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| Messages 1 - 63 of total 63 in this topic |
Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 11, 2007 - 09:30pm PT
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The ML thread got me thinking to when I was just cutting my teeth climbing and I'd hear these stories of this super strong d00d from Colorado who would send hard v10 barefoot, party like a rockstar and party like a rockstar.
Many a try on the Guerin Traverse at Josh (without success) led to a greater appreciation for his climbing talents and while I've never had the chance to meet him, in my mind, he's a real american hero.
Let's hear some stories!!!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 11, 2007 - 09:37pm PT
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like a rock star...
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 11, 2007 - 09:39pm PT
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skip & dick (a fellow rock star)
the quote:
"we stay in shape like this by doin' plenty of drugs!"
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 11, 2007 - 09:40pm PT
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he and Cilley made a formidable team, both on and off the rock - Skip's a cool guy for sure, an amazing talent.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 11, 2007 - 09:46pm PT
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pig pen 1st try
.. an evening stroll for 'im really.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 11, 2007 - 09:55pm PT
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..both moffat & kauk have revered the guy's talent with the stone.
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Jeremy Handren
climber
NV
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Jun 11, 2007 - 11:56pm PT
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One of my favorite stories from the 80's is that Todd Skinner was hanging around hueco when he heard that Guerin was going to come down from Boulder and try to onsight Todds new testpiece, Tarts of Horsham. Not being a man to leave much to chance, Skinner promptly rapped down the route and scrubbed off every trace of the chalk from the top half of the route. He then dabbed white on a set of sucker holds leading off into no mans land. I wasn't there but some friends told me that Guerin put up a mighty struggle, even managing to battle past the bogus sequence onto the upper half of the route, where he finally succumbed to a herculean pump.
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
real eyes realize real life
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Jun 12, 2007 - 12:21am PT
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i don't know who skip is, but anyone calling themselves "skip" is cool in my book.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 12, 2007 - 02:15am PT
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ba-hump!
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Jun 12, 2007 - 03:40am PT
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Skip Guerin is/was not only one of the finest climbers in the country but a real gentleman in most respects and certainly to me. I was amazed by his mastery of the boulders, often in bare feet. Few have had his kind of foot strength. Chappy tells me Kauk had that kind of foot strength, and I believe it, but Skip is most definitely a legend, a shy kind of guy mostly -- although he did, as has been said, party in his way. That might have been a way of trying to break through his shyness. Who knows? If I had the energy, I would like to write a book that speaks in detail of all these remarkable talents, with input from everyone... There needs to be a hall of fame of climbers. That's actually what I wanted to name my history of free climbing, but Wilderness Press changed it to something more colorful. By the way, the original text for that book was twice as long as what they finally cut it down to. Someday I might put out the whole book, add a lot, revise, and rename it A Hall of Fame of Climbers... Skip will have a big chapter.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 12, 2007 - 12:10pm PT
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Fuchin' Skip, what an amazing talent.
He is alive and well doing fine carpentry here in Boulder.
Man the guy can really work with his hands; in the 80's he drove a Lancia, then an Alfa Romeo, bothy tweaky Italian sports cars and he could fix anything, almost anywhere, with whatever tools were lyin' around.
He's been working with Sibley and Paul says he is the same with woodworking.
His climbing skills yield a kinesthetic awareness, mastery of power and able boldness second to none.
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Watusi
Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
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Jun 12, 2007 - 12:35pm PT
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I had many a great adventure with Skip and crew!! I'm really glad to hear that he is well and all!! Peace! MP
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Jun 12, 2007 - 06:19pm PT
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Skip is da'Man! Great guy, great talent...... just keep him away from Wilford or Cilley, unless you want to spend some time in the slammer!
Moffatt and Skip:
Afterthought edit: didn't Skip "onsight, flash, a vue, (or whatever the kids call it) Acid Crack out here in Josh? On TR and off the sofa? Basically walked to the base having never seen it... took off his leather coat.... tied in.... and floated it.... with no prior knowledge. What is that called these days besides rare??
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slobmonster
Trad climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 12, 2007 - 08:36pm PT
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I remember sharing a few carpools to the Creek w/ Skip when I was living in Telluride. A quiet guy, obviously having seen a lot, and his face told its own tales, no words needed. Strong as f8ck. Had a great little Cattle Dog. Anyone know how he's doing these days?
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mission
Social climber
boulder,co
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Jun 12, 2007 - 08:46pm PT
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Skip is fine, living in Boulder with Airlie Anderson and doing his thing.
