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Larry
Trad climber
Bisbee
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Dec 27, 2006 - 08:37pm PT
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Like several of us, I met Charlie only once, at an exploratory meeting to form the AMGA at the Grand Teton Climber's Ranch.
Black Elk was a high point of my climbing career. Jeff, if you could post pictures, it would be great.
Larry
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BrentA
Gym climber
Roca Rojo
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Dec 27, 2006 - 08:45pm PT
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During the darkest chapter of my life I was engulfed in self-doubt and uncertainty. My mummified foot did little to console me. Somehow I got Charlie's phone number and got ahold of him, as he was missing some toes too.
The call didnt last much more than five minutes, but it changed my outlook emmensly, and help forge the new me.
"Someday you'll forget they are even gone." "It will never be the thing that stops you unless you want it too!"
I never got to meet him in person to thank him, but seriously Charlie, those few minutes on the phone lit my world like nothing else could. THANK YOU!
I don't ever want to stop, and neither did you..cheers brotha.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Dec 27, 2006 - 08:49pm PT
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Yes Ron,
Charlie was popular with women and the converse was likewise true, as he tooks some great pictures of women on the rock over the years and tended to champion the female spirit.
There is some great footage of Charlie out there too.
One piece, title in Spanish, translated "The Broom of God", about a Patagonian ascent with Peter Gallagher and a couple others. I don't recall the name, but there was a short film featuring Charlie and others doing the first clean ascent of the Shield.
Charlie, you were the climber's climber.
Fly like that eagle bro.
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Oli
Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
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Dec 27, 2006 - 09:00pm PT
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I have endless stories of Charlie and many good photos. It's not easy to know where I would begin. I had been climbing quite a bit with Charlie around Boulder, and in 1984 when I was invited to be the guest speaker at the National British Mountaineering Conference my first thought was to invite Charlie. We felt a special connection to one another. Also I wanted a good partner, so that we could climb some of the classics in Wales and England. I wasn't going over there for two weeks and not climb every day. He stuck with me the whole trip. We fought at times over trivial things, such as who owed whom a roll of film, and so forth, but the friendship simply gradually solidified with increasing beauty with each climb. We were usually in the rain, bundled in warm coats, the rock wet and often slime coated. One afternoon I led the Left Wall of Cenotaph in frigid rain, and Charlie came up saying it felt to him like 5.12. These weren't exactly ideal conditions. I only managed that lead because I was anxious to get up and off and back to the warm tea, but also because he was an inspiration to be around. You could love him at the same time he unsettled you. Earlier along on the trip he had scolded me for making an apology for my climbing. I wasn't in great shape. So here on this route I felt I would simply go up and dispense with the insecurity and lack of self-confidence. My point in mentioning that climb is how humble he was. Whenever I did something well, he praised me. He slipped off a boulder problem the first ascent of which I am told I did at Stanage, during that trip to England, and he landed on the ground pretty roughly. It didn't phase him, and he said simply to the others watching, and to their surprise, that I was a master boulderer. He didn't make a single excuse for himself or complain that he'd forgotten to wipe off his muddy feet before starting. He was in no way embarrassed to have been in one tiny way outdone by one clearly over the hill. He simply had respect for me, and as I could tell, for all of his predecessors. He always gave anyone credit where credit was due. That was a rare and remarkable talent, as I saw it, in a new age of what seemed to me very often self-focused climbing. And in my case, I was nowhere as bold as he on the lead, never, and he was always fitter, and a truly fine artist of climbing. I had been fit briefly in my heyday in the late 1960s, but he was naturally gifted, far more so than I ever dreamt of being. I love the way people here so readily take note of his genial nature. He also had a sharp wit and could point out a fault in you, if one existed. I had plenty, of course, for him to play with, yet it was all ok, ultimately, when Charlie honed in on me, because we became like brothers. For now,
Pat Ament
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T2
climber
Cardiff by the sea
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Dec 27, 2006 - 09:02pm PT
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This is a really sad deal. Bad year for the tribe is certainly an understatement. I never tied in with Charlie but knew him on a first name basis from the craggs over the last 20 some odd years. He lived the life of a climber to the core. You will be missed by many from all over the globe Charlie. "Keep cranking on the other side my friend"
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2006 - 09:05pm PT
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The Shield thing was Rock 'n Road. I worked with Kyle on the crew of that on the Moab leg. La Escoba de Dios had some exciting personal interplay. lol
Brent, you've told me that story before but I'm really glad you told it here. Thanks.
