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cragb
Feb 15, 2005, 4:52 AM
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Can anybody direct me to some info or crazy anecdotes about Henry Barber?? I got a school project to do on him --- looking for jaw-dropping info on this old-school badass..... help is much appreciated..
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shakylegs
Feb 15, 2005, 2:30 PM
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Doesn't use cams? Or so I've heard.
Is now apparently a rep for Black Diamond, if I'm not mistaken. Often calls in sick, or is "meeting with a client," i.e. the weather's too nice so he's off climbing.
You might want to ask this question on neclimbs.com as well.
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devkrev
Feb 15, 2005, 4:29 PM
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hey hey,
Wasn't there an interview with him in the Rock and Ice ethics issue? I'm sure you can get tons of info from there
later
dev
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scarpenter
Feb 15, 2005, 11:13 PM
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Very good badass anecdotes in the R&I Ethics issue!
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stashyboy
Feb 15, 2005, 11:54 PM
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"On Edge" is Henry's biography written by one of his climbing partner's Chip Lee, and has many stories of freeing sick routes all over the world. Written in 1982 just as 'Hot Henry's' career had peaked. :) It may be a bit bias on certain sensitive issues (see the book for details) Definately worth reading if you contemplate a paper on the man.
-M
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jsj42
Feb 16, 2005, 12:52 AM
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Here's one:
When Henry showed up at Mt. Arapiles he pretty much tore the place up. My personal favorite story is that of Thundercrack: a crowd gathered to watch Hot Henry attempt to free this famous aid line, and as he climbed up his only piece of pro was a sling around a horn... as he climbed past the sling, he paused for a moment, looked down at the crowd below, and said, "is anyone going to follow this?" Everyone just looked around at each other trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. When no one stepped up to the plate, Henry reached down and kicked the sling free, and then soloed to the top without pro.
He freed a lot of the hardest lines of the day at Arapiles - Reaper, Kama Sutra, Squeekeasy, etc. On "A Taste of Honey" (5.11-), he actually did the signature traverse using his feet on a what is now a hand rail, undercling a seam above... People say that done this way it goes at 5.12--perhaps the first 5.12 in OZ. I believe he almost (all but one move) freed Manic Depressive at Bundaleer, which is now 5.11+/5.12-.
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ambler
Feb 16, 2005, 12:58 AM
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In reply to: Very good badass anecdotes in the R&I Ethics issue! |
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bvb
Feb 16, 2005, 1:00 AM
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if you really want to get into the complexties of barber, you need to dig up:
the old documentary showing him on-sight soloing strand at gogarth;
read up on the controversy surrounding his attempt on the breach wall, and the attendand book, "the breach";
note for the record he was the most well-travelled american rock climber as of the mid-to-late '70's, and routinely added several grades to the top end at any area he visited;
the back-stories to his f.a.'s of butterballs and fish crack are intruiging;
his on-sight solo of the steck-salathe was declared by robbins to be "an act of vision";
his egomania approched pathology;
do some homework. you'll discover an amazing human being.
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philbox
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Feb 16, 2005, 2:36 AM
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Further to bvb`s comment re Hot Henry adding several grades to any area he visited. Henry also tore up Frog Buttress. Many wonderful lines were freed at this crack mecca. One notable exception is a climb called "The one that got away" in reference to the FFA spree that saw a huge amount of climbs FFAd but he missed that one. Awesome climb too. The current guide book for the area sees many references to Barber in it.
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slobmonster
Feb 16, 2005, 3:13 AM
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Henry is still alive and kicking.
Anecdotes? The most interesting stories I have are from 2 summers ago, when Henry involved himself in a local (North Conway) bolting controversy.
I found it interesting that he could not understand where all these climbers are coming from, especially as he has made his livelihood from promoting climbing (and climbing gear) in one way or another, for quite a long time, and the living he's made from it all has been quite good to him, apparently.
Hates bolts; can't (won't) understand, or even acknowledge, that sometimes a bolt might be alright, ethically and aesthetically. Not shy of tooting his own horn. Loudly.
The word on the street that in Henry's case, a swami was just fine because his gut kept it from sliding up and asphixiating him.
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dough
Feb 18, 2005, 1:39 PM
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The man also loves his beer. He didn't get the gut sucking lollipops.
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