James Garrett: Utah Treasure

Anyone else think Gov. Herbert should give J.G. a medal?  Anytime I climb a route that is well but not overly protected, a fine line, and FUN, I log into Mountain Project and find out James Garrett put it up!  James, thanks for putting in the time and $$$ for establishing some amazing routes (Elysian Fields is my personal favorite).  Let the haters hate, but you've helped a lot of people recreate in the Wasatch and beyond.  Looking forward to climbing your routes in Africa someday!

It’s my privilege to comment on James Garrett.  In my opinion, he is one of the great ones.  One of the top Utah climbers ever.  He has climbed just about everything, just about everywhere, and just about forever.  I always enjoy going thru his pictures on MP.  Such a history tour.  His list of climbs on MP covers all over the world.  Two of the legendary Riccardo Cassins’ greatest routes, and at opposite ends of the discipline, would be The Cassin Ridge on Denali and the Cassin Route on Piz Badile North Face.  Yeah, James has climbed them both.  He has climbed The Nose and he has climbed Old Man of Hoy.  Bugaboo Spire to Pingora, Snot Girls/Space Boyz to Corrugation Corner to Aiguille du Midi.  It just boggles my mind to think about all those places and climbs.  Now, add in the odd and remote places like Morocco, Jordan, Madagascar, South Africa.  Yes sir, James Garret is the real damn deal and has been at it forever.

And here’s the best part.  He is such a good man with a wonderful climbing partner/wife named Franziska.  Anyone can have 5,000 forum comments with only one tick and one route score, but James has got everything covered - in abundance.  He is a real climbers climber.  Does new routes, repeats classic routes - easy and hard.  Still climbing, not talking.!  What a man!

He's also been Johnny-on-the-spot for any maintenance/revisions to his routes to keep peeps safe and having fun.  Not to mention the vast # of climbs that he's replaced bolts on that aren't his routes.

Thanks James!

Dude's okay. I prefer Franziska but that's just me.

James, thanks for all of your contributions over the years... they're everywhere!

ddriver wrote:
Dude's okay. I prefer Franziska but that's just me.

Ha! I think back in the day one of James’ regular partners, Fred Beckey, would have said the same. Can you blame him???

James, and his wife Franziska, are absolute gems. I’ve had the privilege of spending some time with both of them as well as climbing with James and doing some rebolting work with him.

I treasure both my autographed copy of the West Desert guidebook as well as the beautifully crafted funkness device James made for me in his shop. But most of all I value the time I’ve spent with him and the small lessons I’ve learned from him.

Ironically, just the other day I came across this and it made me smile:

James is more than worthy!!

Just saw this thread!
Humbled by the kind words of 70’s Kim Miller’s Dark Horse (I still get oculocolic reflex thinking about that lead!!) and Smoot’s Fin Arete, both local immediate goals I aspired to after arriving from Switzerland in 1981. The greatest joy from climbing is to climb routes worthy enough for others to enjoy and have fun.

But ddriver (Robert, the Texas legend of Notch Peak fame) has it most correct:
Franziska is indeed the beautiful Bernese problem solver who always shoulders the heavier pack:)!

I'd also like to pile on some appreciation. My wife and I were climbing Betty's Altered Elbow this past weekend and we both agreed that many of our favorite Utah climbs were established by James. James, you probably don't remember, but you have helped me via email with some questions I had about route development in the West Desert. Thanks for all your hard work and dedication to the Utah climbing scene. And maybe save some cool lines for us young folks!