Bircheff & Bardini Brautigan Dome Climbing 76

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Joe Metz

Trad climber

Bay Area

Mar 23, 2009 - 01:49am PT

The Great Bardini, spotted in the wild, on Palisade Glacier below Mt. Gayley, June 11, 1981. He was working for PSOM at the time. Note the 75cm bamboo-shafted piolet. He showed us the game of tossing the piolet down to the glacier from about a pitch up. Points were awarded for landing in a good position for retrieval, and for getting a clean spike-down "stick". I got negative points for watching my axe clatter half way down to the talus...

SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Mar 29, 2009 - 07:28pm PT

Bump
It's natural. It's climbing

Conner

Social climber

on the road

Mar 29, 2009 - 09:50pm PT

I miss Alan too! I am working in Bishop for a couple of months and drove by his house the other day. Still expect to see him come loping out from around the back of the house. This is the most time I've spent in Bishop since the last time I was hangin' at Alan's house, camping in the backyard for a few weeks soaking up the east side...life is too darn short sometimes!

Connie Self

Largo

Sport climber

Venice, Ca

Mar 29, 2009 - 09:58pm PT

I've written about this before, but it's worth repeating.

I'm way the hell up in Canada - above the Arctic Circle I think - at a place called Yellow Knife. I go to get on this Twin Otter and who gets off of it but Little Al - we literally pause on that stair thing. We're both bundled up in huge jackets, et al.

I'm like, Wusup, my brother? Where you been? Al says, North Pole. I say, Fino. I'm just on my way up there myself. How was it, Al? Cold, he says.

Never saw Al again.

He was great stuff.

JL

Peter Haan

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Mar 29, 2009 - 11:33pm PT

Alan and Dale were a phenomenon when they began to climb back I guess in 1970-72. They operated almost like twins, although Dale was a bit younger. Kind of a rolly-polly constant laughter thing. But they did not appear as twins; their body types were quite different. Alan was fairly tall and lanky while Dale was a shorter, powerpack type. Tons and tons of energy. And as things developed, they each established really awesome careers of their own.

I haven’t a clue what was going on back at home in Alameda, CA. in the beginning but the kids were coming to Indian Rock quite often, tying on to our insane proposition of climbing pretty quickly. In fact by 1973 these two were really good climbers. It went on from there as we all know, although in a bit more than 20 years, Alan was dead from a horrible fall on the Grand while guiding....

That was about 12 years ago, I think. Of all those who have died whom I knew, he was the closest. And a longtime friend of almost everyone I know in climbing. I am so glad that Lauria holds the flame. For most of us, as others tell us above, Alan is still alive.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2010 - 12:01pm PT

The Bump versus the Springhill Mine Disaster!

guido

Trad climber

Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific

Sep 11, 2010 - 12:08pm PT

Fuzzywuzzy

climber

suspendedhappynation

Sep 11, 2010 - 12:49pm PT

Had dinner with Phil, Cochrane and Tom Crowe on Wednesday!

Got some of Allan's photos of the Dome somewhere - will poke around for them.

I remember a story about Dale and Allan nailing their chimney - didn't fly with the senior Bard.

The bit about Tribal Rite is correct.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2010 - 07:44pm PT

You are one plucky traveler, Joe!

mctwisted

climber

Sep 11, 2010 - 09:17pm PT

we miss you bardini! billy and i were on the green last month, and you were there with us. thanks for in the old days treating us right even though we were just some dirtbag climber trash. will always love you man.

marty(r)

climber

beneath the valley of ultravegans

Sep 11, 2010 - 10:41pm PT

I never met Alan but I stayed at his house several times once the Bardini Foundation had been founded. I also carried his guides with me on several outings in the Whitney Zone and Palisades. Maybe Don can let us in on their genesis. If nothing else, maybe this can bump the 'water-skiing Tenaya' lore to its rightful place.

Mighty Hiker

climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Sep 11, 2010 - 11:05pm PT

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/739225/Waterskiing-Tenaya-Lake-1978

In case anyone needs it.

Maysho

climber

Soda Springs, CA

Sep 11, 2010 - 11:09pm PT

Fitting to re-read this nicely bumped thread this evening as I am packing up to head down for the gathering of friends and fellow guides in Bishop for the John Fischer memorial tomorrow.

Alan was a great friend and mentor. After knowing him from hanging around Tuolumne as a teen, I knew I was lucky to have him team teach with me in my first week as a guide at YMS in 1981. The positive feedback, encouragement and the example he set still informs every day I endeavor to help my clients enjoy the best possible day in the mountains.

Just this week, I spent 5 days training two navy guys, and following the advice he gave me 29 years ago, "don't hide behind your sunglasses if you really want to connect with your students" I always drop the shades when I am really teaching something.

I also never forget the lesson he never wanted to teach by example, always being mindful of the consequences of the long fall while moving quick and running it out as we all inevitably do while guiding.

RIP my friend, you touched so many with your knowledge and your heart, and I am a much better guide and human being for having known you.

Peter

JerryA

Mountain climber

Sacramento,CA

Sep 13, 2010 - 08:55pm PT

Once when I was climbing with Alan in Yosemite ,we went with Craig Calonica to the Ahwahnee Hotel on Sunday morning for the all-you-can eat and drink brunch. We loaded up on all the Sunday papers and were having a great time until after several hours we were asked to leave !

tom Carter

Social climber

May 14, 2011 - 08:26pm PT

Again, this is all I have as far as I know. Sometimes I wonder about the value of hoarding thee "frozen moments" then I see this incredible stuff surface and appreciate it even more as it is not an easy task to get to them, sort them and finally post. Hence some rather meager selections from me as I am looking a a mt of those moments - skeptical of material worship. But here ya go...Dave Birdcheff a true original.

TC

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2011 - 05:45pm PT

Tom- Thanks for cross posting that shot!

I wonder if folks are climbing in this area very much these days?

mouse from merced

Trad climber

merced, california

Apr 17, 2012 - 01:56pm PT

Dave and his brother Phil are both true originals. But the younger one is the better climber. And he rolls a better cigarette. I met them in '68 and they corrupted me and Mathis, that is we started climbing due to their enthusiasm.

Mathis and I visited Bardini in Bishop and had to party with the a-hole from next door, some old broke-dick named Herbert. Was a good opportunity for Bardini to bitch and moan over the end of his marriage, though. Misery loooves company. The he-man woman-haters anonymous.

One thing we all decided was that when a climber marries, he ought never to try to come between him and his climbing. You are asking for it if you do.