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John Gill (born 1937) is an American mathematician who has achieved recognition for his rock-climbing. Considered by many as the father of modern bouldering, John Gill established problems in the 1950s and early 1960s considerably harder than those existing at the time. Being a gymnast and thinking of climbing as an extension of gymnastics, in the mid 1950s he introduced the use of gymnastic chalk into American rock climbing (within a few years the use of chalk had spread throughout the climbing world). At the same time he introduced controlled dynamics (see dyno), recommending it as a technique of choice, as well as one of necessity.
In the late 1950s Gill devised a unique rating system for boulder problems based on two levels of difficulty B1 & B2, and one objective level (B3). (By the end of the 1990s John Sherman's open-ended V-system had almost completely supplanted the old B-system.)
Although certainly not the first serious boulderer - his notable predecessors include Oscar Eckenstein (1859-1921) and Pierre Allain (1904-2000) - he was probably the first climber in the history of rock climbing to make bouldering his primary specialty and to advocate acceptance of bouldering as a legitimate sport in its own right, to be pursued wherever the terrain is suitable. By the end of the 1950s, Gill had reached what would now be considered V9 or V10 levels on a few eliminates, but claims he probably never progressed beyond that. His 1961 route on the Thimble (Needles of South Dakota) - an unrehearsed 30 foot V4 or V5 highball or 5.12a climb, dangerous at the time - is considered one of the great classics and inspired a number of traditional climbers to take a more serious view of bouldering, which, for the most part had been seen merely as training for longer roped climbs.
From the references listed below, we learn the following: Gill began his climbing life in 1953 as a traditional rock climber and alpinist, with a hemp rope and steel carabiners and pitons. In 1954 he soloed the east face of 14,255' Longs Peak in Colorado, and continued the practice of soloing until well into his 60s. As a traditional climber, he led a number of first ascents in the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming and the granite Needles of South Dakota, including an early 5.10 pitch (Baxter's Pinnacle, Tetons -1958) and very early 5.12 pitches (variations on Paydirt Pinnacle and Flying Buttress, Needles – mid 1960s).
As a gymnast in the 1950s, and despite his large size (6'2" and 180 pounds), he specialized in the competitive rope climb and the still rings, achieving a time of 3.4 seconds for the 20' rope climb (from seated position on the floor, arms only) and accomplishing a number of difficult stunts on the rings, including inverted and olympic crosses, giant swings, and slow pulls from hang to handstand.
He also engaged in what are now called bodyweight exercises similar to gymnastics, achieving seven one-arm pullups with the right arm and five with the left, several one-finger one-arm pullups, one-arm pullups carrying twenty pounds, one-arm pullups on a one-half inch ledge, and one-arm front levers. Photographs of these feats may be seen on his website.
Gill was professor of mathematics at the University of Southern Colorado. He retired in 2000.
References
- Gill, John (1969). The Art of Bouldering, American Alpine Journal.
- Krakauer, Jon (1990). Eiger Dreams Chap. 2 - Gill. Lyons & Burford Press.
- Sherman, John (1994). Stone Crusade: A Historical Guide to Bouldering in America. American Alpine Club Press.
- Ament, Pat (1998). John Gill:Master of Rock. Climbing Classics #2, Stackpole Books.
- Ament, Pat (2002). Wizards of Rock: A History of Free Climbing in America. Wilderness Press.
- Horst, Eric (2003). Training for Climbing. Falcon Guide. Globe Pequot Press.
- Editors (2005). Faces: Giulio Malfer. Alpinist Magazine #12, Alpinist LLC, Jackson, Wyoming.
- www.johngill.net
External links
- John Gill's personal website
- Interview on 8a.nu
- Interview on Palatinum.com
- Interview on theshortspan.com
"John Gill (climber)"