Joshua Tree Accident

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Dick_Lugar

Trad climber

Indiana (the other Mideast)

Mar 17, 2009 - 07:39am PT

Sincerest condolences to Woody's family and his extended family-the JT Crew: Locker, Todd, Cosmic, TGT, et al. A piece of solace is that he passed in a place he loved and he was loved and admired by many.

Delhi Dog

Trad climber

Good Question...

Mar 17, 2009 - 08:01am PT

My heart goes out to all of you who were close to Woody as well.

Seems the man made the most of the time he had and so many have lived richer lives because of him.

Hang in there folks. Life is precious as we find out in the hardest ways sometimes.

Peace and love,
DD

Patrick Sawyer

climber

Originally California now Ireland

Mar 17, 2009 - 08:15am PT

Sh#t, I would have liked to met and climbed with the man. RIP Woody.

Condolences to family and friends.

rhyang

climber

SJC

Mar 17, 2009 - 10:07am PT

Just got an email from Al - he "just" had two broken ribs (ouch), no back injuries, no internal organ damage (contrary to news reports). Hope you are able to get back out there soon !

KlimbIn

climber

Mar 17, 2009 - 11:03am PT

As an avid lurker I always enjoyed the antics. It is a great example of where I want to be in 20 years; on the rocks, climbing hard, having fun at 65, with good friends. Thank you Woody.

My deepest condolences to family and friends.

Sherri

climber

Mar 17, 2009 - 11:19am PT

Incredibly sad news. :(

michaelleemoore

Trad climber

Missoula, MT

Mar 17, 2009 - 11:43am PT

First, condolences to Woody's family. It's small consolation that he died doing what he loved.

Two, as a climber and a newspaper reporter, I know that the media often does a poor job of explaining climbing accidents, in part because most reporters don't climb and explanations of climbing accidents can be pretty technical.

We need to recognize the need for Woody's family to have some time, but it's also incumbent upon us, eventually, to talk about what happened with Woody and Al. That discussion makes us all safer as the rest of us climb past this tragedy.

But we should only do that when the time is right.

friendofthedevil

Social climber

california

Mar 17, 2009 - 11:55am PT

i am sad. :(

Gene

climber

Mar 17, 2009 - 11:55am PT

Locker,

That last image made me cry. My best to you and all of Woody's friends.

gm

Sam Chang

climber

Mar 17, 2009 - 12:10pm PT

I first met Woody when I wanted to learn how to trad climb. His profile on an old Joshua Tree climbing website (now merged w/ mountainproject) said he was retired and he was willing to help novices, so I sent him an email because I didn't want to pay for a guide. Over the next few years I made a number of trips out to JT to climb with him. Woody patiently showed me how to make gear placements on the ground, then gave me the rack and sent me up some 5.3s and 5.6s, and followed and commented on my placements. He essentially acted as a guide with a vast knowledge of the routes in JT, except I never paid a dime. In fact, he treated me to dinner and breakfast many times. I always enjoyed his stories about climbing and mountaineering back in the day, and I'd try to get him to tell them whenever I could.

He always spoke affectionately of his kids. He invited me to climb with him and Tia once, and when I was about to lead a pitch that Tia was to follow, he made sure to tell me to back up my anchor (when he's the only one following, he'd tell me not to spend too much time making a textbook anchor).

I don't know how to express how sad and shocked I am to hear this news. My sympathies to Woody's family and friends, and I hope Al has a speedy recovery.

tiki-jer

Trad climber

fresno/clovis

Mar 17, 2009 - 12:11pm PT

I just saw this and I too am crying.
I never met the gentleman but because of the taco-stand I believe I knew him. I will sorely miss hearing and reading the antics.
Rest in Peace, Sir!!

brotherbbock

Trad climber

Alta Loma, CA

Mar 17, 2009 - 12:41pm PT

This guy was a trooper. This last year he took a long fall at Tahquitz and broke his foot or something. He was right back at the gym training with a cast on! I just remember thinking that dude is hardcore, little did I realize how hardcore he really was after reading all these posts. Condolences.

luggi

Trad climber

Mar 17, 2009 - 01:10pm PT

My condolences to the family....

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Mar 17, 2009 - 01:42pm PT

True Desert Rat in the finest fashion. It's a bummer that we all don't have the time or funds to able to climb with folks we haven't met in person yet.

It would have been an honor.

Moof

Big Wall climber

A cube at my soul sucking job in Oregon

Mar 17, 2009 - 01:50pm PT

Bummer, and quite the loss of a great character.

I only met him a few times, and only did one route with him (Trundling Rainbow). Merely climbing at his age has been an inspiration, shaming me into getting off my fat ass. Tearing it up at his age was just damned impressive.

Happy Trails Woodster

happiegrrrl

Trad climber

New York, NY

Mar 17, 2009 - 01:53pm PT

Well I, for one, intend to curse the bejesus out of him, the entire grunt up Double Cross when I am there next week. In between grunts, that is.

And I know he would LAUGH his ass off to hear it.

I had a couple dreams with him last night. In one, he was sitting at the area around the Burrito, going "WTH happened?" Breath knocked out, discombobulated. I asked if he wanted to get up. He still needed time. I asked if he needed anything and he said something about his cats needing care. And then, there were his beloved cats. Right there, on his lap in JTree, comforting him.

Pretty nice dream, actually. He loved those cats. And he loved his children so much. Often made proud dad statements in these threads. The story about the safe anchor is a good one that shows exactly that.

INAWE

Big Wall climber

Riverside

Mar 17, 2009 - 01:55pm PT

Woody introduced me to climbing. We climbed many times at Joshua Tree and Tahquitz. He was the best climber and teacher I could have ever wished to instruct me. He was tough and I will forever appreciate my time with him, the skills he taught me and his never give up attitude.

RIP Woody...You will be missed.

Ropeburn

Trad climber

Riverside, CA

Mar 17, 2009 - 02:05pm PT

Locker,
I've never laughed my ass off more than with you two while we were relentlessly tormenting the woodman. It just never stopped until our bellys were sore from laughing and we had to shut up and climb.
I woke up this morning after a restless night and for a moment I thought it was a bad dream. I can't explain how much this sucks.
Blake

ps - was that a relative of Billy Blobbit I saw lurking in a previous photo?