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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Aug 14, 2009 - 03:19pm PT
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Been admiring his climbing my entire climbing life...
Thanks for the reminder Karl.... That stuff about the hair.. I feel ya! LOL
Cheers
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Aug 14, 2009 - 03:51pm PT
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I an not much a fan of this sort of statement, but I think that Ron is, hands down, the best free climber of his generation. And there were some really talented folks in that generation.
Short story:
In the early 70s, when Ron was new in the Valley and only mid-teens he was climbing hard. He and his partner and I and my partner had finished our respective routes on the NE face of Middle. I had just done Paradise Lost; Ron may have just finished the lower section of the DNB. We were rapping off where the two routes meet.
I rapped down to the first station and just about blew a fuse when I saw that Ron was about to rap off a single lost arrow with a sling run through the eye. I was trying not to sound too shrill, but...I jumped all over him and told him that he needed two points.
Ron looked at me impassively, waited until I had finished, and calmly said: "Its your job as an expericened climber to show young climbers like me how to do this so we don't get hurt."
Then he put in another pin rapped off.
When it came to actual climbing, I had nothing to show to Ron.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Aug 14, 2009 - 03:59pm PT
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Bachar on Kauk:
"The most badass climber there ever was..."
Sort of a competitive statement, of the subtle false modesty type, and a public one, but he meant it too.
Also credited Ron as the gun on their FFA of the East Face of Washington Column.
I first spied him in front of the Tuolumne store, with Lucy and his two small sons in tow, all in full cowboy regalia, Ron carrying the mystique of a modern Knights Templar.
Definitely approachable.
One night during the mid-80s, Russ, Ron and I were holding vigil at our pad in Josh, sipping tequila and spinning vinyl. In the black of night those guys would call out tunes they wanted to hear, and like a faithful jukebox I had repeatedly dropped the needle right in the track pauses, to joyously wax out John Lee Hooker, Roxy Music, Joe Jackson and etc.
Ron kept asking for "Jet Set" from Joe's "Big World" album, because it had this terrifically boisterous surfer music guitar twang to it. I'd play it, he'd knock back in his chair reveling: and ask Russ to pour us another round of tequila...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Aug 14, 2009 - 04:10pm PT
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Those are good times, Roy!!!! Hold on to 'em!
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WBraun
climber
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Aug 14, 2009 - 05:32pm PT
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Karl B -- "He wasn’t much for words, and wasn't good at words, but still managed to be a leader in his way."
Not true. His words are always concise and well thought out, his words are always very enlightening. He's a very deep thinker.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Aug 14, 2009 - 05:38pm PT
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I guess I first met Ronnie when he was in late teens. John B and he were tight as superglue and had the same way of holding their bodies. Bridwell called it "yeti" at the time. As all things change, so did they. This (internet/who?) shot also includes a very very rare look at Mark Klemens aka The Goat. Great guys, all!!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Aug 14, 2009 - 07:05pm PT
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Uh, and imho a whole lot better looking than Tom Cruise. :D
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Aug 14, 2009 - 07:32pm PT
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We had some excelent times. Ron and Mike Graham are the two real natural climbers I had the pleasure of seeing. Ron was also a very accomplished aid climber. He could do it all. A true master.
JL
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Ricky D
Trad climber
Sierra Westside
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Aug 14, 2009 - 07:35pm PT
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That last photo begs the question - would hippies have existed if Volkswagen had not made buses?
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Double D
climber
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Aug 14, 2009 - 08:23pm PT
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I agree with Werner, Ron's words were always well though out and concise. Even from a very young age he seemed to posses the wisdom of an elder. Always the encourager always stoked about something. His smooth, effortless climbing style inspired many. Simply one of the best climbers of all time… hands down.
And thanks for “seeing” this one when I was too lazy to “see” it.
Edit: Love that pic of Ron, Mark Clements and the twin busses (Bachar’s…I think and my old blue rig). Many memories of great times in the dirty ditch.
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all in jim
climber
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Aug 14, 2009 - 10:20pm PT
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Magic Line!
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Rob_James
Ice climber
Aoraki/Mt. Cook Village, New Zealand
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Aug 14, 2009 - 10:52pm PT
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Met Ron on a recent Yosemite blast.
We traded apple pie for 2 tickets to his funny and engaging Friday evening presentation at the Visitors' Centre.
I hope he has/may find a wonderful women to know as his special own.
An evolving gentleman, with a solid handshake - (with respect) his strongest contributions may well be ahead of him.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Aug 14, 2009 - 11:02pm PT
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Ron has always been humble about his prodigious climbing achievements and his respect and appreciation for the environment and for native culture is admirable.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 14, 2009 - 11:10pm PT
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When I broke my finger I was resigned to being a judge/belayer at that year's Phoenix Bouldering contest. My station was at the pirhanna wall. One of 'My" climbs was a nasty .11 sandbag finger crack. RK was one of my first customers.
He started up, then downclimbed to put his Oaklies on the safety cone. He waltzed up the route while we shot the shidt, telling Cilley stories. Of course, he flashed the route. The next person in line was a kid who I suspect hadn't been climbing long, "I thought this one looked too hard, but that guy made it look easy" I didn't have the heart to warn him... Yeah that Kauk guy has his moves...
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richross
Trad climber
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Aug 14, 2009 - 11:19pm PT
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I don't really know him but met him in the Gunks when he was working on the second ascent of Supercrack in 1977.
I was there when this photo was taken by NA climber founder Paul Baird.
Me and Paul had been climbing nearby.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Aug 14, 2009 - 11:27pm PT
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Feet equally balanced.
Hips into the rock; superlative body mechanics.
That dude knows what he's doing.
Such a terrific photograph.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Aug 14, 2009 - 11:42pm PT
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Smooth climber with real style that one! Never saw him climb in person but after seeing the video "Art of Leading" i realized he had style.
There were other " tacos" in that video can you name them?
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Boise....
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Aug 15, 2009 - 12:23am PT
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I've never hung with Ron at length, but He's ALWAYS been real neighborly, even when Circlehead & I were ribbin' him, I forget why, somethin' trivial, but it seemed funny at the time.
Gracious & kind Bro, that one.
Props!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 15, 2009 - 01:22am PT
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I would like to say that my thoughts of the serene nature of Yosemite Valley, those early mornings when you're there by yourself and the beauty infuses you with spirituality. Those middays when you can feel the pounding of the waterfalls on your feet, as if you where connected to them by the ground. The evenings with the moon lighting the granite apron of the Alcove under the great expanse of the southeast face of El Capitan.
When my thoughts are there, Ron is a part of them. Aside from his accomplishments as a climber, which are magnificent, he has grown to be a part of that place, grown through respect, and through action.
We were sitting on the bridge one day, chatting with Tom. Out of the woods from along the east side of the river came Ron. He quickly and quietly walked past, acknowledged us on his way. My immediate thought was from out of my past, of the bears, at least when they were more commonly around. Of a particular bear who walked past me not a few feet away in the dark, a shadow in the campfire light. Powerful, strong, moving silently and with intention. They were there because it was natural.
And so it seems with Ron.
Thanks Ron.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Aug 15, 2009 - 01:36am PT
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Brother Ron, good to see you this last week, always enjoy the time we spend together......let the spirit be with you in Tuolumne as it is with me!
Peace Brother!
Ron
Ps...get back to me on our discussion at the log pit!
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