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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 28, 2008 - 10:40pm PT
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I was just reminiscing about great solo moments and thought it might make a good thread.
The day I took this photo of Croft soloing the Rostrum, I was positioned on the rim with a tripod and camera. It was early and the light was great. I waited for about an hour for Croft to descend and climb up to the next to last pitch for this shot.
Dave Shultz showed up with a partner to try the Rostrum Roof, so I decided to hang out and shoot some pics of that as well. It took a while for them to get into position and before they could attempt the roof a climber appeared below them.
It was Croft. Soloing the Rostrum again!
Dave tried the roof a bunch without making it and I took a bunch of photos. I was still waiting for Croft to show up but he was nowhere to be found. All of a sudden, another climber appeared coming up the Rostrum.
You guessed right, it was Croft again! He soloed the Rostrum three times that day and to top it off, he down climbed from the traverse ledge to the ground every time he did it!
The first of three full free solos of the Rostrum by Peter Croft.
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bringmedeath
climber
la la land
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Mar 28, 2008 - 10:44pm PT
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That is one of my favorite climbing photos ever... think it was in a metolius ad. I don't really know why maybe just the history of it.
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 28, 2008 - 10:55pm PT
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Yeah
He's un-fuking real.
So I ask Peter, "You wanna make some spare cash?" He replies, "sure".
OK meet me at the top of the start of the Lost Arrow tip to carry a 55 pound car battery back down to the valley floor.
We had a microwave video transmitter setup on the ledge leading to the LA tip just above the notch feeding the ABC wide world of sports satellite truck down in the yard.
Anyways he shows up and I ask him how he got here. He says he free soloed the Steck Salathe and then ate breakfast. He then free solos the Yosemite Point Buttress or it might have been Arrowhead Arete buttress (can't remember which) to get here.
He did that two days in a row, because I had 2 batteries.
Sh'it, .... this guy is superman .....
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2008 - 10:59pm PT
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Walleye - No, Peter had soloed it at least twice before I took this shot. The first time, he did put his arm through a sling in case he fell on the face traverse move - he did not weight the sling at all but later felt guilty about it so he soloed it again without putting his arm through the sling!
This photo was taken much later. I don't really know how many times he has soloed this climb - probably many more than we know about. Of course we all know he soloed Astroman and the Rostrum in the same day as well.
-jb
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2008 - 11:05pm PT
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Note: I had to transfer this from another thread - it's too good to not be here.
I remember one day in July I was shooting photos of Croft soloing Butterballs. After I jumared back to the top of the cookie and coiled my rope and did the descent, I was hanging out in the shade waiting for Croft. It was ninety something degrees out and all I wanted to do was go swimming. Nobody was at the Cookie that day.
I waited and waited for Peter but he wasn't around. Then I looked up at the Nabisco Wall, and there he was, soloing it in Flyers! I couldn't believe it....but yet it was true.
Peter on Butterballs before he soloed it in Flyers... air temp, 90 degrees.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Mar 28, 2008 - 11:14pm PT
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those are incredible accounts, John
like going to the moon, hard to imagine
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 28, 2008 - 11:47pm PT
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Well since we're talking about amazing free solos there's Victor Ostrovski's awsome free solo of free rider this winter.
First man to do it. He's quite shy so no one knows yet. I watched the whole thing one fine day this winter.
No need for headlines, just a small footnote tucked away somewhere.
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Mimi
climber
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Mar 28, 2008 - 11:48pm PT
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Amazing is right! That Peter never ceases to amaze.
We crossposted, Werner. Free soloed Free Rider! That's out there.
Edit: Looks like it's spelled Freerider.
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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:13am PT
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Werner,
Is that for real?
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:13am PT
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Yes, Victor prepared for this years ago by diligently following the Hubers on their speed ascents with binoculars.
He always hid in the bushes so that no one would see him, he knew all about the gossipy local life prevalent within the climbing circles. He did not want to be encumbered by their worldly ways.
He studied the great masters from afar.
He knew all it would take was to just, climb, only eliminate the attachment of the gross material "rope" from his consciousness and focus on the true "real rope".
Thus with this knowledge he would have some form of "safety".
It was a long journey for him that finally paid off.
He said, he's finished now with this so called climbing nonsense, and left for a far greater understanding.
He will be surely missed in the flesh although in spirit he's always there.
That Victor Ostrovski ...... from that remote village "far away".
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:21am PT
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say what?
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yo
climber
The Eye of the Snail
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:25am PT
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It don't count if you have six arms like Shiva. Big asterisk.
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Mimi
climber
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:25am PT
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LOL, yo!
Werner, when are you going to write a book?
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Gobi
Trad climber
Orange CA
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:41am PT
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Holy crap!!! He soloed the Free Rider! That’s mind blowing. I can’t believe I haven’t heard about it till now. That’s really cool.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:51am PT
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I thought that was Oliver Moon who came out of retirement and free-soloed Freerider
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:55am PT
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Speaking of Peter, he began enchainments early on. In the summer of 1983, he and Hamish Fraser tandem-soloed the west buttress of South Howser (carrying one rope each for the rappels). Peter went on that day to solo the Kraus/McCarthy/Rupley route on Snowpatch Spire, the McTech Arete on Crescent Spire, and the Northeast Ridge of Bugaboo Spire. Over 40 pitches. During that summer, he also soloed the Northeast Buttress and the North Rib of Mt. Slesse, on separate days, and the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart in Washington.
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:20am PT
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Great thread John.
I ran into Peter the day that he soloed the Rostrum the first time. He was walking back to camp and I was at El Cap meadow. As he approached there was this powerful aura surrounding him, I first picked up on it from over a hundred yards away.
