Just what was this guy holding on to? How could he hang on for SOOOO long? How is it that he wasn't shaking? Or afraid? On something so insanely difficult!?!?!?!? Instead of saying "Watch me!" every other move (like I did . . .), Howard was joking around with his partner at the same time! INCREADIBLE!!! Well, to say the least, that sure gave me some perspective! This experience instantly put me in my rightful place, but more importantly GREATLY inspired me. WOW! I immediately wanted to be just like Howard. My dream of leading just one 5.7 in my life was suddenly replaced with great trepidation and a VERY large lump in my throat by a MUCH more lofty goal - only I truly had NO idea whatsoever just how lofty this goal really was. Not too long after that experience however, I was to begin to find out just how "pie in the sky" my new goal truly was. And not only by the numbers and the degree of physical strength and finesse requried, but also by the degree of boldness, commitment and calm that had to be developed - not to mention the persona. Well, I gave up on the persona quickly - how could anyone else be just like Howard? I would have to settle for just being as good a climber. However, to this day I am still trying to approach being the climber Howard was. I won't yet admit to myself that I will never achieve it. It helps keep me going.
I also remember climbing one day several years later (early 80's by that time) with Howard, Cal, and Don Wood at Nelson Rocks. I had come to know Cal a bit better than I knew Howard at that time, so I partnered with Cal, and Howard teamed up with Don. There was the usual discussion that morning about where we would go, and what routes we might try - without a great degree of excitement. So when the idea of Nelson Rocks came up, I immediately piped in (being the most novice of the group, I had kept my mouth pretty well shut up to then). I had climbed the mandatory few routes there by that stage ("Crescendo," and "Stone Gallows," etc.), but didn't know the crag very well, and was excited at the prospect of going back with someone who really knew the area intimately. So off to Nelson Rocks we went. Maybe it was just the kind of day it was, but the lack of excitement once there was much as it was before the subject of Nelsons arose in the first place. Suddenly I found myself in the driver's seat. I mean, since nobody seemed excited about climbing anything in particular (I supposed that the others had already climbed nearly everything at Nelsons that was to be climbed), I was asked what I thought. Now wait a minute! Even though I had lent support to this Nelson-Rocks-idea, I thought I was just going along for the ride here! My (secret) plan was that I was just going to follow one of you really good climbers on something hard, learn a little more about the crag, and have some fun! Now you're asking me what I think? I can't even begin to explain how terrified I was about performing well in the presence of Howard, Cal and Don - all MUCH better climbers than myself. Well, that morning Howard had been talking about wanting to do another good new route somewhere, and by this point we had walked up beyond "Crescendo," but not quite all the way up to "Stone Gallows." Along the way I had briefly spied what looked like a nice hand and finger crack. This crack is left of the broken pillar and of what is now known as "House of Cards" and right of the start of "Iroquois League." Thinking fast, I asked Howard if this crack had been climbed. We walked back down to take a look at it. Howard didn't remember climbing it before, and didn't know of anyone else who had climbed it either. I suggested he might give it a go. Phew! Thankfully, this option seemed to spark some interest, and before I knew it, Don was on the sharp-end firing up the crack, and to my equal delight, Cal was racking up for another option of discontinuous thin cracks and vague corners just to the right. Some of you have probably heard my story of Cal's "take no prisoners" mastery of his way up the series of difficult face moves and thin cracks, and burly bulge above with minimal protection (my heart in my throat the whole time)! This was indeed the opening of a door to a new world I knew little about - HOLY SMOKES! These guys were the REAL DEAL!!! Cal and I decided to call this new route "Just Another Pretty Face," purposely understating its seriousness. Cal thought it was about 5.10. Naturally, most people now can't believe it was lead without bolts, and now that it DOES have bolts (having later been innocently retro-bolted by another party unaware of the route's existence), believe it is every bit of 5.11a. Thankfully, to my TREMENDOUS relief, I actually followed it! I must have been so terrified of failure in the True Masters' eyes that Divine Intervention occurred! Don arrived at the belay first (a good ledge with a VERY small pine tree - well, shrub, really [which was of course to become the rap anchor]). Cal arrived next. Don was a little rattled after having lead the crack, saying that the crack was pretty hard too. Especially the part where there was not the greatest protection at and above the crux . . . Howard appeared at the belay with a BIG smile on his face. He was VERY pleased! (I hadn't gone back to these routes until about two years ago to repeat them, and believe that they are indeed both about 5.11a). When Howard smiled the contented smile he smiled, everything in the world was good. The planets and stars were all in alignment, and everyone was at ease and free to rejoice and relax. It just doesn't get any better than that!