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goatboy smellz
climber
boulder county
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Dec 27, 2006 - 09:18pm PT
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" Those last couple pieces cleaned themselves"
Classic movie, classic Charlie.
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hossjulia
Trad climber
Eastside
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Dec 27, 2006 - 09:35pm PT
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I got *stuck* in the cave at Eldo one rainy day with Charlie, Derek (ah hell, I'm so upset, my short term memory just fried, must be the, ah-hem, "safety meeting" we had then.)and a few others. Anyway, they were asking Charlie about some outrageous first ascents he had done. Man o man those stories raised the hair on the back of my neck. I thought he was insane. Later, I watched him mature in an impressive way. Always thoughtful, determined, tough, very sane. Made an impression on me, still does, perhaps more so than any other climber I know of.
This just sucks. I did not know Christine, or really anything about her. I quit following the rags a few years back. I've since learned enough to admire her greatly as well.
Heroes, both of them.
My sincere and saddest condolences to their family and friends.
I'm glad they went the way they did, just the two of them, pushing the boundaries. It helps put my petty little problems in perspective.
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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Dec 27, 2006 - 09:49pm PT
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I climbed and rigged the cameraman above Charlie (and team) on the clean ascent of the Shield for the TV movie, Rock and Road. No matter how tense things got due to the nuances of the tight shooting schedule, the occasional clusterf**ks, and/or personality issues, Charlie always was calm, cool, collect. Quiet and focused. Catching his eye during those times would generally spark a flash of his characteristic sly smile, letting me know that everything was alright. (He did the whole climb in mountain boots--for training purposes, I suppose).
He always had a great story too, no matter where I ran into him over the years.
This is very sad, and a great loss for the climbing community.
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Dec 27, 2006 - 10:15pm PT
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I was walking through Camp 4 one day back in 77 when this guy walked by and made eye contact with me. He had this crazed look in his eyes. I remember thinking man what's that guy's trip. Later I heard that someone had soloed the DNB. Then it all made sense. Sure enough it was Charlie. We climbed only a few times over the years but I always enjoyed his company.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Dec 27, 2006 - 11:13pm PT
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Deuce,
I forgot that you were along for that film shoot of the Clean Shield. So was another of your good friends, Xavier.
Will Oxx was part of your crew as well and he remarked so very much how well you all enjoyed being up there together.
I made the camera pack for Dan Mannix and he also took some still photos of the effort with a disposable camera. It was nice of him to give me these shots from the trip; I had to tweak the first one to pull some light onto Charlie's face.
Charlie & Beth Wald:
Xavier & Will:
Charlie & Friends climbing & filming on the Shield:
My heartfelt condolence to all of Charlie's dear friends and family.
Roy
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 27, 2006 - 11:22pm PT
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Long ago, I was standing around a campfire in Yosemite with a large group of climbers talking shop. Eric Weinstein held center stage as he extolled the virtues of Canadian granite to a somewhat skeptical local audience. At one point, having heard enough detraction in the midst of the great Valley walls all around, some spirited youth confronted Eric and demanded to know who the hell could make such an outlandish claim. Eric took a massive theatrical lungfull of air and faced the offender. "I am Eric Weinstein. Some call me the Squamish Chief," he said with a glare. From the other side of the fire came a Whillans-esque voice, "Oh yeah! I heard they called you the Squeamish Chief."
The circle erupted in laughter as the wind left Eric's sails. Of course, it was Charlie, taking up as much space with his humorous wit as Eric had in absurd posturing to the delight of us all.
His DNB solo was a real mind blower and one of the greatest feats of boldness and adventure in Yosemite's long and colorful history.
