Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 12, 2009 - 06:18pm PT
|
A SUMMER AFTERNOON WITH BACHAR AND BRIDWELL
One summer afternoon in 1975 John Bachar, Bridwell and I went to the base of El Cap to have fun, take a play day. John was 18 years old and the year before had done among other things the FA of the tiny Short But Thin with Tobin Sorenson; we ended up at its base which is between The Slack and La Cosita. So we all just hung out there, roped the little 5.11b route and had fun in the shade for a few hours. After awhile it seemed that we were done but then John without any announcement, got up and walked over to the base of his climb again this last time without a rope while Jim and I sat in the talus. It was one of John’s very early solos. The last photo here shows him just about to clear the ropes away for his solo. He enjoyed it clearly and seemed to derive an important sensation from his 30 foot climb. Jim and I weren’t worried as we watched and of course John climbed perfectly. At the time it seemed the perfectly natural next thing to do. Jim had been kind of mentoring Bachar for a few years and they were close friends.
|
|
Scout 2
Trad climber
Placerville
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 06:36pm PT
|
Hey peter
thanks for posting that little gem, more days like that...
Cheers
|
|
Russ Walling
Gym climber
Poofter's Froth, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 06:58pm PT
|
Way to break with the moldy stuff! Bravo!
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 07:00pm PT
|
Well done Peter! Great pictures of Jim and John. Hits my nostalgia button.
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 12, 2009 - 07:02pm PT
|
me too, friends!
|
|
'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 07:07pm PT
|
Great stuff! Were you too mesmerized to take a photo of John's solo ascent?
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 12, 2009 - 07:11pm PT
|
PtPP, I think I had packed the Nikon by that point. I think John had been kind of inwardly debating whether to solo it and just as it became apparent we were leaving really soon, he fired it off, you see.
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 07:59pm PT
|
that's a good set of images.
what would we have done without the internet?
thx Peter.
|
|
martygarrison
Trad climber
The Great North these days......
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:04pm PT
|
great post!
|
|
MisterE
Trad climber
One Step Beyond!
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:19pm PT
|
What a gem - Peter hits the right notes yet again.
Erik
|
|
graham
Social climber
Ventura, California
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:24pm PT
|
Those were the best!
Thx
|
|
Mimi
climber
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:31pm PT
|
Thanks Peter. Just what we needed.
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:51pm PT
|
thanks for the work to show us those great images from a summer afternoon 34 years ago
who knows where the time goes?
|
|
seamus mcshane
climber
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 09:08pm PT
|
Days like that are the only ones we really remember.
Great weather, great rock, great times, and better friends.
RIP John Bachar.
Amazing history Mr. Haan. Bravo!
|
|
pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 09:08pm PT
|
this is so awesome!
totally stoked to see this!
|
|
Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 11:22pm PT
|
Thanks, Peter.
Rick
|
|
Studly
Trad climber
WA
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 11:34pm PT
|
The years go by like flipping thru the pages of a book. Thank you Peter for capturing an afternoon in time that years later is appreciated by so many. I was just up there at the base of La Cosita, and like so many climbs and places, you can sense the passage of the ones before you if only you take the time. Its one of the things that make the Valley such a special place. Right on.
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Jul 12, 2009 - 11:54pm PT
|
The years go by like flipping thru the pages of a book. Thank you Peter for capturing an afternoon in time that years later is appreciated by so many.
Geez, that's so true. Thanks, Peter!
|
|
Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
|
|
|
Jul 13, 2009 - 01:21am PT
|
Really Special Peter Haan, and thanks .......
Of so many pics that have been posted of Mr. JB I like your last one. It's right up there with the best. A photo that shows the long strong legs....and I'm told it's all about the legs in climbing. :D Peace to you Peter and Cheers to a great Dude.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Jul 13, 2009 - 01:40am PT
|
It is indeed short but thin - I remember it being a quite balancy lieback/stem thing. Here's Eric Weinstein on it, in October 1976.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!