He had laid awake in his sleeping bag for several hours the night before. Unable to sleep he spent the rest of the night pacing back and forth among the boulders behind camp. At first light he walked to the Rostrum, and fired it.
It was awe inspiring, his account of the climb. Gives me goosebumps as I write about it.
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Cracko
Trad climber
Quartz Hill, California
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:27am PT
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Summer of 1989. I was still teaching and had the summers off. The previous summer I had spent in England climbing in the Peak Districk and Wales. Still remembered the rush of sixty foot Gritstone "classics" and the great beer and "Chip Buddies" in the local pubs afterwards. Anyway, I had a lot of time that summer and no climbing partners. I headed up 395 with no real plans, stopped in Mammoth for a few days of partying with old friends (Billy Glynn), and then headed for T Meadows. Spent a few days hiking to the base of many routes on Fairview and DAFF domes, and then decided to go check out the Cathedral Lakes area. I threw together a sleeping bag, some food, and fishing gear (somebody told me there was some decent fishing in the vicinity) and headed in after sleeping in my truck on the roadside. I think I got lost on the trail in a few places but eventually made my way to the base of Cathedral Peak. I was familiar with Cathedral Peak through various mag articles but didn't have any knowledge of the climbing route other than it was on the SouthEast flanks.
I remember strolling up to the base of the SouthEast face and admiring the clean granite and great locale. I casually watched more than a few parties all over the face as I ate lunch. Suddenly, this spontaneous but overwelming desire surfaced to climb to the top of this peak. I remember feeling very calm and confident as I set my pack and fishing gear down on the ground and started climbing the slabs at the bottom. I could see the whole route before me and felt a sense of confidence in making it to the top. I remember reaching the first series of ledges where I caught up with several roped parties and the look on their faces as they noticed that I had no rope or partner. I will shamefully admit now that this was somewhat of an energizer for me as I suddenly took on the appearance of a superstar !!!
The next pitch off of the ledges was a more vertical selection of cracks and chimneys. Of course, I opted for the chimneys and felt very secure in gaining altitude squeezed between two opposing walls. This landed me on another series of sloping ledges with a slabby, and less featured wall, leading to the top. Nothing ahead of me appeared in the least bit intimidating so I just launched upwards, passing several roped parties on my way to the summit.
I remember getting to the top and finding that the true summit was a block that I had to leap to, and upon reaching, sat there for a good hour taking in the scenery and sharing stories with other summiteers. Since I had no rope, I figured out a way down the Northeast ridge and back to my gear where I sat for a good two hours "reflecting" on my accomplishments.
I have had very few moments in my life that I would describe as Euphoric. One was while I was travelling through the Black Forest of Germany, another in the Dolomites of Northern Italy, and a third at the top of Zodiac, my first El Cap ascent. This "amazing solo" will remain as one of the true defining moments of my life.
Cracko
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Mimi
climber
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:44am PT
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The first time I met Peter, I was driving back into the Valley and passing the bottom of the Spires gully when a guy appeared from the woods. I slowed and pulled over as I could tell it was a climber with no gear. He said he could use a lift and we headed toward C4. I didn't realize it at the time what he was up to, nor did he volunteer, but he'd probably just cruised up the NE Buttress for another lap. Clearly a nice guy having a great time in Yosemite.
After seconds of conversation, it was evident that Peter was pure climber. I was working for 5.10 at the time and was psyched to give him shoes and made sure he'd connected with Charles. Those first generation FiveTennies were it. Too funny.
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nick d
Trad climber
nm
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Mar 29, 2008 - 03:31am PT
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Victor Ostrovsky?
pffft....
James T. Kirk, years ago.
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T2
climber
Cardiff by the sea
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Mar 29, 2008 - 11:41am PT
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Hey John, got any photos of the kid on the Snowshed wall at Donner? I had the pleasure of watching him (I believe first free solo) on Manic Depression. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe you climbed it ropeless right after him after only once with the rope. That should qualify as amazing.
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scooter
climber
Moss Landing CA
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Mar 29, 2008 - 12:28pm PT
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J.B.-
another awesome low-key climber is Jakey Whitaker.(sorry Jake) He has some really good stories too. He on site soloed Yose Point Buttress one after noon a few springs ago. He said that he really had to concentrate and it was hard. He and Sean krieltich also had a pretty cool enchainmet. They ran from Tenya Lake to Snake Dike, across the Valley to Arches. With a stop for a hydration margarita at the Ahwanee. From Arches to the E. Face of North Dome, for both a onsight. Then they ran back to Tuolumne. We had SAR training up in Tuolumne the next day. Sean could hardly walk or talk at training, it was awesome. Jake may have had a sore calf. Ha! I know the routes aren't 5.11s or anything but it was anawesome story to hear them tell it. They are two really good people also so it makes it even better. Know what I mean?
Patrick
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scooter
climber
Moss Landing CA
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:02pm PT
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Stzzo-
If you knew Jake and Sean you would know they are capable of even more. Jake has completed enchainments on a Croftian scale, for nearly a decade on the low down. No thanks to me spraying here for him. i.e. evolutin travese, red point second try Free Rider with daylight to spare. etc.....
Patrick
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:06pm PT
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Cool Story Cracko. Nice job.
One of my first real solo's was in Eldo. I was tooling around doing some bouldering and mostly just hanging out. I ended up at the base of the Wind Tower and started soloing up Calypso. I came up to a gorup and was talking to the lead, then I wandered up to a cool dihedral, felt a little pumpy compared to what I'd been on, but still knew I was solid. I later found out that I soloed Reggae.
