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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Aug 17, 2018 - 07:14pm PT
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I am not sure how to respond to this news about Tom. No one, from that wonderful and now archaic era was more supportive and influential than Frost. Friend, mentor and helpful soul to many over the last 60 years I can't think of another individual so concerned about our survival as a tribe and so concerned about the future evolution of our society. Please pass on our love and respect Steve.
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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Aug 17, 2018 - 07:28pm PT
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You speak for me too, Guido! Tom was the most generous, genuine, down-to-earth friend one could ever hope to know. And the climbs and hardware designs are unmatched in elegance, simplicity, and effectiveness!
My best to you and your family, Tom.
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Aug 17, 2018 - 07:29pm PT
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This is terrible news.
But if the inevitable comes to be, what a wonderful, wonderful life. Accompanied by an incredible twinkle in his eyes.
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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Aug 17, 2018 - 07:34pm PT
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Very sorry to hear this, a true icon in the world of climbing and beyond.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 17, 2018 - 10:52pm PT
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so sorry to hear this news about Tom.
Of course, he can never leave us, he is such a part of what climbing the USA became, and in Yosemite Valley.
Engaging, enthusiastic, attentive; I did not get a chance to be around him enough.
...The pioneers who set the height of the bar were the cleanest of all climbers. They plumbed the high country for nature's secrets at length carrying just tea and a crust of bread. They ventured up Yosemite's most fearsome walls with little gear or water, removing every piton and minimizing expansion bolting, so the second ascent party could enjoy as pure an interface with nature as they had.
I liken their legacy to our national heritage as climbers. It is a heritage that empowers. The cleanest climbers of all are still those who leave no trace.
from Thirty Years Beyond
by Tom Frost
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Aug 18, 2018 - 05:32am PT
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A lovely man, a great climber, an outstanding photographer, and an awesome creator of nuts.
All the warmest thoughts to Tom's family and friends from Corsica,
Stéphane
Edit:
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Aug 18, 2018 - 05:51am PT
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I only met the man once, and yes, he is a class act. Glad I got the chance to do an early ascent of his great route, the Salathe Wall, with J. Donini. RESPECT!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 18, 2018 - 08:08am PT
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Tom was getting back into climbing in the late 1990s and began making Sentinel Nuts because he truly disliked using curved nuts that were generally the only ones available at that point. I first met him wandering around the floor of the Outdoor Retailer show in SLC as I was involved in climbing wall construction and the board chairman of the Climbing Wall Industry Group (CWIG) that produced the first North American climbing wall engineering specification known as the "CWIG standard".
I told him that I was still climbing with a set of regular and half-sized Stoppers from BITD and loved them to death. He quickly pulled a set of short and long Sentinel Nuts out of his back pocket and handed them to me on the spot. As we chit chatted about gear, I started playing around with the F.R.O.S.T. acronym and the following day came up with For Routinely Outlandish Staunch Traditionalists which he really liked.
He also told me a story of running into Yvon Chouinard and proclaiming excitedly "Look Yvon. I am making nuts again!" Yvon took a look at the Sentinel Nuts and said somewhat flatly "That was a whole lifetime ago".
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Zay
climber
Monterey, Ca
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Aug 18, 2018 - 08:31am PT
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Nothing I can say holds a candle to all there is to say about such an inspiring character.
With respect and adoration,
Isaiah
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Aug 18, 2018 - 08:57am PT
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Well said, Guido.
Among those giants of the sixties his humanity and kindness stuck out.
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originalpmac
Mountain climber
Timbers of Fennario
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Aug 18, 2018 - 09:05am PT
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I was fortunate enough to see Tom and Royal speak on my first, wide eyed trip to the Valley. Cheers to the pioneers. I hope he can rest easy.
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Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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Aug 18, 2018 - 09:58am PT
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Always smiling, always ready to help, all ways ... Frost. Polite, reverent, resourceful, comedic, the ideal climbing companion.
His Western Union telegram to Dennis and me upon our completion of the NA's 2nd ascent, one word: KOWABUNGA!
We love ya, Tom.
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ron gomez
Trad climber
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Aug 18, 2018 - 10:56am PT
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Prized possesion of mine. Photo from Tom with Royal's and Fitschen's signatures from the Nose.
Peace
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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Aug 18, 2018 - 02:37pm PT
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So very sorry to hear this news. Please give my very best to Tom when you see him, Steve. I was only lucky enough to have met Tom once, in the late 90's at the base of El Cap. Conrad introduced us, and Tom knew who I was and a bit about what I'd been up to, and acted as though it was he who was fortunate enough to have met me. He had a pretty good run of getting up classic El Cap routes with his son during that time. Thinking of Tom, the humble and accomplished legend, and our encounter, fondly.
Wayne Willoughby
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Fossil climber
Trad climber
Atlin, B. C.
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Aug 18, 2018 - 03:01pm PT
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Oh, no!!! Can't believe it.
Tom is the epitome of a classy, warm true gentleman, to say nothing of his climbing. Our world will be poorer without him, but he is leaving a huge legacy. Thank you, Tom, for just being you.
Wayne Merry
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Yeti
Trad climber
Ketchum, Idaho
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Aug 18, 2018 - 04:09pm PT
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Yes, Guido speaks for me and many, many others. Steve, please give Tom my best wishes. He is a role model for humanity.
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TomKimbrough
Social climber
Salt Lake City
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Aug 18, 2018 - 09:10pm PT
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Tom introduced me to the Camp 4 boulders on my 1st afternoon in the Valley. Early September 1965.
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Cindy
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Aug 18, 2018 - 09:31pm PT
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In the early years of my climbing, I met Tom on one of his many trips into Neptune’s in the 90’s while I was working there. He always had an encouraging word for me to get after my climbing goals and his vivacious energy was palpable and contagious. I was rather in awe of him simply for his upbeat, get-it done attitude while having only the vaguest idea of his accomplishments at that time.
His terrific energy is still vivid in my mind today and I am sending positive wishes his way. Thanks Tom!
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dh
climber
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Aug 18, 2018 - 10:34pm PT
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I met Tom when he sauntered out of the forest with his son, as my friend Scott and I were hauling bags to the base of the Muir Wall for my first and only El Cap route (1997). I recognized him right away and started fan-boying all over the place. He was so kind and gracious and wished us all the success in the world.
One of my favorite valley memories...
Dave.
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immanti
climber
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Aug 19, 2018 - 01:25am PT
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Sad news to hear.
I had the privilege of meeting Tom a few times and developed a friendly relationship with him. He even sent me one of his nuts in the mail! :)
It was humbling to meet one of my climbing heroes, for sure, but Tom's down-to-earth style made me feel at ease right away. He's a truly decent, classy guy.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Tom and his wife Joyce, to his family and to his many friends.
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