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WBraun
climber
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Mar 25, 2006 - 08:17pm PT
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It says: If one commits suicide you will remain in your subtle body ...........
As a Ghost!
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Kevin Daniels
climber
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Mar 25, 2006 - 10:02pm PT
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i met Raliegh on a saturday morning at intersection rock. it was 1993 i think. it was my first day of guiding for a local company and this big guy was the first guide i met. his intro went like this " my name is Raliegh, if you take my job i will KILL you." he said it with a smile on his face. i grinned back and stated " do your job and you wont have to worry about a thing !" i liked him from the start.
he was the kind of friend you dont see very often but when you do the conversation has depth. he is like most of my close friends, born into the wrong century. what do guys like us do now adays, climb rocks, jump off things, drink, drugs. but think of Raliegh out front, charging forward on the back of a galloping horse , a battle cry blaring out of gritted teeth. he has a axe in his hand and is ready to change the world. in another century Raliegh would have been a warloard, barron or king. he was the kind of man you read about, a comic book super hero.
our last visit was spent bouldering, he showed me the Raliegh traverse. it is abour 300' long and involves 4 diffrent boulders at the Sads. you climb, downclimb, traverse and jump from one boulder to the next. we were 10 year olds again, laughing and playing. we talked about Yoga, life, climbing and his new truck. he seemed happy and solid.
well Raliegh thanks for the play time. keep your battle axe oiled and sharp because you will need it when i show up.
we have worlds to change
kevin daniels
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
San Diego
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My condolences to Raleigh’s friends and family. I wish I knew him. I’m sure we would have hit it off. I climb and fly paragliders. I would have loved sharing a thermal with him. Elsinore is a great flying location. He sounds like the kind of guy that loved to put a lot of wonderful different kinds of adventures together and roll them all into one. We share that same passion.
I hope his family and friends find peace and comfort among one another and know he was well loved. Loved ones are never gone if we never forget them.
Klimmer
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twizzler
climber
new paltz, ny
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He came over and sat with the fire in Hidden Valley a few nights in 03. I had met him the year before and we meshed.
We had some great jams, and he wrote a verse here. RC V2
Relief
music bem
words By BEM and RC
Chorus:C#-
"what i need here is a little Relief
from this everyday kind of way
the feelin im dealin with
hey man, why go change what ya say
and live your life such another way"
Em7,D#m7,Dm7,bm,c#m
BM V1:"Just because its rock, don't mean
its made of stone," (borrowed from porta potty at gunks)sure this life takes me hard
Just because im here
don't that im at home,
couldn't find any better place to start."
CH:""""""""""""""""repeat
RC V2: "No such thing as bad weather man,
Its all about clothes that you wear,
(just remember)
be pre pared for an-y-thing
cause the nature of things
is too big to care."
CH:repeat
Thanks man, thats your track. super beta from an alpha. Thanks for laying it out with me.
He was at the Gunks a few years ago.
He told me To Be or Not to Be was his favorite 70ft of rock anywhere. It was and is. No such thing as long as you're prepared.
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BobbyC
Trad climber
CA
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Just got back from the Wake for Raleigh Collins in Lake Elsinore and it was something Raleigh would have appreciated. Lots of his sky diving, hanggliding friends around to rememember him. Lots of good stories about the athlete, the wild character, and a long lists of epics... Both his sisters were there as well. A song had been written by a singer with lyrics about Raleigh and his love of the natural. One thing came through loud and clear: Lots of love and grief for Raleigh. And an Eagle soared overhead during the ceremony. It was a good send off for RC.
I realized something at the Wake and that is that Raleigh parents were both dead by the time he was 22. His Mom died when he was
a young teenager... and I realized that we were ALL Raleigh's extended family.
I did not say this eulogy at the WAKE: I thought it was too long and perhaps too critical but I wanted to post it instead.
Bob Carmichael
Raleigh Collins:
The Raleigh Collin’s old yellow, beater truck is parked in my backyard and Raleigh… “what the f*#k am I supposed to do with it? And Raleigh… why are you dead?” Sh#t man,. We had too many good times last fall for you to be dead. You were too full of life and ideas and plans and adventures. There has to be a mistake here and I do not understand.”
The truth is none of us understand the mystery or the pain or the confusion that Raleigh took with him up to the top of Sports Challenge Rock. Why sports challenge rock? That rock is too f*#king small for Raleigh to jump off.