Another thing I remember was similar to the experience Tony had. I can't remember who my partner was on the particular occasion, but I had lead "La Bella Vista" that day for the first time. We ended up at the Gendarme that evening, and the usual gang was there, drinking beer and shooting the bull. I respectfully greeted Howard and asked if he had had a good day out, etc. He asked me what I had climbed that day, and was very interested in what I thought about "La Bella Vista." Howard seemed impressed, and said it hadn't seen too many ascents. Naturally, I praised the route (it IS a beaut!) and was filled with pride for having gained the respect of my greatest hero.
There are many other occasions where I had seen Howard at Seneca, Nelson Rocks, or Champe Rocks. Every time I saw Howard he was very respectful and very kind to me. This had a tremendous impact on me, as I had been so used to being merely ignored or outright disrespected by other athletes while I was engaged in conventional sports at school (despite a modicum of prowess as a pole-vaulter). Howard was a shining light for me. Howard was truly a hero to me. Howard was a model climber and a model human being, and I will miss him terribly.
So much has already been said, and said in so many ways - with the light-hearted joy of camaraderie and remembrance, and with great love, respect and eloquence. And as much as it has already been said, Howard was indeed large than life. I expect Howard must have had an impact on everyone he ever met. I'm not sure who will suffer the most - those who knew him well enough to call him "Howie" and who must have spent a great deal more time with him than I did, and have many more memories of him than I have. Or those who simply WISH they had spent more time with him, as I wish I had.
Our friend Ben Mealy put it succinctly - "Our heroes are never supposed to die." Howard's passing leaves all of us with a great emptiness in our hearts, but with great joy for having had the priviledge to know and share even a few experiences with such a great human being.
Sandy Fleming
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
St. Louis
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Lovely Sandy. I read your post enjoying every word. And it's all the better having come from you.
Crimpie aka Callie
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aligurl091
climber
Washington, D.C.
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2007-01-02 Howie was my godfather..great friends with my parents William and Nicola Renison here in Washington, D.C., especially my dad as they climbed around the Potomac River area and beyond when I was younger...i hadn't seen or heard from him in years since he had moved out west, only because of the restless spirit of his that moved him from place to place every so often. By a cruel twist of fate, my mother looked him up the day after I noted how much I'd like to connect with him again, only to find his death notice. Ever-lingering memories such as when he took me to school as a toddler with my dad or giving me a whole $50 bill (never laid eyes on one at the tender age of 6) at my christening help to mitigate irony's painful grip. Would love to touch base with his family to let them know he's still a godfather in my heart, regardless of time. Hope the purportedly planned Washington memorial is either a) still in the works and b) hasn't happened yet. Godspeed. Alexandra Renison
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LastPioneerWoman
Trad climber
WY
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Jan 14, 2007 - 01:25pm PT
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I just found out about Howie’s death; what a shock. He never seemed old to me. Thanks to everyone for the stories -- brings back good memories and smiles. Maybe I can tell of yet another great side of Howie’s personality, I hope I’m not too late. Whenever he came to the Black Hills Needles, we would meet for a climb or two and lots of visiting. We were in some ways the best of friends, talking of various life challenges and the most personal of things. Me being female and Howard a very manly man this may seem odd, but we really were true pals. I always appreciated his open-mindedness and insights. And as you all have explained, his humor and story-telling were incredible; there were times I wanted to roll on the ground.
