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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Mar 30, 2017 - 07:18pm PT
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Condolences to John's family and friends.
RIP
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Mar 30, 2017 - 07:24pm PT
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RIP, Slabbo.
Condolences to all his friends and family.
I was living in Boston the year I started climbing, and went to Quincy Quarries twice before I moved out to California the following year. I loved the climbing there - now I will think of Slabbo in connection with those memories.
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Mar 30, 2017 - 07:31pm PT
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Another living legend passes.
A toast to what John Strand lived & experienced,
& condolences to his family & friends.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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Mar 30, 2017 - 07:37pm PT
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Saying goodbye......My prayers are with all of John's loved ones, family and friends. Life is awesome, the time we spend here with each other equally so.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Mar 30, 2017 - 07:55pm PT
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Condolences to family and friends.
What is the yearly morbidity rate amongst posters here compared to general population? Could it be this place is hazardous to your health?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 30, 2017 - 08:36pm PT
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So sad. RIP
Active to the end, he posted on the 28th!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Mar 30, 2017 - 09:17pm PT
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Very sad to hear this news. I really liked what John had to say on this forum as a fellow slabophile. He was an old school guy and I appreciated his perspective as such.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends. He was clearly a fine man.
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wayne burleson
climber
Amherst, MA
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Mar 31, 2017 - 03:27pm PT
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I met John in the Quarries in about 1979 when I was a naive freshman in college.
He instilled in me a strong old-school ethic and style which I value to this day even if I don't live to it.
He was a character, and as Boston as they get.
We had a memorable trip to the Valley in 1983 with Tom Callahan, John Mallery, Dave Rose.
They had driven straight through and I remember John saying "if you're not going to drive 500 miles don't even bother taking the wheel..."
I still remember them stumbling out of the car and heading straight to Separate Reality...
On the trip they put up The Ticket,5.10 slab, on Middle Cathedral Apron with Bob Gaines.
I lost touch in the later 80's and 90's but was so impressed with the routes he and Tom put up in New Hampshire.
That photo on Grand Finale is really proud!
He seemed part of the Supertopo family and really valued this crew.
I'll miss him and will always remember him when making a sketchy run-out slab move...
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perswig
climber
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^^
Speaking of sketchy run-out slab moves...
A few of John's contributions, from Webster's third ed.:
CALIFORNIA GIRLS I 5.11d R (directed finish to Western Lady)
Not often led, for very obvious reasons! There is no protection at all.
1a. For added difficulty and danger, climb up and slightly left after Western Lady's second bolt, making a long runout (5.11d R) to the trees. 45'
History: John Strand made the variation's first ascent on April 29, 1985, without falls - mainly due to extreme fear.
CUFF LINK I 5.11D R
A unique combination link-up of several of the VENTILATOR slab's hardest routes. An extremely sustained pitch: go for broke!
1. Start up Ventilator (5.10b), then traverse left along a seam to join Western Lady at its first bolt. Continue up Lady (5.11b), step left, and finish up California Girls (5.11d R), the crux, 5.11d R.
History: Attempting to complete the first link-up, Tom Callaghan fell from the final hard move, plunging at least 50 feet. Fortunately, he landed on his chalkbag which saved him from serious injury. John Strand led the route for the first time in April, 1988.
ONE HIT TO THE BODY II 5.12b (or 5.11d) (5.10d R/5.9+X)
Although something of an eliminate line, the route has very unique climbing. Some parties choose to avoid the original 5.12b crux on the left at 5.11d
1. 5.9+ X
2. Step up to a fixed pin on the left before making a 5.11 traverse right on unique pockets to a bolt. The FA party stepped right to surmount a difficult bulge (5.12b) to a second bolt, while later ascents have climbed the bulge on the left (5.11d). An easier runout (5.11a) gains a good belay ledge with small Friend anchors. 45' 5.12b or 5.11d
3. 5.10R
4. 5.8, dirty.
History: after Tom Callaghan and John Strand climbed the crux pitch on May 27, 1986, John Strand and Scott Stevenson completed the route on May 30, 1986. Only the crux bolt was placed with aid, from a skyhook. All other protection was placed free on lead.
That's in the first 80 pages of the guide. His name continues throughout, on moderates way out in the boonies where folks rarely go, and on variations and direct lines that often step up the grade and commitment of the original routes.
My only knowing brush with a Strand variation was the direct start to Waiting for Comeau. We were wandering around one early spring after doing The Booklet and Pathfinder, and probably Short Order, one of my favorites at the time. Not quite ready to quit for the day, my partner offered Sleeping Beauty, which made me laugh (he wasn't gonna lead it and I had made a dog's breakfast of following the second pitch the fall before).
We ended up at Comeau, which was seeping as usual for the first arch and undercling. Depending on grade, that doesn't always put me off, but I find that initial traverse tricky as is; the other option was Strand's start direct to the corner, as the rest of the route looked fine. With the slabby mileage we had just done, and a snowpack that shortened the distance to the first gear by at least 3 feet and covered the Punji sticks left from someone's brush clearing efforts at the base, it looked reasonable and it was, just sustained three-point friction to a perfect jam and then great gear. Thanks, John.
Dale
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