On Episode 229 of the Enormocast, Steve Schneider joins me from his home in Oakland, California. Though Steve’s resume is longer than almost any previous guest on the show, he seems to fly in the nether regions of the global climbing consciousness. Steve became a YOSAR member and Valley denizen in the early 80s and never looked back. Under the tutelage of John Bachar, Steve racked up hard free pitches all over Yosemite, El Cap, and Tuolumne Meadows including what was likely the first 5.14 in Tuolumne. Then he turned his sights in Patagonia with audacious routes and solos in the Paine region. Also a pioneer speed climber, Steve did the first one day solo of El Cap and was the first to do three El Cap routes in a day with Hans Florine. Not done yet, Steve continues to seek out new-for-him ground on El Cap whenever he can. In his 60s, he’s still the most psyched and restless climber around.
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Listening to Steve Sneider’s voice was like traveling back in time. To the 1990s, the Bay Area. Actually he sounds kind of like Bill Gates.
I remember watching SS hang on a rope in Rifle back then, but the climbs there were all too hard for me. I viewed this as a kind of Cali surfer influence on climbing, but he turned out to be right. I can’t imagine being that strong your whole life, even into your 50s.
Shipoopi was a prolific commentator on the much denigrated supertopo climbing forum. I remember once he put out a general accusation that someone had stolen one of his ropes off of el Cap, and he wanted to find out who it was. Then later we learn that the rangers had removed it because it was up there so long, they thought someone had abandoned it.
I’m sure Shipoopi has many more stories like the Golazo one. He did a lot of hard routes in Patagonia and must have more. Hopefully he will become a regular on the show.
YEah, even in two hours I think we only got about half way. His Taco presence was always interesting. His famous apology for the Wings of Steel incident is pretty legendary. It was on my list of things to talk about but never really naturally arrived.