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gonamok
Trad climber
poway, ca
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Jul 18, 2008 - 03:37am PT
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Alan Nelson, aka "the kook" was probably the most accomplished climber to come out of San Diego, and one of my best friends. This is the first i have heard of his death, and right now im more stunned than anything. Al has always been out there, unflinchingly speaking his mind and doing things his way. I always admired his convictions and how he stood behind his words and actions, which he articulated so well. Its hard to imagine a world without him.....Al, I will never forget you man, you meant alot to me.
I first encountered Alan Nelson at Mission Gorge. He was leading the Misbegotten, an A4+, x-rated aid climb that NOBODY leads. Karl Mueller was belaying, the year must have been 1975 and i was a raw beginner. When i got there Al was about 40 feet off the deck, top looping on a bottomed out rurp that was sticking halfway out of the mankiest seam ever. Below him were three more rurps, and below that a horrifying assortment of tied off baby angle tips, copperheads and pin stacks, every placement marginal A4, none remotely capable of holding a fall. Any slip would have zippered the mess and probably killed him, but Alan was so calm and exact it was more mind boggling than scary to watch. Alans greatest power was his mental strength, which i was to see on display again many times through the years.
The next time i saw Alan was at Santee a couple years later. My girlfriend was with me and she tried to impress him by pointing out problems i had done (mistake), and Alan answered by doing every one of them on the spot and then asking is that all? I didnt know him, but his brashness and in your face attitude at a time when sandbagging was in vogue, i thought was really cool. We bouldered and i got paddled and schooled and sent home to mama, but he was supportive and fun to climb with (as soon as my gf shut up). He shared his last beer and what little smoke he had with me like i was an old friend, even though i was a 5.8 jockey and he was one of the top 2 or 3 climbers (if not the best at that time) in the county. Generousity was a Nelson hallmark. Despite his sometimes gruff demeanor, the guy had a huge heart and wasnt afraid to show it.
After that Al would climb with me whenever we met up. One memorable time at Joshua Tree me and Michael Paul and Al ate LSD and went bouldering around turtle rock. MP led a 5.11 finger crack that Al blazed up, and I somehow followed despite seeing, but not feeling my hands. The stuff was strong and it took forever for me to pull the belay because it was so confusing. We were frying hard when we happened upon Eric Ericson, who was on his way to TR Leave it to beaver, so we followed and(after watching yaniro waltz up it and Leavitt thrash and dangle)borrowed Erics rope after he cranked almost thru the crux but burned at the big flake.
Climbing the beaver while peaking on good LSD was wild. I couldnt climb for sh#t but the holds are good enough for anybody to get fairly high, and I blew off below the alcove in mid move. Alan then introduced me to the munter hitch belay, which consisted of unrestrained free fall with a quick catch just above the deck. So when i came off, i shot straight out as if unroped, prepared myself to die and was saved at the last possible second when Al finally cinched the rope. I mean he cut it close and i hit the ground pretty hard. It was stark terror, and Alan was laughing convulsively. I failed to find the humor in it at the time, but i learned that the kook liked the edge, whether playing or serious. He shared his last beers with us that night and we had a ball. A guy named Rob was trying the beaver with us, strong climber, good guy.
I wazs in the valley the next spring and met up with Rob from J-Tree, who told me that Al had cancer and was in a bad way. By then I really looked up to the guy. He was climbing baby apes and all these test pieces of the day without fanfare and though he was climbing with the Bachar crowd, he always hung and bouldered with the homies from SD when we showed up. Ill never forget meeting up with Alan as he was talking with Bachar at Hidden Valley. As i walked up Bachar was asking Alan if he wanted to go do some problem and Al said no thanks, i think ill go bouldering with Ron. I tried to act cool but that really felt good and thats how Alan was, loyal to his friends.
So when i heard about his cancer i wrote him a letter and offered our home for as long as he wanted, thinking he might want a change of scenery. He declined but never forgot that. He got strong again and climbing better than ever, doing all the hardest routes wherever he went. We got post cards and he always visited and we climbed when he was in town. I climbed all over the place with Al and was always amazed at his strength endurance and tenacity. Cracks, face, walls, boulders, sport, he did it all at the highest grades of the day.
Al was my friend and inspiration, a part of my life, a guy who turned down bachar to boulder 5.10 with me. One time i was thrashing on a climb Al had just walked up, and every hot guy in the monument was watching. When i began to falter Al yelled up to me "come on Ron, if I can do it you can do it"...not remotely, but that was Alan. Ok Im losing it now, so long old buddy, Ill never forget you.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Jul 18, 2008 - 12:08pm PT
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thanks Ron.
nice words for sure.
a little bump 4 the SD home crew
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Jul 18, 2008 - 12:22pm PT
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yeah, bump for alan. it's july, and he'd be in the meadows right now. so it goes.
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Jul 20, 2008 - 03:48pm PT
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I wasn't as close to Alan as many of you but enjoyed running into him at the crags. Didn't he write a story about being dogged by a coyote on a night ride at Josh? Maybe he just told me about it.
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Jul 20, 2008 - 07:12pm PT
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The first time I ran into Alan was when I was working in the "climbing department" of the San Diego A-16 store. He walked up, gave me a nod, looked in the gear case at our awe-inspiring gear selection (apparently noticing the dearth of Friends), and simply said, "Hmmph...obselentrics." It was then that I knew I had no hope of ever being cool unless I got me a rack of Friends! ;-)
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jul 20, 2008 - 07:41pm PT
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hey there all... say, as i see, this is an older thread/posting here.... i did want to say to Richard M. Wright:
good luck with your quest to put together a collection about your past climbing partner.... not only as a friend of his, but to share his work, as well, or younger folks....
say, tarbuster.. thanks for the interesting and great-insight articles that you posted... and the 'underground climber' manual photo-note . these are all very special parts of persons inner soul, left behind to leave seeds for others...
say, and russ, thanks for sharing this info in the first place.... and starting up the thread... those of us that are not climbers, but do have it in our beloved family memebers, we enjoy learning about everyone in the climbing world---they are in someways extensions of those that we do know and love... and we appreciate everyones input into the rock-climbing journey--this great outdoors quest that so many men and woman love....
