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Roots
Mountain climber
Redmond, Oregon
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Feb 20, 2018 - 02:10pm PT
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I have a vision that I may or may not live to see realized. Start a non profit which would include a climbers museum in Joshua Tree as well as a fund to help climbers financially. A board would be selected to make decisions and a finely tuned document to help them delineate how to make those decisions.
LL -
I would like to learn more about your vision..maybe start a new thread when you're ready?
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Feb 20, 2018 - 04:18pm PT
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I met Bridwell around 1989. He had been to the valley during the years I lived there ('84-'87), but generally in just enough days to fire off a first big wall ascent on El Cap or Half Dome, before jetting off for an another Alaskan adventure or European climbing trip.
He had just finished his new route Shadows on Half Dome and had invented a new tool for aid climbing. By this time I had been making a lot of new gear for big wall climbers, and he approached me with the idea. He came out to Flagstaff and I first heard a ton of stories about the old days as we drank and smoked thorough the nights. Here are some notes I made of the stories he told:
Then he showed me his new secret weapon for aid climbing--a collection of well beaten and worn sawed-off Chouinard Crack'n'ups, the gear that everyone in the 70's thought was a must-have, but ever since had been stashed in the archiac or broken gear bin. Brilliant! The simple ability to hammer a small thin hooked piton was Jim's vision and resulted in the innovation of the first thin hooked piton (the Czechs had some larger hooked pitons, but were not widely used). I agreed to build them and sell them and provide a 50 cent royalty per beak ($5.00 retail), so we got to work on the design. I also agreed to sponsor his trip to Patagonia that year as advance royalties ($5000). Here one of Jim's original sketch and the first A5 version, and also showing the many variations that came out within a few years after the A5 Birdbeak.
As any aid climber knows, the Birdbeaks revolutionised hard aid--instead of RURPs, which were shaped like a postage stamp and had to be smashed into seams, these could be delicately hooked and tapped to create a secure placement. My relationship with Jim was mostly business at first, but during those visits he made to the Southwest, we had a few adventures on the Navajo spires, including the Totem Pole a story I recounted for the bigwalls.net website (back then one of the few climbing specific websites).
In the 90's, I would see Jim more often at Joshua Tree and perhaps some trade shows, and got to know Layton and Peggy during some visits to his home in Tahoe and Palm Desert. We often talked about an expedition together, but it never got off the ground. I remember having deep discussions about philosophy and the world with Jim, he was an incredibly sharp when it came to describing a vision, but often seemed a bit frustrated when I couldn't quite follow all the logic in the discussions. It was pretty clear he had most certainly attained a different state of being and thinking from all the intensity he had been through on his skiing, climbs, and life in general, as there were often links with the incredible stories he told of his adventures interspersed with his wisdom.
Mostly, we talked about climbing gear when we hung out. He had a lot of ideas, and was always looking for someone to make them. Mostly hardware, but a lot in clothing too (his experiment with wearing a wetsuit on a cold wet Alaskan wall is legendary). Here is an ice tool idea he had before there was anything else like it:
Jim had a deft artistic hand, here is a proposed Beak revision:
Bridwell was an inspiration in many ways. I so appreciate having gotten to know him, but also for his visionary progression in big wall climbing. His climbs in Yosemite, Alaska, Patagonia, and all the other places all have subtleties when it comes to innovation and style. He really paved the way to find radical experiences on big walls. Rest in peace, Jim, and my condolences to Peggy and Layton and all his very close friends who found joy and inspiration from Jim.
--John Middendorf
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Feb 20, 2018 - 05:18pm PT
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It is an unfortunate fact that thousands of Americans in Jim's and Peggy's position are severely strained financially during the last six months of life. So many people are bankrupted this way, it's terrible the way our system works.
Because of the YOSAR connection, he more than deserved a special pension from the U.S. Park Service for putting his own life at risk to save others.
Although I never met him, the one story I heard that bears repeating is how, when Billy Westbay was dying, Jim came to the hospital. It's like "I am your friend to the end, I've got your back." That's the kind of man he was. My condolences to all his friends and family.
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Feb 20, 2018 - 05:35pm PT
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Here are a few choice images from the Book of Dreams project that I organized a few years back to help out Jim. The notes that folks wrote were the best part of sending the book around.
Best wishes for Peggy and Layton.
