Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 05:27am PT
|
(Clint, in your list above, Rusty Reno and Charles had done the first 10 or so pitches of Autobahn prior to Charles and my eventual first ascent all free to the summit).
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 06:03am PT
|
Another story of Charles: he really deserves credit for a significant change in status of the Rescue team, in 1984/5. He would come to Yosemite for summers, and was a member of YOSAR—actually not sure if Charles was ever officially a member, but he knew John Dill well, worked on some rescues, and spent most of his time with the rescue guys.
He and I were playing chess in the Mountan Room—this was the multi-purpose room between the Mountain Room Bar and the gift shop. The Curry company (back then the Concessionaire was Curry and run by Ed Hardy) never liked climbers, hassled us often, and on this day, two of the Curry security goons approached us and told us we had to leave as we were not paying visitors of the hotel. There were only a few other people in the room at the time, a few hotel guests, some obvious backpackers organising gear on the floor, and us at a table playing chess.
We resisted leaving as we always did, but then they got very aggressive and escalated their haranguing. Frankly, because we were generally doing something a bit dodgy, like scarfing, drying wet clothes around the fire in the bar, occasionally dining and dashing, we would eventually generally give in and leave as we didn’t really wanted to get identified by these guys, who could and would actually cause an arrest.
But today, Charles was having none of it. It was his move, he simply said, “go away, we are busy and we have every right to be here in this public space in our National Park”, and also said to me, “Deuce, just ignore these guys”, so I did and we continued our game. The goons fumed and kept telling us we had to leave, but we did not engage any further, and eventually they went all red in the face and told us they were getting the rangers on us.
About half hour later, Gary Colliver and another ranger come in—a lucky break for us, as Gary was a long term Yosemite climber, and also someone we frequently worked with on rescues. I will never forget the expression on the Curry Goons’ face as they pointed us out to the rangers, full of glee that we were about to get arrested, when Gary friendly said, “John, Charles, what are you guys up to?”. We had all just done a rescue that week together, and we chatted about that for a while. Meanwhile, the goons were now fuming, red in the face, and about to blow a fuse.
Eventually, Gary said, “These guys really seem dead set on you leaving—perhaps it’s best you just go for now, and we will follow up with a meeting about it later”. It sounded fair to me, and we agreed.
I took it on from there (Charles had to leave for Korea for his five tennies business, I believe), and helped arrange a meeting between members of the rescue team and Ed Hardy, president of the Curry Company, who treated us to lunch at the Ahwahnee to discuss the issues with climbers. We agreed to help inform climbers of basic protocol around the concession facilities, and in exchange we got access to the shower facilities and a discount card for members of the rescue team. It was really the first acknowledgement of the rescue team from Curry, at a time when rangers who were friendly to the climbing community were a minority, and relations with Curry were extremely hostile.
If it wasn’t for Charles insisting on ignore, don’t engage, we would have probably have fallen foul to the escalation that typically took place in that kind of situation, and would have been forced to leave without cause. A good example of successful peaceful protest. Thanks, Charles!
|
|
Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 06:46am PT
|
Charles Cole III, bolt testing in Camp 4 parking lot, mid-1980s.
Werner's 1967 Pontiac Le Mans is the extraction device:
Joshua Tree reunion, 2008.
The only time I ever saw Charles take a drink!
|
|
Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 07:33am PT
|
Been offline for days, but Jimmy told me last night.
RIP
|
|
Fogarty
climber
BITD
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 08:20am PT
|
Charles was always an inspiration, watching him gearing up in Yosemite for a big adventure or soloing in Josh with his Walkman on. I was fortunate to do my first two FA in Josh with him in the early 80’s. Condolences to his family and friends and enjoy that big wall in the sky.
✌️
|
|
Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 08:34am PT
|
In the early 1980s I was dead set on doing some big ocean kayak adventures and started putting in the time to learn what the hell we were doing. I got two boats and started begging anyone along I could so I didn't have to go it alone. Charles was always game but was busy with 5.10 so could only join the fun about once a month. When I decided to do a 50 miler along the California coastline Charles was there. Except it started storming down by Zuma and the sea got angry. I said the wise thing was to paddle in and Charles asked what we were supposed to do with the cars, which were fifty miles apart with us now in the middle. Better to keep going, he said. We had to go way out to sea to round the Zuma point and then fog rolled in and we weren't sure if we were still paddling along the coast or heading for Fiji. We used the sound of truck horns on PCH to navigate. When we finally got to Santa Monica we were cooked.
