TM Herbert, Yosemite Legend

TM passed on March 23. Apologies for not being able to cut and paste but I’ll post screenshots of Tom’s tribute to his (badass) father. Truly a giant of a man, I can’t think of many people with TM’s level of bravery, determination, humor, and humility. I can’t fathom doing EC with yesterdays gear and safety resources (lack thereof). Cut from a different cloth than the rest of us, that’s for sure. We’ll miss you TM, but we’ll still crack up over stories about you and your shenanigans. I’d love to hear some TM stories if anyone lurking around wants to add some.

-SuperTopo stories from Don Lauria and others:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=289339 

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2997203/TM-Herbert-Appreciation-Thread 

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/3005157/Letters-from-Herbert 

-A must watch for any who have yet to:

Legacy on the Muir, by Max Buschini

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP8GMVoEpsA

-A glimpse into TM’s ethics, in his own words:

http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197136101 

A truly beautiful tribute from his son, thanks for sharing.

Farewell, Climber.

Farewell Tough Mother. Thanks for keeping it light.

I met TM in1976 while walking up the trail to PSOM camp at Third Lake and spent a grand week with him rock climbing for the first time in my life. He was a great guide and companion and it was always a pleasure to run into him for many years thereafter .He was always humorous and positive .

Thanks for a beautiful life, TM. An honor to be a Tough Mother from Tuolumne Meadows… ❤️

I spent 17 summers in Tuolumne. I always looked forward to seeing TM and spending a little time with him. What a great person. I feel fortunate i was able to hear his stories. In 1999 i was on great white book and he passed us soloing “ looking for his rope” hahaha classic

Ted Roberts 

Ted Roberts wrote:

…and he passed us soloing “ looking for his rope” hahaha classic

Ted Roberts 

I wonder how many times he used those handful of lines… and nobody ever tired of hearing them. 

Added one more link in my OP, a little glimpse into how TM’s thought process worked, on the climbing ethics side of things. Also added another supertopo link, quite long (135 posts?)

I met TM and after talking for a couple minutes, he went silent, and just stared angrily at me. I asked him did I say something wrong? But he just maintained his posture like a statue. Someone who knew him walked up and I said, I think I pissed him off. And they said, not that's just TM. I looked back at TM and he cracked a smile and we both laughed. Unique and funny guy.

RIP to one of the legendary big wall pioneers!

Here's a funny story about him from Katie Lambert; 

I caught ‪‎TM Herbert‬ sneaking in some zzZ's at Olmsted Point. He was parked next to Brittany Griffith. He jostled awake after some tourists motored by and so I took the opportunity to give him a hard time. Brittany opened the van door and the following dialogue took place:

TM- looking at the pictures in her van, "what is that, porn?" "And what kind of sissy van is that anyway?"

Brittany "Haha..hey I'm Brittnay"

TM - pulling out his wallet and pointing to his license "See what that says, it says TM, that really is my name. People don't believe it but it's true like JD Rockefeller."

Brittany- "hey so I went fishing with YC last week in Wyoming."

TM - "What in the hell were you doing with him up there?"

Brittany- "I work for Patagonia"

TM - "oh, well what do you do for them?"

Brittany- "All kinds of stuff"

TM - "You mean like drugs and stuff?"

Brittany- "yeah and alcohol and things."

TM - "Your not a prostitute are you?"

Brittany- "Ha, yeah I wish."

TM - "Well, hey then how about a freebie. I'm really good friends with Yvon."

Damn. He was loved…

Tom Carter talking to Herbert a few years ago.

Three generations of Herberts visiting me in the hospital. Yes, my big toenails were painted. Thanks Jane and Tom……

Jane with Herbert at a Camp 4 reunion on the Eastside.

I wish to offer my sincere condolences to TM’s Family and many Friends.

I unfortunately never really met the man but I listened to his jokes and was in awe of one of the true legends of our sport.

Eric, will be happy to pass the message along.

A genuine hero.  Condolences to all of his family and friends.

TM was a fixture in Tuolomne Meadows for many of the years I spent there.  He would hold court, regaling us with hysterical stories of daring and deviancy.  His enthusiasm for climbing and the culture of climbing lifestyles was fun to behold.

R.I.P. TM Herbert, you will be missed.

The first time I laid eyes on TM was the summer of 1976, in Camp 4. I was a mere 15 years old. TM and some of my other heroes had some packs under one of those old food hanging pipe systems that used to grace C4, and they were showing us youngsters some hauling techniques. Little did I know that not too many years later, I'd move to the eastside and become friends with that legend of a man.

My favorite TM story goes like this.....I was climbing the Vern Clevenger classic, 'Golden Bars', on Pywiack with Doug Nidever. TM and Lauria show up at the base and start up Needle Spoon, with Lauria in the lead. The entire route, TM is trolling Don with little vignettes of the most off color things imaginable. Meanwhile, Nidever and I are trying to not fall off those sharp, golden crimps on our route, due to nearly uncontrollable laughing. Even as he was climbing, TM never stopped holding forth with one-liners and general trash talk.

When I think of Tuolumne Meadows, it is automatic that TM is part of those thoughts. His presence will be dearly missed, but his memory will always bring a smile.

Thanks for the laughs, legend. Climb on....

Good memories of him next to the side of the road below Stately Pleasure Dome on a busy crowded weekend day, and TM walking up and down the road pretending to be a loud tourist noob while staring at the climbers on the rock and loudly shouting out to anyone nearby who might listen... "How the hell they get the rope up there?? Somebody is going to get hurt!  Call search and rescue to help those poor people up there!"  I think some sort of "Golly" and "what the hell is this!" type language was mixed in throughout.  It was a nice soliloquy, kind of a one man show.  Maybe while he waited for a partner to show up.  

Just adding some of his interesting energy to the scene.  

A friend of mine relates the time in the late 90s when after doing a route on Intersection Rock in Joshua Tree TM appeared on the summit. No harness, no rope, no partner. As my friend's party was setting up a rope to rappel TM came by and asked if he could hitch a ride down. "Sure, of course--but you don't have a harness!"  TM said thanks and just grabbed the rope and hand over handed it down Mikes Book, shouted a Thank You back up when close enough to the ground to not need the rope anymore. Classic!

I ran into TM with my partner at Pie Shop in Tahoe about 20 years ago. We shared a patch with him and climbing with him made our day. How many sports can you climb with a legend? I remember his hands, massive and scarred due to years of climbing. I think reading about him one of his partners said he could bend pennies in his hands and seeing those powerful hands, I believe it. I’m curious if any of his partners are on this thread - would he get the bigger cracks because of his hand size. 

Respect!

Ran into TM one time at classic West Crack on Daff Dome and he described watching Frank Sacherer putting the route up.