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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Apr 24, 2010 - 05:28pm PT
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Pimp shipley bump!
Tons of great stuff here.
Mucci
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Apr 24, 2010 - 11:05pm PT
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Bump for a rad dude. Wish I had a chance to meet him. This description of him by Fat Dad made me laugh so hard.
He entertained us later that evening hanging out in the entrance to the Four Seasons/Mt. Room Bar. He wore a really tight fleece skull cap (he called it a Polly Dome), bugging out his eyes and hissing at the tourons who walked by.
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Fuzzywuzzy
climber
suspendedhappynation
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Apr 24, 2010 - 11:40pm PT
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Thanks for posting the letter Russ - priceless.
What a man.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Apr 25, 2010 - 01:28am PT
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walt was a great letter writer. always answered letters. Does anyone remember letters?.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 25, 2010 - 07:42am PT
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And out of his existence came a double-edged sword . . .
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SlipKnot
Social climber
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Apr 25, 2010 - 11:36am PT
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Has anyone noticed this from bachar (post #6)?
RIP bro... see ya' soon enough, jb
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Apr 26, 2010 - 03:32am PT
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Whipley Bump
There have to be more stories and venerations . . . . . . . .
. . . . . post them up, people.
Walt was singular, in every respect.
So, show some respect for THE MAN.
And post up here for Walt's ten-year shiva thing.
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Chief
climber
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Apr 26, 2010 - 09:48am PT
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I recall an early encounter with Walt in Josh in the early to mid 80's.
He looked like a wild man and was immediately and intensely engaging in the nicest, most sincere way. I think I'd been to Josh a few times already and Walt asked me to recommend some good 5.10 cracks and I listed off the few nearby ones that came to mind; Judas, Clean and Jerk, In the Pit, Illusion Dweller and Semi Tough just for starters. I think it was later that day I saw him high up on Semi Tough, no rope and it wasn't looking good.
Walt hollers down, "I thought you said there were good locks up here!"
I hollered back, "No Walt, I said good gear!" He kept it together and finished the route. Turns out he'd on sight third classed all the routes I recommended. What a guy!
Got to hang with Walt a bunch over the years and was deeply saddened by his passing. Pretty much the stuff of legends.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Apr 26, 2010 - 11:02am PT
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'...pretty much the stuff of legends."
Walt burned bright and every year as a legend he burns brighter.
proud to call him my friend.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 26, 2010 - 11:58am PT
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After reading that letter I can see why it was such a joy to know him.
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Chief
climber
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Apr 26, 2010 - 01:51pm PT
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Walleye,
Thanks for the awesome photos.
Looks like Bill Russel and his rig in the last photo.
pb
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Apr 26, 2010 - 02:30pm PT
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Thanks Walleye, maybe almost too poingnant, though.
In my recent forays to Balchc camp I've been crossing Dinkey creek of Walt on a an extra weekly basis.
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Urmas
Social climber
Sierra Eastside
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Apr 26, 2010 - 05:33pm PT
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My favorite Walt story is about the time we were both soloing around on Manurepile. I was just walking back to the base when I saw him up on God's creation. About that time it had started to sprinkle a little rain. I was so much in awe of him that it never occurred to me he might be in trouble. He looked down with that furled brow of his and said "hi Urmas!" His eyes held mine for a long moment, then he proceeded upward.
Later in the deli he chastized me. "Damn" he said, "there I was in the rain...you could have offered to drop me a rope or something!" "I didn't think you needed one," I said. He just shook his head.
I miss him!
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Apr 26, 2010 - 06:21pm PT
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The sixth post in this thread is hauntingly sad.
RIP to both.
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Chute
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Apr 26, 2010 - 06:39pm PT
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Walt always had great stories "One time in Afganistan..."
or "We had just lowered the bodies..."
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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Apr 26, 2010 - 08:51pm PT
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As a noob on the SAR Site when I was 20 it was pretty great to have Walt around drinking beers, being belligerent and telling great stories. It's still hard to believe a river took him after all the crazy things he pulled off in the mountains.
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Rickdawg
Mountain climber
Moraga
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Jan 15, 2015 - 02:00am PT
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I know this post is old but walt was the man. We hired him as a guide in the mid 90's to climb mt. Sill and mt. Humphreys. I was maybe 16 years old at the time but remember walt free soloing a small mountain up the the summit of mt still, such a badass. He had some crazy search and rescue stories about a guy who went over nevada falls at night, chilling. Wish he was still here today.
Rick
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Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - May 10, 2018 - 03:23pm PT
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Damn.... just rolled over to 19 years... and we are still late (well...some of us)
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WBraun
climber
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May 10, 2018 - 05:00pm PT
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Damn.... just rolled over to 19 years... and we are still late (well...some of us)
That means he's reborn 18 years old now in some other gross material body doing only what Shipley knows how to do ...... :-)
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