|
tecais
Jun 16, 2004, 7:51 PM
Post #1 of 5
(4967 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 58
|
I am trying to recall a super strong 80's climber whose nickname was "The Back" and think he was Eric Guokas. Anybody have more information, recollections? The name never seems to crop up much in the history books but seems he was a leading figure at the time.
|
|
|
|
|
wallwombat
Jun 17, 2004, 12:23 AM
Post #2 of 5
(4967 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 727
|
Eric Goukas died in a lead fall in Yosemite Valley in 1986 or 1987. Roger Briggs named his route Eroica on the Diamond, Longs Peak after him. I'm afraid that is all I know.
|
|
|
|
|
unabonger
Jun 17, 2004, 12:42 AM
Post #3 of 5
(4967 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 2689
|
Eric Goukas was indeed The Back.
I believe he did the first ascent of Ruby Slipper, in the Flatirons near Boulder. He came of age with Christian Griffith and Eric Doub. Doub wrote of him in an article published in an early Rock and Ice that described growing up in Boulder as a climber.
I only knew of him second hand from Eric Doub, who I worked with, and who was a close friend of his. He had a reputation as a very strong, bold, and energetic climber.
After his death, Rock and Ice published a collection of writings by his friends. I think the climbing community suffered a great loss.
UB
|
|
|
|
|
tecais
Jun 17, 2004, 2:40 PM
Post #4 of 5
(4967 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 58
|
Thanks for the information and I aologize for misspelling his last name. No wonder my online search turned up nothing. I was remembering a photo I saw of him many years ago that blew me away with the awesome back muscle development - looks like he could have powered up anything!
|
|
|
|
|
unabonger
Jun 17, 2004, 3:04 PM
Post #5 of 5
(4967 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 8, 2003
Posts: 2689
|
I'd be interested in seeing the old Rock and Ice's that I mentioned. The one with Doub's article was maybe number 12? Or maybe even earlier. It has a photo of Christian Griffith bouldering at Horsetooth on the Cat's Eye. At that time it was still sort of 'zine ish.
The other Rock and Ice was from maybe 87 or so. Roger Briggs, Doub, a builder that Eric G worked for, and a bunch of climbers wrote vignettes about him. If someone has these issues, scan those pages in. I'll post them on my website if you do.
UB
|
|
|
|
|
|
