Carlos Buhler?

I had just asked, "Do you mind if we climb as a threesome?"

"Sure, no problem." was the answer.

It was a test question of sorts..just wasn't sure what I was testing. I HATE climbing as a threesome unless the climbers are really squared away and the terrain makes it safe and fast.

The other two climbers were very squared away, the terrain likely terrible for such antics. I was the obvious weak link.

"Carlos will be fun." I say offering little enthusiasm.

.............long silence......................

I'm thinking, may be Daniel is just humoring me.

Daniels is in his mid 20's. I am not totally shocked he doesn't recognise Carlos by simply..."Carlos". But a little disappointed as well. Just reminds me of how old I am. I climbed with a good climber a season or two back that had no clue who John Roskelly was. John and his 20 something year old son, Jesse, had just done Slipstream.......and that a few years after doing Everest together. I thought both were notable achievements and figured my new young friend might have recognised the name. He didn't. The WA climbing community use to be a lot smaller. My blatant name dropping and pathetic attempt at male bonding was failing fast. But I am digressing here.

"Do you know who Carlos...Carlos Buhler is?"

....another long silence...then, "No".

As least Daniel was gracious enough to not say, "should I?"

It is a weak flex and I know it. But the name dropping is going better this time around.

I chuckle to myself.... We'd met even earlier, in the last century actually. Before Carlos, at 27, had been part of an American team to put up a new route on Everest. More importantly he had been one of the few on the team who actually made the summit. And he was just getting started in the Greater Ranges. Not a lot of challenge left in our local play grounds by '83 for him.

"Before you get in the car, Google, Carlos Buhler", I say.

(for the readers if you don't know who Roskelly is, Google him as well. I don't want to embarrass myself again ;-)

Carlo's picture of Tato Esquiro leading on Teddy Bear's Picnic. One of three big rigs Carlos did last season while swinging leads.

Be sure to dbl click the photos for full effect.


Carlos and I climbed some together back in the early '80s. He was always stronger, smarter and had more courage. He also had more imagination than almost anyone I have met climbing. That imagination is what made Carlos stand out to me. His winter trilogy in Canada on the north faces of Temple, Deltaform and Kitchener early on hasn't been duplicated that I know of. But by his own account not worthy of even a casual mention in his bio.

Carlo is a kid really.....a full year younger than me :) But damn! He is still climbing hard!

More of Carlo's adventures and photos here:

http://carlosbuhler.wordpress.com/

http://carlosbuhler.blogspot.com/

http://www.carlosbuhler.com/biography.htm

http://blog.climb.dk/_02_01_archive.html


Carlos leading the hard mixed of THE REAL Big Drip, in the Ghost.

Postscript? We had a great time climbing as a threesome.


Daniel's photo.