I do know that Raleigh Collins was an alcoholic. He knew it and he admitted it. I intentionally didn’t know that side of him. To me he was also one of the most humane and loving people I’ve ever had the privilege to meet. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t ask myself, how is it possible that he is no longer on the face of this earth?
I knew Raleigh mostly from this last summer and fall. I’d know him before and had liked his outgoing personality and ability to shine in most any environment, indoor or out. I’d also gotten a fast read on the fact that he drank and he drank hard. My father was an alcoholic and I told Raleigh I would not be around him unless he was sober. I busted his ass on it every time a hint of drinking came up. And I stayed away from him for years because of it.
This last summer Raleigh rolled into Bishop and Mammoth and he was clear eyed and sober. “BOB CARMICHAEL, how the HELL ARE YOU?” You know the booming voice he had. I often think he learned it from John Long somewhere in Camp 4, but it was good to hear from him. He just exuded a love of adventure and climbing and seeing all the natural sights. There was an art to the climbing and sky diving and BASE jumping of Raleigh Collins.
He took it all in. And he laughed a lot. He was determined to live a life of adventure and Sport. He was definitely upholding the tradition of vagabond, unconventional climbing CHARACTER, on the road, with his car packed with toys. I really admired his independence and thought of him in the direct lineage of the FUN HOG tradition. Raleigh Collins just plain added COLOR to life.
One of the first climbs we did when he got up to Mammoth was the Crystal Craig- with a scary thunder storm racing us to the summit. Raleigh climbed a lot better than me, but he let me swing leads up this climb and was generous and gracias about my slowness on the lead. He simply loved the heights and he was climbing really well all summer and fall.
He was starting to practice yoga and he was an absolute natural. He talked about the wonderful high and the bliss he got out of doing his asanas and riding his breath. He likened it to a great climb in it’s satisfaction. Raleigh had an Olympians physique and for a 47 year old he had remarkable, natural flexibility. No wonder he was such a great athlete. He was an advanced practitioner right off the bat. He had as much form as any of the LA Yoga gurus that I’ve seen. Raleigh had an idea about becoming a yoga instructor and I honestly believed him. He could have done it. Cause the fact of the matter is that Raleigh Collins could do just about anything he set his mind too. He was just amazingly adaptive and adept at everything he did.
So why is he dead? He FOUGHT the demon of addiction on a daily basis. Somehow it was Bigger than he. Was it his time to leave at 47 years old? Is it all preordained or was it just too much pain?
I do know that his spiritual Life was blooming when I knew him. He was learning about meditation. He was philosophical about passing into the energy of the universe. He was fully aware of how short and unpredictable life could be. He had many close calls. He knew how fragile things are. But he was certainly not afraid, I know that he felt death would be liberating and a continuing adventure. He never talked to me about suicide however.
He was learning about meditation. He was growing. So why is he dead?
He fell off the wagon in Bishop last fall. He tried his best to hide this from me. But I busted him on it. Told him I didn’t want him to guide my daughter down in Bariloche.
And he went down there and he never tried to contact her and I thank him for that because I know he was drinking.
Prior to going down to South America I called to say he had checked into a hospital because he was drinking himself to death. He called me and was crying when he explained just how close he’d come to death. But he came out of the hospital after two days feeling clear and eager to get on with life. He assured me he had it all under control. I told him he was kidding himself. But he left for Argentina and I didn’t hear from him and I knew that meant he was back on the booze.
He called me a couple of times from Joshu Tree before he died. Our communications were very abbreviated. I had NO idea he was in such a final spiral. I wish I could have helped him, like we all do. For reasons of fate, timing, and personal mysteries that none of us fully understand… Raleigh, the brave, courageous lead climber, BASE jumber and talented man could not escape from his Alcohol addiction. Sadly, I don’t think he had the sponsor or the support he needed at the end. I will always blame myself for not being more vigilant.
I know it was not the Raleigh Collins I knew on the rock that day. I’m convinced he was not of sound mind when he scrambled up the rock. I do think he was tired and beaten by his addiction and simply saw no way out but death. So Raleigh Collins, I’m going to miss you, some of the color has certainly been taken from my life. I think you’re blowing somewhere in the wind.
And I hope you are free.