Prod.
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GDavis
Trad climber
SoCal
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Mar 29, 2008 - 01:34pm PT
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Some amazing solo stories that make my palms sweat:
Shipley on Whitney
Reardon On sight on Romantic Warrior
Porter on Dawn Wall
Yabo on Spiderline
Dunn on Cosmos
Cole on Queen of Spades
Dave on Escudo
possibly the most badass, Mugs 1 day ascent of the Cassin.
More than olympic gold medalists or astrophysicists, these people show me that mankinds ability has no limit.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Mar 29, 2008 - 02:34pm PT
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Hey Bachar, didn't YOU do some soloing in yer day??? Maybe someone out there has some coolio shots of Masterbacher doing his thing a ma jig. That would be neat to see some o dem shot too. Post up Johnny. In particular I remember yer Half Dome days in Josh and most memorable was the morning I was walking with my mother in law in Tuolumne and John comes up to chat, I then explain to my Mom in law as John is walking away how safe this climbing thing is and how we use ropes and gear as a safety check. John then goes up and solos this route RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, she gives me this look of absolute discust like I was fibbing to her about the safety thing. Thanks John!
Peace
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ec
climber
ca
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Mar 29, 2008 - 06:33pm PT
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Croft showed-up at Sunrise Mountain Sports years ago when we had designs for a new climbing gym/shop. Someone remarked about how tall the bouldering area was (I can't remember the actual height, somewhere between 15-20ft). Croft, looking at the plans and calmly says, "That's about as high-up as I would ever want to go."
We all looked at each other with a WTF look. Peter wasn't joking...
LOL - ec
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GDavis
Trad climber
SoCal
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Mar 29, 2008 - 06:52pm PT
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Mar 30, 2008 - 04:30am PT
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Knott me, but I thought it was a cool bump...
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana
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Follow up to soloing stories- I was chatting with my first climbing mentor the other day and he reminded me of a classic solo noob story. Back around '92 or '93, he would take me climbing to this craggin' place called "The Grotto" in the foothills out of Merced. I had just started to learn how to climb,I could probably count on one hand how many times I'd climbed on TR up to that point. My climbing style at this point could be summarized as thus: Epic-lectic. So I'm standing there tied into a 10.5 mm rope (which at that time seemed way too thin to provide much safety and peace of mind) and this guy shows up, boyish looks, no harness, no rope..maybe climbing shoes and a chalk bag, but my memory fails me. I must've been thinkin' this guy must be a noobie looking to learn how to climb and what a great opportunity this is for me to be an ambassador to climbing. At this point I guess I proceeded to start telling him about the climbs I'VE done as a beginner on this crag to date and then ask this guy if he "climbs". He says, "yep" and proceeds to solo an .11 finger crack (up and down). In hindsight, I'm sure I was just being friendly and hoping that there was someone else out there more of a noob than me out there that day. Oh yeah, the mystery guy was Dave Schultz...I learned a valuable lesson that day about humility!
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Jeff Marshall had a day of solo ice back in 87(?). He did Polar Circus(5) and the complete Weeping Wall(6) back to back. The upper Weeping Wall is 500'of full on steep climbing with rotten ice. At one point he was standing on a mushroom while placing a tool when the mushroom popped off leaving him hanging from one tool. Said tool then started ripping through the rotten ice and pulled down 6 inches before stopping. Jeff fired in the other tool and proceeded up.
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couchmaster
climber
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I still remember waking up real early one frosty morning in the early 80's I think to see a young John Bachar downclimbing something in Joshua Tree I'd been trying to get up the courage to lead! Then he jumped on a lil bike and pedaled over to his next of many pants pissing (for those watching) solo, of many for that day. Later hearing of his solo at Cookie almost make me crap my pants. Still does.
Here's one:
The late Dwight Bishop free soloing the North Face of the Matterhorn in a day and some of the other Alps north faces. Later, back home, completes the first free solo of all the major Teton Peaks in a day as well. Years later - he try's the same amazing feat again, as a warm up to being the first to do it in the winter with tools: he is later found dead at the base of one of the peaks. I suspect a loose rock smacked him, as he had free soloed 5.13, no way he'd have slipped on a 5.8, but no one will ever know. His gear was donated to search and rescue and his buddies did the Butte guidebook based on his notes and attributed the authorship to him. Class stuff.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Ummm... I'm lost, navblk4. What would Richard Jensen's page have to do with free solo climbs? Solo, in this case, means to climb without a rope. Solo, as on Richard's page means to solo *aid* climb a route. Entirely different things.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Denver, Colorado
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Bob Dickerson free solo'd Bridelveil Falls in Telluride at least 3 times that I know of. When recounting the climbs, he was the most animated and detailed about the circuitous routes that he took to circumvent the local constabulary. Unfortunately, he was busted more than once. I think he may be on the Telluride "watch" list.
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Pewf
climber
nederland
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I'd like to hear some Derek Hersey stories from those that knew him.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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navblk4 - Well, you kinda look at the OP, what he said and the subsequent posts and you get it. This isn't about aid solos. It's a little bigger than that.
Nothing against Richard, if that's what you're wondering. He's a good friend of mine.
Carry on...
I had the coolest solo experience not too long ago. It was a super easy route I've solo'd a number of times. However, prior to this day, I'd never solo'd with a friend. What a great experience!!! We climbed about 20 feet apart, had a great conversation the entire way up and he showed me yet a different finish to the climb. Previously, I'd always taken a slab exit, which is super cool but a bit heady, by comparison. Anyhow, soloing with a partner is highly recommended.
