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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 16, 2009 - 01:21am PT
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more Bruce humor
say the route name quickly over and over. you'll get it eventually. :)
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Jun 16, 2009 - 02:08am PT
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I am so sorry to hear this. My blessings to his family and friends.
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skajhook
Gym climber
Ronninge, Sweden
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Jun 16, 2009 - 02:25am PT
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This is so sad and I feel so sorry for Em. He was a truly inspirational character and I still remember his laughter when we told him we were heading for south face of lone pine peak.. Bruce humor :-)
Erik S.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 16, 2009 - 03:10am PT
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The King out in no man's land finding the path for his people.
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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Jun 16, 2009 - 03:36am PT
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Bruce was a legend in my eyes, and clearly in those of many others. His posts on rec.climbing were some of the first I recall reading after picking up climbing back in the 90's. He was a straight-shooting, no BS kind of guy with a wicked sense of humor. Damn, he could tell a tale.
By pure chance I met him and Em the morning I arrived in Yosemite back in '95 (I think...it may have been '97). I had just pulled in from the long 12 hour drive and went straight to the bridge to park and go hang out in the meadow. I pulled in behind two folks who were racking up to go do some cragging and I recognized Bruce from pictures. I introduced myself and all three of us had some brief conversation about climbing, about life, and about the silliness of the internet. Almost in passing I made a comment lamenting how my recent marriage had cut drastically into my climbing time and I asked them how they managed to work it out. They both grinned at each other and told me "we're not married!" I guess the knowing grin they shared was an inside joke for them, because it wasn't a couple of months later that I remember Karl posting up here on the Taco about their wedding ceremony. The legendary couple had finally tied the knot.
I'm grateful for the few moments our paths crossed. Em -- my heart goes out to you. The two of you were a beautiful, loving couple and our community is diminished greatly by his loss.
Ed
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Jun 16, 2009 - 10:13am PT
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Wow ... you go away for a few days and you come back to this....
Very sad. I never met Bruce but felt as though I had know him for a long time because of the taco stand.
Deepest sympathy and condolences to all family and friends.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Jun 16, 2009 - 11:02am PT
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A little climbing with Brutus...
I was fortunate enough to be able to rope up with Brutus (and Em) occasionally. The first time was in June of 1995, almost exactly 14 years ago. If Brutus had a "signature climb", it had to be the Steck-Salathe, and I know he spent a lot of time up there, both climbing, and doing maintenance on the route. I "met" Brutus initially via the early days of rec.climbing and then for real through my friendship with Inez Drixelius, who climbed a lot with Bruce back then.
Bruce picked me up at the airport in Oakland to head to the Valley. he'd been doing some bolt replacing up high on the route and had a pile of gear still up on top of Sentinel. We drove on out, loaded up packs with bivy gear, and headed up the dreaded descent gully.
A ways up the descent, we ran into 300 feet of snow blocking the way. Climbing up this with a big pack in half-blown-out running shoes felt pretty harrowing at the time, but Bruce led the way, kicking good steps for me in the snow with his heavy boots.
Bruce near the notch to the side of the summit area, still smiling, happy in a place he loved.
Near the top, we dropped off our loads. Brutus headed off to a snowbank to stash some of the refrigerated-type goodies, and I headed to the top to boil some water and drop off the bivy gear. We loaded up the maintenance gear and headed back down.
That night, the three of us bivied on the slopes below Sentinel, rising at 5am to a scones and fresh blueberry breakfast. We were headed to the base of the route before 6am.
Brutus headed up the first pitch at 6;12am. We had a long day ahead.
That first pitch was a bit of a wakeup call that early in the morning, with surprisingly burly climbing right off the bat. Bruce was relaxed and confident.
Headed up the third pitch with Inez belaying.
Brutus at home in the depths of the Wilson Overhang.
My favorite shot of Brutus, as he gets set to enter the Narrows pitch. We'd talked quite a bit about this pitch before the route, with Bruce telling stories about some large friend who'd nearly gotten stuck, but when he would scream, his chest would contract just enough to allow movement. I wasn't excited about that prospect, so I opted to go outside. After leading the pitch in about five minutes, Bruce pulled up the rope, clipped a few cams on it, and then swung it back into the chimney (outside the chockstones) so that I could tie in and climb up the outside. I was very grateful.
