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DJMac
Big Wall climber
Bonedale, CO
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It feels like a lifetime ... so much respect for this man, for so many years. Not just for his climbing, but for being the incredible person he was. John was only a year older than me and I followed his mastery of climbing most of my life.
John, we will miss you man!
My prayers go out to John, his family and his closest friends.
I will continue to look up to you JB ... as I always have.
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Bill Mc Kirgan
Trad climber
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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Prayers for family, and friends, and all of us who looked up to this great individual. Rest in peace John Bachar.
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Strez
Trad climber
CA
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This is tragic news. John was truly an inspiration.
Rest in Peace
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storer
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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I am heartbroken. I just talked to John in Golden at his show and then we exchanged emails. Although I hadn't seen him since Camp 4 in the mid 70's I felt a real bond to him when I saw him again a week or two ago. I'm devastated. My condolences to his family.
Ann and I feel privileged, honored, to have heard him talk about the meaning of his life. I'm so sad.
Jonathan
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Just my interpretation of the Great Man taking the definitive journey
Peace
Karl
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john hansen
climber
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I never met John, but back in 84 or so, I was strolling along in the vicinity of Camp 4, when I heard the haunting sound of a solo saxaphone wafting down from some where up in the forest above.
I sat down on a rock and listened for a while as the soulful melodies echoed off the Vally walls and the late afternoon shade faded into the early evening twilight.
And I thought to myself, "Now that,, is pretty cool..".
Thanks John,,
John Hansen
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jeffw
climber
portland, or
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started reading this thread before i went out climbing today...didn't know him but he certainly had a lot of friends.
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diablo
Trad climber
sd,ca
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JB.....RIP. I'm sad. My Condolences to all close to John.
Jeff Almodovar
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Juanito
Social climber
San Diego, CA
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Thanks Phil for posting those photos. I started climbing in 82/83 so those were some of the first climbing images that I ever saw. Bachar was just such a hero to me at the time and inspired me in so many ways. That poster of him soloing on the Cookie (or was it Lunatic Fringe) used to hang in my room back home. (I still have it stored out back I think.)
My portrait that I shot of him at the J Tree reunion still hangs in my office. When I look at John, he still reminds me of what it's like to be the undisputed best in the world. What it's like to follow your own path. Tomorrow, when I sit at my desk and I see John looking back at me, all of that will be mixed with sadness. Farewell John Bachar.
John
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Blitzo
Social climber
Earth
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Those are nice, Karl!
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BeeHay
Trad climber
San Diego CA
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Tuolumne, mid eighties. It's one of those incredible Indian Summer days, October maybe, I'm up from the Valley for a last fix for the year. I'm doing my little "junior's solo circuit". Psyching up for Golfer's Route I think, on Low Profile, here comes Bachar, strolling down from who knows what. There's maybe six climbers in the whole flippin' Meadows!
Well he comes right over and chats, like I'm an old pal. We're climbing at levels that are worlds apart, but we're each out there alone, enjoying the magic of that place. The topic of crystals came up, I guess, 'cause he parted with the advice "stay on the smaller, embedded ones."
I hear that admonition to this day, whenever I'm tempted to yard on a sucker jug. I'm a couple of years older than him, but I heed that advice from Uncle John.
Brad Huys
PS, I also got to enjoy the" El Cap Jam Session" from Camp V, although I think it was for someone else!
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bootysatva
Trad climber
Idylwild Ca
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I thought about john a lot today while soloing Jensons jaunt and the trough at Tahquitz. John saw me struggling on stem jam in hidden valley camp ground back when the fire cat had just come out. He came up to me like a drug dealer and said " wana try these" I sent it first try and bought 2 pairs. He was the biggest influence on many of us. Peace JB EA
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Andy Puhvel
climber
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When I was a 14-year-old boy growing up in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, photos of John Bachar meant one thing: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! For a generation of climbers, of people, Bachar meant this.
I was nearby the day he died, sitting on top of Crystal Crag in the High Sierra sun. The day was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I had soloed up Crystal Crag, which sits right above the Dike Wall and has a decent view of it. My good friend James was visiting town, and we were soloing together. The Mammoth Crest was windy that day, with strong, fun gusts blowing through. The temps were perfect. The stone was beautiful. The stone was absolutely mother-f*#king beautiful. It was Granite.
As we topped out near the end of the North Arete on Crystal, we stopped for a visual tour of the area.
The high country was immortal, a place where spirits dwell, not humans, at least not for long. The Mammoth Crest was very close, half-an-hour hike, very close to Crystal Crag and the Dike Wall. The Mammoth Crest, where the wild winds of the Pacific Ocean world wave jet stream blast up the San Joaquin River drainage and flood the minds of young men to embrace life. The winds and storms funnel themselves year after year upstream and up canyon, up and over the top of the Sierran dream, the Yosemite chant, the high country surfer, the ropeless warrior, as the glacier carved us tribesmen a history of deep knowledge.
