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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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i have quite a few fond memories of climbing with JB in the 80's and not too many pictures to go with it..
But on this day we soloed Darth vader on our way up to boulder @ high profile nobs...
ks
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Reprinted from another thread.
Day One - Death by Solo on 5.2 - almost at Coopers Rock
Starts off uneventfully enough. We get to the crag at a leisurely 9:30 or so. The sign-in sheet is soggy.
I set up a TR for Arch 5.6 just to get us warmed up. A hops on and begins to figure out sandstone. By now another couple from PA has shown up. They set up a rope right next to ours and another one on the other block of Sunset Wall. P gets pretty much shutdown on his first outdoor attempt. I am not too worried. I just go up, top out. Got the anchor on a sliding X, so I just move it all the way right and lower off. This sets up Central Face climb, a grade lower. A and I work a couple variatons on that theme.
While we are doing this another gentleman shows up and sets up a another couple ropes. P begins to try out Central Face Climb.
Suddenly we hear a tree crashing down on the left end of the block. A and I look over just in time to see the tree crash down with a climber landing flat on his back, head toward the cliff. We did not even know he was there before.
A immediately tells P he is getting lowered. I head over to do whatever I can. P decides to call 911, which would have gone smoother if he knew what county we were in. The climber, let's call him E, is conscious. He knows what has happened. He claims not to be in any particular pain. He also gets very upset and insists on not calling 911. He does not want an ambulance.
E is on his back - no helmet, somewhat curled up. He is laying between three large blocks. The rope bag probably saved his life. It is between his head and one of the three blocks. He claims no particular pain in his back, neck, or head. He complains that he has had the wind knocked out of him. Considering his fall was probably 20-25, that is not too surprising. His legs are above him and one of the other rocks. My brother will be arriving in the next 15 minutes or so. It does not seem as though emergency care is required. Since he is conscious and talking, we just let him rest a bit.
He wants to get the rope bag off. I ask again whether he has any pain in his neck. No. With as little movement as possible the rope bag is freed from his arm and removed. He can now move his head. We let him recover for a few more minutes. He is still upset and wants nothing to do with any ambulance service. Finally we agree to help him get up slowly. A back pack on his back may have kept him from breaking any ribs - or not?
He stands without any assistance. We suggest that he should visit an urgent care clinic, emergency room, or regular doctor. It seems that some X-rays are probably in order.
Soon he is showing his true colors. Of course, he is a "guide" and outdoor instructor of some sort and considerable experience. Rather than leave, he "must climb" with his partner. First his partner works a 9 at the end of the block. He takes a couple, not 4, ibuprofen somebody came up with.
As I stroll leisurely up the 5 he starts correcting A on her belaying technique. He says she is going to "kill me". She is ticked as he starts trying to "help out" while she is belaying. My brother, who has just recently arrived, and has caught part of the story says something curt. He is considering a body blow.
A is really ticked by the time I get down. We have been climbing for at least a year, and the clown who just took a 20 foot header soloing a 5.2 and pulled out a one inch thick rhododendron tree by going up it hand-over-hand to about 6 feet up the trunk, is telling her she is going to kill me on a 5.5 TR!
E eventually gives his climb a try. He clearly is in too much pain to continue. He calls somebody and says he expects to go to a chiropractor. By now he is complaining of shoulder pain and it is hard to breathe. The ranger has stopped by to find out what happened as a result of the 911 call. He is not going to be talked into seeing qualified medical personnel - at least not by the time he left us.
Hope he is okay.
But for the rope bag, he probably would have left in a bag.
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Place or Another
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Feb 25, 2009 - 10:44am PT
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bump!
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Morphus,
Nice shot! What is it?
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seamus mcshane
climber
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That's Father Figure.
Palms are moist...and I've got goosebumps.
About an hour ago, I re-read "The Only Blasphemy" for the hundredth time.
My palms and eyes became moist.
