EP 108: John Sherman — Hueco Tanks in the 80s, Highballing Before Crash Pads, and Adding Layers to the Bouldering Experience

John Sherman is a bouldering legend. His nickname “Verm” (short for “Vermin”) is where the “V” in our bouldering grade system came from. We sat down in a cave in Hueco Tanks and talked about what bouldering was like 30+ years ago, early climbing shoes, highballing before crash pads were invented, out-of-body experiences, and how some of the boulders got their provocative names.

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Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/john-sherman

Nuggets:

0:08:00 – Recording in a cave in Hueco Tanks, and the Triple Crown of roof cracks

0:12:54 – Experiencing what climbing was like 30 years ago, and early climbing shoes

0:19:24 – What brought John to Hueco for the first time, falling in love with the bouldering there, and Mike Head

0:27:30 – John Gill, the legitimization of bouldering, and four technological advances in gear that changed climbing forever (sticky rubber, cordless drill, crash pads, and cams)

0:35:35 – What Hueco was like in the winter of 1982

0:39:42 – A day in the life back then, and making the first “crash pads”

0:45:14 – Chalk, and why sport climbing was the end of climbing as Verm learned it

0:47:47 – Using the same terminology to describe different ethics, and doing ‘See Spot Run’ ground up without crash pads

0:55:03 – Geckskin

0:57:15 – Historical tidbit (the Swiss guides)

0:58:04 – More context about ‘See Spot Run’

1:02:24 – Adding layers to the bouldering experience

1:07:49 – The definition of “Kehl-geling”, and John’s out-of-body experience when climbing ‘The Thimble’

1:20:00 – Why John wears two chalk bags when he climbs, and wanting to climb like Alex Sharp and Andy Parkin

1:23:59 – Wearing a helmet bouldering, and John’s New Jersey story about hitting his head

1:35:00 – Patron question from Aiden: What inspired you to write Stone Crusade?

1:41:57 – The Fiesta XXX Drive-In, and getting boulder problem names from a sex toy magazine

1:47:36 – How ‘Daily Dick Dose’ got its name, and living in the Quonset hut

1:52:44 – How John got the name “Verm” (short for “Vermin”)

1:53:46 – Patron question from Carmelo: Are we ever going to see Old Man Lightning?

1:54:54 – Patron question from Craig: Which bird most represents your personality?

1:56:32 – Why California Condors are John’s favorite birds, and individual personalities