So Bachar's course was set. He could not say NO. He was there that day and it was beautiful in his backyard--close to the spirits, away from the crowds. It was in the 70's which was nice, and it was his, and that made it perfect. He lived close to the crest. Most of the tribe had scattered, but the elders knew no other life and had stayed in the vicinity--Bachar, Kauk, Werner, Croft. The elders stayed, for life was found close to the crest.
So Bachar soloed the day he died, and the winds blew over the crest of his life and he thought about it as he fell, and there he was, as he had thought about it ten thousand times, as he had thought about it a million times, in dreams, moments, moves, reaches, smears, breaths...yet he had held onto the knowledge and the belief that anything is possible, mother f*#kers!
I stood and stared at the Dike Wall, right there below, in the shade, its slightly overhanging walls of perfect jewels for his fingers. Where he meditated. I showed my friend James the wall and explained it was a good wall, sitting perched there above the emerald lake, in the talus of perfect geological fate, in the sacred timing of falling heroes. He was there that day, as I gazed through the growth of green needles on trees of willow and pine and juniper which framed my view of where Bachar fell. There, in the truth of the Californian sun, he discovered he was there. I hope, John, you were happy there. Thank you. We love you.
Andy Puhvel
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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" stay on the smaller embedded ones" classic, just goes to show.
Man the guy loved to climb and share the experience in his own way.
I'm getting the feeling he shared it with a lot of people, just in passing at obscure crags.
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apogee
climber
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Andy, thank you for that- it is wonderful.
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Tom Berg
Social climber
seattle
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My name is Tom Berg and John was my cousin. The news of John's passing has hit us hard as it has hit you guys and gals. After reading all these wonderful messages and having one of my great friends be on the Mammoth Rescue team I'm greatful to you all and to you Scott. John loved more that anything to climb and loved Tyrus and his family so much. He loved all of you and please don't forget this. As the world has lost the Greatest Mountain Climber that lived , I am positive that you all will keep climbing in his honor and every once in awhile take a time-out and look up. John will be at the top cheering you on. John has reached the top and will miss you all. He died doing what he loved and wouldn't have wanted it no other way. It was a beautiful day with the greatest backdrop god could make. From Johns Family thank you all for the greatest sympathies.
RIP John.
Always Loved and Never Forgotten
As John Would Say,
Cheers,
Tom
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sowr
Trad climber
CA
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We need grand old men to help guide the sport into the future - and now we'll have one less of them (and one of the brightest lights at that), this loss will grow as the years move forwards and away from his influence...so now, he really is a legend, never to be seen on the rock again, just a story to the next generation - this is where the loss lies from a rock climbing point of view.
As for his family, well, anyone who has lost a loved-one will know and send their sympathies.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Wanted to honor a very unique, gifted and kind man today. To find a place to draw away and remember his family, special people and friends in his life in prayer and positive thoughts. To reflect on a life and a pilgrimage. I was aiming for the mountains but ended up here.
The People's Wall in La Jolla... because Mr. Bachar was all about people. Reading this Thread and so many comments about JB , this man was indeed all about people. He cared.
John was scheduled to speak here at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art. What a loss. He had been working at many projects for the next great part of his life.
John literally emerged from the Rock.....
And walked his Golden Trail.
And like any truly great person had waves of controversy in his life.....
Taking the tokes of age his philosophy of climbing and caring never changed.
The sun finally set for you, John Bachar, July 5, 2009. You remain true always to your loved ones, your friends, your philosophy of rock and ...your caring. Peace Dude and Cheers Amigo. Thanks for all.
"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace."
Lynnie
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Avajane
Trad climber
Seattle
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What a huge loss to his friends and family, and to the climbing community. I didn't know him, but I brushed past his life several times over the years. Once on Fairview Dome in the mid 80's, he cruised past me solo while I was at a stance. He was very polite and gracious as he excused himself. Of course he didn't know it, but a few years earlier (79 or 80) I was stuck in Tuolumne and had put up a note looking for partners to climb 5.9's with. I got a reply with his name on it saying "I only climb 5.11, after pre inspection." So I guess he did climb fleetingly with me - and only on a 5.9.
He was "the" climbing hero of my generation, and we feel his passing deeply. It seemed like he was always climbing the hardest, the fastest, and the boldest on the biggest stage at the time, Yosemite. Most climbers like myself couldn't try to emulate him - we could only shake our heads in awe. So much of what he did was so ahead of it's time.
If I ever get to do another first ascent I will name it after him, as long as I get the balls up enough to do it in good enough style. His was the best!
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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Couple of thoughts that struck me as I keep coming back to this thread.
You don't hear any creeps saying that what he did was stupid or reckless. JB was just that solid. Anyone who's seen him climb knew he was solid.
Also, I'm straight, but after seeing a grip of photos of JB, I have to say, the man could rock the short shorts!
Hope you're smiling down on us John - climb on
TC
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