Jim Bridwell (July 29, 1944 – February 16, 2018) was an American

rock climber Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in guidebooks, and ...

and

mountaineer Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports ...

, active from 1965 in

Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley ( ; ''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a U-shaped valley, glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about long a ...

, but later in

Patagonia Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...

and

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

. He was noted for pushing the standards of both

aid climbing Aid climbing is a form of rock climbing that uses mechanical devices and equipment, such as aiders (or ladders), for upward momentum. Aid climbing is contrasted with free climbing (in both its traditional or sport free climbing formats), whi ...

and

big wall climbing Big wall climbing is a form of rock climbing that takes place on long and sheer multi-pitch climbing, multi-pitch climbing routes, routes (of ''at least'' 6–10 pitches or 300–500 metres) that require a full day, if not several days, to ascen ...

, and later

alpine climbing Alpine climbing () is a type of mountaineering that uses any of a broad range of advanced climbing skills, including rock climbing, ice climbing, and/or mixed climbing, to summit typically large routes (e.g. multi-pitch or big wall) in an alpi ...

. He wrote numerous articles on climbing and developed several important pieces of aid climbing equipment. Bridwell was an apprentice to

Royal Robbins Royal Robbins (February 3, 1935 – March 14, 2017) was one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. After learning to climb at Tahquitz Rock, Robbins went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite. As an early proponent o ...

and

Warren Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents w ...

, and later the unofficial leader of the Stonemasters.

Climbing career

Bridwell is credited with over 100

first ascents In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers and climbers focused ...

(FA) in

, in addition to conducting the first one-day ascent of '' The Nose'' on

El Capitan El Capitan (; ) is a vertical Rock formations in the United States, rock formation in Yosemite National Park, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The El Capitan Granite, granite monolith is about from base to summit alo ...

on May 26, 1975, with John Long and Billy Westbay. He founded

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

's Search and Rescue Team (YOSAR), spearheading many rescues. He was a leading force in the evolving techniques of

and an innovator and inventor of widely used and copied aid climbing equipment, including

copperheads Copperhead may refer to: Snakes * ''Agkistrodon contortrix'', or eastern copperhead, a venomous pit viper species found in parts of North America * '' Agkistrodon laticinctus'', or broad-banded copperhead, a pit viper species found in the southe ...

and bird-beaks.

Personal life

Bridwell resided in

Palm Desert, California Palm Desert is a city in the Coachella Valley region of Riverside County, California. The city is located in the Colorado Desert arm of the Sonoran Desert, about east of Palm Springs, northeast of San Diego and east of Los Angeles. The popula ...

, until his death on February 16, 2018, from complications of

hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. During the initial infection period, people often have mild or no symptoms. Early symptoms can include ...

, which he had acquired while receiving a tattoo in Borneo during the 1980s.

Notable ascents

* 1965 ''Entrance Exam'' (II 5.9), Arch Rock, Yosemite, California with Chuck Pratt, Chris Fredericks and Larry MarshikRoper (1971). * 1966 ''Braille Book'' (III 5.8), Higher Cathedral Rock, Yosemite, California, with Chris Fredericks, Joe Faint and Brian Berry. * 1967 ''East Face'' (VI 5.9 A4), Higher Cathedral Rock, Yosemite, California, with Chris Fredericks * 1967 ''South Central'' (V 5.10a A2),

Washington Column Washington Column is a roughly 1800-foot high rock formation, arising from Yosemite Valley. It is east of the Royal Arches, behind the Ahwahnee Hotel. North Dome is above it. Washington Column can be viewed from many points in Yosemite Valley, ...

, Yosemite, California, with Joe Faint * 1969 ''Triple Direct'' (VI 5.9 A2),

, Yosemite, California, with Kim SchmitzReid (1993), p. 202. * 1971 ''Aquarian Wall'' (VI 5.9 A4), El Capitan, Yosemite, California, with Kim SchmitzReid (1993), p. 201. * 1971 ''New Dimensions'' (5.11 A1), Arch Rock, Yosemite, California, with Mark Klemens * 1971 ''Nabisco Wall'', The Cookie, Yosemite, California, * 1970 ''Vain Hope'' (V 5.7 A3), Ribbon Falls, Yosemite, California with

and Kim Schmitz * 1973 ''Central Pillar of Frenzy'', Middle Cathedral Rock, Yosemite, California, with Roger Breedlove and Ed Barry * 1974 ''Freestone'', Geek Towers, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite, California * 1975 ''Wailing Wall'',

Tuolumne Meadows Tuolumne Meadows () is a gentle, dome-studded, sub-alpine meadow area along the Tuolumne River in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park in the United States. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is . The term ''Tuolumn ...

