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yedi
Trad climber
Stanwood,wa
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Jul 19, 2009 - 01:29am PT
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Still have my day pack. I keep patching it up. Bought it and the "Alpinist" pack at the "Red Baron Bicycle works" in Costa Mesa , Ca around 1975?. Used the Alpinist pack for a long time. Internal frame,was ok but never was great for lugging big loads. My buddy nick named it "Wilderness Experiment" . Still have hanging around somewhere.
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captain chaos
climber
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Jul 19, 2009 - 03:21am PT
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Here's a couple pics of Steve McKinney I took during our Wings over Everest expedition in 1986 for you Jim. Wilderness Experience was the clothing sponsor. Since I'm the one who took the photos your welcome to use them as you like. Also, I can tell you some stories from the expedition if you like... Craig Calonica
Steve McKinney on the west ridge of Everest getting ready for take off...
Steve McKinney in flight, Hornbein couloir in front of him...
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
the ground up
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Jul 19, 2009 - 04:04am PT
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" Climbed with Eric Alger, who worked at the mammoth store in the early eighties with Gary Mcdonnell (G-MAC).G- Mac still in town haven't seen Eric since '86 or '87. "
almost sounds like a seperate thread , but you (ESU) speak of before Mammoth Mountaineering Supply - - - the shop that was ultimately on old mammoth road ? it had an artificial wall towards the end .
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 19, 2009 - 01:28pm PT
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Yes, before Mammoth Mountaineering (btw they are a great store!). Wilderness Sports was the first mountaineering store in Mammoth. We were the first to sign a lease at the Old Mammoth Mall along with the Charthouse (1979?). This was the beginning of one of the many booms in Mammoth. Gary McDonnell was a manager at Pat's Sporting Goods in Long Beach and we convinced him to move to mammoth and run the store. And he has never left. But when that boom ended, so did the store. I closed in in 1985.
Craig - Thanks for the pictures of Steve. I would love a couple of stories and I will add them to the website.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jul 31, 2009 - 12:59am PT
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hey there say, just a bump... lots of interesting stuff in here... thanks for the share, all....
*edit: say, and there is a wild ekat story here, too... just now seen, as i had started from the "front of the posts" this time.. oh my... hard to decide where to jump in and read, on the ol' supertop... ;)
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 7, 2009 - 08:55pm PT
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Thanks Kath!
I've been in the Meadows for a couple of weeks and will be around a little longer if you are around.
Just check with the Tuolumne Meadows Campground Manager: Mike Waugh.
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Lori Hibbett
climber
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Oct 25, 2012 - 12:44pm PT
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Hey Jim,
I used to work at Wilderness Experience -- my name then was Lori Hood.
I am STILL using my WE sleeping bag! It never sheds down and if it were rated a little higher it would keep me warm at the 20 degrees I often find myself in. I'm so glad I found you. You made awesome equipment and my using the same sleeping bag after 30+ years is a testament to that!
Cheers!
Lori
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little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
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Oct 25, 2012 - 02:40pm PT
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WE Backpack, field testing still in progress, 30+ yrs.
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rich sims
Social climber
co
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Oct 25, 2012 - 02:49pm PT
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WEBs were great if you had six or seven toes on each foor.
Wore them once and quickly resold them LOL
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Simon McCartney
Mountain climber
Hong Kong
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Feb 28, 2013 - 08:12am PT
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Dear Jim, I chanced on this link from google. I am currently writing a book about two climbs I did with Jack Roberts (RIP), in 1978 we made the first ascent of the N face of Mount Huntington in 78' and in 80' we made the first ascent of the SW face of Denali. Originally I set out to create a simple work to honour my old friend (we lost touch after 81 and I never saw him alive again).
The work has turned into a significant book and I am reciveing amazing support from Pam Roberts and many other leaders in the Alpine Climbing community.
Anyway, Jack was connected with Wilderness Experience too, designing an alpine pack that we used on our climbs. I have just up-loaded a picture I took of Jack on the Huntington Climb sitting in a cold bivvie woth his 'Wild-X pack in plain view.
I would love to continue this conversation
'simon@illuminationphysicsasia.com'
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2014 - 07:46pm PT
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Simon, sorry I'm about a year late in answering you. I've been in Papua New Guinea and now Borneo and don't have internet very often.
If you are still working on the book about your climbs with Jack I would love to talk. Greg would also be a good source. He is still working (stupid!), currently president of adidas outdoor in the usa.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Feb 18, 2014 - 08:14pm PT
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Hey Jim! Ray here from Northwestern Mountain Sports in Moscow, Idaho.
It was always fun seeing you & Greg at trade shows back in the Pleistocene.
I was doing research in 1970's Mountain Magazines this weekend and turned up this full page ad you folks did in 1978.
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2014 - 08:59pm PT
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Hi Ray! Good to hear from you.
Thanks for the ad. When I get some time I want to add this and other things to the web page I created for Wilderness Experience. Maybe I can get a bunch of photos of products that are still in use to put on the site?
Yes, those were the days.
Jim
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 25, 2014 - 10:37pm PT
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Thanks to everyone for all the photos and stories.
I'm back in the USA (Mammoth) for the winter and with help from a few other people we are going to make a short documentary about the early years of Wilderness Experience. So many climbers were a big part of the company in the early '70s and we think it will be fun to save many of those stories.
Some of you I will contact directly, but if you have early stories, photos of equipment in use and anything you think may be fun. (Note to Donini: I promise not to tell any of your true stories.)
Thanks for any help or suggestions.
jimthomsen@outlook.com
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Nov 26, 2014 - 07:18am PT
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Of all the many packs in my garage, the Wilderness Experience pack is the one that keeps coming out of retirement.
Photo to come.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nov 26, 2014 - 07:22am PT
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Ah....those days at Wildex! What happens in Chatsworth stays in Chatsworth!
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Nov 26, 2014 - 08:53am PT
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Had my WX kletter sack for years. Beat the crap out of the thing and it never let me down.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Nov 26, 2014 - 09:04am PT
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Wow from the way back machine.....
Did you use Wilderness Experience equipment that worked well? Or did not work at all – like our one attempt at climbing shoes?
Crossed the Sierra a few times, light n fast using one of your soft packs...... they were pretty darn good.
Remember this dood???
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jimthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 26, 2014 - 05:24pm PT
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Of course, Peater!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nov 19, 2015 - 06:58pm PT
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The early days at WildEx were....well, wild! How did any of us survive those crazy nights in Vegas at Batista's.....let alone the parties at the NSGA show in Chicago. My lips are sealed.
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