Some of his test pieces around here were unrepeated for many years: Silly Putty on the Twin Owls; Animal Magnetism, which is a giant off-width roof above Highway 36 on the way to Lumpy Ridge; and Sheer Terror in Eldorado, which was recently repeated by Hank Caylor. Skip doesn't say much, but his routes speak for him.
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Jun 12, 2007 - 09:21pm PT
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Russ.
The "kids" these days call it sick.
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AKDOG
Mountain climber
Anchorage, AK
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Jun 12, 2007 - 09:53pm PT
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Climb the Spook Book in the Needles with Skip and Moe, after we got down He spotted some friends trying Sirocco. He walks over and on sites the first pitch in his bare feet. F-ing strong
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duncan
Trad climber
London, UK
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Jun 12, 2007 - 10:51pm PT
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Skip, barefoot, on something at The Needles, 1984. Can anyone help me with the route?
I remember it as a run-out 5.12 on little sharp edges.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 12, 2007 - 10:53pm PT
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Duncan:
'Looks like a timely post of Sirroco, the climb AKDog spoke of in the previous post.
He also did "Rock Warrior" on the Black Velvet wall in Vegas barefoot.
He got published in one of the mags, wrote a little piece on barefoot climbing, in which he was pictured pulling the Rostrum roof barefoot.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Jun 12, 2007 - 11:19pm PT
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I think Yabo got the 10th
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 12, 2007 - 11:51pm PT
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that barefoot sh*t is burly, and scary -
it's too horrendous to even think about it
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Jun 12, 2007 - 11:57pm PT
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pretty sure SG got the first ascent of south ridge arete in idyllwild as well, scooping all us SoCal flyweights......
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Jun 12, 2007 - 11:59pm PT
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I remember doing Rock Warrior with Skip, who didn't bother with shoes. On one of those early pitches he was out about fifty feet, having skipped a bolt or two. Spooky stuff.
Skip had freakish natural strength. Wonder what he's up to now??
JL
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:00am PT
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Maybe that arete to the left of Short Circuit too.... if I recall....
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:01am PT
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freakish natural strength and rubber-like flexibility
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WBraun
climber
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:02am PT
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The Duncan photo of Skip in bare feet.
WOW!
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:15am PT
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nah, the arete left of SC was moffat. not that skip couldn't a hiked it if he'd tied in first.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:18am PT
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...and Skip did Blue Suede shoes barefoot, yikes.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:21am PT
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I'm trotting this thread out next time one of you cheatin' shoe-wearers tells me my hand tape is aid. ;-)
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WBraun
climber
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:23am PT
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Merry just told me Skip wore some home made leather protectors on his feet at times.
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:24am PT
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I thought his name was Skip McGrew
Sharma went barefoot for a little while and sent some gnarly boulder problems sans footwear- a true hardman way to do it. Wish I was that tough.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jun 13, 2007 - 12:30am PT
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Werner,
Those were like ankle coverings only.
I hope I got my facts right; I know Skip was working Blue Suede Shoes barefoot and I'm pretty sure he got it...
(I also have Wilford doing Steck Salathe, maybe, solo and barefoot in another thread - would be nice to verify both)
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 13, 2007 - 01:44pm PT
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Bump.
Mike Paul climbs Stem Gem barefoot, inspired me to try a bunch of JT bolder problems sans shoes, hardest I could do is some easy 5.11 seam in the back of a campsite in the inner loop, between Stem Gem and the Old Woman.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Jun 13, 2007 - 03:36pm PT
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Walleye, Kurt did the 3rd ascent of the Lightning if I am not mistaken. Maybe Eddy or Skip did it before him but I am pretty sure he did 3rd or at least 4th ascent.
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pn
Trad climber
Portland, OR
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Jun 14, 2007 - 10:04am PT
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/Users/peternoebels/Desktop/images/txclimb_16-3rs.jpg
I met Skip in the early 90's in Hueco Tanks. While photgraphing him on several hard problems I easily saw how talented he was and his dog at the time was pretty good as well, seen here on a slab route with Skip spotting and giving encouragement
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Knob Central
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Jun 14, 2007 - 12:38pm PT
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Peter, you need to host that photo online at someplace like www.photobucket.com in order to show it here. You can't link it from your hard drive.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Jun 15, 2007 - 12:07am PT
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How did I miss this thread??
Skip is one of my favorite people in the world. He was one of the first people I met when I started climbing. Back when his dog was still alive and he had the yellow van. I think I've posted pics of us doing Elvis' Hammer in Moab here before. I'll try to find those.