, California with Dale Bard and Rick Accomozo *1975 The Nose (5.13+ or 5.8 C2), El Capitan, Yosemite, California, with Billy Westbay, and John Long, first one-day ascent in 17:45 * 1975 ''Pacific Ocean Wall'' (VI 5.9 A4), El Capitan, Yosemite, California, with Bill Westbay, Jay Fiske and Fred East * 1976 ''Gold Ribbon'' (VI 5.10 A3), Ribbon Falls, Yosemite, California with Mike Graham * 1977 ''Bushido'' (VI 5.10 A4),

Half Dome Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three s ...

, Yosemite, California with Dale BardReid (1993), p. 205. * 1978 ''Sea of Dreams'' (VI 5.9 A5), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Dale Bard and Dave Diegelman * 1978 ''Zenith'' (VI 5.9 A4),

, Yosemite, California with Kim Schmitz * 1979 ''Southeast Ridge of

Cerro Torre Cerro Torre is one of the mountains of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America. It is located on the border dividing Argentina and Chile, west of Fitz Roy (also known as Cerro Chaltén). At , the peak is the highest of a four mountai ...

'',

, Argentina with Steven Brewer (first alpine-style ascent of the peak) * 1979 ''Northwest Face'', "The Ship Prow" Kichatna Spire, Alaska Range with Andy Embick * 1981 ''Zenyatta Mondatta'' (VI 5.9 A5), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Peter Mayfield and Charlie RowReid (1993). * 1981 ''Dance of the Woo Li Masters'', East Face of

The Moose's Tooth The Moose's Tooth (or simply Moose's Tooth, Mooses Tooth) is a rock peak on the east side of the Ruth Gorge in the Central Alaska Range, 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Denali. Despite its relatively low elevation, it is a difficult climb. ...

, Ruth Gorge, Alaska (VI 5.9 WI4+ A4, 1520m) with

Mugs Stump Terry "Mugs" Stump (August 28, 1949 – May 21, 1992) was a noted American rock climber and mountaineer, active in establishing difficult first ascents in the Alaska Range and the Canadian Rockies. He died from falling into a crevasse while desc ...

* 1982 ''South Face'', "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love"

Pumori Pumori (, ) (or Pumo Ri) is a mountain on the Nepal–China border in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Pumori lies just eight kilometres west of Mount Everest. Pumori, meaning "the Mountain Daughter" in Sherpa language, was named by Geor ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

with Jan Reynolds and Ned Gillette * 1987 ''The Big Chill'',

, Yosemite, California with Peter Mayfield, Sean Plunkett and Steve Bosque * 1989 ''Shadows'' (VI 5.10 A5),

, Yosemite, California with Charles Row, Cito Kirkpatrick, William Westbay * 1991 ''North Face'' (repeat) The Eiger, Bernese Alps, Switzerland * 1997 ''Wyoming Sheep Ranch'' (VI 5.9 A5), (repeat) El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Giovanni Groaz * 1998 ''Heavy Metal and Tinker Toys'' (VI 5.9 A5), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Boulos Ayad and Tyson Hausoeffer * 1998 ''Plastic Surgery Disaster'' (VI 5.8 A5), (repeat) El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Mark Bowling and Giovanni Groaz * 1999 ''The Useless Emotion'' (VII 5.9 WI4 A4), The Bear's Tooth,

Ruth Glacier Ruth Glacier is a glacier in Denali National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. Its upper reaches are approximately 3 vertical miles below the summit of Denali. The glacier's "Great Gorge" is one mile wide, and drops almost over , wit ...

, Alaska with Terry Christensen, Glenn Dunmire, Brian Jonas and Brian McCray May 3–21, 1999 * 1999 ''Odyssey'', Grand Capucin(VI 5.9 A5), Mont Blanc (French Alps), with Giovanni Groaz * 1999 ''Dark Star'' (VI 5.10 A5), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Giovanni Groaz * 2001 ''The Beast Pillar'', (V11 5.10b WI4+ A5)

, Buckskin Glacier, Alaska with Spencer Pfinsten * 2001 ''Welcome to Afghanistan'' (VI 5.9 A4), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Giovanni Groaz * 2002 ''Pointless Connection'' (VI 5.9 A4+), Yosemite Pointless, Yosemite, California with Giovanni Groaz * 2004 ''Old Guides Variation'' (VI 5.8 A3), El Capitan, Yosemite, California with Jackson Marsten and Giovanni Groaz

Publications

* * * * * * *

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

ClimbAndMore.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridwell, Jim 1944 births 2018 deaths American mountain climbers American rock climbers People from San Antonio