Let's hear some of the stories about the solo conga lines up Left Ski Track, back in the day!
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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"Soloing with a partner" sure does sound like an oxymoron.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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hahaha Sounds like it, doesn't it. Opinions vary, and it depends on how you look at it, I suppose. But if you're both unroped it fits the bill. Unless, of course, Russ and all those folks weren't actually soloing Left Ski Track, back in the day.
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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I view free soloing as Giving God the Middle Finger.
Juan
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sawin
Sport climber
Orange, CA.
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Tahquitz Rock,
Opinion:
Amazing So. California free solo.
Above the Bat Crack 5.10(d) and just before the crux.
At the crux 5.11. I was slow with pro on 5.10 (a-c) Super Pooper to the left. This is out of my league.
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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Great thread. More please!
Would love to hear more Reardon, Bachar, Croft, especially.
Thanks!
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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i wanna hear about the Moratorium...
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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to put this in perspective- Gumby and i are on the dike route in Tuolumne and John comes soloing up the route not using his hands but balancing knob to knob
I always liked a big fat rope under me but back in St. Paul there is an ice climbing area- the brick yards.
Maybe 40-50 feet of water ice
The hotties are not roping up so i try and do that and everything is groovy- But then the ante is raised- I see people gently caress the ice with their mittens and they climb with no tools
Well what the hey I go up this lower angle groove and I'm mittening my way up-all's well until i come to this mushroom that is too high to high step over. i have to stick in my front points but there is nothing else. no mitten holds. no nothing, If my points skate out I am looking at a long bounce.
Well they held but i felt pretty dumb about this afterward
pass the rope please
murf
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 10:43pm PT
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Walleye - Yes I did on-sight solo the East Buttress of Lower Cathedral. It wasn't an amazing solo so there's not much of a story.
The Fissure Beck pitch was a bit of a surprise for sure. The exposure is drawer filling to say the least. I definitely wasn't expecting anything like this to pop up. I chose right side in because I couldn't fathom facing out and doing it left side in - although that appeared to be the easier way to do it. I also thought about laybacking it for a tenth of a second - the barn door off that still gives me weird nightmares.
There was another weird pitch - the left facing 10b/c corner. There's an undercling fingerlock reach at the top of the corner where you stem out against two glassy beads and reach for all your worth to a good fingerlock above. If your feet pop, you're going for a solid 600 foot airball straight to the deck. My cojones have never felt that vulnerable. That was also quite exciting.
The rest of the climb was pretty fun and had a couple moments but nothing like those previous two sections. When I got down to the Valley, the first guy I ran into was TM Herbert in Camp 4. He asked me what I did that day and I told him I on-sight soloed the East Butt of Lower. He turned white, then he laughed cuz he thought I was joking. Then he looked at me in the eyes and realized I wasn't. We talked about the 10b dihedral pitch - he thought it was a solid 10d. I agreed. We sat silent and looked at each other for a while. Then he asked me if I wanted a beer....
Edit: I was actually going to on-sight solo a route on each of the Cathedrals that day. After the East Butt of Lower I lost my steam.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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great story!
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 10:56pm PT
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sawin, thanks for those pics - That picture of Reardon on the face traverse on the Vampire is amazing and makes my huevos shrivel. He soloed that thing many times - that was his strength, thin face.
He also free soled the Pirate, 12d. He loved that thin stuff.
RIP buddy.
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 3, 2008 - 11:58pm PT
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We've all heard this one but in the spirit of the JT reunion I'll recount it again....
One day after an early morning bouldering session, me and Yabo were beat. We decided to call it quits and take a rest day. We sparked a doobious cigarette and started yapping. Yabo told me he wanted to solo Spiderline (which at the time had only been top roped, never lead).
I told him he should wait until he got it "really wired". Then he told me he was meditating on the ledge below Spiderline the night before and all of a sudden there was a spider dangling in front of him. It had lowered from the crack above. He then said it was an omen letting him know he could solo Spiderline.
I tried to keep a poker face. I really thought he was getting too lost in this "omen" stuff but I couldn't tell him. I tried talking him into waiting again and he seemed OK with that. I split for camp and told my friend Buck Norden (sp?) about what just happened. He thought Yabo was losing it too.
Our conversation was interrupted by a whooping high pitched, "yay yay yay yay".
What the fuk was that? We looked up and there he was, a third the way up Spiderline.
I grabbed my camera and we ran up to the base to take a picture. Before we got going, Yabo's feet popped out of the crack and his body took a wicked swing outwards. Amazingly enough, he hung on!
I thought, "Cool, he can still downclimb from there". That's not what happened - he kept going.
John Yablonski on the first free solo (and lead) of Spiderline, 11c/d.
The he got near the last move - a funky roll over onto a dicey slab move. It was hot out and Yabo was sweating and shaking fiercely. So he takes his shirt off for the last move!
He was shaking like a leaf in a hundred mile per hour wind and he rolled into the slab move and climbed away. Norden was facing in the other direction - he couldn't watch.
Me and Norden went over to the Scatterbrain boulder and were talking about what we just saw. We both thought we should tell Yabo to cool it or he was going to get killed. Just then Yabo popped up on a boulder above us and said,"Who are you guys to tell me anything. I just soloed Spiderline!". Then he spirited away. He obviously overheard our conversation
When I ran into him later he had cooled off a bit. I did notice the largest hand jam gobie I have ever seen - on the back of Yabo's right hand. It was as round and almost as thick as a half dollar...the dude hung on hard.
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AndySan Diego
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Thanks for posting that JB. I only knew bits & pieces. Frikin incredible experience, story & pics!
