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Who the hell was Scotty Burke?
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Obviously inflammatory title. Scotty Burke seems like a bit of a legend in the Yosemite area. Hell, there's even a pitch on El Cap that bares his name. But, I cannot find anything about him online. TC, Honnold, Kalous, Potter, all these guys have talked about how awesome Scotty was, but I can't find any articles about him, I can't find any old print media about his exploits, and I don't even think I've seen a picture of him. I'm just kind of curious from a historical perspective, and I'd hate for someone who's an absolute crusher and that influential to be lost to history. |
Is he dead? |
Cherokee Nunes wrote: No clue! I haven't seen anything recently about him, but I'd like to think not. |
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Try just Scott Burke, brings up loads. edit- I BASE jump so totally not a fan of that guy.. |
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#PocketHercules |
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He freed the nose….though he top roped changing corners or the great roof I believe plenty about him in old mags from the 90’s legend for sure |
Hank Caylor wrote: I'm very curious to where the BASE issue comes in. A very cursory search didn't reveal anything. |
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It's "Burk". No e. |
Nértovk Sklimner wrote: First google result for "Scott Burke base jump": blincmagazine.com/forum/sho… |
Caleb BR wrote: Featured in one of the Masters of Stone I think. |
Tradiban wrote: Yes |
Hank Caylor wrote: "totally not a fan of that guy" So say some about Hank |
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I climbed with his Dad, Leo Burke. I later met Scotty when I was on YOSAR in the mid-90s. He's a weird guy. His stoke isn't just "high"... it's more in the "crazy" zone. But he isn't himself crazy, he just acts a bit over the top at times. He was super obsessed with El Cap back then, and because some BASE jumpers were busted for jumping off El Cap and because Scotty was on YOSAR and constantly camped out on top of El Cap, the rumor began that he was narking on jumpers. This rumor was never proven and personally don't believe it (YOSAR members worked with the rangers, but generally didn't much like them and certainly wouldn't help inform on other climbers or jumpers or other people doing extreme stuff). |
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He doesn't post vids of himself? Not a climber. |
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Anyone know if he happened to get into making surfboards? scottburkesurf.com/about-us |
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Probably not his surf boards. His name is Burk. No "e" Burk. He must be the most amped up, high energy guy I've ever met in the climbing world - like Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's sofa energy. Funny how his dad is the most calm dude ever. |
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I think he is somewhere on the upper pitches of The Nose stashing endless amounts of water bottles for his free attempt. |
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I heard Scott was back up hanging on the Bachar Yerian figuring out how to climb the 3rd pitch without any bolts. |
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Loved climbing with Scotty way back when, probably a dozen times over the years. Last time we climbed was at Big Chief, he had the boombox and the recently released "Roll the Bones" CD cranked to 11. HUGE Rush fan Scotty was/probably is. |
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I was aquainted with him years ago and would often see him around and i'd drop by YOSAR when i was in the Valley. On a Nov morning a friend and myself were in the Valley having early breakfast at the lodge trying to decide what to climb? The Valley had been inclement but that day seemed ok. He ran into us in the lodge. We started talking and the more we talked the more amped he got and the more infectious his psych was and after about 1 hour we were all as high methheads on a big old line of Scott Burk(e). Jason and I found our selves driving across the valley yelling at each in our psych and frenzy as we drove to El Cap to do Freeblast which was not even remotely on our list for the day! We were still high as kites as we charged to the base, racked up and started in. A factor 2 leader fall at the 11b traverse didn't slow us up and we continued like men possessed. Up on the slabs, as the sun warmed up huge sheets of ice started falling off the lip and upper pitches. They glittered like beautiful silver flakes as the dropped a 1000+, feet but as they hit the slabs the little silver flakes became large sheets of ice which became explosive shards of icy shrapnel all around us. It was only this that finally broke the Scotty Burke spell. We looked at each other. "What the fuck are we doing up here? This is crazy!" We rapped off the route with only a few ice grazes. Later we laughed and raised beers to the most psyched climber on the planet |