Hollis
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climberflyfisher
Mountain climber
springdale, pa
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Jan 19, 2007 - 06:00pm PT
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Howard was a great guy who gave me the best piece of mountaineering advice I ever received. “Watch yourself on fixed lines”. On a trip to Ama Dablam raping down a fixed line from Camp 1 during lousy weather I probably would have raped through a section of blue line that had been significantly cut by falling rock. I don’t know if it would have held or not, maybe for me it would have held but maybe not for others later? Howard came right to mind as I cut the section out and re-did the fixed line before continuing down. I had the opportunity to thank him at Seneca later. He was gracious but I thanked him for my wife, kids and the rest of my family. I was serious.
Our group from the ECP did a bunch of caving in the late 70’s thru early 80’s and School House was still open. We invited Howard to do the Inner Wells passage with its very nervy 5.5 slime climbing on very bad quarter inch bolts up to the Traverse of the Gods finish. He smiled and laughed and told us how crazy we were but we would intern stand in awe watching him putting up 10+’s on a regular basis with run outs not meant for mortal men. We would pass him on our way to do some mid rated route, come down and see Howard and his partner still animatedly discussing the new route in great detail. This usually was the high entertainment point of the weekend. (names will remain anonymous).
Howard moved and I got into raising my sons and work but this week when Rick Fairtrace told me about Howard I felt very sad like a hole had opened up in me. This maybe is my own mortality showing because Howard was too young for this to happen and way to much an icon.
Howard was simply a good dude. I will tell my sons about Howard and how there are few people you meet in this life who command such respect. I will tell them how I would see him along the road at the Gunks and we would stop and talk casually and how I would notice the faces of climbers passing us by staring at Howard; faces of awe and respect. He will always be the Hard Man and I will be proud let others know of him as long as I can tell stories like how we met but that is for another time.
Bruce Cox
Springdale, Pa
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Ron Canty
Trad climber
Derbyshire, England
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Jan 21, 2007 - 01:58pm PT
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Two crazy Brits from Bolton, Ron & Tony, landed at the Gunks back in 1980. There we met Howie, Eric Janiscrat, Bullit Bob, Cal, Frank the Stoned Ranger, and many, many more, wonderful characters including Steve Levin, who kindly volunteered to be our chauffeur and guide right across the States E to W during the following 5 month climbing extravaganza. After a 3 week burn-out at the Gunks, Seneca, our first stop, was where Howie and Eric introduced us to a baptism of fire on what were some of the scariest climbs around at the time. We met up again later that year in the Needles, Boulder, and finally in Yosemite. What a memorable time we had!
Both Steve and Howie later visited the UK and stayed with us for a while - we also met Howie again in Switzerland and on another occasion Steve travelled with us to Verdon.
A huge gentle giant - what a tremendous loss to the climbing world.
Howie mate, wherever you are, from all the way across the Pond, a huge thanks for the wonderful memory of all those unforgettable experiences.
So long Howie - sincere condolences to your family and countless friends.