To me, that will always be Charles ... who always thought it best to keep going.
Happy travels, amigo. Hope to catch back up with you some day.
Your friend,
LARGO
|
|
E
Ice climber
mogollon rim
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 09:04am PT
|
i think that is werners car being used for the bolt testing
they were testing machine heads and one of them shot thru the license plate like a bullet
|
|
Matt Sarad
climber
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 09:47am PT
|
I spoke to Charles on the phone just once. I had discovered 5.10 when looking for a resole on my Mariachers and called the number in the ad. Later, I bought a pair of red Royal Robbins at a yard sale for $10. I took them to the Kern Slabs for the 10d cracks. The original rubber kept slipping off so I bought some Stealth and had them resolved.
With the new rubber, I went from a 5.9 climber to a 10d climber in one afternoon.
Thanks Charles,
|
|
T Bone
Gym climber
Telluride
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 09:50am PT
|
I took a bus to Yosemite in my late teens, 1981. I was at Swan Slab and there was a guy with some shoes I had never seen. I asked them about them and he said they were from Spain. He said you'l see them all over next spring.
Thank you Charles Cole!
|
|
Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 10:22am PT
|
^^^^^^^^^
Pretty sure that is Bachar you are talking about...
I took a bus to Yosemite in my late teens, 1981. I was at Swan Slab and there was a guy with some shoes I had never seen. I asked them about them and he said they were from Spain. He said you'l see them all over next spring.
Thank you Charles Cole!
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 12:00pm PT
|
Rest well. Despite my complaints of construction issues with 5 tennies, he was without a doubt reapinsible for big jumps in my ability because, well, Stealth baby!!! Climbed in many a pair of 5.10s
|
|
Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 01:15pm PT
|
Tamara called me last night concerning a climbing personality in her father’s life. I knew the guy she was inquiring about and gave her all I knew about him. Then she offhandedly asked if I knew a Charles Cole. I didn’t.
She didn’t elaborate on Cole other than he was a climber and we finished our conversation. This morning, here on ST, I discovered who Charles Cole was. Don’t know how someone as important to the climbing world as he was could have slipped past me over these many years.
I wrote a letter to Five Ten back in 1994 (see below). It was addressed to “To whom it may concern”. I wonder if he might have read my letter?
October 22, 1994
Five Ten
528 Amigos Dr, Suite D
Redlands, CA 92373
Re: A dilapidated pair of Five Tennies
To Whom It May Concern:
A while back I bought a pair of Five Tennies because TM Herbert was always beating me up Tuolumne approaches in his. What I didn't know was that his were an older vintage than mine and that my newer pair had some inherent flaws. Almost immediately the rand around the toes started to separate so I quit wearing them thinking that I might return them to the mountain shop in Tuolumne for a refund. But I didn't. Tony Puppo at Wilson's Eastside Sports gave me his prognosis - the shoes should be taken off life support. So I did it - quit using them.
This past summer I guided in the Sierra and I resuscitated the old Tennies and wore them until they finally died. The last two days of a week-long backpack trip my toes occasionally appeared through the rent that caused their death. I respectfully return the remains to their place of origin. May they rest in piece(s).
You folks should be ashamed of having released your progeny into this rough world without preparing them for the inevitable beating to which they most certainly would be exposed. It has been rumored that you are aware that some of your offspring were physically deficient and that subsequent generations have adequately evolved. Life goes on.
Respectfully,
Don Lauria
Epilogue:
Five Ten responded by presenting me with a brand new pair and an apology. Subsequently the replacement pair lived a full and respectful life, being resoled a couple of times (due to wear). Old age eventually caught up with them and they died peacefully at home surrounded by relatives.
|
|
jogill
climber
Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 01:37pm PT
|
I remember getting a pair of (Spanish) Boreal sticky sole shoes from Bachar back in the 1980s, pressing the soles together and then watching them grip as I turned the shoes upside down. I realize there were improvements to the rubber, but the impression from reading about Cole is that he invented the whole thing (not just Stealth soles). Am I in error?
