Bachar's Last Interview

Clips from an interview with climbing legend John Bachar one month before his fatal fall near his home in Mammoth Lakes, California. John Long and Peter Croft also comment on Bachar's prolific free-soloing career. It was an honor to meet the man who left behind a bold if controversial legacy.
RIP John Bachar: 1957 - 2009
From the ongoing project at www.BraveNewWil...

[@mtadams2009]

John was my climbing hero in my climbing days. He is a legend. RIP

[@danielbachar3250]

I miss you john.

[@PaulWolf2007]

What a huge hero, not just for what he could do, but also for who he was and what he did for climbing ethics.

[@lebronjamesharden3958]

he ded

[@StefanPaul5]

Thanks for posting. Great listening to these three legends talking. Wish it was at least an hour.

[@robertspringer92]

His explanation at 115-1.30 about what's the difference is the same analogy I used to get kids to swim in deepwater as a swim instructor. When they could do no touching the bottom in 4ft I would say let's do the deepend now because swimming is swimming regardless of the depth, same as climbing its still climbing regardless of the height.

[@riccardoscalisi8942]

Not the same thing actually. 99% of swimmers can swin above deep water. Way less than 1% of climbers can free solo. Free soloing is above insanaty. I'm an experienced climber and I would never free solo even if the route is 3 grades under my limit.

[@jamesdawson1171]

@@riccardoscalisi8942 it's all about what you're comfortable with. Some people are completely comfortable being on the edge of death. Most of us are not though

[@riccardoscalisi8942]

@@jamesdawson1171 I agree but I was saying that the percentage of swimmers who can swim above deep water is way higher than the percentage of climbers who can free solo

[@bradsillasen1972]

Never seen any of these legends before. Great interviews!

[@Bellawhite1]

He was the very best, a legend.

[@Eru116]

R.I.P

[@vincentkosik403]

Wow, this man is a legend..wish I was his friend back then because I'm his age ! now..cool life

[@Regulus_key]

RIP Legend

[@briananoriega]

I remember meeting him for the 1st time at an Access Fund Rendezvous in Joshua Tree back in the early 90s.

[@anyandeverything]

Great video thanks for posting!! RIP J.B.

[@NuckinFutz66]

wow i have never seen so many people hate someone who simply lived his life free of the bs and how he desired to. You people that diss this guy are truly living in a cave and not living at all if u are not envious of how he lived his life. He never asked anyone to climb like he did so whats the problem?

[@johndtuttle]

+NuckinFutz66 No, in fact Bachar insisted people climb like he did and destroyed their routes if they didn't conform to his narcissism. He himself bent his own rules to suit himself as using hooks to place bolts was taboo according to him at one time. But when a route needed that technique and he wanted to do it he used aid to drill. That is his failure, insisting that everyone else had to conform to his ideas about risking their lives to suit a fake edifice with him at the top. He wanted to pretend he was the purist, but no climber is pure. We all stand on the shoulders of others and use tools that destroy the environment. Ballsy, Bold, Skilled and a Pioneer. But that doesn't give anyone the right to look down their nose at others that have more to live for than some route. That's why climbing has changed. It is way too fun to do, than get killed doing it to satisfy Bachar's rules that he wanted everyone to live/die by.

[@TheRoafer]

Obviously you don't have the slightest clue. He chopped tons of bolts, participated and encouraged the vandalism of people's property etc. Bachar actually wrote a set of rules for climbing first accents, he requested people ask him for the OK regarding how they proceed. Bachar was a sociopath.

[@Jimmymatthewb]

He literally lived his ENTIRE life INSISTING that people do EXACTLY as he did.

[@markmnorcal]

He was in a Netflix show about fear from 1988. I googled him to see if he was still alive. RIP

[@Gevorg99]

@Exciter Which show?

[@foxvideo2233]

Great! Thanks

[@simonschreyer4559]

Peter Croft digs Hermann Buhl. That's so cool!

[@grumpygardner3059]

Johnny Rock.

[@magikalyoutubeman17]

LEGEND

[@shadrack7145]

Those god damned telephone repair men!

[@TriggerArizona]

Peter, please tell me the name of the book that you mention at 3:16. I think I hear "Herman Booles" as the author. I am searching though can not make out the title that you say. If anyone knows the book, please let me know the title.

[@666Benway]

Hermann Buhl, climbing solo Nanga Parbat pilgrimage

[@felipegarcia05189]

respect

[@seanchaney3086]

RIP

[@nwsrda1]

Youll NEVER see a line at the base of the "B&Y" ...

[@robertbeightler1473]

3 legends

[@dannycoker335]

Mental stronghold on that man.

[@rodermck]

masonic3d what have you done john is a legend ,long has writen many books, croft is a mild mannerd a great guy and many soloing accomplishments what have you done except trashing other well know people only insecure people need to do this rest in peace john and long live long and croft

[@MindRiderFPV]

Epic guys.

[@craigslaunwhite579]

Where do you draw the line?

[@nextari]

It's obvious that he lost his comradery and his faith in others. That is a dangerous precipice, you do not want to be too much of an exile in your doings, or you may sentence yourself to this sense of hopelessness.

[@1138thz]

These are some of the truly some of the greatest climbers in history. Yes the sport climbers are pushing the technical limits BUT rap bolting, tightly spaced pre-placed pro, cleaning the cracks and holds must be considered a form of DIRECT AID. I'd like to see some of these guys do le toit 5.12a the way Long and his buddies did before the age of big bros and giant cams.