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harihari
Trad climber
Squampton
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Ok here's a gumby-vs-harman story:
So two friends from Calgary, AB drove out to crack paradise Squamish. They were amazed at the amazing Chief and also by how good (and cheap) the bomb chronic was.
So the next day they fire up the Squamish Buttress and at the top of the 10c pitch-- with one pitch of very wandery 5.8 left-- they see the beginnings of an amazing sunset and they bust out the chronic. One massive doobie and superb sunset later, very happy, they decide to proceed to cold beers in camp.
But, it being a moonless night, and they gumbies, they have no headlamps, and so can't see a damn thing. After an hour of baked stumbling around ledges, holding up an ever-weakening lighter, to try to find the 5.8 pitch, they realise they they are going to be spooning.
So they spend the night huddling on the ledge and the next day just as there is light, they hear voices chattering, and here come Hamish Fraser and Peter Croft, free simul-soloing the warm-up lap (of 17 pitches) of their massive link-up day. Croft apparently told them hwere the best place for breakfast in Squamish was ;-)
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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Awesome stories & sweaty palms.
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sawin
Sport climber
Orange, CA.
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RE: RIP buddy,
Bachar I was hesitant to note the above as from Wikipedia it
stated assumed and may not be within the legal time frame to
assert. My condolensces to the family.
That thin 5.11 Green Arch to the east of Open Book would also
be an amazing free solo in my opinion.
After Valhalla earning my right to passage as a stone master
I looked at your 5.12 to the south of Valhalla which is also
across Fern Valley. It looked PHD, and I was not ready for a
dissertation. However I believe I now remember the Pirate
between Weeping Wall and Sunshine Face. Thin and clean aid
it would have to be for me now, and hoping it would not pirate
pro as this to is out of my league.
The Pirate
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Minerals
Social climber
The Deli
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Could Obama ever free solo?
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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i have quite a few fond memories of climbing with JB in the 80's and not too many pictures to go with it..
But on this day we soloed Darth vader on our way up to boulder @ high profile nobs...
ks
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Reprinted from another thread.
Day One - Death by Solo on 5.2 - almost at Coopers Rock
Starts off uneventfully enough. We get to the crag at a leisurely 9:30 or so. The sign-in sheet is soggy.
I set up a TR for Arch 5.6 just to get us warmed up. A hops on and begins to figure out sandstone. By now another couple from PA has shown up. They set up a rope right next to ours and another one on the other block of Sunset Wall. P gets pretty much shutdown on his first outdoor attempt. I am not too worried. I just go up, top out. Got the anchor on a sliding X, so I just move it all the way right and lower off. This sets up Central Face climb, a grade lower. A and I work a couple variatons on that theme.
While we are doing this another gentleman shows up and sets up a another couple ropes. P begins to try out Central Face Climb.
Suddenly we hear a tree crashing down on the left end of the block. A and I look over just in time to see the tree crash down with a climber landing flat on his back, head toward the cliff. We did not even know he was there before.
A immediately tells P he is getting lowered. I head over to do whatever I can. P decides to call 911, which would have gone smoother if he knew what county we were in. The climber, let's call him E, is conscious. He knows what has happened. He claims not to be in any particular pain. He also gets very upset and insists on not calling 911. He does not want an ambulance.
E is on his back - no helmet, somewhat curled up. He is laying between three large blocks. The rope bag probably saved his life. It is between his head and one of the three blocks. He claims no particular pain in his back, neck, or head. He complains that he has had the wind knocked out of him. Considering his fall was probably 20-25, that is not too surprising. His legs are above him and one of the other rocks. My brother will be arriving in the next 15 minutes or so. It does not seem as though emergency care is required. Since he is conscious and talking, we just let him rest a bit.
He wants to get the rope bag off. I ask again whether he has any pain in his neck. No. With as little movement as possible the rope bag is freed from his arm and removed. He can now move his head. We let him recover for a few more minutes. He is still upset and wants nothing to do with any ambulance service. Finally we agree to help him get up slowly. A back pack on his back may have kept him from breaking any ribs - or not?
He stands without any assistance. We suggest that he should visit an urgent care clinic, emergency room, or regular doctor. It seems that some X-rays are probably in order.
Soon he is showing his true colors. Of course, he is a "guide" and outdoor instructor of some sort and considerable experience. Rather than leave, he "must climb" with his partner. First his partner works a 9 at the end of the block. He takes a couple, not 4, ibuprofen somebody came up with.
As I stroll leisurely up the 5 he starts correcting A on her belaying technique. He says she is going to "kill me". She is ticked as he starts trying to "help out" while she is belaying. My brother, who has just recently arrived, and has caught part of the story says something curt. He is considering a body blow.
A is really ticked by the time I get down. We have been climbing for at least a year, and the clown who just took a 20 foot header soloing a 5.2 and pulled out a one inch thick rhododendron tree by going up it hand-over-hand to about 6 feet up the trunk, is telling her she is going to kill me on a 5.5 TR!
E eventually gives his climb a try. He clearly is in too much pain to continue. He calls somebody and says he expects to go to a chiropractor. By now he is complaining of shoulder pain and it is hard to breathe. The ranger has stopped by to find out what happened as a result of the 911 call. He is not going to be talked into seeing qualified medical personnel - at least not by the time he left us.
Hope he is okay.
But for the rope bag, he probably would have left in a bag.
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Place or Another
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Feb 25, 2009 - 10:44am PT
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bump!
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Morphus,
Nice shot! What is it?
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seamus mcshane
climber
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That's Father Figure.
Palms are moist...and I've got goosebumps.
