John Bachar Interview
Date: Thursday, October 23 @ 20:49:38 UTC
Topic: Interview
Bachar defies space, gravity and sanity on Crack A GoGo. Photo by Phil Bard.
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When thinking of the greatest names in climbing there are a few that float to the top. Forged in the old school tradition, John Bachar is one of the original Yosemite hardman. HIs list of accomplishments and first ascents would be longer than both of his cabled arms. From hard multi-pitch solo's, heady ground up first ascent leads, high ball hard bouldering, and way hard old school bolted lines (think 40 feet plus between buttonheads). Round that off with John's climbing shoe design (Acopa shoes) and his ability to pick up a saxophone and wail on some bluesy tunes. John is right there where he has always been. On the edge.
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John Bachar soloing "The Gift" at Red Rocks near Las Vegas, NV
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John Bachar free soloing "On The Lamb" (5.9) LAMB DOME, Tuolumne Meadows, California.
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John Bachar will be traveling in the deep south in the fall of 2008. Click here for more info on the tour: Click here for John Bachar SE slideshow tour dates A list of times and dates is also found at the end of the interview.
SCC: When and where did you start climbing?
JB: I started climbing in Joshua Tree when I was fifteen. I used to read books about the mountains like Annapurna by Maurice Herzog. My high school buddy, Mike Ransom was into also. We started leading and bouldering together at that time.
SCC: Who were your early mentors?
JB: Royal Robbins and Bob Kamps. I read Robbin's books on How to Climb and heard many inspiring stories about him. Bob Kamps used to boulder at Stoney Point and was always blowing our minds with his strength and technique. I learned a lot from him.
SCC: What compelled you to start solo climbing?
JB: Pure laziness. Sometimes setting up a top rope on a tall boulder was too much trouble. We ended up "soloing" things like this. After a while we started thinking about going ropeless on longer and longer climbs. Soon, I was hooked on the freedom and commitment it offered. Not long after, I was soloing in Yosemite!
SCC: What was climbing like in Yosemite when you first arrived there?
JB: Very intimidating. Everything seemed huge compared to Joshua Tree and Tahquitz. We were young, cocky and stupid so we just kept going and tried everything. We were also very safety conscious and always stuck to the "rules" of placing anchors and gear correctly and belaying safely.
SCC: What were some of your early ascents there and who were you climbing with?
JB: At first we would just go up to the Valley for spring break and do things like Moby d%$# Center, 5.9, or La Cosita, 5.9. They were scary but we did OK with them. One day I got hooked up with Rob Frick and I did my first Yosemite 5.10 -- Meat Grinder. Rob lead it and I followed it no problem. I then realized I could probably lead at that level as well. I was really a good boulderer but I couldn't climb routes at the level I was able to boulder. It was a big breakthrough for me.
SCC: Tell us about some of the ethics in the Valley back in those days.
JB: Everything was ground up. People tried to do things without falling as much as possible. If they fell they would lower immediately to the ground without looking up at the next section. Very pure. I remember hearing TM Herbert telling a story about how Frank Sacherer came down off a pitch he was trying to free. When asked why he was coming down when he was apparently cruising the climb, he said his foot had touched a piton. He didn't stand on the pin, his foot touched it on the way up!
SCC: Can you tell us about your route, The Bachar-Yerian?
JB: An exciting route that I will never forget. I had just come back from Germany and heard many stories about the Dresden climbers and how they placed bolts by hanging on knots or hand drilling a small hole in order to hang off of to drill a real bolt. When I got back to Tuolumne I realized that maybe I could do the same thing. It wouldn't be true free climbing, but an aid/free hybrid. At the time, people only drilled bolts on face routes if they could hand stance them. I wanted to climb these vertical knob routes that were all over the place. I decided that I could hang on hooks and hand drill like that. I would lower back to the belay after drilling and climb back up yo-yo style and continue on to the next bolt placement.
When I first started up the wall, I didn't really know if the whole thing would work. After I got my first bolt in off a hook I knew it would go. That's what I did up the whole route and when Dave and I made it to the top we couldn't believe it.
SCC: How have you seen the sport of climbing change over the past 20 years?
JB: I remember one day in Camp 4 when somebody ran up to TM Herbert with a copy of Mountain magazine. "Mountain 1" was the title and TM started laughing his a#$ off. "Like there's going to be a Mountain 2!" he said. We all laughed aloud.
There weren't really any (climbing) magazines in those days, so this whole thing seemed crazy. Now of course there are magazines all over the world and people actually get sponsored to climb! Quite extraordinary.
SCC: How did you get involved in designing and constructing climbing shoes?
JB: I started with Boreal when Miguel Angel Gallego gave me a pair of sticky rubber shoes called Fires (fee-rays). I started distributing them in the USA with Mike Graham and also started working with the factory to make them work better. Soon I was experimenting with all kinds of design modifications and making wild new models.
SCC: So what are you doing these days?
JB: I run a shoe company called ACOPA. (See acopausa.com) I want to make the best climbing shoes in the world. I also continue to climb and free solo at the best of my ability.
SCC: We hear that you play the sax. Got a song you like to belt out after a day of climbing?
JB: Papa Don't Take No Mess, by James Brown.
SCC: Favorite pitch or climbing route anywhere in the world?
JB: The Nose of El Capitain I guess. It's hard to say really, I like climbing everything!
SCC: Favorite beverage?
JB: Boddington's!
SCC: Tell us about your upcoming slideshow tour of the southeast.
JB: I really have been dreaming of climbing some of that really killer-looking sandstone down there for a long time now. I mentioned to Rob Robinson that if I could do a slide show tour I might be able to afford to visit and check out the routes. Amazingly, Rob set me up with a bunch of venues. I can't believe people want to see my little slide show. Hopefully everyone will enjoy it. The show is a collection of my best shots throughout my climbing career. I talk about a lot of topics but it's mostly about believing in your dreams and pursuing them.
SCC: Thanks for the interview John.
JB: Thank you.
Sunday, November 9th: NASHVILLE, TN
Slide show starting at 7:o0 p.m. to 9:00 pm at:
Climb Nashville
www.ClimbNashville.com
3630 Redmon Dr.
Nashville, TN 37209
615.463.7625
Tuesday, November 11th: CHATTANOOGA, TN
Acopa shoe demo from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and
slide show from 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at:
Tennessee Bouldering Authority
www.tbagym.com
3804 St. Elmo Avenue, Suite # 102
Chattanooga, TN
423.822.6800
Wednesday, November 12th: ATLANTA, GA
Acopa shoe demo beginning at 7 p.m. at:
Atlanta Rocks Intown
www.AtlantaRocks.com
1019 Collier Rd. NW, Ste. A
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.351.3009
Thursday, November 13th: ATLANTA, GA
Slide show from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at:
High Country Outfitters
www.HighCountryOutfitters
3906 Roswell Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
404-504-9472
Saturday, Nov. 15th, 2008: BREVARD, NC
Acopa shoe demo from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at:
Brevard Rock Gym
www.BrevardRockGym.com
224 S. Broad St.
Brevard, NC 28712
828.884.7625
Dinner and drinks from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at:
Looking Glass Outfitters
www.LookingGlassOutfitters.com
90 New Hendersonville Hwy.
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
828.884.5854
Slide show starting at 7:30 p.m. at:
Brevard College
www.Brevard.edu
Dunham Auditorium
One Brevard College Dr.
Brevard, NC 28712
800.527.9090
Special thanks to Rob Robinson for helping to set up the interview with John Bachar.
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