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ladd
Trad climber
land of fruits, nuts and flakes
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Well I'm grieved to know that another of us has passed so tragically.
Raleigh Collins - rememberin the first time we met was at Rubidoux somewhere back in the 70's.. We weren't close friends, just the comraderie of same passions, casual aquaintance - the occasion just happenstance. It was a joy to watch Raleigh climb. You see, we had the same sort of body types. So, it was like looking in a mirror watching Raleigh climb - like a gymnast, powerful strokes held in check with balance and finesse. Really, most of the time, I just wanted to climb in solitude, just to get away from the challenges of an engineering career, and raising a family, but with Raleigh around, that was just improvable.
Remember another time climbing somewhere on the north wall of Tahquitz. We had just descended, and at the base from the usual early morning start, and hearing some novice climber's echo'ed voice too scared to move, and Raleigh's coaxing, goading the neophyte on, and then hearing "sh#t Raleigh, now look, my hand is bleeding all over the place... are you satisfied now!" ... We snickered, knowing that all was OK - that it wasn't Raleigh fault other'n trying to show somebody the joy of climbing with ropes and our way life..
Raleigh will live on through our memories of him. I hope that whatever demons tortured his soul is what died that fateful day, and that Raleigh's spirited life is now free to live on in eternity.
cheers
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hollis
Trad climber
gunnison, co
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I just found out about Raleigh and was really bummed to hear the news. He was a a fun climbing partner, one of those people you'll never forget.
I remember the first time I met him climbing at Clark's Canyon near June Lake. I had a day off from my summer job and got beta to these crags. I had a rope in my hand and some gear, but no partner. I really just intended to solo, but then I met Raleigh and he graciously offered me a belay. He was impressed and told his climbing partner, "wow, she can climb!" and was happy to demonstrate his new fiveten resole job on his Birkenstock. He free-soloed a .10c in those like nothing!
I again ran into him in Tulomne. We went climbing and he made the comment that I'd be hot if I lost 10 pounds. He could be a cocky SOB, but he always made me want to push myself and climb harder. He was always eager to share his climbing knowledge too. Over the years, I had several encounters with RC, always fun, always entertaining.
In retrospect, his criticisms were really reflections of his inner critic. Bro, why did you have to be so hard on yourself? Couldn't you see how much family you had? You were so loved and we won't forget you!
RIP RC! ~Holly
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nature
climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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On Wednesday of last week I went to Sports Challenge Rock with Bill Russel. Bill was a very good friend of Raliegh's. I knew Raliegh only from a few encounters at JTree. Bill made sure to get really sauced and then we shared a beer with Raliegh. After that Bill and I went over to Tumbling Rainbow and then Fistacuffs. Bill wasn't quite up for the leads and handed the sharp end to me. I had never been on either climb. Bill is just a bit bigger than me so I was happy to accept the sharp end. I took a nice whipper at the top. Bill and Raliegh did fistacuffs many many moons ago. It was a very appropriate tribute.
RIP buddy.
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place
Sport climber
LA
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We met Raleigh in El Chalten, Patagonia, Argentina about 2 months ago. My buddy and I ran into him at a boulder competition. Really cool guy. He taught us some climbing and shared beers and chased the ladies. He seemed troubled but we were shocked about his death. Im from California and looked forward to seeing him again, maybe learn some more climbing. Never a dull moment with Raliegh on the mountain. He was a good guy. We all have demons, its a shame whatever haunted him drove him that far.
Our first climbing teacher. Whether were hiking, climbing or just chilling, he comes to mind.
Thanks Raleigh for sharing climbing with us and yourself during that week. We wont forget you.
Love, Kyle & Raz "Guias de los Libres"
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droro
Trad climber
israel
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May 12, 2006 - 03:40am PT
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i met rc in arco, italy alomst 2 years ago. he was very friendly the moment we met, and hung out with us at the campsite. every morning he got up to base jump of mount brenta, and was back eating breakfast as i woke.. in the beginning we thought he was some weirdo , he seemed to friendly for such an experienced climber he said he was, but not like showing off, he was very modest. i helped him with his mails, he didnt know how to access his email ! that was funny. at the end of the week, he helped us carry our packs to the bus, he was very polite even to us dirty unkept climbers. he also gave me his thermarest matress, he didnt want to carry back, i still use it , it has his initials on. one last thing, he found a pair of crotches on the top of mount brenta , and notified the italian police because he thought some handicapped person jumped off.
but nobody could stop him, im sure many here would have.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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May 12, 2006 - 06:06am PT
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Here's a good Raliegh story i heard 2nd hand, in the Valley years ago.
