Climbers

John Long:

Unlike many pontifical climbers who, having made their mark, silently slip into history, Bridwell’s initiative has redoubled with each new route. Indeed he has maintained a level of motivation rarely matched by any climber anywhere. Yet this same motivation has occasioned controversy, fisticuffs and vindictive slandenngs from fellow cragsmen. [4]

Bridwell's sage advice to Leo Houlding and Jason Pickles, prior to their attempt on The Prophet (E9):

Just remember boys, it’s fine line between badass and dumbass [5]

References

[1] Portrait by Dean Fidelman

[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214821/Jim-Bridwell-1944-2018

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysF9wx4X08A

[4] Interview with John Long in Mountain 79 (1981), page 22 /library/11090/mountain-79

[5] https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/jam-crack-the-niall-grimes-climbing-podcast/id1065991509?i=1000774041461

References

[1] https://www.leocea.com/historialdeencadenes

As well as being a handy sport climber and boulderer, Martinez was editor of Grimper magazine, 2019–25

References

[1] Interview with Fanatic Climbing, Jan 2022 https://fanatic-climbing.com/interview-lucien-martinez-irreductible-acharne-interview-lucien-martinez-inveterate-and-tenacious/

References

[1] Interview with Simon Lee for ukbouldering.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEfIwqQvk4c

[2] Write up on Big Bang by Chris Doyle, January 2011 https://doylosblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/ormesman-of-week-neil-carson-brit-makes.html

Harding had a brief but influential spell at the cutting edge of UK climbing in the years immediately post world war two. Armed with improved ex-military gear, including the first nylon dynamic ropes, he was responsible for a small number of hard-for-the time classic routes on peak gritstone and in North Wales. He was an engineer by trade and this, along with climbing in the eastern Alps and availability of army surplus hardware, made him more receptive to the use of pitons than his pre-war counterparts. Harding was noted for his proficiency at hand jamming although it seems unlikely that he originated this technique as some of his contemporaries suggested.

References

[1] https://rucksackclub.org/2023/04/14/a-dip-into-the-club-journals-from-1993-just-a-bit-difficult-by-peter-harding/

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/dec/19/mainsection.obituaries

Fontainebleau slab wizard.

References

[1] https://www.patreon.com/secretstonersclub/posts/perfect-to-past-164760134