Earl Redfern
Avajane
that Earl had died a week or two ago in a small engine plane crash in the Green
River Canyon. They had heard it from John Bald. I didn't know him that well,
but my good friend Jim had done several walls with him and was close for a
time. If anyone knows of any family that can be contacted, I'll pass the
information on to Jim.
Climbing can be such a small world. I had been climbing a few years when I
joined this climbing club and met Mark Snyder. I taught him the ropes and he
went on to introduce one of his friends, Tom Bepler, to climbing. Somehow, Tom
met Earl, and they did first ascents of Russian Roulett and some other A4+ wall
on Leaning Tower. Neither route had a second ascent for many years. Sometime
after that they teamed up with two guys (who's names escape me) to do Mount
Thor in about 36 days. This was one of the "early" Yosemite like big walls to
be done. My wife and I had seen their custom "two tier" tent on the face of
Rixon's while on a short trip there. Months later I saw the same tent in a
climbing magazine article about the trip. From what I knew of Earl he had
vision, boldness, and a great smile and sense of humor. I guess those traits
took Earl as far as he went. He was one of those guys that put up routes that
we walk under and say "who the fuck put that up?" He'll be missed. I'm
toasting him tonight.
Brian Izdepski
Clint Cummins
>Not firsthand knowledge however...............I heard from John and
>Jim Yates that Earl had died a week or two ago in a small engine plane
>crash in the Green River Canyon. They had heard it from John Bald.
http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/msg00614.html
Apparently they (Earl Redfern and Clint Ford) were scouting out
locations for BASE jumping, and one wing clipped a canyon wall.
Clint Cummins
Bill Zaumen
Cummins) wrote:
>
> Apparently they (Earl Redfern and Clint Ford) were scouting out
> locations for BASE jumping, and one wing clipped a canyon wall.
>
> Clint Cummins
Just to add a story about Earl for those who never had a chance to
meet him ....
Once while talking to Earl in the Lodge parking lot, Earl showed us
his parasail (I think he designed it or something). He ran around
the parking lot showing us how to inflate it, when an ambulance with
two rangers showed up, and the rangers threatened to arrest Earl on
general principles if he didn't put it away. Earl said, "I don't
see what the problem is. It's not like I have a propeller strapped
to my ass."
Earl would tell us completely outrageous stories, but was actually
very softspoken and the combination would make us laugh even louder.
He was one of the most delightful persons you could ever meet.
Bill
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> Not firsthand knowledge however...............I heard from John and Jim Yates
> that Earl had died a week or two ago in a small engine plane crash in the Green
> but my good friend Jim had done several walls with him and was close for a
> time. If anyone knows of any family that can be contacted, I'll pass the
> information on to Jim.
>
> Climbing can be such a small world. I had been climbing a few years when I
> joined this climbing club and met Mark Snyder. I taught him the ropes and he
> went on to introduce one of his friends, Tom Bepler, to climbing. Somehow, Tom
> met Earl, and they did first ascents of Russian Roulett and some other A4+ wall
> on Leaning Tower. Neither route had a second ascent for many years. Sometime
> after that they teamed up with two guys (who's names escape me) to do Mount
> Thor in about 36 days. This was one of the "early" Yosemite like big walls to
> be done. My wife and I had seen their custom "two tier" tent on the face of
> Rixon's while on a short trip there. Months later I saw the same tent in a
> climbing magazine article about the trip. From what I knew of Earl he had
> vision, boldness, and a great smile and sense of humor. I guess those traits
> took Earl as far as he went. He was one of those guys that put up routes that
> we walk under and say "who the fuck put that up?" He'll be missed. I'm
> toasting him tonight.
>
> Brian Izdepski