In the meantime, one of the many things I love about Skip is that he's always up for some last minute fun. A year ago March he called me up and asked what I was up to that weekend. Told him Red Rocks Rendezvous and that he should fly on out for it. 5 hours later he calls me back from a travel agency in Boulder and asks if 9am Saturday is a good time for me to pick him up at McCarren. He came out and we spent the weekend climbing and hanging out. A lot of people were pretty stunned to see him. That Sunday night we were at the pro/vendor dinner (scamming yes) and Peter Croft came over to him and was gushing about how when he was younger in the Valley he looked up to Skip and Mark and their barefoot ways. He asked Skip what the trick was for getting your feet that toughened up to do such hard climbs barefoot. Skip just looked and said "just walk around barefoot a lot." Classic.
I have no idea how the pic turned out like this, but it's classic Skip (and yes, that's Morrow in the background):
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Jun 15, 2007 - 12:10am PT
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Here's Skip in Red Rocks. He'd had a busy winter and said this was his first climb of '06. I didn't believe him. He floated everything we did that day.
Tha man:
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 15, 2007 - 12:34am PT
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awesome
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jun 15, 2007 - 01:14am PT
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The real deal, Flouride, the real deal. Thanks for your posts. Amazing to me that I never got to know Skip. Wish I had. But nice to see he's still Able!
-JelloCheers
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Jun 15, 2007 - 01:56am PT
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Skip is a national treasure in my book.
I remember in '03 or so, I was on my October road trip to Moab. My car's trunk latch broke second day in so I was tying my trunk shut. I was hanging at a local friend's place and another friend came down from SLC and we decided to do something really obscure - Elvis' Hammer. But Joe needed coffee first so we headed over to Mondo to get some. As I'm standing in line I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around and it's Skip! He's was driving back from a long summer in Squamish and was stopping by Moab on the way back to Boulder. He said he left me a message on my home machine that he'd be heading out there and we should climb. I never got it cause I was already there. Literally, the heavens just descend Skip on me just when I need him.
So I told him he should come climb with us. Skip gladly took us up on our climbing offer. Of course he was dressed in dress pants and a nice shirt (seriously, off the rock he's a snappy dresser. The man was raised well) so he went and changed and the four of us went up and did the Hammer.
But before we left Mondo, Skip managed to whip out some tools and fix my trunk lock on my car. Saved my trip! 2 weeks on the road with a broken trunk latch would have sucked. He really is tha man.
So my friend led the route. Skip went up next then my turn. I was having a nightmare trying to go from that big offwidth move to pull the roof at the top. Was just out of my ability range. He was belaying me and I kept taking falls at the roof. Then out of nowhere he reaches into his shorts pocket and pulls out a can of Budweiser and says "I'm gonna go ahead and crack this thing if you don't get up here". Two tries later I was atop sharing a beer with Skip. The man knows the power of motivation!! His shorts weren't exactly loose, I can't figure out how he climbed with that can of beer and I never noticed. The sign of a true pro! I have a killer summit shot of that day somewhere, I've gotta go through my discs and find it.
And don't even get me started on J-Tree Halloween '03, which he came out to after we did our Moab climbing. After a 15-20 year or so absence he could still find the Iron Door AND the Indian Caves - in the dark with no moon.
We were over at Big Moe, I'm belaying him. After FLOATING the thing, he lowers back down and says he wants a go of the 12 variation. He floats again. Gets to that horizontal where you normally go left but the 12 crux is straight up. He makes a move or two up, then downclimbs back. Does the same with another direction, then downclimbs. Some knucklehead at the base was like "oh what, like that guy is gonna get it?" and I just said "watch and learn buddy." Then Skip decided on the moves he liked and FIRED the crux. He's such an amazing climber to watch. So very fluid with his movement.
I learned the power of downclimbing if you don't like your moves from him. He goes for what feels right. If not he'll downclimb a move to position in to something else. Just so stylin.
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Jun 15, 2007 - 03:28am PT
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Mission, I maybe forgot, but wasn't Silly Putty Bachar's route? I thought Mark repeated it, maybe with Skip, or something?
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Jun 15, 2007 - 04:35am PT
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Skip and Sibley, if you are out there, remember me. My word, I can think of some good laughs with Sibley, and I think that smile of Skip's is permanently fixed to his face. Those are souls with a lot of light. It cheers my soul to think you are both thriving.
Pat
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jun 17, 2007 - 12:46pm PT
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I never got "Over Your(my)self". In fact I can barely start...
