Almost famous

[nolanr]

A new coworker at my office is the niece of John Roskelly. Really, I think it's legit. She doesn't know enough about climbing to just make that up out of the blue. So that makes me...nothing really. But I'll have to hit her up for some old rusty pitons or biners of his or some such cool climbing relics.

[DPS]

I can top that. A co-worker (and good friend) of mine is Alex Bertulis' son. He has great stories about growing up with Fred Beckey living in his basement and the long list of famous European climbers that would have dinner with the family when visting Seattle.

[Griff]

My neighbor growing up was Ome Daiber (1st ascent Liberty Ridge, invented Sno-Seal, involved with starting SAR in Seattle, helped build Camp Sherman, pioneered the Ptarmigan Traverse, etc., etc. [check The Challenge of Rainier]). My other neighbor was Will Thompson (one of the original Ptarmigan Club members [Ptarmigan Traverse], several 1st ascents with Beckey [check Challenge of the North Cascades], etc.).

[pope]

My brother went to school with a guy whose friend once saw Scott Franklin's girlfriend down at Smith Rock.

[Dru]

Cpt. Caveman gave me free beer once.....

Lynn Hill signed a poster for me! I didn't have the heart to tell her I think shes not such a hottie compared to Katie B.

[Doug]

I read postings on cascadeclimbers.com from people who know people.

[roboclimber]

I was at O'Hare airport in Chicago, of course and I heard a page for Sir Edmond Hillary.

[hollyclimber]

Steve Swensen lives in my neighborhood. I give drive by tours of his house to my climbing friends.

[erik]

why would anyone want to drive by steve swenson's house?! i son't hink he ever read chris jones's article on the aac. and still believes it works in the old ways. can i bring i carton of eggs on your tour!

[Wopper]

Kris Boskoff slept on my living room floor.

[Lambone]

I saw Tom Frost in Camp 4 a couple of weeks ago. His hair is like silver, big smile...

[Yossarian]

Willi Unsold (sp) lived next door to my grandparents. He kept his amputated toes on top of the fireplace.

Although I never personally met Sir Hillary, I have a Kiwi friend who likes to put honey on his toast.

[Kyle]

Bro & I were unsuccessfully thrashing around on boxcar boulder, a 5.12-ish traverse in the gunks, and had just sat down for a break, when Lynn H came jogging up, said hi, smoked the traverse in running shoes, and kept on going.

[Kyle]

Oh yeah, and once I saw Scott Franklin put up a new route at Verdon. Later that day saw Catherine Destivelle walking around in LaPalud, flanked by a half-dozen gawking dudes.

[EddieE]

I talked to Al Gore at Camp Muir and hitched a ride to a bar with Warren Hollinger.

[Alpine_Tom]

quote:

---

Originally posted by erik:

why would anyone want to drive by steve swenson's house?!

---

I worked with Steve for a few years, and I was impressed by what a likeable, unpretentious guy he was. He was easily one of the most well-liked engineers in the department, both by coworkers and clients.

A guy who delays his expedition to Gasherbrum 4 so as not to miss his son's high school graduation, and who can find something nice to say in public about Sandy Pittman, has a hell of a lot of class in my book.

 

 

[erik]

unless, he is in charge of the pnw aac branch and does not repsond to emails about me and others wanting to help orgainze events in the section.

going to his son's graduation! wow! if my parents would have only come home from vacation to attend mine, i might have been a better person.

personally, the above would seem like an event cast in stone. is there not life beyond climbing? family is the greatest accomplishment.

[Bronco]

Erik:

I agree it is frustrating when you e-mail someone to take them up on an offer say - oh - I don't know - maybe to take a newbie climbin' and they don't respond.

 

[Rodchester]

Me and whopper got hammered with Alex Lowe's little brother Ted in Dubois Wyoming. Great guy.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Once I got drunk in Canada and puked on Lyle Knight

[Rodchester]

Oh yeah, I forgot I had beers and Pizza with Lynn Hill in Chicago a few years back. She was very nice and cute.

[To_The_Top]

One time while Joel and I were going to climb the Emmons, we stopped in Enumclaw, at Charlie's, I think, the last redneck breakfast spot on the right as you leave town. We saw someone that didn't fit in, we recognized him from somewhere...he saw us looking at him and motioned us over. It was Seattle's mayor Norm Rice, and we had breakfast with him. He was funny as hell, and told us he had a flat tire as he and the group was going to hike up Suntop mtn.

[willstrickland]

Woo hoo, the name drop game. Let's try this: I'll leave a blank and you figure out who the famous climber is:

1. Smoked bowls with _____ at the slack line in Camp4.

2. Borrowed an extra #3 from ______ at Indian Creek.

3. Got beta on Phoney Baloney at Joe's Valley from standard setting boulderer ______

4. Tried to ram a stick into the spokes of _____'s bicycle while he was on it.

5. Loaned _______ a trekking pole for a makeshift crutch.

Hints: 1. Lunatic free soloer

2. American female

3. Salt Lake local

4. Brit

5. German

Anyone who gets them all right on the first try will receive a special prize.

[erik]

DEAN

STEPH

BOONE

LEO

HUBER

 

[Dru]

Warren Hollinger gave me a free Trango Tower t-shirt while we were bouldering at Squish. Then in New Zealand some girl picked me up while I was hitch hikingand took me home because I knew what Trango Tower was.... later on I saw Warren again and told him the story, he introduced me to his cousin ... who works in the MOLSONS BREWERY in Kitsalino. FREE BEER!!!!!!!!