Marty
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Feb 20, 2018 - 05:36pm PT
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Really like the pic on the GoFundMe site of Jim - a recent pic as an older man - in the meadow with his shirt off, in tights, looking fit - racking up, getting ready - whatever - something other than looking retired and past his game. I hope someday that is me, or like it.
Who in the history of climbing has maintained the level of bad-assery that Jim has, for so long? 5.11 before there was 5.11. Cerro Torre before it was cool - bypassed the pin ladder. Alaska - multiple hard routes. NIAD was his idea, as I read, he planned every detail. Multitude of hard aid on El Cap over decades. Insane. Any one of these ascents would have made the entire career of many of his peers - Jim just kept going and going. Much respect. Super cool life story.
Thanks eKat for the above posts - what friends he had.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2018 - 06:07pm PT
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What a friend WE had!
Peace
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TLloyd-Davies
Trad climber
Santa Clara, ca
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Feb 20, 2018 - 06:42pm PT
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Not that it's a good story, but here's mine for the record that was really meaningful to us and left an impression on me at the time (the shortened version).
Buddy and I were deep in the dirtbag years, he'd just joined Yosar and I was still living in the trunk of my car. Our climbing was improving and we decided to attempt the notorious Rostrum. Fate was not on our side that day and somewhere around pitch 3 or 4 Buddy went for a big ride, slamming into the wall and breaking a number of bones in his foot. While I pushed for a rescue, Buddy flat out refused and insisted we were getting ourselves off. What ensued next was a ridiculous day of self-rescue involving lowering him from the climb, dragging ourselves down to the river, setting up a tyrolean to get him across, and an epic episode of hitchhiking back to the hospital.
The next day, bloody and bedraggled, we stumbled to the ranger showers to clean up. On the way there we ran into Bridwell, my first time meeting this legend. The encounter was brief, he casually paused as he looked us up and down, and the only words he spoke were something along the lines of, "I heard about what you did yesterday, nice work."
We glowed as he walked away, giddy to have received the approval of the original YOSAR.
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mastadon
Trad climber
crack addict
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Feb 21, 2018 - 07:01am PT
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I remember that Kevin. I used to laugh when i’d walk past Werner’s tent at night and see a light on. Not a headlamp or candle light, a real light.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Feb 21, 2018 - 08:37am PT
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Ho man. The august Washington Post—celebrated in books and a current movie—honored Jim with a lengthy obituary.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/jim-bridwell-free-spirited-climber-who-conquered-yosemite-dies-at-73/2018/02/18/76e3c654-14be-11e8-92c9-376b4fe57ff7_story.html?utm_term=.87fc44ce6146
Dr. Juan Largo is quoted as a source on Jim’s medical history:
"It was on one such trip, a 1980 traverse of Borneo, that Mr. Bridwell may have contracted the disease that eventually killed him, his wife told the AP. He received a tattoo from a tribe of reputed headhunters, as well as a severe stomach ailment that Mr. Bridwell initially believed was cancer.
Rather, it was “a tapeworm the size of a black mamba,” his climbing partner Long later wrote. Amid a “titanic bender,” a resigned Mr. Bridwell eventually purged the parasite from his body.
“Legend has it that the Bird was instantly restored to his former hale self,” Long continued. “Fetching the adder by the neck, he dispatched it, diced it into a frying pan, and offered it to Camp Four passersby. When challenged to sample a morsel himself, the Bird replied, ‘No thanks. I’m a vegetarian.’”
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VDub
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Feb 21, 2018 - 10:41am PT
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An inspiration to us humble mortals. In my mind, the Bird was the standard bearer for the "Second Wave" of epic Yosemite wall-rats. A connection for me back to the Golden Age...
I had the thrill of climbing the Nose one February, on a completely empty El Cap, until the end of our second day, when we heard (later) that Jim jumped on below us. That was about as close as I ever got to him, but he still resonates throughout my climbing psyche.
No disrespect to other posters meant by this, but don't rest in peace Jim, make some noise and climb on!
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Ward Trotter
Trad climber
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Feb 21, 2018 - 11:57am PT
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Deepest respects and heartfelt condolences extended to Mr. Bridwell's family,friends, and fellow admirers.
