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the Fet
Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
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Feb 21, 2008 - 11:46am PT
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Bump, I just had time to read Rokjox's fantastic story above.
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Wyoming
Trad climber
Sacramento CA
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Feb 24, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
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As a reporter for the Los Angeles Times on Jun 2, 1994 I wrote a story-review about the premier showing of Cliffhanger in Los Angeles. The movie story, absurd in many ways, involves millions in cash tossed from a plane onto the peaks. The story was supposed to be in the Rockies, but it was filmed in the Dolomites because director Rene Harlin (no relation, I'm sure) said the Rockies were "too inaccessible" but more likely that they could not film in wilderness areas. Those involved in the filming includede David Breahears. Ron Kauk, Wolfgang Gullick, Jim Bridwell and Georgia Phipps, then a colleague of mine on the AAC board of directors, with an incredible stunt fall. Some assumed, as I wrote, that the movie was based on Jeff Long's novel "Angels of Flight." But co-producer Gene Hines said he conceived of Cliffhanger with John Long after seeing a television film of Yosemite climbing and getting to know some Yosemite climbers. He said Jeff Long had no special rights to the story since John had been in Yosemite at the time and knew all about the Merced Lake crash. I wrote that the script finally emerged after "traveling a tortuous trail fraught with legal threats..." Indeed, the credits say the film was "based on a premise by John Long and ranks Hines as one of three co-producers, not as a creator." That stirred a hornet's nest within the production company, as John may remember. Coleco--it may have been Harlin--called and railed at me, claiming there never was any threat of a lawsuit and threatened me with all sorts of dire things. I decided then never to mess with those movie people. If any apologies are due to John Long over this matter, I heartily offer them now, with great admiration for his work, some years later.
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wcm
Trad climber
cardiff, ca
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Feb 25, 2008 - 02:47pm PT
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Sorry just came into the last part of this thread, read a ton of the thread so far and am very excited to hear if the book is out or not...?!?!?!
These stories remind me of some of Allan Weisbecker's novels, which are very entertaining and contain some truth.
http://www.aweisbecker.com/books/banditos/
So my question is, Has the book been published? Title? etc....
cheers and thank you!
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 25, 2008 - 09:25pm PT
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WCM...no, its still piles of data that are slowly evolving into flowing text.
By the way, today I met with Rod McKenzie. What a great guy, loads of stories and a very healthy appetite.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Feb 25, 2008 - 11:45pm PT
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Get him to tell you the Squirrel punting episode from his POV, Sweetshop, RIP!
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2008 - 01:54am PT
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A new twist to the story. I am now hunting down any info about Nadim Melkonian. I know he died in 2006. I'm looking for anyone that knew him during the plane crash period of the winter of 76/77. Can anyone help?
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Wonder
climber
WA
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I go away & then when i can lurk I see LEB creeping into this...
Lois please in all seriousness STAY OUT OF THIS THREAD PLEASE PLEASE YOU KNOW NOTHING.
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2008 - 02:17am PT
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What is that phrase...."hijacking a thread"?
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Wonder
climber
WA
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THANKS BRA..
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 15, 2008 - 01:44pm PT
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Another update. Of all the Federal agencies that I have sent FOIA requests, only Yosemite and the DEA have stepped up to the plate. The others claim that files and reports have "probably been destroyed" due to the passage of time. Ya gotta love it.
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Chaz
Trad climber
So. Cal.
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Apr 15, 2008 - 01:50pm PT
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If I get audited this year, I'm going with the "probably been destroyed due to the passage of time" excuse.
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 16, 2008 - 10:32pm PT
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Whats been interesting has been that many of the agencies tell me that what I'm asking for no longer exists. Yet I have a copy of it in my hands as I talk to them on the phone. I have great sources that are obviously better than the clerks in the office.
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 4, 2008 - 07:47pm PT
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Of all the government agencies that I didn't expect to step up to the plate, believe it or not....DEA has come through. Amazing to say the least! So stay tuned as I trickle some of the goodies that I find out. This ought to be great stuff.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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What???????
You still here?
When do I get a book for my Dorn leads? LOL
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 4, 2008 - 07:57pm PT
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I'd say any day now except people keep contacting me with more amazing stories. When I get one I have to dive into it to see if its really what happened or just part of the legend.
I've been sent down some pretty wild goose chases.
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xkyczar
Trad climber
denver
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May 28, 2008 - 11:33am PT
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So how about trickling some of those goodies?
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dolomite_said
climber
the real
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May 28, 2008 - 01:10pm PT
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any info about the ranger who was supposedly "offed" while on a night-time rescue with yosar (whodunit) ? i think that's why you still see this tightlip-ness here , not so much the drug aspect .
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - May 30, 2008 - 02:55am PT
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"Ranger"? Offed?....is this rumor or fact? Tell me more. If you mean Jack Dorn. He was neither a ranger nor was he "offed".
As for trickling info. Currently the DEA and FBI have both told me they are pouring through their files trying to come up with anything from that event. The problem is the time that has passed.
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Licky
Mountain climber
California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 11, 2008 - 12:59am PT
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This evening I was contacted by a guy that was one of the chief mechanics for the Dee Howard Company from the 50s. This was the company that did the conversion of the PV-1 Ventura to what it was when it went down in Lower Merced Pass Lake. I'll be meeting with him soon to hear some of his stories about this plane. They only produced 17 and all were accounted for except this one. Here is a link to a site that shows the only one of the original 17 still flying. Guess I'm letting the cat out of the bag.
http://howard500.com/
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Jul 11, 2008 - 01:34am PT
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Hi Licky,
Checked out the website, I think the "Remarkable baggage capacity" should be highlighted.
Ken
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