No disrespect intended. I never met him.
|
|
i-b-goB
Social climber
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 01:46pm PT
|
Yes jogill, Bachar brought Boreal Fire first and they were light years ahead of EB's then came 5 Ten rubber which was much better still, IMHO!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing_shoe
I'm not sure what company came up with the first low-cut shoe first?
|
|
dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 02:38pm PT
|
Beth Leebolt in the photo in Nancy’s article in R and I, not Elizabeth Cole. I had the pleasure of working with both of them during my time at 5.10. They are both wonderful women!
|
|
James Wilcox
Trad climber
Goleta/Virginia Lakes
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 02:40pm PT
|
I remember just how incredibly enthusiastic Charles would get over other people climbing. One day at Suicide I teamed up with a person from Colorado to do Etude. Half way up you hit those thin, bottoming cracks running parallel to each other. Charles had been cruising by the base and saw my partner eyeing the crux sussing it out. As he hit the cracks Charles starts LOUDLY cheering him on. Sure enough, he pulled through first go, and Charles whooped it up like a mad dog. Everybody, even climbers on neighboring routes were smiling and laughing.
A few months later at JT we were in Conan’s Corridor doing True Grit. Only 5.9, but the first half is very hard to protect, with an absolutely heinous fall onto boulders if you blow the crux. Charles was a little more subdued as my friend pulled through the dicey part, but again cheered like a mad man once it was clear he had made it.
I always remember him for that. He could be just as happy when others succeeded.
RIP
|
|
JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 02:49pm PT
|
It saddens me to read about the passing of so many climbers younger than I. I didn't know him personally, but I certainly knew of him -- and bought many of his products. I feel for his family and friends.
I, too, remember the evolution of climbing shoe rubber. When we started using EB's in the early 1970's, we used to refer to them as "EB Super Cheaters" because their rubber had noticeably more friction than my PA's, RR's, and Kronhoffers that I'd used previously. Fires seemed magical compared with EB's. Then Five Ten came on the scene and even my holdout climbing partner finally had to admit the advantages.
Farewell, sir. You created something good and sold it for a fair price.
John
|
|
dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 03:18pm PT
|
Charles‘s death has hit me harder than I would’ve ever imagined. I’ve been having a hard time deciding what to say about him. Luckily I’m stuck in Barstow for a couple weeks working and have some time to think about it.
For now I’m just gonna share one funny story. And don’t take this one wrong, Charles himself thought it was hilarious and loved to tell the story. I’m sure many of you have heard this one!
When Charles initially got hooked on climbing he knew that the big walls were in his future. He went straight out and bought a handful of pitons, probably from Sport Chalet. He grabbed a hammer and headed for the choss sandstone of Eagle Rock, which is pretty close to Pasadena. He took a lost arrow and the hammer and proceeded to try and drive the piton directly into the rock. Not into a crack mind you, he tried to drive it directly into the rock. Needless to say, no matter how hard he hit it it would not penetrate, even that crappy rock!
It wasn’t long before he figured out that pitons go into cracks. He proved that later in life by becoming a master at piton placements.
|
|
rmuir
Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2018 - 03:37pm PT
|
I note that the R&I obit mentions Charles' involvement on the FA of 'Run For Your Life' out at Josh…
While RFYL is a great route, I'd like to suggest that one of Charle's better efforts (for shorter SoCal routes) was our FA of 'Flying Circus' (5.11d A4) at Tahquitz… Rick Accomazzo, Charles, and I spent several consecutive weekends (four, maybe?) in August, 1978, putting up that two-ring Circus. http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1837937/Flying-Circus-at-Tahquitz-add-bolts
I recall that Charles, who already had some pretty strong cred in etriers, did some very tricky little bits on hooks to get us up to the rest-of-the-best free climbing on that route.
He was always super-stocked to just go for it!
Another Stonemaster done gone… RIP.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!