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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 20, 2014 - 01:56am PT
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Said the Chief & Coz on the thread about the climb that Sharma/Glowacz did in the gigantic cave:
"That things a cake walk for Stefan, appears you guys really have no idea who he is..."
That is because he is waaaay before their time Scott.
He and Wolfgang were the Kings back in the late 80's early 90's as you and Werner know. Both doing shet light years before their time.
Both keeping most of their projects and accomplishments to themselves and the close net group they climbed with.
Stephan is truly a legend of hard free climbing badass! In the same category as Stevie Haston etal.
Could you all imagine what Wolfgang would have accomplished had he not perished so early in his life. Stephan and Wolfgang together the last 20 or so years...Holy Shet!
Great thread that brings back tons of motivational memories.
Said Werner earlier on same thread:
WBraun
climber
Mar 18, 2014 - 07:30pm PT
Most people here would not know Stefan.
He's one of the most fluid climbers when he was in prime in the world.
Unreal to see.
He's an actor too.
Good team and two great people ....
So I admit that though I have heard the name before I do not know much about Stefan Glowacz. What I mean actually is that I would like to learn more. Seems like some of you knew him or came up at a time when he was more prolific. Let's have some stories & pics! School me on his accolades & history please. Seems like he has dabbled in all kinds of climbing over the years & was amongst the elite in every aspect he participated.
I've learned so much about so many great climbers while hanging on this site, guys like Patrick Edlinger, Kurt Albert & Wolfgang Gullich, guys who are from a far away land who paved the way in climbing before many like myself even knew what it was, a time when it was far less globalized as well.
Stefan seems like a guy that there's a lot to learn about too. I don't want to take away from the awesome thread about him climbing the worlds largest roof climb with Sharma but he seems a character worthy of his own thread I hope(are more climbing threads a problem?) & would love to learn more about why the above quoted posters hold him in such high regards. Obviously photos, vids & historic articles would be totally appropriate here too :-0
Thanks!
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overwatch
climber
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Mar 20, 2014 - 02:07am PT
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Good post Ryan D
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2014 - 04:04am PT
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[Click to View YouTube Video]
Edit- Hey thanks for the link there the Chief! I've never been on that site, wow!
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Mar 20, 2014 - 08:10am PT
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Sportiva Mega SGs were one of the first non-Boreal shoes that had sticky rubber, along with Sportiva attention to fit and quality. Great shoes.
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all in jim
climber
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Mar 20, 2014 - 12:29pm PT
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I met Stefan by chance at Indian Rock in 1983. Super nice guy. He was 18 and fresh off the plane on his way to yosemite. It was the middle of the day and we were the only ones there so he asked for a tour. After a few hard problems (he made them look easy - I'd never seen such a strong and fluid climber) I started trying to sandbag him. I had many of the hard problems wired and he flashed all of them with ease (except nat's, which he was close to doing after about an hours work.)
He was on his way to Yosemite the next day. I think he both learned to crack climb AND climbed the Phoenix on that trip. A few years later I saw in a magazine that he had made the second ascent of Jerry Moffat's Frankenjura testpeice, The Face (10- or 13b) one of the hardest climbs in the world at the time.
He came to the Bay Area in the early 90s and climbed Dreams of White Porsches at mickeys 2nd try, by far the fastest ascent at that time and maybe still.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2014 - 03:15pm PT
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Thanks for sharing guys. Pretty bad ass tales so far. Was he known as a "sport" climber before showing up in the valley & turning heads?? Seems like despite the divide amongst many US climbers in the 80's (bolt wars/trad/sport) that there were a few that showed up from the other side of the Atlantic & put all that crap aside to make some impressive ascents in the valley & elsewhere. A few that earned the respect of the traditional guard by being nice guys & playing in the style that had already been established, they respected local ethics rather than just doing it the way that they did it back home. I think that's pretty cool.
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Mar 20, 2014 - 03:21pm PT
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So, he's only 49 or so?
I bet he crushes 5.13 all the time still, probably some 5.14.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2014 - 04:09pm PT
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Hey, awesome post Coz. Thanks a bunch.
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Reeotch
climber
4 Corners Area
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Mar 20, 2014 - 04:34pm PT
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That's cool Coz. I always think of guys like you and Stefan as my elders, but I'm a little older. I just used to see your names in the rags a lot back in the 80s and 90s. Gave us inspiration for our own local projects and annual pilgrimages to Tuolomne and JT.
I would run into the likes of Stefan and Wolfgang in Yosemite occasionally. Wolfgang bummed some tape off me in the Tuolomne parking lot once. He was surprisingly short, but a totally cool dude.
Jerry Moffat did the same one day. Said his tips hurt and he was getting ready to go pull on knobs at Medlicot or someplace like that. I looked, and at least 3 tips on each hand had a hole in it.! I just shook my head. I thought only gumbys like me did that kinda sh!t . . .
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Friend
climber
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Mar 20, 2014 - 06:00pm PT
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Mar 20, 2014 - 07:25pm PT
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Pretty heavy group right there!!!!! ^^^^^^^
Is there a story, Friend?
Stefan Glowacz and the other climbers from that era are my faves of all time.
I wonder how Red Chili is doing? They had some decent shoes and some damn fine marketing.
Good thread Ryan. No shame in not knowing a lot about these dudes and props for wanting to know more.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 21, 2014 - 08:24pm PT
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Thanks Jefe. I just haven't been climbing long enough to have known much about the cutting edge euro free climbers who came over here in the late 80's & early 90's & had a lasting impact. ST has helped but I couldn't find much info on Stefan G here so thought it could be cool to collect some info in one place. After some of the comments & photos here I'm glad I did.
And thanks for the share Friend! Wow, there's a crusher crew if there ever was one eh?? Awesome photo! I'd love to know more too if there is more......
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nah000
climber
canuckistan
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:09pm PT
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thanks for the stories gents.
and to RyanD for starting a sweet thread.
hope there's more to come...
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The Larry
climber
Moab, UT
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:22pm PT
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Great post Coz!
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:24pm PT
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Stefan is also an accomplished alpine big waller . . . some great write ups in Alpinist.
Check out Cerro Murallon.
Much RESPECT.
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Friend
climber
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:38pm PT
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I wish I had some stories of rolling with that posse! but the humble truth is, I just finished Moffatt's autobiography and saw that shot on his fb page. Bunch of other cool photos there too. His book was great btw.
+1 for "rocks around the world," another classic.
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:43pm PT
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if you find the original "Moving Over Stone" there is a segment of him working To Bolt or Not To Be. Even when he lets go he's smooth.
For some reason my wife only pays attention when he takes off his "Go Climb a Rock" t shirt mid climb!
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
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Mar 21, 2014 - 11:47pm PT
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yeah -- that is such a classic segment.
EDIT (btw I have an early copy for sale -- signed by Doug R)
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sac
Trad climber
Sun Coast B.C.
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Mar 22, 2014 - 12:17am PT
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like!!
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