healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 20, 2009 - 10:03pm PT
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I didn't know him, but my regards to all of you who were lucky enough to have met, climbed, or were friends with him:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009088473_webbullitt20m.html
More [url="http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/878084/Re_Stim_Bullitt_RIP#Post878084" target="new"]discussion on cc.com[/url]...
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:06pm PT
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Fluroide was telling me about "Stim" last week at the front end of the JT Wide Fest...
What an amazing guy and a full life, couldn't fit any more in than that.
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locker
Trad climber
Joshua Tree Ca
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:09pm PT
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My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Stimson Bullitt...
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:14pm PT
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Sorry to hear this news.
I never met him but he was inspiring to hear about. He really gave it his all. My condolences to his family & friends.
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Echo
Trad climber
San Diego, CA.
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:15pm PT
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Wow, RIP... Heard a pretty crazy story about him on Illusion Dweller in Jtree... Wish I could have known him...
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10b4me
Ice climber
Rustys Saloon
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:21pm PT
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yeah, he sure was an inspiration.
he was on the backcover of either Climbing, or R and I. the pic showed him, at age eighty-two, leading Illusion Dweller(10b) in Jtree
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Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:21pm PT
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RIP, and thanks, Stim, wish we'd shared a rope...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:25pm PT
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Stimson was the old school definition of gentleman. It was my great honor to know him since the mid-70's when I started guiding him. When I moved to California he would come down and we would just go climbing. The climbing sort of got in the way of the experience because it was hard to talk a rope length apart. Being storm-bound in a tent with him was time well spent; his encyclopedic knowledge never allowed for idle chit-chat. I highly recommend his autobiography "River Dark and Bright". He also wrote "To Be a Politician" which more or less relates how and why an honest intelligent person has no place in politics.
When he was 71 we did Fairview Regular. It was early summer and the 'wet spot' was in full flow. We were second in line and watched the crew ahead fairly embarrass themselves. They were both still at the belay when I got there and to their credit allowed us to pass. I'll never forget their faces when they saw Stim cruise on up!
Thank you Stim, rest easy...
Reilly
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Apr 20, 2009 - 11:08pm PT
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I never met him, but he was such a legend that it seemed like it should have been allowed to live forever. I hope he and his family and friends felt as ready as possible when it was his time and that all are at peace.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Apr 21, 2009 - 01:00am PT
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If anyone led a truly remarkable, one of a kind life that was VERY well lived...it was Stim. He was a 20th Century Renaissance man. I believe he was 89, at least he was as of January when I last saw him up in Seattle.
I got to know Stim over Thanksgiving weekend '05. Fred Beckey told his friend Alex Bertulis to call me if he was ever climbing down in JT. He did and I ended up heading out and spending the weekend with Stim, Tina and Alex climbing out in JT. We stayed at the 29 Palms Inn. Styling (compared to my usual bivs)!! We climbed, dined, I listened to amazing stories from amazing company. Stim's life history is that of legend. Every point of his life held something so remarkable. With everything from climbing to sailing, tv broadcasting, business, to fighting in World War II. And I'm leaving out a lot more.
Ending up on Nixon's enemies list was always my favorite. It was surreal to hear him tell the tale of how that happened.
Stim and Alex sailed the Atlantic in a 40 ft sailboat on the Columbus crossing anniversary. He took up climbing around age 50 and excelled at it. As he did with most of what he touched.
Climbing with him in JT was inspiring. He was probably 85-86 at the time and could still TR a 5.10a face in Indian Cove without hangs or falls. Slow and methodical, but he did it!
I have some photos from that weekend that I'll post tomorrow once I get to work (in my files there).
The story behind Illusion Dweller is a great one. He didn't climb much in JT (being a Cascades adjacent dweller) but he saw a photo of Illusion Dweller somewhere and was so enchanted by the route's name that he decided he HAD to climb it. He flew down on weekends and worked and worked the route until he felt ready then went after it. A truly awesome feat and route for an 80 something non-JT crack climber. The photo apparently ended up as a Patagonia ad from what I understand (I never did see it).
Will post more tomorrow.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Apr 21, 2009 - 01:03am PT
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R.I.P. Stim.
He sounds like a full on character. The kind of guy we hope to be when we're 80!!
My condolences to his family and friends.
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Johno
Big Wall climber
Cape Town / Japan
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Apr 21, 2009 - 01:32am PT
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The caption to that advert read: "Like a fine wine...."
Very apt.
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Hankster
Trad climber
Eldorado Springs, CO
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Apr 21, 2009 - 06:07am PT
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With a kick ass name like Stimson Bullitt, thank God he lived a long and fruitful life. I would love to hear how he got an original name like that. I bet it's a story in itself.
Condolences to the family and friends, he sounded like he lived it up the WHOLE time.
Caylor
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Gunks Guy
Trad climber
Rhinebeck, NY
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Apr 21, 2009 - 06:34am PT
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RIP - You have been a true inspiration to me and many others. Here's to a life well lived.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Apr 21, 2009 - 06:51am PT
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Stim was a regular at the Vertical World gym in Seattle for many years. Always seemed to be one of the most enthusiastic people there.
My sympathy to his family and friends.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Apr 21, 2009 - 06:54am PT
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My condolences to his family and friends.
Someone to look up to, certainly.
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Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
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Apr 21, 2009 - 06:56am PT
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My condolences to family and friends. He was an inspiration to me for still getting after it.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Apr 21, 2009 - 08:32am PT
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What a great guy he was!
After seeing the magazine articles etc., I finally met him last season in Indian Cove. He and some friends were climbing "Coyote in The Bushes," a pretty tricky 5.10 face climb there. I recognized him and made a point of exchanging greetings. He had a gleam in his eyes.
My heartfelt condolences to family and friends.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Apr 21, 2009 - 08:39am PT
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RIP Stim.
I used to bump into him occasionally in the gyms in Seattle, and at locals crags and Smith. He was always very friendly and enthusiatic.
I'd be happy to have have the accomplishments and be geeting out half as much when I'm in my 80s.
It wasn't too long ago he went with a few friends of mine to Sardinia to do some sport climbing.
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