Devil's Lake - 1975 - 1979

Hi Everyone - writing because I climbed a lot at Devil's Lake in the mid to late 70's. This forum has brought back many memories from over 30 years ago. I remember the days of Bill Russell, Brian Sime, Dave Crawford, Rich Bechler, Dale Moir, Tommy D., Rudotis, et al. My brother Mike and I went to Devil's Lake every weekend. We lived in Middleton and would make the 30 mile drive in the red Mustang. Meeting up with Rich (girlfriend Cam), Dale and the UW-Whitewater contingent on Friday nights was always a lot of fun. Fires and beers, good conversation, dreams, plans, summers in Colorado etc. My last technical climb before going off to college was with Dale Moir on El Cap. We had to rap off after one of the coldest nights I have ever spent, but will never forget hitchhiking around the country with him with his hair tucked under his cap. Anyway, I will post memories of climbing every so often. Those were great years. DLFA was in it's infancy, wasn't quite as wild as it sounds on the forum in the late 70's....you guys must have hit it pretty hard in the 80's. Rob Lemon was a character. I am trying to remember two other guys that went to Yosemite from Illinois during that time.....their names will come back to me. Also, Glenn who took a ground fall and was paralyzed...wonder how he is doing? Saw Dave Crawford skiing in Frisco, CO a few years back. He is making backpacks and started his own company. Dave and I climbed a lot together in CO. As for me - living in CO. Married 26 years, 4 kids, climbed Denali, Aconcagua, Kili, and have run a lot of marathons. Hope all of you are doing well. It would be great to see you guys again! Sincerely, Jeff Jensen

Jeff, I remember climbing with you and yer brother.I am one of the other clowns from Illinois but seem to have spent most of my time in the midwest at DL. Yes things did get a little crazyover the years thats why most of us ran away.I moved to Boulder,co 25 years ago and currently live in ELDO. Do ya remember Dave Salisbury? one of Brians good freinds ,he is here in Boulder as weel as John Baldwin ,bob horan,etc. Bill Russell has spent the last 27 years in california guiding in yosemite etc.Glen is doing okay and married one of Dales old girlfreinds. Good to hear from .gotta go fer now. peace and fuk-nes Steve S.

Hi Steve - we live up in Evergreen not 40 minutes away. We should get together for a couple beers! Do you remember Scott "Scooter" Metcalfe? Jeff

Bill "Chez" McChesney - General Contractor in Mammoth, CA father of 2 married to a beautiful Irish lady and master builder of a one of a kind custom home in Swall Meadows (currently for sale if interested).

Oh yeah, around great guy!

Susan ,thanks for reminding of us the "infamous" CHEZ...the funniest man in the club(dlfa). and also lets not forget about Keith "NED" Guy.
Rob Lemon was a classic case.Brian Sime also lived in boulder for awhile till he had a bad car wreck and returned to madison.Rich B. still lives in climbs in wisconsin.Dale is into fast cars.Ken Sauls lives in silverton and is a 2 time Everest summitter(bad ass).Pete CLeveland is still around as weel as the infamous Tommy D.
There are more...but I gotta go.
Jeff,beers are always okay in Eldo.Peace andf-nes

Hey Jeff! It is good to hear from you.I remember the days of climbing with you quite well.We will have to catch up sometime.What ever you do DO NOT go climbing with Steve in Eldo. He is of the couch super strong and has the whole canyon completely wired. He will suck you in with ice cold beer and then the next thing you know you will be hanging off of some Eldo death route ready to crap yourself!

Yeah, how about that Ned guy?! Funny story about him "losing" his love Karine (now Croft) to Billy Russell way back when.

Fast forward 30 years >> now every time Neg Guy drives past Billy's lot in Yosemite West he throws trash on his property.

Poor Billy is always picking up dead cans and such. How funny is that?

Sue next time you see Chez ask him to tell you the story about when Chez and I went to visit him. To funny

Rich, Dont tell him that...I havent had a good sandbag lately and was lookin forward to a fresh victim. Jeff bring beer ,gear and a rope!!!
Rich ,hows it going?

Susan, I heard the ned guy trash story before and got a good laugh out of it.Some things never change,ETC. One question,how the hell did Bill afford to buy a lot in Yose West??$$??
f-nes etc.

Hey guys: Rich, great to hear from you. Still alive and kicking! The last climb I did was on a ridge on the 1st Flatiron a few years ago. Steve - I was thinking more like beers and dinner! I am coaching my 6yo in a soccer tournament today, times have changed. Jeff

jeff, I think Rich's idea sounds good I lure ya out here with some cold cheap swill and then we climb ,followed by more cheap swill. some things never change.steve

Rich, maybe we'll get Chez to chime in here himself. I just sent him the link. Otherwise, I'll get him to spill it over our pokergame this weekend. Speaking of Chez, anybody trustafarians out there or loaded friends looking for a place outside of Mammoth? Check out the Chez's spec home. It's absolutely beautiful...

livingchoices.com/detail.as…

Steve, as for Billy... I do believe he owns 2 lots in the West. One of which he's building a home on. Swilly may like his beer but he's fiscally responsible. All those years working his butt off and living in the train-wreck has really paid off. I'm sending him this link too - maybe he'll say hello.

Hey which one of you guys owns the sticker printing business?

~Susan

Steve Sangdahl wrote:Glen is doing okay and married one of Dales old girlfreinds.

susan what day is this, thanks fer the link to chez,s spec home ,looks awesome. any pics of what swilliam is building?

Chez,ifna ya check this thread out ...way to go on the contracting the spec house.It looks great.Like the interior trim details.Musta been quite the proj considering ya have 2 kids also.good luck!

Jeff,come on down to eldo....the wife and kid are gone fer 2 weeks.party on. steve s peace & f-nes

LEO I seem to recall some Mexican girl(how could you forget)I do not know about Glen and Barb getting married. For the sake of humanity I would hope they would not be able to reproduce. Sue I am the sticker guy I have been trying to do work for Russ but since he is the hardest working man in America nothing has hapened yet.

Steve- which of Dale's ex-es did Glen marry?

Glenn is with the ever charming Barb (not sure if actually married or whatever).They have a boy ,not sure how old. peace and f-nes

Chez?!! did someone mention Chez? He's totally a Homo! He used to wear these glasses, that only homosexuals wear, wore these clothes that were homo, and ate food that only homosexuals eat. Funny guy, though, for a Homo.

"Not that there is anything wrong with that."

Well Duke o Puke,You did it again. Yer wit,thoughtful insight and honesty has shut everyone up.(except fer that last clown).Remember on that one thread when ya reminded everyone of the forgotten dlfa mantra to get us thru the stress of walkin' the fine line o f-nes. It shut em up fer a few days.
I seem to recall back in the 80's you and CHEZ took magic markers to each others packs and decorated them with a phrase which escapes me right now.Remember we were talking about me not remembering...remember.
If ya knew chez back in the 80's every other word was Homo this or Homo that. Either that or he was calling ya PERCY....which is code fer HMO. Remember!!!! peace and drink boddingtons.

Well I guess I did make a comment that was a bit off topic.. though I'm not sure what the topic was... so perhaps I was actually on topic. I just thought it was my social responsibility to notify the public as to one of Chez's proclivities. Chez drew a shockingly graphic picture on my pack, so, once again, I had to notify the public of his orientation and wrote on his pack "I AM A HOMOSEXUAL" in rather bold letters. I think in the end he appreciated it.

But this thread ended because everyone forgot what they were talking about. They need to drink much MUCH more.