About an hour ago, I re-read "The Only Blasphemy" for the hundredth time.
My palms and eyes became moist.
"All climbs were easy for Bachar, and he had to make his own difficulties. He completely dominated the cliff with his grace and confidence. He never got rattled, never lost control, and you knew if he ever got killed climbing, it wouldn't be his fault. You'd sell all your gear and curse God for the rest of your life- on aesthetic, not moral grounds." - John Long
Profound words from an amazing solo story.
RIP JB.
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L
climber
A deep dive in the shallows of life..
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Bachar...soloed...Father Figure...
I've stood in the dirt beneath Father Figure and looked up at the chalked holds...impossibly bad holds which are impossibly far apart...and thought that even a gecko would have problems with this climb.
And Bachar soloed Father Figure...
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rookers
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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The Darth Vader picture and the request for a Derek Hersey story lead me to:
Mid 80's sometime, I am roped on either sh*t hooks or Darth Vader (I don't remember which). My wife is lounging at the base, enjoying a book and along comes John and he solos whichever one we were not on... He comes back around, sidles shirtlessly up to my wife and asks "What was that route I just soloed?", my wife (still) looks back at him and asks 'who the f*ck are you?' I thought my partner (Mike Forkash) was going to lose it right there he was laughing so hard. She got properly introduced at that point and we had a nice chat.
A few years (92?) later and I have dashed from work to do the first pitch of the Naked Edge, just because it's a favorite of mine. We get it done and I look over to the right and there is a new clip-up there. It looks pleasant enough and we decide to do it. Up comes Derek soloing from the base of Redgarden and asks what we are up to. I knew him a bit from the area and we had done a couple of things together at Devil's Tower. Anyway, Derek decides he wants to do this new thing with us and asks if we could wait while he gets his harness. So he down solos beneath us, runs to his bag, grabs his harness and solos back up to us! We jump on this thing (Slow Train Comin') and get it done.
RIP both of you.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Aug 14, 2009 - 12:13am PT
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John Bachar on Father Figure, 5.12 Joshua Tree ;...photo taken by Allen Roberts ( The Voice).
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TripleS_in_EBs
climber
Poulsbo, WA
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Happened to find this thread today. Wow. This stuff is treasure. And the discussion was started by John himself. This one's a keeper, for sure.
If it weren't for SuperTopo, how much of this history would ever see the light of day?
We all know there's much much more to be told on this topic.
One thought about ec's post:
ec said
Croft showed-up at Sunrise Mountain Sports years ago when we had designs for a new climbing gym/shop. Someone remarked about how tall the bouldering area was (I can't remember the actual height, somewhere between 15-20ft). Croft, looking at the plans and calmly says, "That's about as high-up as I would ever want to go."
We all looked at each other with a WTF look. Peter wasn't joking...
I'd be busting my gut laughing at that. One idea, though. If he wasn't joking, maybe he meant that's as high as he would ever want to climb on plastic in a gym. As in that would be all he could take before he got bored senseless. Just a possible explanation.
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Chinchen
climber
Anacortes, wa
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This thread only makes me sad.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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The Growler was the topping on the birthday cake! Way to go get it.
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Amazing.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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God bless you JB, a great friend and SUPER Climber!!
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Apr 28, 2010 - 01:44am PT
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Let's celebrate a life filled with generosity and compassion. One that inspired and enlightened.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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Apr 28, 2010 - 02:19am PT
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One of my favorites, thanks for the re-bump.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Oct 10, 2011 - 04:49pm PT
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I liked Caylors idea for bumping old threads so heres a bump for the legend himself JB R.I.P.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Oct 10, 2011 - 05:19pm PT
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It is so weird when I see John's name on the front page as the author of a thread... Makes it feel like he is still here with us.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Oct 10, 2011 - 05:23pm PT
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Like all legends his spirit lives on, I really enjoy reading his words on here. I never met the man but his stories have impacted my life and changed my way of thinking as I'm sure it has many of you. His life helped me realize the things I am capable of if I can control my mind.
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pa
climber
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Oct 10, 2011 - 06:42pm PT
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Dead is one thing. Gone is another.
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jschwarz0
Sport climber
CO
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Oct 10, 2011 - 09:07pm PT
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had to share this about Mr. Bachar.
So its 1984-ish and my first season in the Valley. I can barely climb 5.8, but I am having a blast.
My friend Jorg and I go to climb the first two pitches of Reeds Direct.
I manage to scrape by leading the first pitch (5.8?) and Jorg heads up the classic second pitch (5.9?).
Nodding off at the belay ledge I get scared sh*t-less when a chalked hand reaches up onto the ledge.
Its him...
He says, "sorry, didn't mean to scare you!". (He arrived you see, soundless, no gear clanging about, no grunting...)
So he starts shooting the sh*t, "where you from, what are you doing here, etc...", I was mostly rendered speechless.
So the rope gets tight and off I go on the second.
About halfway up, I am gassed, its hot, I am fat, its a mess.
I look down and there he is about 15' behind me... but there is a giant coil of rope at my feet!
"up rope"
"take"
nothing from Jorg, he must be napping (he will say it was the Merced!).
I do some quick math and realize, when I go, all the rope stretch is going to have me banging off him like a giant greasy haul bag.
So he must see my quivering (or was I dropping a rain of sweat?) and he starts, in a calm voice, giving me instructions on how the crack is various sizes, reach up or back and the jams are better, etc.
Did I finish from his help? Did I finish cause all I could think about was being the guy that killed JB?
I don't know.
RIP Mr Bachar, you were very nice to me that day.
