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From Blacksmith to Environmental Hero

November 1, 2007

Posted by Apollo Gonzales in Green Enterprise , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places

Tags:

climbing, conservation, nationalforestfoundation, patagonia, preservation, yvonchouinard

I laced up my first pair of climbing shoes in the fall of 1997. At the time, climbing in Texas was relegated to a few over crowded outdoor spaces, and more than a handful of indoor climbing gyms. After an hour or so of climbing, my arms were so full of lactic acid that my hand actually cramped when I tried to pull my shoes off. I was in love. So in love, that for the next four years I lived my life with my climbing shoes clipped to my backpack, and one climbing book or another under my arm.

The history of rock climbing in the United States is chock full of the sort of adventure I should have been reading about as a kid. In the late 1950’s a bunch of guys who had heard about climbing in the Alps wanted to see if they could climb the expansive granite faces found in the Yosemite Valley in California. El Capitan, The Shield and Half Dome, all seas of untouched granite beckoned the likes of Royal Robbins, Chuck Pratt, Warren Harding and Tom Frost. Together these men, armed with hemp ropes and leather lug soled shoes made the first ascents of these now iconic pieces of rock, often sleeping in their bivy sacks while tied to the rock. At the age of twenty-four I had my first real set of heroes. Their achievements would not have happened if it had not been for the talents of a young climber who was a trained blacksmith, Yvon Chouinard. In a small smith-shop Chouinard forged the pitons and carabineers that provided the basis for the safety systems the climbers used on their ascent, and the predecessors for the equipment I would pack every weekend for my adventures into the southwest. At the time it would have been possible to order the equipment from Europe, but these climbers were innovating and driving change in how climbing was done. Eventually, driven by Couninard’s imagination, the group created the clean climbing technique, which absconded with pitons that damaged the rock. Chouinard saw further into the future than any other climber had, and designed some of the best equipment ever used.

Eventually Chouinard’s smith shop became Black Diamond Equipment, and an industry of climbing innovation was born. Royal Robbins went on to loan his name and experience to a clothing company, and later in his life Tom Frost lent his name and expertise to a small climbing company called Frost Works. But neither changed the world of climbing technology as much as Chouinard.

In my imagination, in 1997 I still saw the Chouinard of a black and white photo taken in the early ‘60’s , young, wearing a blacksmith apron surrounded by my heroes. What I did not know at the time was that Chouinard was still alive, and still innovating. Then one day, a friend of mine handed me Chouinards book entitled Let My People go Surfing. My mind was blown. Chouinard had also started Patagonia, the clothing company I already admired for their environmentally conscious and sustainable business practices. Over the years I have preached the gospel of Patagonia, their business model, and their drive to innovate the manufacturing and procurement process of their products. It only made sense that Couinard was there, at the helm, looking to the future.

On October 24th, 2007, the National Forest Foundation presented Chouinard with its Conservation Leadership award for his tireless and innovative efforts to preserve the wilderness and support of organizations with the same mission. I wanted to write this post because everyone knows the Patagonia brand, but so few know about the man behind the idea. His name is Yvon Chouinard, and he is one of the few people left that I am willing to call a Hero. Congratulations Yvon.

Climb On!

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