Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - May 28, 2015 - 09:40pm PT
|
I pay my respects to the mayor of Camp 4 and the ringleader of Yosemite climbing in the 70s. We have Jim Bridwell to thank for the magic of that time and place. Alpinist of the first order; brilliant, focused, fierce, visionary, inventive, hard as nails, funny as hell, generous, kind, always real, and continually driving everyone to be their best.
Jim Bridwell Appreciation
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=800705&tn=0&mr=0
Bridwell Stories
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=68084&tn=0&mr=0
Bridwell's Brave New World
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1217261&msg=1217261#msg1217261
Bird Lives!
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1220173&msg=1220173#msg1220173
Driving Miss Bridwell
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=734947&msg=734947#msg734947
A Summer Afternoon with Bachar and Bridwell
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=901172&tn=0&mr=0
Cerre Torre - FA Alpine Style
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1029543&msg=1029543#msg1029543
Dance of the Woo-Li Masters
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1215174&msg=1215174#msg1215174
Shadows - Half Dome
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=729469&msg=729469#msg729469
|
|
zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa y Perrito Ruby
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 09:54pm PT
|
|
|
zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa y Perrito Ruby
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 09:54pm PT
|
Hey what happened here? Damn!
|
|
BLUEBLOCR
Social climber
joshua tree
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 11:20pm PT
|
Hear Hear! for The Bird 8^D
Good job Mark!
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
|
|
|
May 28, 2015 - 11:59pm PT
|
(reversed photo/ slide?)(Werner writing)
Bridwell one day asks if I whanna go up with him to diving board to scope out a new route he's eyeballed.
Sure why not I ain't doing anything today.
So we're sitting there at the diving board and Jim is talking description of the pitches as he's seeing them thru his binoculars.
I was looking thru my binoculars and somehow his route and my route descriptions were completely different.
Suddenly Jim looks over at me and says; "WTF are you looking at????"
So I point to what is now the route called "Zenith" which I thought he was looking at and going to call it Bushido.
Jim then says; "No ... I'm looking at this thing over here" as he points to the route now called Bushido.
Uuugghh wtf is that POS man!!!!
Jim says it looks pretty good.
Then after a short while he scans over to potential "Zenith".
After a long silence suddenly Jim says; "Oh WOW!!! and that one is MINE too!!!!"
LOL .......
|
|
PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 08:05am PT
|
brilliant, focused, fierce, visionary, inventive, hard as nails, funny as hell, generous, kind, always real, and continually driving everyone to be their best.
I couldn't agree more. How many climbers did he inspire and at the same time comfort us when we suffered our weaknesses?
Thanks, man!
|
|
hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 - 01:31pm PT
|
The Bird still rules.
Thanks for all of the links. Lots to read and enjoy there.
|
|
Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 4, 2015 - 11:35am PT
|
There are stories to be told here bump.
The Bird is the reason for the magic we experienced in Yosemite in the 70s; he was the mayor of C4, the hub of the Valley scene, the ringleader, the catalyst for the energy then. He deserves his due respect because of it. Few have experienced or done what he has; few have what it takes!
Long live The Bird!
|
|
Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Yes, thanks Jim. Truly an Icon. I feel very fortunate to have made his acquaintance and share some thoughts about our experiences. He wears his stature well. Cheers to the Bird!
|
|
Bad Climber
climber
|
|
The Bird will always fly.
That is an UNBELIEVABLE resume!
BAd
|
|
jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
|
|
Worked with him a bunch BITD when I was guiding for Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School, general rule was to hit a few climbs after work, so after work me and the Bird were standing under This is only a test, a little 5.12a to d height dependent rig in Jtree. I asked him if he had done the route, he replied: never seen anyone do the direct start to Cactus Flower 11b, I said really, I tossed the rope down on the ground, tied in, handed him the belay side started up and sent, after I came down we smoked a fat bowl, and he said I thought you were gonna deck when you were trying to clip the 2nd bolt, but you blazed on through, good on you Medusa!. Did a few more with him, ill save that for another chapter..
|
|
Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 4, 2015 - 04:23pm PT
|
That's the stuff! I want to "hear" more stories!
|
|
overwatch
climber
|
|
I'll chime in.
I met Jim through work as a stage rigger, we have climbed a few times together in the recent past. I was with him when he had his accident at COR. Thought I was seeing the death of a legend. I am so glad that wasn't the case and he was relatively unscathed although I think he still has some dizziness and isn't the same.
I consider him a good friend and a very interesting man who has accomplished amazing things.
|
|
Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 20, 2015 - 08:31pm PT
|
Step up with a story you've been holding out on bump!
Long live The Bird!
|
|
steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2015 - 04:16am PT
|
Jimmy Dunn never post here, so I'll relate this short story:
Just before Jimmy soloed the Cosmos, the Bird came up to him and threatened to break both his legs, or something to that effect, if he went up to do the climb.
After Jimmy returned to Camp 4, the Bird came up to him full of admiration, congratulating him, and then proceeded to take Jimmy out to a steak dinner, all on the Bird!
|
|
Mark Force
Trad climber
Ashland, Oregon
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 21, 2015 - 07:16am PT
|
SteveA, That's the stuff!
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2015 - 07:43am PT
|
Mark doing some ear hustling & schmoozing, over tacos.
"Suxie Belen's is the best in Oakdale."--JB (pd endorsement)
|
|
steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2015 - 11:05am PT
|
Is that Jim Erickson, in the blue shirt, with S. Wunsch next to him, at the end of the table?
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Jul 21, 2015 - 01:46pm PT
|
Yes. Those are them. They are the ones.
The one did the ground-up FFA of Supercrack in the Gunks in '74.
The other the NWF Half-Dome FFA (with Art Higbee.)
Them guys.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!