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Hofbrau
climber
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Oct 11, 2011 - 01:12am PT
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This brings back great memories of some moments I spent with JB an Peter. Early 90's climbing at Red Rocks, JB show's up at the Gallery to solo a bit. I talk with him awhile and asked if he wouldn't mind me taking a few shots of him cruising some routes. It was amazing to watch his effortless glide between every hand and foot movement. A real treat and a pleasure to see. He made Fear and Loathing look like 4th class. I spent another few days later on with an old friend of mine, Bill Freeman, to shoot photos of Peter Croft in Josh for his touring slide show. It was up to Peter to do whatever he felt up to soloing and we just set up for what was about come. I came away with the most rewarding photography experience I have ever had. One of the shots I took of him on O'Kelley's Crack was very inspirational to me and I had Peter sign it some time after.
Both of these guys have been icons for me and I am grateful for the chance to have crossed paths with them.
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Oct 11, 2011 - 01:16am PT
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Great story jschwarzo! Talk about motivation. Thanks for sharing it.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Oct 11, 2011 - 08:55pm PT
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Wow! This thread is amazing!
RIP John Bachar
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Oct 11, 2011 - 09:13pm PT
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croft is so cool. and the photo in the first post is superb
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Dec 21, 2011 - 10:56pm PT
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Bump
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Dec 22, 2011 - 11:57am PT
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skating on stilts
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this just in
climber
north fork
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Dec 22, 2011 - 12:28pm PT
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Pretty cool reading one of the best talk about more of the best. This is why I come back to the taco each day.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Dec 22, 2011 - 03:41pm PT
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JB gave a talk in Golden a couple of days
before he passed. I was so lucky to see him there--and
hear him talk about the solo of the Moratorium. I just
about got sick listening to him tell of it.
Unreal.
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perswig
climber
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Dec 22, 2011 - 04:03pm PT
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http://vimeo.com/22993356
Steve House
Repentance and Remission
(I think this also had its own thread at some point)
Dale
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Doug Buchanan
Mountain climber
Fairbanks Alaska
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Dec 22, 2011 - 05:51pm PT
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There I was, mind you, and it was desperate indeed, albeit as usual. Exposed flesh freezes in seconds, you know. It was in the dead of winter in the heart of the Alaska Range, in the depths of a black moulin. The mountains towered above and the storm raged. To this very day I am not sure that I survived.
Nobody knew where I was, many miles from anyone, in the middle of a glacier in the middle of the eastern Alaska Range, in the middle of the winter, lost amid gaping crevasses. That is a superlative feeling. This was genuine solo. I dug my luxurious snow cave, made things comfortable, had a snap of cognac and set about to find two moulins (glacier ice caves) that I had earlier wanded before the winter snow covered the glacier.
A half mile down glacier from my cave I found the first moulin. I paced the correct direction and distance from the wand, and dug a hole straight down in the snow, looking for a big deep hole that went straight down in the ice. I found the hole when one foot suddenly went straight down. The usual adrenalin hit.
Moulin exploration was new at the time, and I later discovered that I explored more moulins than anyone in the world. Several trips were solo because finding moulin partners in the middle of winter in Alaska was, well, you know. Do what?!
I set up all the normal stuff, and rapped down into a black hole that led to the genuinely unknown, just as the short winter Alaska day turned to night. About 80 feet down, the section of wall against which I was rapping, suddenly collapsed and fell into the abyss, leaving me hanging in the waterfall that had formed the ice for that part of the wall. The water was from a glacier surface river that I did not notice under the snow.
It was 20 degrees below zero F outside, with a stiff wind. It was 32 degrees above zero in the water that immediately drenched me. I had X minutes to be alive, and much to do, before said water-soaked flesh, exposed or otherwise, froze.
Pure luck offered a 2 inch wide ice ledge a few feet below my feet. I descended and skittered sideways to a foot-wide part of the ledge, out of the water flow. I instinctively looked around in the darkness, to make sure nobody saw the dumb mistake I just made, a trait of those who do solo things at the edge. I sank an ice screw, clipped in, and perhaps a bit too hastily I rigged a pre-fabricated Gibbs ascender system (foot, knee, chest) to run up the rope.
I swung back into the water, and up. At the top edge of the broken ice, where I had to awkwardly push out from the waterfall to get up over the ice curtain that covered it, a carabiner gate twisted out, and let loose of a Gibbs.
Back down in the water, to the ledge, and off to the side. Re-rigg, back into the water, and up.
If you want a story to tell, pull yourself up out of a comfortable 32 degree (F) vertical ice hole, into 20 below zero and a stiff wind at night, totally soaked.
I have no idea how I got my crampons off and my skis on, if I did, and got back up glacier a half mile in deep snow. I remember the darkness, the feeling that my clothes were made of heavy boards, and thick ice covering pockets, zippers, cords, snaps, velcro, beard, toes, etceteras. Most of my effort was to break the ice cocoon of my clothes. My crampons were tied on with webbing, not clamped on. I remember anguishing over the decision to start slogging up glacier with the crampons on, or somehow get them off and get on my skis. I have no idea what I decided.
Such events (embarrassing dumb mistakes) give "solo" its story value, or something like that.
The advantage was my luxurious large snow cave with my sleeping bag already laid out on my pad, and stove set up, if I made it back to the cave.
If the details do not match the story I told elsewhere, that is because I am not sure I survived, or if memory works in those conditions.
Now therefore, do not forget to rag the pitiably repugnant National Park Service thugs who charge war veterans and their families up to $360 each for the RIGHT to walk on their own public land, on extremely durable rock and ice, after said veterans slaughtered people, mostly civilians, and saw their friends die horrible deaths, to defend American RIGHTS, at threat to their lives and often profound psychological damage. If there is anything more repugnant than that, add it to the list of what insatiably greedy government thugs maliciously do to the common people, since inherently corrupt, self-serving government was invented.
