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moacman
Trad climber
Montuckyian Via Canada Eh!
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RIP Bill....Thanks for my first ice tools that hang proudley on my wall to this day...You had a good ride and went out the way I want to. Cond. to friends and family....
Stevo
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Here is a taste of Bill's brilliance from the 1983 Forrest Mountaineering catalog.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 13, 2013 - 01:13pm PT
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A rimshot of Bill and Kris Walker with the Painted Wall in the background.
Photo from Climb.
A stellar effort which produced a bolt-less Grade VI if memory serves.
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Pewf
climber
Gunnison
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Jan 13, 2013 - 01:37pm PT
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RIP
I use(d) a pair of Forrest aiders, handed down from my mom with a vintage pin rack.
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Plaidman
Trad climber
South Slope of Mt. Tabor, Portland, Oregon, USA
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I was given this Forrest Ice Ax as a gift from a retired or smart Mountaineer. Thx Bill Forrest. You made good stuff!
I call it my Moss Ax. Sturdy for sure.
According to the 1983 Forrest Mountaineering catalog the twisted adze was revolutionary and was for greater pick strength.
I know that is has hauled me up some scary mossy junk. A real confidence booster knowing it will get the job done.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
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Feb 23, 2013 - 12:53am PT
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I finally found my old Forrest gear sling while digging through ski gear for the weekend. It's been modified - a long time ago - padding and daisy chain on top have been added. Sorry, it blocks the view of the Pasley!
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Feb 23, 2013 - 01:19am PT
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Most Forrest gear was gone as I was entering climbing in the early 1990's, but I have clear memories of meeting others in upstate New York with racks of Titons, and wondering about their use. One of my earliest ice climbing partners still climbed on a pair of blue Forrest axes, and swore by them.
One of my favorite items in my little book colection is this Forrest catolog from 1974. It expanded on many of the teachings from the massively influential Chouinard catalog from a couple of years previous.
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yedi
Trad climber
Stanwood,wa
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Feb 23, 2013 - 01:42am PT
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Used a Forrest haul on my first wall. Still have a gear sling and leg loops
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Feb 23, 2013 - 02:26am PT
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The classic Forrest account of the first ascent of the Spring Route on Baboquivari Peak from Summit magazine.
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R.B.
Trad climber
47N 122W
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Feb 23, 2013 - 03:17am PT
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What a great Story ... Babo is rad.
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Feb 25, 2013 - 11:37pm PT
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
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Feb 28, 2013 - 04:37pm PT
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There's a very good photo of Bill Forrest in the latest Issue of Rock & Ice, and it's a very nice issue for him to be in. Those guys seem to be doing a good job with the magazine. There are some cool new styles of photos in there.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Mar 10, 2013 - 06:34am PT
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splitter
Trad climber
Cali Hodad, surfing the galactic plane ~:~
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Mar 10, 2013 - 09:03am PT
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When I started climbing in the Spring of '71 at Tahquitz, the transition to clean climbing was taking place. I recall having a free climbing rack of about about 7 chocks of small to large Chouinard hexcentric's and stoppers with one Forrest Foxhead. Forest made three metal Foxheads in a stopper shape and the largest one came in/with a choice of metal or a blue plastic. I recall buying six Chouinard's nuts (3 hex & 3 stoppers) and, for some reason, I decided to buy the largest FM Foxhead in plastic. I was a bit wary of it at first, but I took my first lead fall on it and it held. I fell in love with that nut and it became my favorite. Whenever & whatever pitch I was leading, my first thought & primary objective was to get that nut placed. Thanks Bill...
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Scott McNamara
climber
Tucson, Arizona
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Mar 10, 2013 - 10:35am PT
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Thanks for the Babo article, Steve!
I had never read it before. A wonderful bit of history.
Wasn't that picture of you (with the Pin Bin) taken after you topped out on The Spring route?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Mar 10, 2013 - 01:34pm PT
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You are welcome Scott!
My first grade VI thanks to Bill and George.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Mar 10, 2013 - 04:42pm PT
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Uh,.. well,.. I had lived in Colorado but had already moved to Utah.
As I recall Bill topped out but had a lot of drag. He saw me sitting by a tree and I asked him if he would like me to tie his rope to it.
I wasn't wearing anything to ID me as a climber so I took pains to tie a figure 8 that he could visually inspect from his perch, so he asked me if I had done any climbing in Zion.
I said "a few things", and he asked what, so I pointed to Monkeyfinger, Space Shot and Cerberus.
And I seem to recall sharing both items (he doesn't exactly deny it).
Curiously, their route and Sheer Lunacy saw simultaneous second ascents. The guys that repeated the MF Chimney claimed to have done a new variant, but were likely mistaken by an off route sling.
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R.B.
Trad climber
47N 122W
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Mar 16, 2013 - 02:08am PT
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As Bill was a good climbing buddy of my father, and I grew up around that ... I am glad to hold many fond memories of Bill from the early 70's (a decade after he and my dad were climbing together).
In 1971, while on a family vacation, we went to his factory in Denver, and he said "These are seconds, take what you want."
I scored a Wall Womb, Pin Bin, Plastic Foxheads, Metal Foxheads, Forrest Legloops and Swami Belt, a Forrest Rucksack (which has been up El Cap), Copperheads, Alumiheads. I wish I could have scored a Hammer.
On the same trip, my dad and he went to do an ascent of Hallet's Peak.
(photo 2011-DSC00236)
One of those Metal Foxheads later, in 1984, saved my bacon on a lead fall on Catchy Corner, Cookie Cliff. I was lucky to survive with only a broken heel, while the head held.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Dec 25, 2013 - 02:15pm PT
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Bump for Bill...Much respect!
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