John Bachar

en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Punk Monk

Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Date of birth: 23rd March 1957
Age: 52 years old
Date of death: 5th July 2009
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 7B
Hardest Sport (Worked): 7c+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E5
Notable Partnerships
John Long
Ron Kauk
Kurt Smith
John Yablonski

John Bachar was a leading figure in American rock climbing during the late 1970s and 1980s and a member of the The Stonemasters. He was renowned for his solo climbing, frequently putting in long days where he would solo thousands of feet in areas such as Joshua Tree and Yosemite. In 1981, Bachar famously posted a note in Joshua Tree stating "$10,000 reward for anyone who can follow me for one full day." A challenge which no one took him up on!

Bachar was also famous for his ethical stance on climbing, where he strongly advocated an adventurous ground up ethic at a time when sport climbing was starting to become popular in the US.

Bachar was also an early proponent of specific training for climbing. He invented the eponymous Bachar ladder.

John Bachar died on 5th July 2009 while soloing at Dike Wall near Mammoth Lakes, California.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3396050157127802

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/866918260041017

[3] A Tribute to John Bachar by Lynn Hill https://lynnhillclimbing.com/media/essays/a-tribute-to-john-bachar/

[4] John Bachar timeline on supertopo forum http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/898272/john-bachar-timeline

[5] Portrait by Dean Fidelman 1974 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7-bDk3jRbn/

[6] Obituary by Ed Douglas, 2009 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/10/john-bacher-rock-climber

[7] Memorial thread on supertopo http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=896012

[8] https://gripped.com/profiles/yosemite-climbing-legends-john-bachar/

[9] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/john-bachar-1957-2009.12063/

[10] Obituary by Michael Brick, 2009 https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/sports/09bachar.html

Contributors
69 contributions since 26th February 2021.
6 contributions since 15th July 2025.

Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Date of birth: 23rd March 1957
Date of death: 5th July 2009
Age: 52 years old
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 7B
Hardest Sport (Worked): 7c+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E5
Notable Partnerships
John Long
Ron Kauk
Kurt Smith
John Yablonski

John Bachar was a leading figure in American rock climbing during the late 1970s and 1980s and a member of the The Stonemasters. He was renowned for his solo climbing, frequently putting in long days where he would solo thousands of feet in areas such as Joshua Tree and Yosemite. In 1981, Bachar famously posted a note in Joshua Tree stating "$10,000 reward for anyone who can follow me for one full day." A challenge which no one took him up on!

Bachar was also famous for his ethical stance on climbing, where he strongly advocated an adventurous ground up ethic at a time when sport climbing was starting to become popular in the US.

Bachar was also an early proponent of specific training for climbing. He invented the eponymous Bachar ladder.

John Bachar died on 5th July 2009 while soloing at Dike Wall near Mammoth Lakes, California.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3396050157127802

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/866918260041017

[3] A Tribute to John Bachar by Lynn Hill https://lynnhillclimbing.com/media/essays/a-tribute-to-john-bachar/

[4] John Bachar timeline on supertopo forum http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/898272/john-bachar-timeline

[5] Portrait by Dean Fidelman 1974 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7-bDk3jRbn/

[6] Obituary by Ed Douglas, 2009 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/10/john-bacher-rock-climber

[7] Memorial thread on supertopo http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=896012

[8] https://gripped.com/profiles/yosemite-climbing-legends-john-bachar/

[9] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/john-bachar-1957-2009.12063/

[10] Obituary by Michael Brick, 2009 https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/sports/09bachar.html

Contributors
69 contributions since 26th February 2021.
6 contributions since 15th July 2025.

Lists

Podcasts

Library

Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.

Ascents

13 recorded ascents.

Sort
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/957997997599709

References

[1] https://lynnhillclimbing.com/media/essays/a-tribute-to-john-bachar/
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Bachar drew the original and iconic lightning bolt on the problem while working it with Ron Kauk and John Yabolinski in 1978. He would climb the problem regularly for an audience in Camp 4 at a time when no-one other than he and Kauk had managed it.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/1512130898853080

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/886783774721132

[3] https://gripped.com/profiles/yosemite-climbing-legends-john-bachar/

[4] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/the-most-impressive-piece-of-climbing-you’ve-witnessed.31061/page-2#post-626393
Bachar Cracker First ascent. 6B Boulder 1970s
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Reaching the top was like waking out of a big dream in the middle of the afternoon, blinking in the unexpectedness of continued daylight. Dave [Yerian] looked as disoriented as I felt. In a self-deprecating way, we decided to call our line the Bachar-Yerian, an echo of grander routes such as the Chouinard-Herbert or the Steck-Salathé. We’d tried, in our own fashion, to be true to their spirit. In the end, I’d only placed thirteen bolts on the whole route: four from hooks, and the rest from no-hands stances including six for belays. Some people might criticize my use of aid, but I’d never intended to call it a free route–just to keep it as free as I could. Over and over I’d felt my whole life come down to one small move, one crystal–and within those tiny spaces and moments, I’d tried to get a measure of myself. Dave, meanwhile, watching me struggle, had stayed poised at each moment to protect me, despite the exposure that whirled about him and the weariness of his long-sustained fear. [1]

References

[1] https://alpinist.com/first-ascent/bachar-yerian/

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ix0YBwiTjj7ilO83xpGez?
Astroman First ascent. With Ron Kauk and John Long. E5 Lead | worked May 1975

Some falls.
Free Blast First ascent. E4 Alternate Leads | worked 1975
New Dimensions E4 Solo | worked 1976

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CKcQNG_jwHX/

Completely hollowed out, I just got away with some bullshit. [1]

References

[1] https://gripped.com/profiles/yosemite-climbing-legends-john-bachar/
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

A speed record.

And the Regular NW Face route on Half Dome the same day.