*edit--yes, forgot to mention, great photos, too
late condolenses to friends and families of alan nelson...
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Calvinclimber
Big Wall climber
Bend, OR
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Jul 24, 2008 - 12:03pm PT
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Alan was a member of Solid Rock - Climbers for Christ. I meet him in Vedauwoo in 2003 - where this picture was taken.
He is still smiling after going tapeless on a Vedauwoo crack.
His passion for climbing and doing new routes has been well written about here. A passion I would like to share about is his love for Jesus. His highest desires were to please his Savior.
One time he wanted contact information for another active Valley climber from the early 80's who is now a member of SRCFC. Alan wrote, "I haven't seen him in more than twenty years, and I need to apologize for some inappropriate comments I made to him and about him during my prodigal youth."
Alan loved to worship. Now he is worshipping his Lord and Savior face to face!
Calvin Landrus
National Director of Solid Rock - Climbers for Christ
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Jul 28, 2008 - 07:44pm PT
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I saw Alan again last night. That is, if he were still alive, 16 years old, and throbbing front and center at a Hold Steady show. The same red hair, thick black frame glasses, wash of freckles, slightly upturned nose, trace of acne: and even the grin was the same. It's a wonderful thing when a stranger, all unknowing, can make you feel happy.
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scuffy b
climber
Zeno's Paradise
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Jul 28, 2008 - 07:50pm PT
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Thanks, Off.
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Stonyman61
Trad climber
Hartselle, Alabama
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Aug 19, 2008 - 05:51pm PT
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Alan will be missed, a true brother in Christ! And fellow Solid Rocker!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Aug 19, 2008 - 07:32pm PT
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hey there calvinclimber... say, that is wonderful news to hear... face to face, with the good lord above...
did not know that, til you shared... god bless....
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Gobee
Trad climber
Los Angeles
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Jul 25, 2009 - 01:34pm PT
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Ciebola
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martygarrison
Trad climber
The Great North these days......
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Jul 25, 2009 - 02:45pm PT
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Rick A.....what a reminder your story of the three climbers coming off of the Nose rap route. I was on the NA Wall and had been following them while hanging ins slngs. Next thing I know they were gone. I have always been thankful that I didn't actually see the fall. The were from Minnesota I think.
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philo
Trad climber
boulder, co.
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Jul 25, 2009 - 03:03pm PT
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More sadness! My sincere condolences.
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scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
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Jul 27, 2009 - 11:51am PT
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I'm glad this got bumped back up.
Regarding OffWhite's story of seeing the Almost-Alan:
A few years ago I had a Jaybro sighting in Santa Cruz. I hadn't
met Jay at the time, but from photographic evidence this chap
was the spitting image. I was working up my nerve to introduce
myself, but as I walked by on my way to the head I got a look at
his feet and said to myself "NO WAY are those things fitting
into a 39 Mythos!!!" (info gleaned from ST, of course)
Just a few months ago, right after one of the photo-filled
Boulder threads, I saw a woman (in the same pub as the faux
Jaybro) who was, unmistakably, Chiloe's Leslie from 1976 or so.
Two days after hearing of Brutus' death, I saw him walking down
the street, for about 30 seconds. Then he turned into somebody
else, who I didn't know.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Jul 27, 2009 - 12:30pm PT
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Scuffy - were you at an Eagles concert, 'cause it might have been Joe Walsh separated at birth from the Jaybro!
Bizzarely enough, I had a similar "Brutus" encounter just this morning. I wasn't even thinking about him, just walking along and something about this guy in front of me looked and even sort of moved like him.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Jul 28, 2009 - 08:25am PT
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I saw a woman (in the same pub as the faux
Jaybro) who was, unmistakably, Chiloe's Leslie from 1976 or so.
I got the only one :-)
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Craig Jordan
Trad climber
Canon City, Colorado
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I know I'm way late on this. I recently learned that an Alan Nelson from Cali living in Colorado had passed.I now know it's the Alan Nelson that I climbed with in the mid 70's in San Diego. I met him when he was coming back after breaking his arm in a fall at Tahquitz. I climbed with Alan and "bvb" at the "gorge", Tahquitz, Suicide, and J tree. Good times and great memories. Of all the times I belayed Alan on his leads I never saw him fall. I remember him as a very strong and solid climber. Craig
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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thanks for the bump and the memories...
Alan has been in my thoughts a fair bit lately,
a really fun and motivating soul to climb with,
a lot of class and creativiity, and yes a bit of a renegade too :-)
I miss him and his whirwind of very cool and vibrant energy.
rest in peace Alan my friend, a good customer
who took me climbing -
it was a blast.
Yes, am still affected by his passing, but now
there is no pain, not really, just the sweet letting go
of a time that still shines brightly, ah - youth!
have an Alan Nelson commemorative piece in the works,
something I think he would really dig,
down the road a bit I'll be sure and post - don't lemme
forget, ok?
climb on Alan, climb on good man!
thank you.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Mar 16, 2010 - 11:57am PT
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alan bump.
hey ray, what's up with the commemorative thingamajig?
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