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jun 17, 2007 - 08:44pm PT
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Here's a shot of Skip doing the second ascent of Silly Putty from Glenn Randall's Vertigo Games 1983.
Stacking away on Peaches and Cream, also at the Twin Owls, Lumpy Ridge.
And a few of those crazy barefooting shots on the Wendego in Eldo.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jun 17, 2007 - 09:47pm PT
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those are great ones Steve - really impressive - thanks
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mission
Social climber
boulder,co
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Jun 19, 2007 - 12:04am PT
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Oli- looks like you're right about Silly Putty. Does anyone know about Animal Magnetism?
I learned a great couch surfing technique from watching Skip couch surf at the House of Pain back in the late 1900's. He would pull the couch out about 14 inches from the wall and sleep behind it. Important: pull the coffee table out the same distance. Do not tip the bong over. When the locals start their waking and baking ritual they will just think that the TV has gotten larger....
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jun 19, 2007 - 01:51am PT
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Mission, I thinks Randy Leavitt climbed Animal Magnetism first. Amazing offwidth roof just north of Pat's old Split Rock stomping grounds.
-LeavitatingJello
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Jun 21, 2007 - 12:31am PT
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Here's Skip heading up Elvis' Hammer in Moab(see story upthread). Yes, I'm trying to figure out how to shrink these pics:
Here he is looking down on me while I climb. His beer taunt from above at the roof was a lifesaver:
Skip climbing the route on the north side of the formation (we did Black Elvis on the south side):
Skip rapping off the hammer at the end of the day (with a little bit of a fireman's from me):
The four of us ended up back at our cars at the end of the day and Skip cranked out this awesome dance mix from his van's stereo (some Cream Ibiza club mix). Beers in hand, dancing around the lonely Sand Flats Rd as the day turned into night. A day WELL spent.
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Barto
climber
Minneapolis, MN
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Jun 21, 2007 - 10:54am PT
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Tarts story: True, as I was there, but I didn't have the binoculars on to know where he fell.
Barefoot climbing: Interesting kind of evolutionary cul-de-dac, much like soloing, pushing a no-falls ethic/style as far as possible.
Love the photo in Josh! Really brings back the era.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Bump for Skip, "Arty" (Arthur) Guerin.
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tetonhack
Social climber
jackson wy
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In about late May of 83 on a steamy hot afternoon Brooke and I were flinging ourselves at midnight lightning and along comes a barefoot guy on a beat old cruiser bike and floats his way to the bolt hold, matches, reaches for the lip and starts to pull over and slams to the ground (no pads back then) and just says it's f'n greasy and is gone. WE were just goin what the hell was that all about.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Fluoride - fabulous shot of the rap off the hammer (and good stories)!
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Mimi
climber
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Awesome Caylor! Cheers to you, Skip!
Enjoyed ogling Skip barefoot bouldering in Heuco (way back). What he and Wilford did to that rental car was shameful. That poor jackrabbit...
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Love Skip for sure!! He inspired me in many ways...One being climbing barefoot, it actually was advantageous for this certain route I had been trying in Verdon...
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wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
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Derek H. always said that Skip was the most "sinfully talented" climber he ever saw, moreso than Moffat. He also said that Skip was most likely bouldering 5.15 moves decades ago.
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Rankin
Social climber
Greensboro, North Carolina
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Mar 27, 2014 - 11:59pm PT
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BUMP for great climbers in American history.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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Sep 13, 2014 - 08:28am PT
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Skip bump. My brother caught site of him a few months ago in Boulder with Strappo. Smoothest climber I've had the pleasure of seeing.
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Meaty
climber
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Sep 13, 2014 - 08:31am PT
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I'll never forget watching Skip climb Midnight Lighting barefoot (along with many other hard boulder problems and climbs during that era)....smooth as silk!!
One great climbing talent and a very humble pleasant person.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Sep 13, 2014 - 09:46am PT
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Skip played a huge role in the 'nothing' that happened during the 80's
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steve s
Trad climber
eldo
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Sep 13, 2014 - 10:14pm PT
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Skip was probably the best climber in the states for awhile there . Awesome sense of humor to boot and man could he party! Peace and fuk-nes.
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Sep 14, 2014 - 06:36am PT
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Crack-N-Up
Social climber
South of the Mason Dixon line
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Sep 14, 2014 - 11:16am PT
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Skip: Really good person, had a refined appreciation for well built European cars, which I have since heard he repaired himself. I think he drove a Lotus? Man of few words, as was said before, but all action. Humble and very easy to be around.
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