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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Jul 10, 2009 - 02:38am PT
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Reading John's posts in the links and his resurrected threads is a bittersweet experience.
As one reads them, "listens" to what he is saying, and pictures him in the minds eye it all seems to be brought home even more forcefully. Yet in his words we can still catch glimpses of him.
(thanks MH)
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caroltee
climber
SF, CA
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Jul 10, 2009 - 02:39am PT
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Saludos desde la tierra John...
As you lived, so true to your vision, so you passed. Few can say that, and it's a pretty awe-inspiring thing. Thank you for reminding us to breathe poised at one's edge.
My most heartfelt condolences to Tyrus and Paola and all of John's nearest and dearest.
Carol Tonelli
Thanks for some great musical memories over the years
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
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Jul 10, 2009 - 02:44am PT
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What loss, what sadness, wish for tears to wash away the grief. Cheers to a human being that not only fulfilled his giftedness, but was a real friend. Peace Always and to your loved ones.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jul 10, 2009 - 02:51am PT
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hey there mighty hiker... say, for the list of the "colletctions here".... will also come in very handy for his son...
thanks for the share...
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marko
Boulder climber
Simi Valley, CA
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Jul 10, 2009 - 04:31am PT
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At one point in the conversation John hung from a slopy slot with one hand about seventy feet off the deck. He never lost the rhythym of the conversation. This was where a lot of so called men would be crying for mama. He casually rotatated at the wrist for a couple of seconds, boned out, taking his time, telling Johnson and me about the Goats, a politically conscious band he dug, and how he had heard about the Swimming Hole.I had seen first hand over the years that the man had gifts, but every time you watched him do his magic it was as though you were alive to hear Coltrane play Giant Steps, or Love Supreme. The man moved like Ballachine with the power of Bruce Lee; only an idiot would'nt be slack jawed by the experience. The man was poetic in life and will be beyond,and his humble graceful movements over the terra will not go unnoticed. He found rhythyms in places only the boldest will ever dare to go, and he committed himself to that ethos completly. He dedicated his soul to the Earth long before he flew from mortals reaches. This was a man who sung a great song that will always ring in the coccles of my heart. Peace and Love Brother, from Marko and Terrill with Great Affection.
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S.Powers
Social climber
Jtree, now in Alaska
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Jul 10, 2009 - 07:03am PT
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post bump to a great man, and to get rid of Onyx the A-hole.
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Gobee
Trad climber
Los Angeles
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Jul 10, 2009 - 11:03am PT
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John, walked the walk. He always put the rock first, style was more important then success, and commitment was the price.
In soloing, there's no hangdogging, pulling past the crux, or yo-yoing when your tired, I'm thinking he just dyno-ed to heaven!
(from: Daily Readings from the life of Christ, by John MacArthur)
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papa_eos
Trad climber
conejo valley, california
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Jul 10, 2009 - 12:02pm PT
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I met John a couple of times, once when he was bouldering with Michael Reardon at Malibu Creek. The last time was at the memorial service for Michael at Malibu Creek. John was an amazing fellow.
We were just over the mountain in Courtright Res. working on a new route at the time he passed on. The day was beautiful with the pollen in the breeze blowing by, I will remember that day.
In case anyone missed the obituary in the LA Times, which puts our sport as "obscure" I'll post it soon.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Jul 10, 2009 - 12:35pm PT
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Pull yourself together Sprock!
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 10, 2009 - 01:25pm PT
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My Gallery of Climbing images that feature John is at
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=karlb&gallery_id=74899
All my retail prints and swag are sold at printing and shipping cost. Typically I ask retail folks to contribute on a sliding scale via paypal according to their means and generousity. In this case, if anybody wants a print of John, I encourage them to get what they like and wait first to see if the family desires a memorial fund for Tyrus, and donate to that
Peace
Karl
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Jul 10, 2009 - 01:29pm PT
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is anybody thinking about a biography?
there are some pretty talented writers here.
i would like to throw up a web page with as many non protected pics as i can find, or is somebody else alr4ady workin on this?
or, if someone wants to write the html, i can host it.
