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E
Ice climber
mogollon rim
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Jul 17, 2018 - 09:15am PT
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when i first met charles i remember that he and his family lived in a mansion near mt paremts home in chapman woods calif.
after a failed business investment they lost everything, charles came up with the rubber concept and started five ten....eventually employing his family and rebuilding their financial status,
During this time he was establishing some pretty wicked big wall routes in yosemite with steve grossman and many times solo. charles was the smartest business guy that i ever met...a great inventor and engineer that helped define our sport.
condolences to family and rip my friend
so much respect
EE
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Scole
Trad climber
Zapopan
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Jul 17, 2018 - 09:27am PT
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Sad news.
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Jul 17, 2018 - 09:46am PT
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That's one hell of a disturbance in the Force.
Charles was the most nakedly competitive climbers I've ever met.
Condolences to his family.
Here's that Queen of Spades article from Mountain, though it now lacks the excellent photos from the second ascent by Blanchard and Plunkett.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Jul 17, 2018 - 10:10am PT
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Interview with him once. He was thinking of maybe hiring me. North Hollywood shop on Lankershim. Cool guy. Great businessman.
I loved my 5.10s best since the first pair of the old guide tennies. All the way to today I am now a big Adidas fan. Thanks to his work.
May his next life be even better than the great life he just lived.
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Jul 17, 2018 - 10:11am PT
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^ that is one of my photos, I believe, Marty. Fish, Stretch, and CC3, the undisputed Camp 4 Chess champion. 1984 or 1985. Charles could beat almost anyone without even looking at the board (blindfold chess). I think Werner, Pat Ament, and somet8mes myself were of the few that could take him in an occasional game (I won perhaps 1 out of 8 games against him).
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Jul 17, 2018 - 10:48am PT
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Thanks, John. I went back in and edited it.
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aldude
climber
Monument Manor
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Jul 17, 2018 - 11:02am PT
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FiveTennies,the chisel bit 1/4 inch drill,Stealth rubber, Moccasymms, Queen of Spades, Fire Fingers....what a legacy!!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 17, 2018 - 11:16am PT
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Innovative guy...he will be missed by many.
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AKDOG
Mountain climber
Anchorage, AK
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Jul 17, 2018 - 01:03pm PT
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Sad to hear, way too young, hug your friends and family.
Condolences to Charles' family and friends.
Besides his exploits as a climber and a businessman, he could really get after it in chess. Once in JT we set up 3 games of speed chess, Charles simultaneously playing three of us. He killed us, over and over again.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Jul 17, 2018 - 01:48pm PT
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Sorry to hear about this.
On July 7 another climber, Geoff Creighton from Vancouver and about the same age, passed away suddenly. Kind of scary that even fit guys about my age are leaving.
I remember an old article about Charles' business and something about doing a lot of rubber research. Was he an engineer?
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jul 17, 2018 - 02:42pm PT
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What a shock. Charles was way too young.
I used to hang out at the original San Fernando Valley shop. Every once in a while I'd get a pair of shoes to try out. Anyone here remember those super stiff edgers with the green rands?
Then there were those drives from Idyllwild through Mtn Center and on down to Hemet.
Charles had a way of popping up in my mind from time to time, even though I hadn't seen him for many years. The last time was at the Needles parking area.
I offer my sympathies to the family and friends of Charles. He certainly left a mark on our community and our sport.
I had an Andy Warhol moment sporting a pair of early Verticals in 1988...
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FBIII
Trad climber
Yosemite 25 years
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Jul 17, 2018 - 02:42pm PT
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No No No not another. I never got to play him chess. We only climbed together once. We were in a party of 3 and he was soloing while I led. I saw him do an amazing FA in the next couple days.
A friend told me he said he wanted to play me a game.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Jul 17, 2018 - 02:56pm PT
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Floored to hear about this yesterday...What a guy...
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 17, 2018 - 03:37pm PT
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Bummer, too young.
Thanks for all the cool gear and routes!
His Yosemite FAs:
Jolly Roger 5.10 A5 23 Charles Cole, Steve Grossman, 1979
False Shield 5.10c A4+ 6 Charles Cole, 1984
The Competitive Edge 5.10 A4 26 Charles Cole, Steve Grossman, 1984
Queen of Spades 5.9 A4 18 Charles Cole, 7/1984
Space 5.10 A4 28 Charles Cole, 1985
Autobahn - original attempt 5.10? 5 Charles Cole, ___, 1985?
The Deuceldike 5.9 R * 8 Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, John Middendorf, 4/1985
Autobahn 5.11d R ** 12 Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, John Middendorf, 4/1985
Crying for Mama 5.10a R/X 3 Charles Cole, John Middendorf, 1986
Right Guru Crack 5.10a * 1 Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, 1986
Tooth or Consequences 5.11b * 2 Charles Cole, Lidija Painkiher, 5/1986
Endorphine 5.11d 2 Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, 1987
Masquerade 5.11d R 1 Charles Cole, Rusty Reno, 1988
Firefingers 5.11b R ** 2 Charles Cole, et al
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WBraun
climber
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Jul 17, 2018 - 03:40pm PT
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Holy SH!t !!!!!
Oh MAnnnnn ... not good!
He was the MAN.
A real Bad Ass to the bone,
WOW ..... rip brother ...... condolences to family and friends.
He WILL be missed ..........
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Dougald
climber
CO
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Jul 17, 2018 - 06:56pm PT
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Deeply saddened to hear this. Charles was a great supporter of my endeavors in the magazine biz, both financially and, at least as importantly, with thoughtful advice and criticism. His mischievous smile was a gift. He was unafraid to try bold things on the rock and in design and business. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but he rarely backed down. At a trade show once I tried to ask him a serious journalistic question about some mysterious gel-like gewgaws adorning the side of a pair of new 5.10 approach shoes. "But what is their function?" I repeated. He fixed me with a pitying stare. "Their function is to look good," he said. Charles, thanks for being you.
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Jul 17, 2018 - 07:01pm PT
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While I've never met him, I heard enough stories from Steve Grossman to give me a great sense of the man. What a bummer.
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Large Marge
Trad climber
CA
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Jul 18, 2018 - 12:09am PT
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I have never posted on the taco until now. Charles was the first person my friend Kelly and I met in the Socal climbing community in 1983 when we stumbled in to Jtree. After that, I met a lot of you and had many great experiences both climbing and otherwise. He was always energetic, fun and a bit daunting when he wanted debate. He frequently quoted Pee Wee's Big Adventure line "tell 'em Large Marge sent you" to me. I also have "if you don't trust your feet, you don't trust Charles Cole" ingrained in my brain forever.
I am truly sad that I won't have a chance to see him again. He was a major part of my early climbing experience and development. I hate this, but I love my memories.
Large Marge Floyd-Evans
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jul 18, 2018 - 04:36am PT
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Still can’t process this out of the blue, man!
“ heart attack, or stroke”
I have been motivated to refill my Lisinopril Rx - blood pressure med
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Jul 18, 2018 - 05:25am PT
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Marge, I think we might have met briefly in La around 1984/5 or so? I travelled down from Yosemite to LA with Charles, and we visited a few of his friends, his parents, and his fledgling rubber/five-tennie shop. And we went mountain biking—Charles had one of the first ever mountains bikes, and I think we also went for a row on the water. Your name rings a bell, and I recall friends joining us for all those activities.
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