Charlie lived a climber's life, so I find some sense in his end though little comfort in the timing, loss, or finality of it. We never climbed together but I always followed his exploits and when we would meet there was a mutual respect that let me know he followed mine. We both came into climbing back when it was a small and exclusive pursuit.
Once I learned that he might be missing, I entertained the fantasy that the Himalayan Gods had called him up to provide assistance on some particularly stubborn cloud problems that they had conjured up for amusement. Who better to help out than Charlie! To the four directions he went, and in such an auspicious place. Until that Cheshire grin blossoms again on the next wonderchild, I will miss his fiery mixture of skill and desire.
The struggle is but a dream within a dream. Be at peace and rest now, Charlie and Chris.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 27, 2006 - 11:31pm PT
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Climbing in the late 70's and early 80's in the Boulder area was (for no choice of better words) lovely.
Most climbers knew each others and were somewhat connected by a degree or less.
I climbed with Charlie a few times on a rope and bouldered with him more. Strong, humble and somewhat quiet.
I'll remember him best...riding his bike up to Flagstaff, cranking like a demon, hopping on his bike and heading back to Boulder.
Peace Charlie...
Later, Bob
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Dec 27, 2006 - 11:36pm PT
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Some pictures of Charlie in early ice days.
Below the North Face of tthe Grand, prior to the first ascent of Route Canal, 1979.
Charlie on the upper pitches of Route Canal.
Charlie decked out for Birdbrain Boulevard with Wilford and Lowe. 1985
Charlie leading in Birdbrain
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10b4me
Trad climber
California
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Dec 28, 2006 - 01:00am PT
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damn, so sorry to hear this. it has been a tough year.
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Jimme
Mountain climber
ulaanbaatar
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Dec 28, 2006 - 01:38am PT
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Although we are still not sure, I would like to share this amazing story with you. At Mountain film festival earlier this year, Chris, Charlie and myself were planning a trip to Mongolia. I live there and as always we were also trying to plan the program for the next day.
Chris was doing her presentation in the morning, I went for coffee in town later, waiting for them to join for lunch. Ran into John Grunsfeld who did his presentation about the same time as Chris'.
When we discussed the program the day before all tree of us said "bummer", seeing Grunsfeld's presentation was about the same time.
I told John that we were sorry to have missed his story. He told me Charlie was his all time hero, Grunsfeld is an avid mountaineer himself but was never able to meet Charlie.
Guess what, both Chris and Charlie walked in. I introduced them and John gave us a private viewing of his slide show with awesome pictures of our favorite mountains from space. Turned out Grunsfeld was also Charlie's "hero".
Seems like it happened last week, gosh I will miss them, will always be embedded in my heart.
My heartfelt feelings, sympathy and respect to family, friends and you all, admirers. I am overwhelmed with all reactions on the websites and forums.
They will rest in peace, together............
Love and Peace, Jimme
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 28, 2006 - 01:47am PT
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Jimme, you live in Mongolia?
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Jimme
Mountain climber
ulaanbaatar
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Dec 28, 2006 - 02:09am PT
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Yes Ron, most of the year.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 28, 2006 - 02:13am PT
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I never met either Charlie or Chris, but they were present in spirit throughout the community...
My sympathy goes out to all of you who knew them and suffer with their loss. And my condolence to their families.
Maybe Werner already said this ... but as I posted before this is my favorite poem:
We are the puppets and fate the puppeteer
This is not a metaphor, but a truth sincere
On this stage, fate for sometime our moves steer
Into the chest of non-existence, one by one disappear.
from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
We will follow them all sometime, that is for sure, make every moment count.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Dec 28, 2006 - 02:16am PT
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Charlie and Christine taught my wife and I a self-rescue course in Leavenworth, Wa...over a long weekend.
They were excelent teachers for some of the most valuable lessons I've learned in climbing. They were also just a joy to be around...I feel lucky to have heard some of Charlie's fabled stories firsthand.
Sorry to hear about this. My condolences to family and friends, especially you Taco friends.
here's to them!
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