The day was long, and some of the night as well. We topped out on the route at 11;59pm, Bruce leading the way up the last pitch via headlamp. After I climbed, he left me to belay Inez while he headed off down to the notch to retrieve the food. As others have said, there were always things to do and he did 'em. That night, we didn't have a bivy-style snack. We had a full on feast, starting with huge grilled prawns. Then mushroom and rice pilaf along with the usual chicken "tits", all the while passing around a couple of nalgene bottles, one with water, and one with wine. Hands down best summit celebration I've ever had. Bear in mind, I had no idea what was on the menu, or what Bruce had smuggled up to the notch to bury in the snow. I think he quite enjoyed the surprise and delight as each new luxury was announced and savored.
The next morning, as the sun woke us, Brutus came over and handed me a large bottle of cold Mountain Dew, which he'd found out from Inez was my go-juice of choice in the morning. I was speechless to think that he'd lugged something so heavy, yet so trivial all the way up there just to make my morning better. As others have said, that was just the way he took care of his partners.
We spent some time hanging out up there, enjoying the warm sunshine and basking in the glow of a successful climb. To this day, whenever I think of Brutus, I think of him statuesque posing like this atop Sentinel Rock.
We'll miss you brother. Rest in peace.
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guyman
Trad climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Jun 16, 2009 - 11:19am PT
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Sorry to say I never was lucky enuf to have climbed with Bruce.
His climbs have spanked me a few times, so I feel like I knew him.
He will live forever, his climbs will continue to spank climbers long into the future.
Thank you Brutus.
Guy Keesee
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Jun 16, 2009 - 11:20am PT
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Beautiful story and pictures, Greg.
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mooch
Big Wall climber
The Immaculate Conception
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 16, 2009 - 11:33am PT
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Brutus two weeks ago working the Wilson Overhang....on his 6th trip up Steck-Salathe with Em (her 1st). He sure put some love into that route!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jun 16, 2009 - 12:39pm PT
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oh, I'm so psyched to see pics from the recent "SS" trip!
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charley
Trad climber
nw pa.
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Jun 16, 2009 - 12:46pm PT
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Another great man I never met. So sad.
My condolences to family and friends.
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cleo
Social climber
Berkeley, CA
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Jun 16, 2009 - 12:58pm PT
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Oh geez, so sad. I only met Brutus once, at the Planet Granite, and he was stuffed into a chimney there - so cool to watch him.
My thoughts are with his friends and family.
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Pewf
climber
nederland
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Jun 16, 2009 - 01:12pm PT
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I'm so so sorry to hear this. It doesn't seem fair that a life so fully lived could end so quickly. I know there is little that anyone can do to ease the grief that those close to him are feeling now, but I hope there is some small comfort in knowing how many people were touched by Bruce's life. There are few people who can leave this earth so much improved by their thoughts and actions.
My deepest condolences to Em, Craig, and all who loved him.
Amanda
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amyjo
Trad climber
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Jun 16, 2009 - 01:16pm PT
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Dear Em
Thanks for the poem
Amazing woman that you are.
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Conrad
climber
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Jun 16, 2009 - 03:46pm PT
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Met Bruce on the Steck Salathe in 94 and at Peter's gym around the same time. I was looking forward to seeing him once again, in a predictably random place and time.
Sincere condolences to family and friends.
Peace.
Conrad
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Aging Trad
Trad climber
Austin, TX
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Jun 16, 2009 - 03:50pm PT
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Though I never met the man, I know that I and hundreds of others like me will miss him every day! My sympathies to his friends and family.
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14re3
Boulder climber
Twin Peaks ,CA
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Jun 16, 2009 - 03:53pm PT
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Thank you all for your pics & stories! I am his older brother (Jurel) jeff thank you again
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 16, 2009 - 04:02pm PT
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As you know, your brother was quite the guy, and touched a lot of us, deeply.
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