tributes from mountaineers
~ from: supertopo.com :
Russ Walling
Gym climber
V***a, Wyoming
Apr 20, 2009
oh wow! Bummer....
Sincere condolences to his friends and family. He was an inspiration.
On Double Cross, leading, at around age 79?:
Pic and story here:
http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/99/misc/bullitt/
Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Apr 20
Stim was the old school definition of gentleman. It was my great honor to know him since the mid-70's when I started guiding him. When I moved to California he would come down and we would just go climbing. The climbing sort of got in the way of the experience because it was hard to talk a rope length apart. Being storm-bound in a tent with him was time well spent; his encyclopedic knowledge never allowed for idle chit-chat. I highly recommend his autobiography "River Dark and Bright". He also wrote "To Be a Politician" which more or less relates how and why an honest intelligent person has a place in politics.
When he was 71 we did Fairview Regular. It was early summer and the 'wet spot' was in full flow. We were second in line and watched the crew ahead fairly embarrass themselves. They were both still at the belay when I got there and to their credit allowed us to pass. I'll never forget their faces when they saw Stim cruise on up!
Thank you Stim, rest easy...
Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
Apr 21
If anyone led a truly remarkable, one-of-a-kind life that was VERY well lived...it was Stim. He was a 20th Century Renaissance man. I believe he was 89, at least he was as of January when I last saw him up in Seattle.
I got to know Stim over Thanksgiving weekend '05. Fred Beckey told his friend Alex Bertulis to call me if he was ever climbing down in JT. He did and I ended up heading out and spending the weekend with Stim, Tina and Alex climbing out in JT. We stayed at the 29 Palms Inn. Styling (compared to my usual bivs)! We climbed, dined, I listened to amazing stories from amazing company. Stim's life history is that of legend…
Climbing with him in JT was inspiring. He was probably 85-86 at the time and could still TR a 5.10a face in Indian Cove without hangs or falls. Slow and methodical, but he did it!
The story behind Illusion Dweller is a great one. He didn't climb much in JT (being a Cascades adjacent dweller) but he saw a photo of Illusion Dweller somewhere and was so enchanted by the route's name that he decided he HAD to climb it. He flew down on weekends and worked and worked the route until he felt ready then went after it. A truly awesome feat and route for an 80 something non-JT crack climber. The photo apparently ended up as a Patagonia ad from what I understand (I never did see it).
Johno
Big Wall climber
Cape Town / Japan
Apr 21
The caption to that advert read: "Like a fine wine...."
Very apt.
Hankster
Trad climber
Eldorado Springs, CO
Apr 21
With a kick ass name like Stimson Bullitt, thank God he lived a long and fruitful life. I would love to hear how he got an original name like that. I bet it's a story in itself. Condolences to the family and friends, he sounded like he lived it up the WHOLE time.
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
Apr 21
My condolences to his family and friends.
Someone to look up to, certainly.
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Apr 21
What a great guy he was!
After seeing the magazine articles etc., I finally met him last season in Indian Cove. He and some friends were climbing "Coyote in The Bushes," a pretty tricky 5.10 face climb there. I recognized him and made a point of exchanging greetings. He had a gleam in his eyes.
My heartfelt condolences to family and friends.
mazamarick
Trad climber
WA
Apr 21
Stim was one of kind. I was constantly amazed when he'd show up in the most improbable places, be it mountains, crags, you name it. The looks he'd get shakily doing stuff way off the deck at the VC only to have staff or friends tell those concerned, "don't worry, it's just Stim."
Rest in peace my friend, you'll be missed.
Evel
Trad climber
Rocky mountains
Apr 21
Condolances to family, now he'll always have the sun at his back, and splitters galore
bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Apr 21
stim spent some time around our campfire a few thanksgivings ago, i think it was the trip where he led illusion dweller. a humble and gracious man. here's to the life well lived.
Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
Apr 21
The one and only Stim Bullitt. Indian Cove. Thanksgiving '05:
Alex Bertulis & Stim Bullitt:
Ezra
Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
Apr 21
Stim had a interview in Rock and Ice a few years ago.
I guess the patagonia rep gave him the shirt to lead illusion deweller, and then took it back after he led the route. Stim didn't seem to ruffled by the whole thing, kinda a funny story none the less.
I wish I had known him. Wishing his friends and family well, he is certainly in a better place, climbing endless 5.10 (if one exists).