A "right" is not lawfully taxable (any fee), or it is not a right, by prevailing law. But Park Service thugs have never known a law they did not violate with contempt for law and the people. Do Americans hold the right to walk on their own public land? If not, and because the government bankrupted the nation with Presidential Ego Gratification Wars, the public lands shall be sold for less expensive and less restrictive private management. Or at least abolish the National Park Service and return the land to its lawful managers, the States. (That is going to happen, without escape.)
If you want to laugh at gullible people, ask why only the mountain climbers have groveled so low as to pay such a high tax for such a basic, non-damaging human right, while other outdoor groups do not allow themselves to be victimized as such gullible fools. Other groups defend their RIGHTS.
The Alaskan Alpine Club is on schedule to publish the list of those "stinkin rich kid climbers" who pay the new climbing tax for Denali and Mt. Rainier, starting January 2012. They thus support that repugnant denial of American rights, and display contempt for the lives of poor people who could only find military jobs. Those arrogant climbers will be declared a "disgrace to American mountaineering history", on permanent record (etceteras), distributed to international climbing organizations.
The Access Fund contributors and American Alpine Club sorts will be added to the list, since they supported the tax for what the Access Fund described as its goal of a "fully funded National Park Service", in the name of the climbers. Laugh at the obviously dumb climbers who thought the Park Service's crony Access Fund and American Alpine Club represent or support climbers.
Those public record names and residences which are required for the accounting of fees collected by a government agency, cannot be denied to the public, unless a new law classifies climbing information as national security secrets, and precludes the climbers from bragging about or verifying their climb of Rainier or Denali.
The Park Service may squander more tax money to attack the Alaskan Alpine Club program, as usual, but the list will be published. Other climbers support the program. The reasoning, to which the common people already agree, especially military chaps increasingly betrayed by every government agency, is not deniable. Well, do Americans hold the RIGHT to walk on their own public land? If not, who owns that land? The owner holds the RIGHT to walk on his own land, by law.
As more people inherently learn about, and become more disgusted with, the insatiably greedy and malicious National Park Service thugs and the Washington DC War and Police Regime, more common climbers will hold that list of arrogant rich kid climbers in contempt for the rest of history. Fools attempt to support government corruption, including those of government. The names cannot be erased from public record.
And there we jolly well have it for a fly-by of the cool SuperTopo.
Keep on having entirely too much fun, and always have an extra carabiner.
Doug Buchanan
Alaskan Alpine Club paperwork guy and chief rabble rouser (war veteran).
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hairyapeman
Trad climber
Fres-yes
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Feb 21, 2012 - 07:41pm PT
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bump
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Nov 10, 2012 - 04:25pm PT
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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May 21, 2013 - 04:36pm PT
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Rock and Ice has reprinted John Longs masterpiece online, The Only Blasphemy. http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/the-only-blasphemy
Still great stuff.
"Most all climbs are easy for Bachar. He has to make his own difficulties, and usually does so by doing away with the rope. He dominates the cliff with his grace and confidence, never gets rattled, never thrashes, and you know that if he ever gets killed climbing, it will be a gross transgression of all taste and you’ll curse God for the rest of your life—on aesthetic, not moral grounds."
Great thread here. I'd missed (the now late) Doug Buchanan's great post a few up thread about soloing glaciers in Alaska 1st go round.
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10b4me
Ice climber
Soon 2B Arizona
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May 21, 2013 - 04:39pm PT
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Rock and Ice has reprinted John Longs masterpiece online, The Only Blasphemy.
it is a masterpiece.
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Leggs
Sport climber
Is this a trick question?
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May 21, 2013 - 05:16pm PT
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another reason the Taco can be so damn cool... threads like this.
~peace
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
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A masterpiece. But Alex Honnold gets credit for the first solo of the RNWF route of Half Dome.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Did Bachar ever comment on Long's "The Only Blasphemy" story, either on supertopo or elsewhere? I did a cursory search and didn't find anything (I'm sure I'll get my google shortcoming handed to me on a platter now).
Thanks,
Darwin
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Just listened/ watched that link cowpoke posted. Incredibly poignant, ESP today on the fourth anniversary!
http://climbingnarc.com/videos/the-only-blasphemy/
The post script had me in tears
Every climber needs to check that out.
I hope Largo continues to preform and record his written work.
Thanks poke.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Thanks for that link Jay, and of course thanks to J.L. for the story and reading.
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10b4me
Ice climber
Bishop/Flagstaff
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Nov 14, 2013 - 08:52pm PT
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Bump, because it's such a great thread.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 22, 2013 - 02:33am PT
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hey there say, ... a bump for a doug story...
our feralfae, just shared that this was doug's last post here,
as, we never saw him, after this, due to his illness...
thanks for the share, iloilo!
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Rollover
climber
Gross Vegas
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Dec 25, 2013 - 11:02am PT
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Bump
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, ... wow, amazing stuff, ;)
a bump for the amazing solo stories...
yes, PLEASE add yours, :)
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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What's wrong with your people? ANY solo story is an amazing solo story. Who else does this kinda stuff? Who else puts themselves out there? Climbers, that's who.
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Fletcher
Boulder climber
A very quiet place
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Just listened to the JL reading of the Climbing Narc video... A powerful story I've long known. Made all the more powerful and touching by his postscript. Beautiful.
Eric
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J R
climber
bend
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...bump
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