Ron Canty
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Jess
Sport climber
Prague Czech republic
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Jan 25, 2007 - 07:13am PT
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I got an email from Lotus telling me about Howie....and again I was blown away...seems like I got the same mail recently about another climber friend from Nederland CO..... and as I read through these other great letters, as I'm sure for all of you, the awesome memories came flooding in... but I guess my fondest and funniest memories are when Howie and I spent a long weekend with Kurt Albert at Bernd Arnolds house in Elbesandstein (old East) Germany...Kurt and Bernd were needless to say astounded at the amount of meat Howie could eat… for me, it was his strength and character that radiated from him and just seemed to pass on to those around him…I certainly can remember looking down at Howie, 50ft up with no pro, no chalk and scary sandy cracks, and still 10 more feet to the first bolt on the climb, shitting myself and Howie grinning up at me “you got it” is all he had to say… his strength made us all feel strong!...and his weakness made us laugh… for sure the funniest was when we were at a friends party in Garmisch Germany, and after a few proper German beers, and a few tokes on the funny cigarette Howie and I ended up in some funky disco, with this crazy chick , needless to say we went back to my mother-in-laws house, where we were staying, a bit late. I passed out, Howie spent the rest of the night puking in the bathroom, with my Mother-in law standing at the bathroom door, tapping lightly, “Howie…you not good?” the next late morning he was a bit embarrassed when she brought us coffee, and smiled…. I will truly miss you Howie! I only hope you’re hanging out with all of our other climber friends in some cool place, because I want to be with you guys when it’s my time!!!! Jesse Guthrie
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 21, 2007 - 03:39pm PT
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Just got done moving and had the time to look through some of my slides.
Weird...found this slide on the same sheet with photos of Pete S.
Howard following the crux pitch (5.11c) of Topnotch in RMNP.
I miss you Howard.
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JoeN
Trad climber
Rockville, Md
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I only recently learned about Howie’s death. It’s so sad that someone who seemed so healthy and kept himself is such good shape (his PhD was in an area related to physical fitness) died so young. This is a little long but I wanted to include some tales about Howie that you may not know.
Howie and I were good friends in the early ‘70’s. We climbed, skied and got together at each other’s places. The first time I went to Howie’s house was after stopping at “Travs” after climbing at Carderock. I didn’t know how to get to his house, so I was doing my best to keep up with Howie’s car going down the Clara Barton Parkway (then George Washington Parkway, Maryland side), when the federal police by the waterworks pulled us over and ticketed both of us. At a party, Howie showed me one of his party drinks—drink ½ a beer, refill the can with any available cheap wine, drink again—I only tried it once. I took Howie and a few others for an overnight in my sailboat. Howie and Lotus were among a few close friends at Stevie’s and my wedding 30 years ago.
I first met Howie at Carderrock in 1970 or ’71. I’m not exactly sure of the year, but he had just started climbing. I think he had done some climbing; perhaps a climbing class, maybe from Bob Norris, but I’m not sure. I had a rope up (I don’t remember who I was climbing with) and here was this big guy who looked very interested. One thing led to another and he was soon tied on to my rope. A few weeks later I took Howie and his then wife, Cathy, on their first trip to Seneca. We started on Breakneck. Howie was a natural. Cathy, who had been a gymnast, was also quite good. This started several years of climbing together at Seneca and the Gunks. Consider that Howie weighed about 185 then and I was 125. Did I mention we used body belays—at least until Howie insisted I get a sticht plate. Fortunately, he never bombed on me on a lead, but I caught him a number of times on top rope. Howie’s climbing ability eventually far exceeded mine and he started climbing with better climbers such as Lotus, Herb Laeger and Eve.
One day Howie and I were working a boulder problem on a wall perpendicular to the “The Aid Box” along the Potomac River. Neither one of us got more than ½ way. Then on one try Howie grabbed a flake part way up the climb and with his weight ripped it off the wall. That was the handhold that got me over that spot. That was as high as I could get after that. Howie could reach higher and therefore climb higher. Although we didn’t solve the boulder problem that day I seem to recall that Howie and another climber solved it on a later try.
On one trip to Seneca Howie and I started out on a cool, but promising, morning to climb “Tony’s Nightmare”. It was mild enough that we both wore t-shirts. Howie led. Before I got on the first pitch the temperature had dropped and the wind picked up. By the time I was coming out of the chimney it had become quite cold. I saw Howie shivering on belay. I suggested we bail to get some warm clothing. But Howie said as he shook “I-I-It d-d-doesn’t b-b-bother me i-i-if it d-d-doesn’t b-b-bother y-y-you.”.