"All climbs were easy for Bachar, and he had to make his own difficulties. He completely dominated the cliff with his grace and confidence. He never got rattled, never lost control, and you knew if he ever got killed climbing, it wouldn't be his fault. You'd sell all your gear and curse God for the rest of your life- on aesthetic, not moral grounds." - John Long
Profound words from an amazing solo story.
RIP JB.
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L
climber
A deep dive in the shallows of life..
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Bachar...soloed...Father Figure...
I've stood in the dirt beneath Father Figure and looked up at the chalked holds...impossibly bad holds which are impossibly far apart...and thought that even a gecko would have problems with this climb.
And Bachar soloed Father Figure...
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rookers
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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The Darth Vader picture and the request for a Derek Hersey story lead me to:
Mid 80's sometime, I am roped on either sh*t hooks or Darth Vader (I don't remember which). My wife is lounging at the base, enjoying a book and along comes John and he solos whichever one we were not on... He comes back around, sidles shirtlessly up to my wife and asks "What was that route I just soloed?", my wife (still) looks back at him and asks 'who the f*ck are you?' I thought my partner (Mike Forkash) was going to lose it right there he was laughing so hard. She got properly introduced at that point and we had a nice chat.
A few years (92?) later and I have dashed from work to do the first pitch of the Naked Edge, just because it's a favorite of mine. We get it done and I look over to the right and there is a new clip-up there. It looks pleasant enough and we decide to do it. Up comes Derek soloing from the base of Redgarden and asks what we are up to. I knew him a bit from the area and we had done a couple of things together at Devil's Tower. Anyway, Derek decides he wants to do this new thing with us and asks if we could wait while he gets his harness. So he down solos beneath us, runs to his bag, grabs his harness and solos back up to us! We jump on this thing (Slow Train Comin') and get it done.
RIP both of you.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Aug 14, 2009 - 12:13am PT
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John Bachar on Father Figure, 5.12 Joshua Tree ;...photo taken by Allen Roberts ( The Voice).
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TripleS_in_EBs
climber
Poulsbo, WA
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Happened to find this thread today. Wow. This stuff is treasure. And the discussion was started by John himself. This one's a keeper, for sure.
If it weren't for SuperTopo, how much of this history would ever see the light of day?
We all know there's much much more to be told on this topic.
One thought about ec's post:
ec said
Croft showed-up at Sunrise Mountain Sports years ago when we had designs for a new climbing gym/shop. Someone remarked about how tall the bouldering area was (I can't remember the actual height, somewhere between 15-20ft). Croft, looking at the plans and calmly says, "That's about as high-up as I would ever want to go."
We all looked at each other with a WTF look. Peter wasn't joking...
I'd be busting my gut laughing at that. One idea, though. If he wasn't joking, maybe he meant that's as high as he would ever want to climb on plastic in a gym. As in that would be all he could take before he got bored senseless. Just a possible explanation.
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Chinchen
climber
Anacortes, wa
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This thread only makes me sad.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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The Growler was the topping on the birthday cake! Way to go get it.
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Amazing.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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God bless you JB, a great friend and SUPER Climber!!
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Apr 28, 2010 - 01:44am PT
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Let's celebrate a life filled with generosity and compassion. One that inspired and enlightened.
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MisterE
Social climber
Across Town From Easy Street
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Apr 28, 2010 - 02:19am PT
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One of my favorites, thanks for the re-bump.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Oct 10, 2011 - 04:49pm PT
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I liked Caylors idea for bumping old threads so heres a bump for the legend himself JB R.I.P.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Oct 10, 2011 - 05:19pm PT
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It is so weird when I see John's name on the front page as the author of a thread... Makes it feel like he is still here with us.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Oct 10, 2011 - 05:23pm PT
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Like all legends his spirit lives on, I really enjoy reading his words on here. I never met the man but his stories have impacted my life and changed my way of thinking as I'm sure it has many of you. His life helped me realize the things I am capable of if I can control my mind.
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