Walt and P were climbing a route, (1st ascent i think), on Half Dome.
Suddenly, while on lead, Walt hears a loud rockfall sound coming right at him.
All of the sudden there is a popping sound and it's none other than Raliegh depoying his chute after jumping off of the top of the Dome, and he goes on to say;
"Hey Walt, where do you think i should land?"
to which Walt replies;
"I'm in the middle of an A-5 pitch find your own *&^& landing"
That was a bit ago, and i might be a little off with the story.
Klaus do you remember the time?
Chez
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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May 12, 2006 - 12:26pm PT
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Because I'm sure Raleigh would have laughed too...This is one of the funniest typos I've ever seen:
"he found a pair of crotches on the top of mount brenta , and notified the italian police because he thought some handicapped person jumped off."
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grantius
Trad climber
australia
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May 15, 2006 - 08:48pm PT
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I Just heard of this today...
I met Raleigh at Perris Valley Skydive Centre in 1998, with my mate from Australia who had met him a few years before. Immediatley we began to make plans for "SkyRock Boogie"...10 days of skydiving, climbing ,base jumping all this flying in a Cesna from Elsinore up the Sierras, stopping to climb and do skydives along the way... we buzzed the top of El Cap and Half Dome and flew on to Lake Tahoe... Quite possibly the most action packed 10 days I have ever had!
Raleigh came to Australia a few years later, he had been in Thailand. He arrived with tequila and wanting to party, he showed us his foot...he had picked up a nasty infection, we took him straight to hospital where he spent the next 3 or 4 weeks.. he gave the nurses hell!! (but he got to keep his foot!).
Frederick von Frederick aka (Raleigh Collins) sorry you are gone mate,
Sky Rock Boogie lives on. Grant.
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alby
Social climber
NSW
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May 22, 2006 - 07:59am PT
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Raleigh... your eagle claw spirit will be with me forever.
I met raleigh in 92 at Eloy Az, I was at my first skydiving world meet and he was doing what he has always done, partying jumping and climbing and the rest. He was hiring a c150 and flying out in the desert to go climb sh#t... on his own.
He turned up to my place in sydney while I was in malaysia working, fresh from thailand with a gangrenous foot. My girlfriend checked him into hospital (see Russ Walling photo) under a false name cause his foot was about to drop off, he just wanted to hang about and see if it got batter. We shared some crazy times in Oz on the beach and in the mountains.
Later I caught up with him at Perris where we got the idea of the "sky rock boogie". We flew from Elsinore over the sierras and yosemite to Davis for some "freeflappin'" (raleigh freefly style) jumps then to Auburn to jump the bridge, straight up to Tahoe on a full moon (he wasn't much good at night nav) for a week of fun, night jumps over the lake and even some climbing. On the return we cased half dome for "the only way to get away with it". We took off from Mariposa strip at 2am and top landed the dome, repacked and based it. That was the most intense I'd ever seen him, when I thanked him for the ride before getting out and he kept saying....LAND ON TOP. A memorable ten sport week that would not end, and when it did we were still sporting massive grins in the middle of dodge (LA) in the "grey whale" heading for the airport.
Thats how I will remember him, with his eagle claw handshake. True air trash.
Thanks brother.
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Monkey Cat
Sport climber
San Mateo,CA
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Philip (my boyfriend) and I met Raliegh Collins in 2003 after we summited Mt. Whitney. We were staying in a motel for a much needed shower and bedrest when Philip ran into Raliegh in the lobby. RC asked if Philip wanted to go out to the Alabama hills for some climbing since his clients bailed on him. Philip ran up to the room while I was still in the shower and said "Hey I met this cool guy in the lobby, he wants to know if we want to climb with him". I'm like "Hey, do you know anything about this guy?". Later we find out he's vry well known in the area and is a top class climber.