Howie wasn’t a club joiner. For example, he never joined the Mountaineering Section of the PATC, although he occasionally showed up and gave at least one slide show there (climbing in Europe). He did, however, go on a ski club sponsored, Thanksgiving weekend, car-pool ski trip to Mt. Sutton, Canada. I knew Howie had skied quite a bit at Hunter Mt., New York And when he was in grad-school in Utah he skied the backcountry of what is now Snowbird by climbing over the ridge from Alta. Before the Sutton trip we called ahead and were assured there was snow on the whole mountain. Sutton is a 12 hour drive from DC. He and I were to take turns driving. There were two other riders who were not going to drive. Howie turned up for the trip with a painful lower back from teaching a rowing exercise in one of his classes. He told me this happened every time he taught that exercise. (Something about a muscular imbalance—In Howie??) Because of his sore back he couldn’t drive much and I had to do most of the driving. To top it off, when we got to Sutton the only slope with snow was the T-bar. It was probably just as good, since his sore bake made it difficult for him to turn in one direction. We returned to DC early. The next year Howie again had the problem after the rowing exercise, but he told me someone had shown him a yoga exercise that helped quite a lot.
One year Howie and I had decided to go to Seneca during the Petersburg White Water weekend to climb and watch the races. However, one of his friends acquired two tickets to the Explorers Club annual dinner in New York and invited Howie along. So the deal was that I would drive Howie’s wife, Cathy to Seneca on Friday night. Howie and his friend would go to New York for the dinner and then drive to Seneca as soon as it was over. (Howie later mentioned that there was a lot of one-upmanship at the meeting—a speaker might say, “…There were 63 villagers on the island when I was there six months ago….” And someone else might mumble, “…I was there two weeks ago and there were only 58….” Anyway, the next morning there was no sign of Howie. In fact, he didn’t show up until mid-afternoon. It seems that Howie went to sleep while his friend was driving from New York. When he woke up they were almost in North Carolina and had to turn around and drive all the way back. You can guess how peeved Howie was about that.
The last time I saw Howie was at Carderock. I had finished climbing for the day and was just leaving when Howie and a friend arrived. We talked for a few minutes until Howie said, “We have to go work-out”. We planned to get together, but never did before he moved to Salt Lake. I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to see him again.
In my mind I’m sure that wherever Howie is he’s doing the hardest, most exposed trad in the region, onsight.
Joe Ney
Cross posted on SuperTopo and Rockclimbing forums
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ChattanoogaSandstoneClimber
Trad climber
Chattanooga, Tennessee
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Oct 23, 2007 - 07:06pm PT
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I'm sitting here with my old and beaten copy of Bill Webster and Rich Pleiss's "Senecea Rocks West Virginia/ A Climber's Guide" (published in 1976.) This slim volume, its red cover featuring a pen and ink drawing of the now collapsed Gendarme, served as a passport of sorts in that it provided ready access into a vertical world of backwoods climbing insanity: Seneca Rocks.
On page 18 of the guide, 5.8 and 5.9 routes were described as "extremely difficult", 5.10 was described as "approaching human limitations" and 5.11 was "unbelievable!" If you think that smacks of exaggeration, you have, quite obviously, not climbed at Seneca.
Lording over this mysterious realm were a cast of characters I came to revere as virtual gods of the climbing world: Howard Doyle, Eric Janoscrat and Cal Swoager. Chief among them was Doyle who, according to Janoscrat, was a retired semi-pro football player who began climbing at the late age of 38, and who -- due to injuries suffered on the field -- climbed "with a lot of pain." He was a huge strapping man who looked like he was the kind of guy you wanted hanging out with you in the parking lot or camp ground after hours drinking beer. As was often the case. Sleeves rolled up, he had a set of forearms on him that looked like he could twist your head off like it was a scrawny chicken. But Howard was a gentle soul, and I don't think he would have ever done something like that, unless of course he had some reason to. There was that time....
It was hard to look up at some of Howard's Seneca testpieces and not sh#t your pants just thinking about what was lying-in-wait for you -- even if you were confident you had the balls, the brass and the guns to go for it.