Sumner
climber
WA
Apr 23
Stim left indelible impressions on all of us who knew him and his luminance never dimmed even as his body failed.
Stim was a rock climber extraordinaire, but that was only one facet of this Renaissance man. For a few pictures of other aspects of Stim see
rincon
Trad climber
SoCal
Apr 23
Stim quote from the mountainzone article:
"I started climbing at age 50, as an experiment, and the appetite grew with the feeding..."
Amazing!
flyingkiwi1
Trad climber
Seattle WA
Apr 23
To the long list of people and groups that Stim influenced, add the hard-working would-be regime-changers of Climbers4Kerry. We may not have got what we wanted, but he was there to help us do what we could.
- Ian
~ from: cascadeclimbers.com :
Don't believe everything you think
04/20/09 Re: Stim Bullitt
Doug T
stranger
Mill Creek WA
He was one of my heroes. I remember seeing him on an advertisement climbing some JTree 5.10 when he was in his 80's. Thanks for the motivation Stim.
Doug Taylor
billcoe
sprayer
pdx
Yeah! 89 good years baby, great ride he had - brightened up the world a bit, had a fantastic life, stayed long, lived full and then checked out. Wow! Hope I do as well. See you all on the other side at some point.
ivan
sprayer
Oceania
never met him, but damn he looks like kirk douglas in this shot, eh?
"wise sir - do not grieve - for every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end - let he who can achieve glory before death - when a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark"
Winter
Pooh-Bah
freshiez!
Aw man, I remember my Dad telling climbing stories about Stim when I was a kid back in 70s. His climbing and professional exploits are an inspiration. He'll be missed.
mattp
Spray Master
Seattle
I rarely participate in these "tribute" threads but this guy was tops. I'd like to say something touching or eloquent but that is really all there is to it. Stim was often out there and if you climbed around here a lot you probably ran into him once in a while - at least in the last few years - and had a good interaction with the man. I'll miss him next time I don't see him for a while.
el jefe
addicted to cc.com
pdx
vaya con dios, stim. a genuine man of quality.
Skeezix
old hand
Port Angeles
I met him once about fifteen years ago. I didn't know who he was. He was descending Boston Basin with some big swarthy Eastern European climber who didn't speak any English. Bullitt introduced himself to me and showed me his backcountry permit. He was very friendly and had a larger-than-life personality that radiated optimism. I couldn't help but like him right off. What a character! RIP Stim Bullitt...
_________________________
He is richest whose needs are least.
-Thoreau
matt_warfield
addicted to cc.com
seattle
The JT route in the magazines was Illusion Dweller (10b) I think and when interviewed Stim said it was so hard he didn't want to do anything more at that level (JT trad at least).
I competed against him once in the Masters division at the Redmond VW and the crafty bastard beat me despite a 30+ year age difference. He was really good at assessing climbs from the bottom that suited his style while I just threw myself at everything and failed at many. A humbling experience for me but his climbing tenacity into his later years was very inspiring.
Rick
journeyman
Sammamish
I had the pleasure of helping him reach his goal of climbing five of the quality .10a's at the Exit 38 area after he turned 82. Iguanarama at Amazonia was on his list so Stim, Tina, my girlfriend Lynn and I hiked up to Amazonia and watched as he styled his way up Iguanarama and followed me up a few more harder routes at the crag. Another one on his list was Stairway to Heaven which has a fairly long uphill approach that I later learned he successfully completed. He eventually completed his goal during his 82nd year! I can only hope to be having the same adventures when I reach those years. I consider myself very lucky to have known such a great man!
The photo of Stim climbing Illusion Dweller was a Patagonia advertisement. He told me that they asked for the shirt back. - Rick
ivan
sprayer
Oceania
i've been wondering, was he born 'stim bullitt" or was that a nom de guerre or somethign? a totally badass name for a badass climber!
pope
spray'prentice
iso
He has a Memoir called River Dark & Bright. Haven't read it, but saw it when I was at the Sleeping Lady (founded by, I believe his sister) a couple of months ago.
It's worth reading. I picked up a copy after a friend and Vertical Club employee told me about this old character who would take head-first whippers on the lead wall. I introduced myself and informed him I was reading his book. He seemed as tickled as I was impressed.
In River Dark and Bright he commented on how disappointingly ephemeral life is. He wasn't the type to squander one minute of it, whether in pursuit of adventure or improving his community through a position of power. He was one who understood the importance and responsibility of leadership.