EP 108: John Sherman
(Check out our second episode, EP 110)
February 28, 2022
PHOTO: Taken by Lincoln Else
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:
Films:
John Climbing in Hueco in 1989
Books:
John Gill: Master of Rock by Pat Ament
Better Bouldering by John Sherman
Other Resources:
Related Podcasts:
John’s Links:
Routes Mentioned:
‘Mother of the Future’, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Terminator’, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘The Morgue’, Hueco Tanks, TX
^ The Triple crown of roof cracks
Sign of the Cross, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Mushroom Roof’ V8, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Sea of Holes’, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Bucket Roof’, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Crash Dummy’ V7, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘Fire and Ice’ Eldorado Canyon, CO
’See Spot Run’ V6, Hueco Tanks, TX
‘The Thimble’ V5, The Needles, SD
‘Ambrosia’ V11, Buttermilks, Bishop, CA
‘Too Big to Flail’ V10, Buttermilks, Bishop, CA
‘Evilution’ V12, Buttermilks, Bishop, CA
‘Hairy Pin’ The Needles/ Ten Pins Area
‘Super Pin’ The Needles/ Ten Pins Area
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