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Climbing and ... Climbing => Masters of Mud -- Pinnacles => Topic started by: Brad Young on March 21, 2018, 01:37:56 PM

Title: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: Brad Young on March 21, 2018, 01:37:56 PM

Son of a bitch. Goddammit. I can't begin to imagine why (it had to have been some medical issue that he couldn't overcome and couldn't live with any longer - I can't conceive of any other reason):

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/3071926/Tom-Higgins

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: clink on March 21, 2018, 03:29:06 PM

 Goodbye Mr. Higgins. You inspired us.

 Peace to his family and friends.

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: F4? on March 21, 2018, 05:41:36 PM

What a bummer
He had such an energy when describing his routes.

I am happy to have met him at an early Pinnalces Rendevous in '08? Hanging out with him and those "other" Pinnacles hardmen.
That was after leading Bandits in Bondage with a snappy belayer that knew the route all to well.

What a day that was.

(https://ebratton2120.smugmug.com/Sports/PinnsRandom/i-9WgG4m7/A][img]https://photos.smugmug.com/Sports/PinnsRandom/i-9WgG4m7/0/b406f8b9/L/Img0197-L.jpg)[/img]

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: Brad Young on March 23, 2018, 05:39:57 PM

^^^

That was in '08, when the Park Service sponsored the first "rendezvous" (one of five similar events it sponsored as part of the "centenery celebration"). It was on the West Side. Tom spoke to a group on climbers and non-climbers out by the bridge between Flumes and Machete.

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: mynameismud on March 23, 2018, 06:32:47 PM

Definitely a sad loss.  The Pinnacles will miss him.

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: F4? on March 23, 2018, 07:00:18 PM

That was it Brad! What a fun day.

Title: Re: One of the Early Masters - Gone
Post by: waldo on March 24, 2018, 09:35:34 AM

The second pitch of Shake and Bake is more than enough to earn him eternal admiration from us all, but there's so much more. I spent a long day on the second belay of Resurrection regular belaying Jack up that pitch as he attempted to free it - just as Tom had, though not on lead. Jack reached the last move before the 5.8 a number of times before he popped. Higgins had us both shaking our heads in awe at day's end.