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Porkchop_express
Trad climber
the base of the Shawangunk Ridge
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 6, 2009 - 12:44pm PT
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I just got a hard copy of his book "Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains" and it is the first guide book I have gotten where I am enthralled by the writing and text (which is handy since there are few pictures.
He conveys a deep knowledge and understanding of the area that is pretty impressive to me-- all the while facilitating adventure and exploration, not just spoon feeding.
I haven't heard much of him other than this book. What is he doing these days?
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Didn't he have something to do with VD?
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COT
climber
Door Number 3
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This august Joe went into the Cirque of the Towers with a reporter who was writing a story about him. They started up Pingora and the reporter pulled off a loose block onto herself and broke her arm! Here is a link to the story. Everything turned out fine with a remarkably quick evacuation, especially for being in the Winds.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=4930
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Tiny note here for those who might not know. Joe Kelsey was associated with the Vulgarians, a Gunks-originated loosely climbing group. A subject that comes up here on ST every now that then. Joe was in the Valley in the early seventies at least; that is when I knew him casually.
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jstan
climber
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Joe was editor (read creator) of The Digest, he is a very fine writer in the dry humor regime. He worked on the chemical properties and structure of cyclohexane until he realized he was doing more for cyclohexane than it was doing for him. (Personal communication)
As for association with climbing groups I think the whole topic is ill-defined. If one does not always make it a practice to run away screaming immediately as one is approached by another, then you are a member of a group. It seems the first attempt to understand groups is to ask what is it that holds it together. If it is just being near other people because the rock holds everyone in one place I would not consider that to be a group - loose or otherwise. If the group is held together because its members feel being a member somehow enhances their experience, well then it is a group of some sort. I leave out entirely groups that are trying to emulate other well-known groups such as The Rock and Ice. That is just juvenile.
So I guess I was a member of the Carderock Gang. A little white haired member once complained passionately that Buck Harper's maintenance of the facilities at the Pavillion was inadequate. That she should not have to pat it down before she could sit. Forty years later this still makes me laugh. So I plead guilty. I don't know what kind of a group it was but I spent some time laughing.
PR:
We knew.
Everyone should go easy on Guido. Only those who have never been wrong may cast a stone.
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bobinc
Trad climber
Portland, Or
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Especially good is his piece in the 1999 Ascent, "Too Old for 5.12, Too Young for Obituaries."
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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re the winds guide; what about where he distainfuly compares a big weekend at the trailhead to a day at toulumne? That's some camp theatre!
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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I climbed with Joe some in the Gunks and a whole lot in the Wind Rivers. Here's a shot (mid to late 70's) of him on something we called "Vulgardome" but which has, I think, a more sedate name in his guidebook. There were three of us that day and the second, Barbara Thacher, had already cleaned the pitch before Joe followed. I also think some camera tiltage has enhanced the apparent difficulty, which I recall as being perhaps 5.7 or so.
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Larry
Trad climber
Bisbee
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I've shared some fine adventures with Joe. A couple of months ago, he said he'd put up a new route or two in the Owens River Gorge.
We did a new variation on Pingora once. He concluded it would never be climbed again. It had too much 5.10 for 5.6 climbers, and too much 5.6 for the 5.10 climbers.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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So,.. Peter and jstan,
when I said VD what did you THINK I meant??
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Ah Mr. Joe Kelsey
Very funny and witty man with a predilection of occasionally climbing in his birthday suit with a minimum of foot wear. One issue of the VD has him chasing sheep somewhere in the SW attired only in a pair of gumboots.
Somewhere, there is a photo of Kelsey, Rob Wood and Claud Suhl all dressed up in their Yosemite Gaoul outfits courtesy of the NPS, for being naughty boys.
Dave Craft?
Kelsey? My god he's wearing a watch.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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The nudist on Shockley's is Dick Williams.
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Back to the OP. Since you liked the writing in Kelsey's guidebook, check out this one too:
Sorry the photo is small. I snagged it off the internet after spending an hour looking for my copy.
This book is really well-written too. More general focus, but also great photos.
It's from 1988, but there are some used ones floating around. Check out alibris.com
Not too much gets written about the Winds. Thank god we have Kelsey!
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Joe's barbed sense of humor was not limited to the Vulgarian Digest. He also produced wonderful spoofs of the AAC's Accident Reports (limited to the Gunks) and Art Gran's original Gunks guidebook. Though much of the humor was of the "you had to have been there" sort, it was perfect for the time and place. He also contributed both humorous and serious articles for Ascent and other publications in addition to his Wind River guidebooks and explorations. The individual "giving the finger" in the middle of the 3 photos from the V.D. in an earlier posting is the late John Hudson, who is deserving of an "appreciation" thread of his own. He was the teenage hotshot of the Gunks/Vulgarians in the early '60s making significant FAs not only in the Gunks but in the Winds and Canada in his mid-teens (usually in the company of Art Gran)---not a common occurrence during that era. He was also a very bright, sociable, and--despite the picture--modest young man, who died much too young in his early 20s when a cornice collapsed in South America. He is still sadly missed by those who knew him.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Cheers to Joe! Great guy and certainly the reigning expert on the Winds.
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Yeah Tami, if ever there was any question about Kelsey having good taste, putting out that book of Sheridan's cartoons quickly laid it to rest.
I've been sweeping up a bunch of Sheridan originals from under the sofa, and soon I'll post em up, cobwebs and all.
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seth kovar
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jan 17, 2010 - 02:28pm PT
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Not Craft (in the photo?)
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jstan
climber
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Jan 17, 2010 - 02:50pm PT
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No. That is a very contemplative photo. Craft is a militant actionary.
And their appearances are not similar.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 17, 2010 - 03:23pm PT
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I just posted this photo on Guido's Claude Suhl thread. From Glen Denny's superb Yosemite in the Sixties, 2007.
Joe on the sharp end!
Compared to the older Bonney guide, Joe's Wind River range guide was a big improvement. It is a great read and the range of climbers that have quietly done FA's in the Winds is nothing short of amazing!
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seth kovar
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jan 17, 2010 - 03:29pm PT
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Thanks jstan,
I wasn't sure if the OP thought the pic or the quote was from Dave...
Dave's my great uncle, so I was sure the pic wasn't him...
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