So, we head out to the Alabama's, following (barely) Raleigh in his old yellow beat up Chevy Luv. We drove around for a while, stopping to say hello to some of RC's friends on the rocks on the way to Capricorn (one of his favorites). RC set up a top rope for Philip and I since we only had about a summer and a half of climbing experience. I found out that RC named the climb Capricorn because that was his sign. That was way cool considering that I also am that sign! We hit it off right away. What a sense of humor, he was soooo sarcastic, but in a good way! I made a move that he never saw on the rock and named it the Chery hip hop. Philip did an underhand grab that RC also named the Philly cling.
After we were done climbing for the day, we all sat back and opened some Sobe's. My cap had Monkey Cat written under it. Raleigh thought this was so cool, he started calling me Monkey Cat! He gave me so much confidence that day and said to keep it up I would be a great climber. He kepy bugging me about that Sobe cap. He wanted it to hang in his old Chevy truck. He ended up trading me the cap for a sage smudge stick he made from JT.
Philip and I climbed Cathedral Peak July 3rd with a guide from YMS, named Trevor. On the hike up to the peak we were taking about RC and Trevor said he had passed away. It was quite a shock! We were so influenced by his great energy and his lust for life. Then we found out how Raleigh died and it made it that much more upsetting. We were looking forward to climbing the east face of Whitney with him.
Raleigh we're sorry you bailed out, you'll be missed and not forgotten.
Hope you find peace man.
have some great photos of RC from that day on Capricorn. As soon as I scan them I'll post them.
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Ricardo Carlos
Trad climber
Off center, CO.
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Raleigh Raleigh Raleigh
I received a call from a beach and sailing day’s friend. Had not seen her for years, so I was even more surprised when the reason she called was Raleigh landed in her Palm Springs Pool. I did not know that Raleigh after the film gig on EL Cap started hang gliding and base jumping
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Ipo
Trad climber
Slovenia
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Me and my Chuchi (so we called my todays wife at great time in Arco with Rolly) had this great prevealege to meet this good american buddy. We watched him while he jumped from Monte Brento and I am sure that he was a really master of his body. We climbed together in Slovenia, and we waited for his next visit. He was an spontaneous and instantly warm person, it seems like he was constanly searching for perfect love and he found this in life on the edge. Rolly thank you for all the moments you share with us. We have a daughter Nike now and...
so long Rollo.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Be at peace now....
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James
climber
My twin brother's laundry room
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Feb 12, 2009 - 07:08pm PT
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In the winter of 2004, I escaped my duties as a student and headed down to Joshua Tree National Park, the long time haunt of many of my friends. They spent most of their time running around the blobs in the park, climbing ropelessly. That was the game in Joshua Tree and I followed suit. On December 18th, I stretched and headed around hidden Valley Campground, looking for routes to warm up on. My friend Dave and his buddy Raleigh booted up at the base of Double Cross, a moderate 5.7. I followed the pair up the climb and we talked and laughed about the day.
When we finished, I soloed Tabby Litter, a 5.8 on the other side of the formation. Raleigh suggested it. It was a good route albeit short. Dave went back to camp and Raleigh and I bouldered a little. We climbed up and down on the Pyramid Boulder. I was getting worked and wanted to solo more. Raleigh asked me if I wanted to go climb Baby Apes with him on the Bachar Toprope wall. I shook my head and said I would rather go off on my own.
I went to Intersection Rock and fell a hundred feet soloing the North Overhang. I laid in a pool of blood at the base. I felt destroyed. My friends came and helped me. My family flew from across the continent to be by my side.
I came out of the hospital and recovered substantially, going on to becoming a more successful man and climber. My story became well known in the climbing community. I am sure Raleigh heard it.
In March of 2006, Raleigh Collins ran off the top of Sports Challenge Rock and dove into the boulders below. He died taking a smaller fall than I.
I did not know Raleigh well but I often wonder if I set bad example for him. If he thought that he too, could stand up from a disaster, and have his friends, his family, and strangers rush to his side. I set an example and now I sometimes think to myself did I kill Raleigh Collins?
I do not know. I only wish we had climbed Baby Apes that day. Maybe we could have helped each other. At the least we could have laughed a little.
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halfhitch
Trad climber
Steamboat Springs, CO
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Feb 12, 2009 - 09:06pm PT
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I'll miss Raleigh - use to buzz around Rubidoux & espeically the bridge wall. His antics winging around, buzzing the tower errrr intersect at Josh.. I kinda ache in my pit - thought the memories are fine.
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