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Big Guy
Boulder climber
PA
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Jul 10, 2009 - 01:55pm PT
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I only had the privilege of seeing John Bachar climb twice, and only interacted with him three times in all.
He died yesterday in a fall, climbing I presume without ropes as usual, at the age of 52.
John Bachar was world reknown in the tightly knit climbing community for climbing routes without ropes that most people wouldn't be able to complete even with ropes.
We call it free soloing.
I saw him climb the first time in Red Rocks Nevada with my former wife and a good friend and fellow climber.
He was doing a photo shoot of a climb called The Gift, which is rated 5.12.
For non-climbers, the five tells you that normal people will want a rope to catch them if they fall, and the 12 is on a scale from 1-15 to tell you how hard it is within that context of roped climbing.
Only professional climbers climb things harder than 5.12, and only very talented athletes can climb even at the 5.12 level on a consistent basis.
Very few people would even contemplate climbing a 5.12 without a rope.
Watching Bachar climb The Gift, again a 5.12, was simply awe-inspiring, because his technique was so flawless.
He made zero errors.
Maybe that is why he liked climbing without ropes, because you cannot make errors, or you die.
To people outside the world of climbing, Bachar's art, free soloing, has always seemed evidence of madness; even a lot of climbers debate about that.
I met Bachar, and he was not crazy in the slightest.
The second interaction with John Bachar was indirect.
I had broken my leg, climbing unroped, but not on something one would call a free solo, because it was not tall enough to generate the rational expectation that a fall would generate your death.
John Bachar was at the gym I climbed at, so my former wife went there to see if I could get an autograph; I was kind of down at the time, and needed some inspiration.
Bridget brought a poster I had of Bachar free-soloing some hideous 5.13, and waited patiently in line for Mr. Bachar.
She told him my story, and would later tell me that she could see a very quick, if somewhat cocky, minds' wheels turning.
He then wrote:
"Don, always climb with a rope. John Bachar."
I always heard that he had a wry sense of humor, and not bad advice, after all, I fell.
The last time I saw John Bachar was in 1994.
I had returned to climbing, and he was in the same gym with me as in the poster episode.
When he walked up to the climbing wall, a buzz developed among my fellow climbers as we all silently realized that we were being graced by the presence of a climbing god.
You could see a small smile curl at the edges of his lips, as he gracioulsy shook everyone's hand and said,
"Hi, my name is John. Mind if I jump on this rope here?"
You can't climb unroped in the gym, insurance rules and all.
He then proceeded to put on the single most impressive climbing demonstration that I have ever seen.
Up fifty feet, down fifty feet, up fifty feet, down fifty feet, and on and on with no breaks, and on nothing easier than the 5.11's that I could barely do on my very best day, and Bachar did it all without a flaw.
It was beautiful to watch.
He was the real deal, the man, every bit as good an athlete in his field as Federer is at tennis, and on a lot harder road to fame, because there is no fortune in climbing.
At least in tennis, you can make good money.
In climbing, you can get some equipment deals and such, but money is always tight compared to your companions, especially as you grow older.
It is not easy being a 52 year old professional climber, like Bachar was when he died, especially because a lot of the people less committed to the art have quit long ago for more conventional pursuits.
I don't know what motivated John Bachar to pursue his passion for free soloing to the outer bounds of what is humanly possible, being willing at times to be homeless to do so, just camped in a truck or tent on the floor of Yosemite Valley.
I do know that in my experience, he was a kind, funny, gracious man, and I wish all his friends the very best at this time of loss.
rest in peace stonemaster
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jul 10, 2009 - 01:59pm PT
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We here on Supertopo need to hear from the Golden Age climbers from the 50s and 60’s.