In the margins of my guide I wrote under a list of new routes I was repeating names like Drop Zone, Welcome to Seneca, Superstition, and Snickers -- just to name a few. On the FA (or FFA as was often the case) of some of these extremely long, gear intensive and, at times, psychotically scary routes Doyle reportedly carried with him a ball of parachute cord which, when he found himself in extremis and running out of biners and brass, he could toss down to his belayer in order to pull up a back up rack. Brilliant, eh? How anyone could do something like that -- strung out on the nubbins of, say, the pitch two corners of "The Supe" -- was, frankly, beyond me. I chose to heft a monster rack, weight be damned.
Eventually, Doyle and other members of the Seneca crew began flitering down to visit me in "the Deep South" to sample the rock we had in a sort of quasi exchange program among kindred spirits.
The last time Howard was here he was in his mid 50's; he was carrying a bit of extra weight. Yet I watched him float up a tricky, mostly overhanging pitch of 5.10 as if it was simply another day at the crags.
On his last evening with me and my wife he cooked us one of his classic Italian dinners. He dumped about a half bottle of extra virgin olive oil into the pot, whereupon my wife grabbed me by my arm, pulled me aside and gave a little laugh. "Boy he sure puts a lot of oil in it doesn't he." I replied, "Well, that's what makes it good."
We miss you Howard.
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Geno
Trad climber
Reston, VA
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Oct 25, 2007 - 05:44am PT
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Rob, Your post was a great and personal tribute to Howard. I remember you speaking about Howard Doyle, Eric Janoscrat and Cal Swoager with such reverence during the years I climbed with you in the SS belt. Their exploits at Seneca, the Gunks and as you described in the Deep South are legendary. Howard was a football player from NJ but he won a place in the Southern Climber's Hall of Fame. He still lives on in the imaginations of those who knew him. Geno
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Howie Doyles Nephew
climber
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Aug 30, 2012 - 05:04pm PT
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Hello everyone my name is Jesse Doyle. I am Howies nephew and my sister had been researching our family online and came across this forum/thread. I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all for the stories, pictures and prayers you have shared on here. I am always looking for more stuff on my uncle and if anyone has photos could send me it would be greatly appreciated. We never got to see alot of photos of him climbing or as many of you got to see him. Because whenever he came to visit it was always photos with us. Sadly a year after Howie had his heart attack to the day we lost his brother/my uncle Robert as well. Any pictures/anything you would like to share can be sent to dublindevil83@gmail.com. If you are willing to send reprints or doubles you have please email me with details and i will provide an address. Again thank you so much for this thread and sharing all of your memories of my uncle!
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Aug 31, 2012 - 01:46am PT
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Howard was one of the best partners I ever had.
I'll have to get some old slides scanned and add them
to this thread.
I still miss him. And Charlie F, . . . .
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Aug 31, 2012 - 02:32am PT
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I was just back at Carderock teaching my niece and nephew about climbing. I recognized none of the other climbers but had many wonderful memories of climbing there for so many years. Howie was part of that recollection.
The Carderock crew of the 1970s I remember did so much to help my climbing and make it fun. Ben Mealy, Ray Snead, Steve Glenn, occasionally Charlie Fowler, John Stannard, and others were super encouraging. Now Trav's on the way back to Baltimore, a whole other discussion...
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jstan
climber
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Aug 31, 2012 - 03:08am PT
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While you are living through a time you generally can't be sure you will remember them as "The Good Times". Carderock was different. We knew they were good.
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little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
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Sep 18, 2012 - 06:32pm PT
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as a realtive newcomer to ST, just stumbled across this thread...
so sorry to see that Howie has passed away. Never got to climb with him but always enjoyed his humor when I would run into him there at Carderock, or hanging around the Mouth of Seneca after a day of climbing. I remember McGowan and I were taking karate lessons and we used to spar in the Carderock parking lot. We found out Howie knew some karate and he promptly put us in our place by kicking the sh#t out of us, but it was in an instructional and fun way, so you couldn't be pissed off... Howie: "so you just grab the guy here and apply a little pressure and then you can kick him in the head"...BAM! a big Howie foot to the face.
