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stickclipper
May 27, 2003, 9:34 PM
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Registered: May 3, 2003
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Everyone with an interest in climbing history should know a little bit about Sherman. He played a huge role in the development of bouldering, invented the V-scale (love it or hate it - he hates it) and the crashpad, wrote several very colorful and humorous books, and climbed thousands upon thousands of boulder problems, racking up first ascents with authority. If one needs just a couple of highlights to be given the general idea that he was for real, he climbed Midnight Lightning and the Thimble. Boo-yah, how many of us can make the same claim?
I met him without knowing who he was when he rolled up to some jumble of boulders tucked away in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming. I was just a 17 year old kid. This old and kinda out-of-shape guy comes out and set a couple of crashpads around the obvious classic boulder of the formation I'm going to call Stonehenge. I called it Old Impossible because I had tried it a bunch and not succeeded (I lacked the sack to top out). I had never seen chalk on it. I saw that he wanted to work on it, and with very little work, he topped out on this beautiful boulder (kind of like a mini-Mandala but nowhere near so hard). But it impressed the hell out of me. I tried and with a bunch of encouragement and enthusiasm coming from him, I managed to repeat his route up an obvious arete that led up the coolest boulder of the area. WE kept bouldering, and he put up three more lines up a very impressive and intimidating overhang, while I added one up a slabbier part. So, within two hours of meeting the guy, we both had climbed FIVE lines up this boulder I had previously thought out of my league. Then, he busted out two tasty bottles of suds.
We talked a bit about climbing, finished the beers, I got his name simply as "John", and then I left and forgot about him until I saw him one year later in the same spot. He was just bouldering around and enjoying himself, seemingly without a care in the world. This time, I knew a bit more about climbing and I had figured out who this legend was. I never dropped down on my knees and payed homage as I thought he was happier with anonymity and solitude among the rocks.
So here's to John Sherman...may we be so lucky to find him at the boulders. He's still at it, that's for sure.
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jgill
Jun 2, 2003, 1:59 AM
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Registered: May 18, 2002
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Here's a photo of John Sherman doing my Thimble route in 1991.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...mp.cgi?Detailed=9868
John may well be one of the most prolific boulderers in America. Even though the current top boulderers may climb at a somewhat higher V-level than John did in his prime, I suspect he takes second place to none with regard to sheer number of ascents, many of which were at the cutting edge when he did them. His writings - unequaled in my opinion in humor and historical content - have attracted climbers to our humble sport who might not otherwise have given it much thought. Hats off to the Verm!
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extrememountaineer
Jun 2, 2003, 3:08 AM
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I would like to add that John Gill is a class human being...having spent a little time with him and his wife recently. Not only that, but at age 65, he made me look like a floundering fish on the rocks. Sorry to embarrass you John, but I mean it!
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stickclipper
Jun 2, 2003, 6:07 AM
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Being the beer connoisseur that he is, Sherman was once asked in an interview what his favorite beer was. He replied-
"I’d have to answer that the way I answer which boulder is my favorite – the one I’m enjoying right now."
http://www.seclimbers.org/access/2002/AnInterviewWithJohnSherman.shtml
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curt
Jun 2, 2003, 7:09 AM
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Registered: Aug 27, 2002
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I would like to add that Verm is one of the finest drinking partners I have ever had. He is not one to pass out or vomit when the going gets tough.
Curt
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