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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 21, 2014 - 05:39pm PT
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I walked in to JTree alone - walking with my thumb out.
After a week the crew there started to bet how long;
What route would give me a cheese grater intro ...
Mike Paul sand bagged me.
I asked Cossgrove If I could Hold HIs Rope.
Gordo and big Al
stepped up...
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Sep 21, 2014 - 08:05pm PT
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Who cares about Big Al...Where's big Bob Bartlett..? Worlds biggest womanizer...
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two-shoes
Trad climber
Auberry, CA
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Sep 21, 2014 - 10:37pm PT
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Big Al is the real deal! He's done gobs of F.A.s all over the state and elsewhere, too. Quality F.A.s on Charlotte Dome, Obelisk, East Fuller Butte, Mount Russell (6 routes?), all over the Sierra east side and Tuolumne Meadows, as well as Yosemite, and Joshua Tree.
This guy has repeated, I think, over 4,000 routes in J Tree. He has done some of the best guide books of Joshua Tree, very good work in my opinion. Did the Sierra Eastside guide, with Errett Allen. A guide book for the north Big Bear area by the name of, Oso Grande, with Chris Miller. He is a longtime friend and climbing partner of Fred Beckey. A rocking good drummer with the Cactus Pricks! Past owner of Positive Resoles. My wife, Leni and me have had the good fortune to have shared an adventure or two with Alan. Big Al I hope you are doing well!
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JOEY.F
Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
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Sep 21, 2014 - 10:44pm PT
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Bob Bartlett, night auditor, yp&c co?
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Sep 21, 2014 - 11:31pm PT
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++ for the old East Side guide
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 22, 2014 - 07:44am PT
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The funny thing is that on the day that I met Al and gordo they were late. I saw this chick and started talking to her ... she said she knew how to belay ((I Bet she did ,I thought to myself)) her guy had gone off with 'Todd' she said like that ment some thing to me. The only Todd I knew of, was the new ranger Toad Swine. I turned up the Charm, formally asked her , her name and told her mine . Back then I was a tasty morsel, cute smart and funny and really buff, I did very well with women , which had always pissed off Todd Swain (When he was Ranger in the Gunks way back).
We were ready to go when a mini van showed up with the Big guy at the wheel and Todd Gordon along for the ride
I named my son Alan.
My daughter Jennifer ..........kids...she was sore that I did not mention her
My wife climbed until the kids. and still roams far and wide as I emulate ....
Tell big AL
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Sep 22, 2014 - 10:06am PT
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I climbed a little with him. Isn't he the guy who never repeats routes? He always climbs routes once, and that means that he does a lot of FA's. I remember climbing some total garbage in Pine Creek Canyon. He would climb anything.
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tbailey
Trad climber
canoga park
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Sep 22, 2014 - 12:50pm PT
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Saw Alan and Tucker an JT Ranch a couple of months ago. Alan looked well and still eager to climb. Did a lot of his routes on Whitney Portal Buttress recently. man had HUGE leading skills, but unfortunately, like EC
rarely slowed down to place pro. Awesome climber, great legacy!
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Rockin' Gal
Trad climber
Boulder
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Sep 22, 2014 - 01:05pm PT
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I had dinner with Alan and George Meyers last week. Alan was on a road trip, might be back in JT shortly. George emerged from obscurity to attend Valley Uprising, which used a lot of his photos. Great to see both of them. Alan worked with George in the late '80s at Chockstone and we did some great climbs while he was here.
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TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
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Sep 22, 2014 - 01:58pm PT
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Al, back in the day. Ten Carat Gold.
Al has been there done that. the man.
TY
photo by Robs Muir
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Sep 22, 2014 - 02:13pm PT
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If you haven't climbed one of big Al's routes, have you really climbed in California...
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Lassitude 33
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Sep 22, 2014 - 02:27pm PT
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It has been a privilege and honor to know Big Al. (It was "Big Al" to be distinguish from "Little Al" -voice of the crags - Roberts.) While his climbing resume is to be envied, more importantly he is a man of honor and intelligence with a willing laugh. As others have mentioned, his Josh guides are thoroughly researched; the gold standard - kinda like Al.
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Sep 22, 2014 - 03:51pm PT
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Had some fun days with Big Al in Rattlesnake Canyon and beyond while he was working on one of his guides. We showed eachother new routes and generally had a bitchn' time exploring. Great dude.
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Ward Trotter
Trad climber
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Sep 22, 2014 - 04:15pm PT
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In Feb. 2013 , after a day of climbing at JT, on the drive out ,my partner asked me if I would mind if he swung by an old friend's house on the way out. A mile or two beyond the entrance to the park he turned his truck into the neighborhood north of the road.
After several forays up and down numerous dirt roads while listening to ranchero music, and after getting lost a few times, we eventually arrived at a nice comfortable looking house ,with a gentleman standing in the driveway ---fully involved with putting a tire on his car. My partner introduced me to "Al" and we exchanged small talk. I couldn't help but noticing Al pulling an inflated tire out of the trunk like it was a light backpack and carefully leaning it against his car.
My partner , who I did not really know well, having only climbed with him that day, reminisced a bit with Al . When he asked Al if he had been climbing lately ,Al replied that they were newly involved in some crags, relatively nearby, that he cryptically referred to only as "the new area". He also asked if Al was still playing in his band. Al replied something like "yeah we still mess around".
Of course later on I learned that this Al was the same Big Al of legend and renown. He struck me as a good dude--- and my instincts are usually very precise in that regard.
Later on ,at home ,in the online guide I noticed the small print on one of the routes I had led earlier that day: FA Alan Bartlett
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Teri Martin
Trad climber
Superior colorado
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Sep 22, 2014 - 05:15pm PT
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Met Allan in the 70's first time on the 2nd pitch of 10 Carat Gold. I belayed him on the final run out pitch and a 30+ year friendship was established. My daughter and family spent a few days last week in Boulder with Al ... Wandering Eldo and climbing Castle Rock ... Most memorable trip with Al and Fred Beckey in Baja on El Trono Blanco . Salute to Captain Honest :)
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Sep 22, 2014 - 07:57pm PT
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I've done a shitload of climbing w/big Al .........he's a fisty old crust with a heart of gold, a gut full of suds, a brain like a computer, and a climbing resume second to none;....he's up there with Fred Becky and Pat Brennan....one of the untouchables when it comes to travel, days on the rock, first ascents, and climbing anything........
He's Big Al......that sort of says it all.....
Here is a picture of Big Al on Zenyatta Entrada on a very early ascent ...Arches, Utah.......
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Sep 22, 2014 - 09:11pm PT
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Sep 24, 2014 - 07:36pm PT
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Jack went to high school with Alan......we used to stay with him on various forays to JT. Super nice guy....very unassuming. Interesting, quiet intellect. He always let Jack know when something happened in their SaMo tribe. I've nothing but good things to say about him. If you see him, tell him Pam Roberts says hi, still remembers him fondly.
Pam
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BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
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Sep 24, 2014 - 07:48pm PT
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No doubt TG!
i see him just about everyday driving by to the gas station to get the paper.
i've been meaning to ask him about his latest guide. He's been using a computer, i think it made him slower?
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 24, 2014 - 10:50pm PT
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alan bartlett!
ya big wanker! have a bud for me, dude.
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