Just one more reason to be in awe of the guy.
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Howie Doyles Nephew
climber
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Oct 27, 2015 - 11:00am PT
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I just wanted to jump back on here and see if anyone could send some photos of my Uncle on his climbs. Next Nov will be 10 yrs since he passed and i would like to put something together for the anniversary. Simply postings them here would be great, i can do the rest. Thank you in advance if you can.
Jesse Doyle
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Oct 27, 2015 - 07:55pm PT
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Jesse
I'll have to go through my slides one of these days,
but I'll post some. I was so lucky to climb with
Howard. . . (and be one of his friends).
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Oct 28, 2015 - 07:58pm PT
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Jesse,
I got a number of slides out and have to get them scanned.
I hope to have them done in a few days!
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Oct 29, 2015 - 01:32am PT
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What read!
The man was such a chiseled piece of stone for some thing like twenty years his tone with me was a mix of humor and awe that I survived.
At the passing of Kevin B he and I made peace with the fact that a great force had left us face to face . We climbed at a few of Kevin's secret places. He cajoled me to lead, so he held my largest whippers and we laughed about it publicly the shrimp and the anvil climbing in the woods. .
I had heard, but never looked for this thread
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 12, 2015 - 07:24am PT
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Jesse
Here goes (Thanks to BrassNuts for scanning these for me)!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nov 12, 2015 - 09:44am PT
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Great classic old photos Steve! I guess we really were climbing back then.....your memory does play tricks with you.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 12, 2015 - 01:55pm PT
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Thanks, Jim!
(I was following hard stuff--Howie did most
of the leading. . . 'nuff said)!
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Gilroy
Social climber
Bolderado
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Nov 12, 2015 - 02:26pm PT
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Gawddamn! SteveW, FTW!!1111!!! Thanks for getting those pix posted. I have gobs of respect for Howard. And his climbing partners because they had to do some real climbing to keep up.
RIP
Keith
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 12, 2015 - 04:37pm PT
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Very nice tribute photos SteveW.
Any stories to go along with them? How did you two partner up in the first place?
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 12, 2015 - 07:34pm PT
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I got lucky, Steve.
He picked me. Was at a meeting of the PATC (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club)
climbing group, and he asked me if I'd go climbing with him. The rest is history. He drug me along many routes in Seneca, some in the Gunks (I couldn't climb every weekend, so he got someone else to go with him).
Went to the Tetons with Howie, his wife, and another friend in '74. I blistered myself going up Garnet Canyon, so didn't do much. In '75 we spent three weeks in Eldorado Canyon doing all of the classics--and watched Wunsch and Bragg freeing all the real hard routes. He wanted me to go to France with him in '76, but I was moving west so couldn't make it. That ended a great partnership. I was fortunate, I never had to catch him on a fall--but I did lead the crux of Grand Giraffe--chimney's and offwidths weren't kind to Howard. He was a great partner--we were always competeing to see who could eat the most--I think we bankrupted a Red Barn in Boulder--all you could eat salad with a couple of pieces of chicken. We emptied that salad bar lots of times! Then there were the Dairy Queens. . . Seriously, I never had to worry about getting up a climb with him--of course, I didn't get to lead much. A great guy, and such a tragic loss.
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Howie Doyles Nephew
climber
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Aug 25, 2017 - 07:21pm PT
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Sorry it took so long for me to get back on here but thank you Steve for the photos. Love to be able to see a part of his life i never really got to.
Jesse
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Aug 26, 2017 - 08:39pm PT
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Jesse
I'm glad you got to see them finally.
Bless you.
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| Messages 1 - 83 of total 83 in this topic |
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