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Al_T.Tude
Trad climber
Monterey, CA
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Feb 21, 2018 - 12:22pm PT
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Just climbed Snake Dike 2 weeks ago (in February!). While alone at the summit I thought about Jim ascending this amazing route to this glorious summit for the first time with Eric Beck and Chris Fredericks over a half century ago. I had no knowledge of his health issues, I just enjoyed soaking in that view and trying to imagine what the experience was like for him. One of his many enduring gifts to the climbing community.
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nasagal
Trad climber
South Bay SF
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Feb 21, 2018 - 01:31pm PT
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Jim The Keith Richards of the climbing world
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Feb 21, 2018 - 02:43pm PT
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wow. appreciating all the pics and stories.
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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Feb 21, 2018 - 04:06pm PT
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I found myself on Bridwell climbs at a couple of significant times. Mariko and I, shortly before we married, did Snake Dike. She has since dropped out of climbing, but she's always pleased to tell people "I climbed Half Dome--not just the hike!" Jim made that possible for a lot of people.
The summer before Nick, our youngest child, went off to college, he, daughter Erika, and I climbed Braille Book--late start, slow going, bivouacking as darkness caught us a couple pitches below the top. Nick played oboe in high school orchestra, and he began whistling, note-for-note, the opening bars of Night on Bald Mountain. We laughed hard and were able to face a long night in good spirits. Thanks to Jim for helping us stretch our limits.
I got to know Jim in 2011, the year I spent guiding in Joshua Tree. We seemed to hit it off easily, I think partly because my last name is "Bird". I also kept an open mind to Jim's interest in the automatic-written Book of Urantia, which I later took a more serious look at--one of the many paranormal sources for my own worldview.
I appreciate Eppy's photo of Jim's workshop above. Jim had more tools than I do and he organized them better.
I've come to believe in reincarnation, mostly because I think that's where the facts lead. Our souls grow spiritually through every life we live. There are young souls, middle-aged souls and old souls. Elmer Green--scientist, mystic, and pioneer of biofeedback--stated that we're all here attending "earth school" and, no matter what our past lives have been, we're currently, in the here and now, at the top of our individual soul's evolution. We adventurers should know that there is more adventure ahead, and I think adventure is good for the soul. 'Best to you there, Bird. You've adventured well and given us much.
While at "The Pit" at Josh, I also got to know Jim's close friend, Phil, climber, sculptor, and veteran of the Tuolumne S & R. I know that Phil looked out for Jim quite a bit in Jim's last years, and I think he deserves a note of thanks from Jim's many fans.
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Rollover
climber
Gross Vegas
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Feb 21, 2018 - 04:26pm PT
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Do climbing photos get more iconic?
Edit for Chad U.
Give me a shout when you are back in Vegas man!
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Rollover
climber
Gross Vegas
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Feb 21, 2018 - 04:36pm PT
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When I moved to Squaw Valley in 1991 Bridwell and Schmitz
were legends around the mountain.
Their faces were ever present on my boss Peter Hipp’s wall of fame.
Pete started at Squaw in 1969 so his wall was a veritable timeline of
adventure athletes.
But there was a special connection of all Lift Mechanics
and Ski Patrolman largely due to the community response to
the 1978 accident..
Sadly 4 people died.
Near blizzard conditions and high winds didn’t stop the tram from running at 12 m/s.
Very fast by today’s standard.
One of 2 track ropes was twisted out of the carriage and flew skyward.
The car plummeted at first but..
The equal and opposite reaction was the cable dropping down to the rapidly rising
Car. Cutting it in half. The cable weighs 12 pounds per foot....
Everyone in the Squaw Valley community came together to rescue the survivors from both cars in
hair raising spots... all during a blizzard..
Apparently ropes were borrowed from Schmitz to
help with the Tower 1 (other one) car rescue.
A possible 600-700’ rappel in a freaking maelstrom
of winds.
A local friend of Peter’s named Dale Cox was in the car from the photo above.
It was his 18th? birthday that day..
One stormy day he stopped by Lower Lifts and recounted
the story for us Lift Mechanics.
It was the culmination of all our worst fears.
I will never forget it.
