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onbelay_osu
Jun 15, 2002, 5:30 AM
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just wondering how many of you know the greatness of paul petzoldt besides the orinigator of petzl climbing gear? just wondering!
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jmlangford
Jun 15, 2002, 6:09 AM
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Well, for starters, he was one of the rescuers of the parachutist stranded on top of Devil's tower in the 1930's.
He also reached 26,000 feet on K2 in 1938. He started a guiding service in the Teton's in 1924 at the age of seventeen! In the early 30's, he made a solo ascent of the NE face of Mt. owen in the Teton's and the first winter ascent of the Grand Teton. In 1936, he made the first ascent of the north face of the Grand Teton with his brother and Fritz Weissner. I could go on a little longer but these are just a few of his accomplishments. I'm sure more will be added to this thread. Petzoldt was an inspiration to my dadwhen he climbed in the Teton's in the 50's.
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bradhill
Jun 17, 2002, 7:08 PM
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I saw the flim on K2 at this year's Banff Mountain Film Festival, and was amazed. Apparently he could've summited K2, but his guide was frightened of the mountain spirits at night, so he turned back just 500 feet short of the summit. This was more than a decade before anyone else would actually summit any 8000'er. On K2!!! Incredibly impressive.
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climber1
Jun 18, 2002, 7:48 PM
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Paul Petzoldt did not start Petzl climbing gear company.
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jgill
Jun 19, 2002, 4:55 PM
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His wife wrote an entertaining book about their lives together. It may have been entitled "On Top of the World",but I can't find a reference in Amazon. It seems to me they lived in a haunted house at one time, while he was working for the US government. He and Glenn Exum brought the real spirit of rock climbing to the Tetons - at times in their cowboy boots. There's a book entitled "On Belay:..." by Ringholz(2000) that is a story of his career as a climber. He and Exum started the guide service in the Tetons, and he eventually sold out to Glenn over some dispute. Then it became the Exum School.
Did you know that there was once a dance hall and saloon at Jenny Lake, where they located their guide service?
[ This Message was edited by: jgill on 2002-06-19 15:52 ]
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camsticker
Jun 19, 2002, 5:03 PM
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He was also the founder of NOLS I beleive as well!!
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biggernhell
Jun 20, 2002, 3:15 AM
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He used to guide clients to the top of the Grand. After they arrived at the summit, elated and dry from the ascent, he would say "I'd give ten dollars for a beer right about now" When they agreed with him, a package of beer would magically appear from the depths his pack. Now thats class! And,I'm pretty sure that he had to flee India to avoid arrest and prosecution. Does anyone remember why?
[ This Message was edited by: biggernhell on 2002-06-21 11:55 ]
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jmlangford
Jul 13, 2002, 5:43 AM
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I am reading his autobiographical book Teton Tales right now. Awesome read! I haven't gotten to any part about India yet-but I'll let you know if I do. Might be a while-my dad stole the book from me and I haven't gotten it back yet!
[ This Message was edited by: jmlangford on 2002-07-12 22:44 ]
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jmlangford
Jul 14, 2002, 1:32 AM
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Okay, I talked to my dad AND got my book back. He said that he believes Paul got involved in something sinister over in India-possibly involving Buddhism. Anyway, a man was killed and Petzoldt was blamed for it. He ended up fleeing to avoid arrest and prosecution. Pretty sure that is what the story was. Not sure if the killing was self-defense or if Petzoldt was actually involved, but that is why he fled.
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biggernhell
Jul 14, 2002, 8:01 PM
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I am slowly remembering what I learned from the book On Belay. Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure that after the little event on K2 (if you want to call a near first ascent of the hardest mountain in the world a "little event")Paul and his wife decided to spend some time in India before coming home. Somehow they got wrapped up with some sort of meditational commune. I remember the book saying that Paul took the meditation very seriously and at one point he saw that it was such a good thing that it had become potentially addictive. When he tried to leave with his wife, the people running the place tried to stop him. All I can remember is a mean ass old lady with a shotgun, Petzoldt hitting one of the guys who ran the commune and that man subsequently dying. Then Paul is arrested for murder, bailed out by the American embassy and told to leave immediatly, and not to return to India, in order to avoid prosecution and possibly execution. Its been a couple of years since I read the book, and I haven't seen it since I loaned it to my mom a year or so ago. The fact that mom is not a climber, and this is the only thing that she has ever stolen from me is a good indication of how interesting Paul's life was.
Thanks JM, this is the first post I've made on this site in quite a while
[ This Message was edited by: biggernhell on 2002-07-14 13:02 ]
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rollingstone
Jul 16, 2002, 7:26 PM
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bradhill mentions a climber nearly summitting K2 but being held up by a frightened sherpa. This climber would be Fritz Weissner, who surely could have summitted in that he was some 900 feet from the summit.
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