[@pintailrock]

WE witness that conversation on the business deal between Masonic3rd and John 4yrs ago in JTree Ca. This was a sweet deal for John and he agreed to come to LA to discuss in more detail. Obviously this deal never transpired due to johns cancellations and personal exuses as to why he couldnt make it to LA. M3rd admired Johns success in the climbing industry and saw opportunities with Bachar to take the industry to a whole NEW level. Bachar never made it to LA cuz he wasnt worthy of wealth. R.I.P

[@pintailrock]

Come find me.

[@teogo]

L e g e n d.

[@AudiophileTubes]

He should have quit when he had his first child. Fatherhood has a way of making people involved in risky endeavors to think twice about what they're doing. Now his son has no dad.

[@jesusiskingofkingsz]

the only thing he should have done was avoid whatever mistake it was that took his life. he even speaks about it in this very interview, i think he got too comfortable with that line between mistake and proper judgement, and by too comfortable i mean for a .0000001 of a second , which for his sport was a eternity

[@Rahcabachar]

@@jesusiskingofkingsz It wasn't a mistake, it was falling rock.

[@Rahcabachar]

True, but that was his choice.

[@Mathuews1]

News flash.....every human on earth has a Father and every single one of them will die. At least tons of people know and have great admiration for his Father.

[@okyouknowwhatever]

The guy was a fitness fanatic in his prime, but this guy in the video is a 50+ guy looking a bit pudgy on the stomach and also post a car crash that apparently injured his left hand.

[@makesense45]

what is the book croft mentions at around 3:00?

[@racecarinred]

www.amazon.com/Nanga-Parbat-Pilgrimage-Lonely-Challenge/dp/1898573271

[@NothingMaster]

Historically speaking, if anyone could have free soloed El Capitan before Alex Honnold chances are it would have been the late great John Bachar (RIP) - one of the greatest climbers and free soloists of all-time. I really wonder why a perfectionist free-soloing pioneer like Bachar, who truly had the talent and the courage for it, never attempted to free solo El Capitan?!

[@Rahcabachar]

My dad wouldn't have even ever tried that.

[@kigakiku2011]

at the time I don't think anyone, including Bachar, Croft, etc (who were already pushing the envelope) imagined that soloing 33 pitches of 5.11/5.12/5.13 was humanly possible

[@everythingviral972]

@@Jj-gi2uv He routinely soloed thousands of feet of climbing in a day,.

[@megamilyon6111]

Dean Potter could have done it. However, Potter wasnt an attention whore being paid $250,000 to do the climb.

[@jamesdawson1171]

I wonder what he would have thought about Alex. I think he would've looked at Alex and said" damn.. why couldn't you have been around in the 80s and 90s" lol

[@kenweis7913]

This dude would rather look flashy and die rather than be humble and succeed....I fell 50 ft 2 yrs ago in a tree removal accident......I guarantee you J.B. was sorry he was a big mouth

[@1138thz]

@chinabeach514b Amazingly well said man.

[@jimboslice9472]

how ignurt, wat an enbred

[@rubyroga5554]

Tt

[@realcampusman]

wtf! get a clue!

[@gadams8160]

Any telephone repair man can get to a summit? Great climber, brave soul. What a prick. If John had looked at climbing as recreation, like most mere mortals do, perhaps he would have had thirty or forty more years to enjoy the wonders of this planet. What sort of style is it to die young? I'll pass.

[@teogo]

You're right - soloing is dumb. YOU shouldn't do it.

[@blazed1945]

Its a shame he died on a small wall genuinely speaking

[@shellyp9129]

Just because that's your perspective it doesn't mean it had to be his. Some people only love life when they're risking death.

[@christinapankey1415]

We are alive not living at all? That dumb saying we'll your not living at all unless your dead like john

[@arararchstanton-7307]

Has anybody considered his death might have been suicide? I mean, youd just assume it was a climbing accident. Its the perfect cover, right?

[@felixculpa3488]

I can guarantee you as family that that's definitely not the case, and is truly, truly insulting to his memory. Shame on you dude.

[@emmabachar3339]

Zoe Bachar john Bachar was my dads uncle! How are you related to him?

[@felixculpa3488]

@@emmabachar3339 Wild! John is my dad's brother.

[@OneMan4onestudios]

@@felixculpa3488 @EmmaBachar Hi Zoe & Emma. My name is Bryan Bachar. I don't think we're related, as it seems you guys pronounce Bachar differently than my family. You, like Backer. We, like Bach-er (Bach like the composer). But names often get changed over the years. Who knows which is "right". Bachar isn't a very common name, no matter the pronunciation. So, we still could be distant relatives. I'd love to chat about where your family comes from if you're open to it. Let me know and I can send you my email. I'm totally into family history and not much is known about the Bachar side of my family past my great grand father. Bit of mutts. But the name itself is likely Germanic. All the best to you!

[@Rahcabachar]

@@OneMan4onestudios Slovak?

[@chemistryfu]

I know.... lets make an easy climb really dangerous! That will get everyone's attention! douche....

[@teogo]

Not every climb should be setup for every climber. Perhaps some climbs should be left as land mark events. In 200 years people will climb the Bachar-Yerian and say "Who were these people?" The other 99% of climbs are made for 99% of climbers.

[@randydewees7338]

It's not an easy climb