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TomCochrane
Trad climber
Cascade Mountains and Monterey Bay
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Feb 22, 2018 - 01:23am PT
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we were both teenagers in camp 4
i was the older kid climbing with the big guys, royal and sacherer and kor (all in their 20s...LOL)
he was 'that new kid' even younger than me
we followed our separate paths and decades later we discussed our well synchronized philosophical perspectives
so who among you back then would have predicted his 'bird' body dying in bed?
he lived full well, and spent decades studying how to fit his experiences into a larger perspective, and sharing what he learned
he knew well, confirmed by personal experience; body death is a local illusion
so enjoy without fear what you can of life, and try not to die with regrets you could have avoided
the spirit can never die and is simply freed up for yet another adventure
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Feb 22, 2018 - 08:15am PT
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Jim was definitely one of the most inspirational characters in climbing for me, and I'm honored to have gotten to spend a little time with him.
One early summer evening around a dozen years ago a friend and I were standing by the back of her truck in the Lodge parking lot laughing because we had racked up to squeeze a final pitch in for the day, but realized that all of our ropes were in my truck down by the Cookie. Seemingly out of nowhere from behind us in a cloud of cigarette smoke, Jim Bridwell (?!!...omg, that's Jim Bridwell!) strolled up with a couple of devout teenage boys literally orbiting him and asks us what we're up to. After exchanging hellos and hearing about our silly predicament, he went to car parked next to us and pulls out a rope that was so new that I think it was still factory coiled. This was before cell phones were ubiquitous, and he just told us to have fun trusting that we'd find him in one of the places that climbers hang out when we were done with it...which of course, wasn't very hard to do.
It must have been shortly after he loaned us the rope that another partners' last minute change of plans led us to spend the day doing the El Cap layback with Jim hearing his tales of Alaskan expeditions and the new route he was going to put up on El Cap. I was impressed and undoubting of the idea that this legend who looked as old as Father Time was about to add to his ticklist, though he must have been reckoning with closing the book on long, hard walls as he scoped this one from the meadow.
On the handful of times that I ran into him in Joshua Tree after that he always seemed happy to have a willing ear to listing to his stories. I felt bad that the multi-billion dollar climbing-inspired clothing industry didn't do a better job taking care of this living legend who did so much to create their caché and have been impressed by the generosity of his friends. My sincere condolences to his family and all who were close with him.
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Fritz
Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Feb 22, 2018 - 08:54am PT
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I enjoyed some beers & conversation with Jim Bridwell back in the day, in Yosemite. He was a living legend when I met him, but also a kindly & tolerant human being.
I scuffle my feet for a second or two, look into the distance, and sigh----
It would likely be May of 1978, in the crowded Mountain Room Bar, when Jim Bridwell & his girlfriend politely asked if they could share a table with my Idaho buddy, Mark & me.
Mark & I had been drinking, a fair amount of beer, to celebrate our 3rd day of surviving being visiting “turkeys” from Idaho, while climbing in Yosemite.
We had some more beer with Bridwell & his girlfriend, while making small talk, without sharing introductions.
Mark overheard him say something about Upper Cathedral to another person and leaned over and asked him what he thought of Braile Book. Bridwell smiled and said something about really liking the route, since he had done the first ascent. At this point Mark stuck his hand out and said “Yes I knew that, you’re Jim Bridwell aren’t you?”
I had a firm image of Bridwell, from magazine photos, in my drunk mind & it didn’t match the man talking with Mark. As they shook hands, I blurted out:
“You’re not Bridwell! Bridwell has a mustache!”
Bridwell laughed, stroked his face, and pleasantly remarked that Bridwell did not now have a mustache.
I stumbled through an apology, then slumped back against the wall with my “red-face,” while Bridwell & Mark chatted pleasantly about climbing.
It was only one beer later that Mark looked seriously at Bridwell and said:
“Do they just pound those chrome-moly pitons right into the rock, or what??”
Bridwell looked like he had been pole-axed and could only stare dumbly, while my mind recalled that Mark had been very-impressed by the thin aid-crack on Bishop’s Balcony, when we had climbed Bishop’s Terrace a a day earlier.
I quickly mentioned the Bishop’s Balcony aid-crack was what Mark was likely thinking of, and Bridwell haltingly explained that pitons need some kind of a crack to be driven into.
Bridwell now knew he had not one, but two, hopeless drunk-idiots sharing his table.
The conversation faltered, and Mark & I soon excused ourselves & stumbled out into the night, & practiced gobbling like turkeys on our way back to camp.
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