Jack Creek Big Sky
White Mountain Father Figure Hematomocaribouma Middle Pillar Express Northern Lights Roofer Madness
Knik Gorge Eye of Opportunity Overflow Three Amigos
Ptarmigan Peak Red Light District Caught with a Youngin' Catatonia Desperate and Dateless Tinder Mixed Inhibitions
Kenai Peninsula Old Chub
Christmas Amphitheater Wild Earp
Keystone Canyon Wash it Away The Antiboarder
Valdez Eddie's Route
December 2023 –
“It’s your dull picks, you twit!”
As I hung in the air trying to make sense of what happened, I didn’t know who just walked up to the PFM Wall. I didn’t think much of it at the time and was completely unaware of what had just transpired. When I returned to the ground, I was impressed to witness that new party aiding up through a difficult rock dihedral to the left. It wasn’t until I got in the car and began our way back to Anchorage that I heard who was dishing out their select beta. “Who the fuck?!”, I thought. It was a good thing that Burrell waited to tell me what was said while we were miles away. I immediately wanted to know who was able to get away with that and avoid meeting my own words of advice. “It was Eddie.” Suddenly I thought, “Ohhhhh! Not surprised.” I blew it off knowing this was par for the course.
That moment in time speaks volumes about the man. In my time getting to know him, I came to understand his unabashed, unapologetic approach to life. But, I also knew Eddie from a different side. In a chance encounter at the bouldering area at Castle Rock, the gymnastics center, in 1997 Alex and I came face to face with Eddie. He appeared with slightly geeky glasses and long hair. He had a clear issue with an undersized calf muscle on one leg. But none of that seemed to matter as he showed us some of his creations in the overhanging cave. “Give it a try and let me know what you think,” he suggested. We had just arrived to Alaska after a whirlwind drive over seven days from Texas to commercial fish in Nushagak. He was one of the first people we met so I took him up on his offer, not in a competitive way, but to learn more from the locals. I quickly realized that his sequence was beyond my ability. But, he didn’t seem to care and was quick to offer up a guided tour of the Seward highway routes the next day. Of course, we Texans eagerly agreed.
We waited on the highway exactly as instructed. He was late and we were getting frustrated. Maybe this was some fucked up way to give a warm welcome to these out-of-towners. But true to his word, he arrived. Throughout the day he showed us the gems at one of his favorite areas, Dino Head. He would test our abilities on tricky route sequences and was always a source of stoke when we would struggle to power through. We had come from the Austin hill country and had many years on central Texas limestone. This local Alaska rock was less than desirable at times. It didn’t matter to us because Eddie was always a source of one-liners that carried an infectious high vibe.
That day always stuck with me over the years. He was quick to let things roll off his tongue, telling it like it is. At times, I wondered how the hell he has avoided an occasional beat down. Maybe he hasn’t. He likely didn’t care. Eddie let his actions speak words like his second ascent of “Sans Ami“, his solo ascent of “Mitre Might“, or his other numerous first ascents on White Mountain. Indeed, its Eddie’s passion and dedication to bold first ascents that has left an incredible legacy of route development in South Central. One notable area that he has to be recognized for is Ptarmigan Peak. Eddie spent numerous hours on this local crag cutting his teeth on the wandering variations of mixed terrain. No doubt that it was time well spent for launching out on bigger objectives. He chronicled his adventures on his Crag Alaska guide.
On another chance encounter many years later driving into Archangel Road I immediately recognized Eddie on foot. I wasn’t sure he would remember those crusty Texans from years ago. But, his eyes lit up and he immediately embraced us with a handshake. Through these experiences I also became to believe that he was genuine in his approach to life. You knew what you were going to get when you run into him.
And, it was clear that he appreciated the bonds of being on the rope with others and the transfer of knowledge that can occur. He learned from some of the best, like Steve Garvey. His epitaph of that man tells us a little about that history and the respect Eddie had for him. He seemed to take mentorship seriously and soaked up all that Garvey was willing to provide. Eddie also understood and appreciated the importance of giving, not just receiving. He was generous with AIC, sharing history of his routes and those of others. And, he was known to share his knowledge with those on the other end of the rope.
John Giraldo got to know Eddie better than many, spending a number of years with him climbing ice up the canyons around South Central. They pursued classic test pieces like “Eatin’ Crow” on the Kenai Peninsula where Eddie took an incredible lead fall experimenting in the new leash-less revolution (see video!). Or, they worked to establish new mixed lines like “Barrel Full of Monkeys” up Caribou Creek.
They also sought bigger objectives in the Alaska Range like the “Harvard Route” on Mount Huntington or the classics on Moose’s Tooth. On one trip to the Root Canal Glacier, Eddie and John set their sights on the classic, technical mixed terrain of “Shaken’, Not Stirred“. It is hard to deny the excitement to get on route immediately upon arrival in the mountains. You spend weeks or months salivating at the opportunity. But, it can be a parking lot as groups take priority to ascend routes based on timing of arrival. First come, first served. If you don’t adhere to those certain ethics, suffer the consequences.
Upon arrival at base camp, Eddie was quick to check in with the other parties who had arrived before them while John staked the tent. Now, it is unclear whether those other teams had made their claim on “Shaken” or whether Eddie just refused to hear it. What is clear is that after their successful ascent the next day, John and Eddie were met as they were clipped in skiing back to BC. What ensued was a shouting match of right and wrong, almost spiraling into an MMA main event on the bergschrund. Someone wanted an apology. Eddie wouldn’t back down, staying true to form.
One has to wonder if a pursuit of excellence above all else can impact one’s personal life. These kinds of interactions may have led to Eddie’s reluctance to return to the Alaska Rock Gym for a bit of time. And some might think the consequences of moving through his world in this way lead to his hermit lifestyle. In reality, Eddie just enjoyed living simply. He ate a whole-food diet, never spent frivolously, and was a practitioner of Daoism. Maybe he worked to remove those complexities of social interaction to maintain focus on his own vision.
When it came to his sport passions, like BMX riding, climbing, or paragliding, his motivation and ambition was limitless. He was techy by nature, enjoyed geeking out on fitness metrics. His resting heart rate was key. He was obsessed with Power Bars. And, his devotion to excellence in adventure climbing was paramount. In his prime, there were few that could outmatch him.
Unfortunately, Eddie’s fate led him off this planet too early. On one of his numerous outings, he noticed an unusual leg fatigue that plagued him. When he could no longer ignore it, he determined the source and was diagnosed with ALS. He seemed to never want sympathy and he didn’t share his condition with many. For now, he flies with the ravens, pushing the limits of the thermals while searching for that blue Walmart tarp to bivy the night away.
By Chris Lindsey, with help from John Giraldo & Alex Marban.
