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AKDOG
Mountain climber
Anchorage, AK
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Sep 22, 2016 - 02:42pm PT
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RIP and condolences to his family and friends, got to meet Kim once in Tuolumne in the early 1980’s, when he was recovering from a bad fall he had taken in the Tetons. A true life full of adventure.
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Sep 22, 2016 - 06:21pm PT
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Thanks, Tom.
Do you have time to tell the story?
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Sep 25, 2016 - 10:23am PT
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Thanks, PSP. The bit about Kim cutting his sled loose past the other guys and toward the Abruzzi Glacier, then laughing about it is great. Those guys sure did a lot of cool stuff and sure knew how to have “fun.” Here’s a photo of Muztagh Tower from 1980, which I think is from that trip.
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Sep 25, 2016 - 12:39pm PT
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What a life. What a man. Peace brother.
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jstan
climber
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Sep 26, 2016 - 09:30pm PT
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It was either in 67 or 68 I ran into Madsen and Schmitz in C4. I had heard how these two nineteen year
olds were burning up the walls so I asked a couple of ignorant questions. Watching how the two interacted I was reminded of Fritz Wiessner's concept of an "attacking unit". It was clear this pair was
an attacking unit unlike all others. The loss will persist long after the past fifty years have gone into the history books.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 26, 2016 - 09:53pm PT
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I'm very glad to have heard of Kim's demise from the lips of Don Lauria and life is a beach at the campfire in Yellow Pine, rather than reading it here.
Fortunately, there was a bottle of McCallen's with which to toast his ghost.
Schmitzmallows...mmmm.
Then we raised the glass to several others.
This was as special as it gets...Russ hadn't been to the Valley in some 35 years.
And here he appears with Don.
It was great knowing you, Kim!!!!!!!
Godspeed.
MFM
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 26, 2016 - 11:00pm PT
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Kim, Marty and Peter. Camp 4 1970.
They were gods and goddesses to me.
I love the wrench in Peter's hand. I'm sure he was tuning up his pea-soup green(?right?) VW van. Maybe he was helping me with mine.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, Moab, A sailboat, or some time zone
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Sep 28, 2016 - 07:26am PT
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I wept, a lot, as I read that ^^^^.
The author captured such a poignant, painful, beautiful, end.
Susan
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado & Nepal
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Sep 28, 2016 - 08:00am PT
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Courage to live and courage to die. At peace with both.
I would like to think he is laughing again with his good friend Jim Madsen, some place warm and sunny.
My thanks to the author of that article and Charlie D. for letting us know.
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 28, 2016 - 08:11am PT
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The last hours of a legendary Wyoming alpinist By Angus M. Thuermer Jr.
That was beautifully written ......
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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Sep 28, 2016 - 10:19am PT
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this is so sad, my brother, bob was just out visiting him this summer, and kim mentioned me to my brother in affectionette terms. just met kim a few times but admired his grit, and legendary status. he will me missed. steve schneider
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Sep 29, 2016 - 10:35pm PT
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Cranksie, I liiiked that. Thx.
Kim, rest him, was among the quickest nailers, by reputation, of all Campers-4.
I never watched him, myself. But the Brothers B were totally convinced he was, as were Bill Bonebrake (rest him, too) and others.
Roskelly, who wrote that tribute, was no slouch, either. He and Mead H took the NA Wall in some sort of amazing record time in 1970 or 1971 and we were collectively impressed.
That is a fine photo of the man in that link, as well.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Sep 30, 2016 - 10:13am PT
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Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and he pushed,
and they flew.
- Christopher Logue
Yosemite Valley FAs
1966
Midwall, 5.9 A4, Tom Fender, Kim Schmitz
Black is Brown, 5.8, Kim Schmitz, Frank Trummel
English Breakfast Crack, 5.10c, Chris Fredericks, Kim Schmitz; FFA: Jim Bridwell by 1971
1967
Dinner Ledge Direct, 5.7 A4, Jim Madsen, Kim Schmitz
Great Slab Route, 5.8 A4, Layton Kor, Jim Madsen, Kim Schmitz
Lena's Lieback, 5.9, Kim Schmitz, Jim Madsen
Jamcrack Route, 5.9, Loyd Price, Kim Schmitz; FFA: Kim Schmitz, Jim Madsen
Catchy, 5.10d, FA(?): Kim Schmitz, Jim Madsen; FFA: Jim Pettigrew, Jim Bridwell, Mark Klemens, 10/1971
1968
Doggie Deviations, 5.9, Kim Schmitz, Jim Bridwell
1969
Triple Direct, 5.8 C2, Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz
Nutcracker Right Start, 5.9, Kim Schmitz, Jim Bridwell, Cliff Jennings
The Buttocks, 5.9, Kim Schmitz, Don Peterson
Mud Flats, 5.11d R, Kim Schmitz, Don Peterson; FFA: Roger Greatrick, Carl Jonasson, 1984
1970
On the Loose, 5.9+, Kim Schmitz, Jim Bridwell, Rick Christiani
Vain Hope, 5.7 A3, Royal Robbins, Kim Schmitz, Jim Bridwell
Wendy, 5.9, Frank Sacherer, Bob Kamps, 1962; FFA: Kim Schmitz, Marty Martin
1971
Peter Left, 5.10b/c, FP(cleaned): Peter Haan, Kim Schmitz; FA: Mead Hargis, Kim Schmitz, 1971
Tinkerbell - Right, 5.9, Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz
Aquarian Wall, 5.9 A4, Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz
1976
Mirage, 5.9 A4, Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz, Jim Pettigrew
1978
Bob Locke Memorial Buttress, 5.11 A4, Jim Bridwell, Ron Kauk, John Long, Kim Schmitz
Zenith, 5.8 A4, Jim Bridwell, Kim Schmitz
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JerryA
Mountain climber
Sacramento,CA
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Lead my first pitch ever under Kim's & TM's guidance at PSOM in 1976. Kim possessed a zen-like composure and was always in the moment on the rock. He calmly discussed his partners fatal accident and the need to always fight and not give up .
Jim Bridwell's picture of Kim climbing Zenith on Half Dome on the cover of George Meyer's "Yosemite Climber " (1979) completely captured the wonder of that era .
One of my favorite stories from later years is about Kim being called out at dinner to check on some climbers low on a route calling for rescue. He asked their situation & they told him that they were secure & uninjured but had run out of daylight & wanted to be rescued. He supposably said "Get Tough ! " & went back to dinner .
RIP Kim
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Kim was a great friend. I last saw him in the Tetons on 7/23 my birthday. He had been hospitalized for weeks with a nasty staph infection but was recovering nicely....he will be missed!
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