From what I can tell, wonderful John Gill has been the only one among them to tie on here. And John Stannard too. I would include Richie Goldstone but he isn't old enough yet (g).
There are plenty of these older guys left; they aren’t all dead. And they are fully aware of what John Bachar meant to climbing. For God’s sake many of us younger climbers have been to their memorials and do certainly still look towards these men as partners. There is no justification for their highly conspicuous absence, their laughable "eminence grise".
We need to have them speak to our community now, join in our collective pain and worldwide loss here. We have come upon a milestone, not a good one, and we ALL have to speak at this time.
Peter Haan
San Francisco
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Evel
Trad climber
the cliffs of insanity
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Jul 10, 2009 - 02:00pm PT
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Wow. Got the news while in Eldo yesterday. What a Crapper.
John you were THE Inspiration. Standard Bearer for us all.
Tyrus your Pop was the Man. I'm deeply sorry for your loss.
RIP Jonny Rock
Eric Mix
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
OR
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Jul 10, 2009 - 03:00pm PT
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I'll second Peter's motion toward Father Figures.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Jul 10, 2009 - 04:21pm PT
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John and I had different specialties in climbing, but for more than thirty years, just knowing he was somewhere doing his inspired dance was one of the things that gave me strength to follow my own vision. John and I bouldered only one day together and roped up only twice, but that was enough for me to know him as a climber and person.
Over the years we'd see each other at trade shows, etc and always take a moment or more to chat. There was always good humor but I never saw any of the brashness or arrogance some people spoke of. Seldom was the conversation directly about climbing, except maybe tangentially. Usually, we teasingly discussed things of a more cosmic or philosophic nature. One gem of wisdom he left me with, twenty five years ago, was this: "Death is a gift." It was a parting statement-he didn't have to elaborate-he knew that I knew exactly what he meant.
I was really happy to be able to present John with a lifetime achievement award last year at an event here in Ogden. Two hundred and fifty people immediately rose at their dinner tables to give him a thunderous ovation.
The man has passed, but his spirit lives on.
-Jello
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Anastasia
climber
Not here
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Jul 10, 2009 - 04:27pm PT
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Correction, John was Paola's soulmate.
Yes, he was greatly loved by his family and friends.
I was his friend.
AF
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mrusinas
Trad climber
long beach, ca
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Jul 10, 2009 - 05:31pm PT
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I did not know John Bacher personally but I did know of his expolits (how could you not as a climber) John’s climbing inspired me to be a better climber, he was the pinnacle of what could be.
The first time I heard about Bachar was on my first climb, I was out at JT taking a first time class with Vertical Adventures in the early 80’s and John Long was out that day teaching or maybe just showing up for laughs, I don’t really remember but what I do remember is after the class John Long taking me off by myself over to some boulders outside of HV campgroud and showing me some boulder problems his friend John Bachar put up and we bouldered a bit (how cool is that). After I started climbing I realized how lucky I was to have John Long as a teacher and showing me Bachar problems on my first day!
Fast forward years later and I have not climbed in years but recently my wife has gotten into gym climbing so I wanted her to have some lessons on real rock so we are are out at Idylwild taking a class with Vertical Adventures again and the climber who put up the route we are on comes by and tells us JB just passed away from a climbing accident. I was stunned here I am out in the rocks after a long absence and the first thing I hear is JB passed…anyways so sad and it brings back many memories, of the rocks and trying to be a better climber inspired by what JB had done...just wanted to share.
"We must assume our existence as broadly as we in any way can; everything, even the unheard-of, must be possible in it”.
Rainer Maria Rilke
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Bachar made the unheard of possible and his climbing was perfection
Peace to all
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jul 10, 2009 - 07:08pm PT
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I just got off a two week camping trip with my family, away from any news, and my computer. I came home to this news, and I'm absolutely stunned and saddened. What a great guy John was, and what a huge loss to the world--and the climbing community in particular. My deepest condolences to his son and family. I'm really having trouble wrapping my mind around this.
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