Lesley
I'm very sorry to hear of John's passing. I barely knew him - we were referred to each other by Bryce Simon, I believe - and we did only one climb together, the 1977 first ascent of the East Buttress of Mt. Slesse. I just happened to run across a recent routes guide to the East side of the mountain online and found our names, which led to wondering whatever became of John, and here I am popping out of the past, late as usual. I'm afraid I have little to add to his remembrance save that he was comfortable to be with and held up his end of the rope, saving my 24-year old ass with a smooth belay when a little nubbin crumbled under a skyhook and a #1 hexcentric about 8 ft below held (barely - the cord was halfway broken). This was on the thin face pitch above the point where the buttress dies into the East Face - a very airy, hairy crux to be climbing in alpine packs. A haul line would have been a nice addition to our skimpy equipage - and a couple more bottles of water. Fortunately it wasn't too long for us and the terrain eased into a series of shallow steps, all rounded but with good holds. It was still a fair ways before I found any decent anchor.
We descended via the North Ridge with a couple of rappels through the cliffs. John got a little testy with me when I tied off and dangled in a blueberry patch for a few minutes while he waited below ignorant of my bliss.
All the best
Dennis
Attached photo may be from the same descent route on an earlier climb of the N.E. Buttress route I did with Dave Tucker in '75 or '76.
