I met JC about 45/50 years ago on a Dumbarton district outdoor training corse. JC was the climbing instructor we had on the Cobbler and on the Buichaille. I was a complete novice and had never heard of the Creag Dhu or Johnny C. He was a magnificent person to be with, great humour and really down to earth with us his pupils. I was very sad when I heard of the events which caused his death, he was a great instructor and a pioneer climber. A great vid which brings back memories of the times I met JC on the training course.
Glad that I found this video, I have just re-read "Creagh Dhu Climber - The Life & Times of John Cunningham" by Jeff Connor. I am always proud to say that I was once a student of John's. When he was working at Liverpool's I. M. Marsh college with Ron James. I was there as an in service teacher specialising in Outdoor Education. Sadly he was lost on Angelsey South Stack whilst I, & others on the course, were back at the college, it came as a great sadness to all his students. I remember those days fondly & how he could inspire us to greater things, I also remember how he had a knack of appearing alongside you, just as you were tackling the crux move of a rock climb ! Sadly missed but many thanks for your inspiration John, & to Paul for posting this video.
ah yes the good ole days of chouinard alpine hammers, piolets, and rigid strap on crampons with super gaitors on leather boots. When ice climbing was a fringe sport done by a brave and crazy few. Thanks for posting!
nearly42,000 viewers,,,,paul you are totally justfied in putting this up.....these videos i treasure,,the best of times was the month i spent with the lads,in 1956?..in wales and in LANGDALE...where i made the mistake of challenging,jc to a wrestling match..i was 19 and VERY cockyl,,when i picked myself up...??? I ALWAYS HAD THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR HIM..and have great memories of him,,he was such a pleasure to be with,,THANX Paul...from BALLOCH JACK
Briliant video. As someone who is just starting out mountaineering, it's great to see john climbing and so fliudly, very inspirational to see him climbing solo as I would like to do!
Paul I knew JC when I spent a year at I M Marsh. He was a huge influence on my life! I met you too camping in Langdale, but then you were a babe in arms! JC taught me to ski and sold me a set of skis and poles that had been part of the payment he got from Chouinard for making this film. The skis are long gone, worn out, but the poles I still ski with. I have spent a lifetime teaching climbing and outdoor pursuits in NZ on his recommendation. He said that NZ was probably the best place in the world for Outdoor Education. Like in most thinks he was right. My Hero!
@@johndcorcoran6550 that's where he lives 😅. I've been there a few times. Not sure I'll be back any time soon, but I'll be sure to be in touch if I am, likewise if you're in Scotland, get in touch
Thanks for posting this Paul,although Stuart Johnson emailed it to me this morning. Mo-bike [Norton?] no helmet, no gloves, climbing the distilery gates north of the Fort. Great scenes, great memories. GG
Cheers Paul - real pleasure to see him flowing up the ice like that. Think the starting gully with all the spindrift is Garadh. Here's hoping for some conditions like 76 in 10.... All the best, Rob.
Fantastic video, as many have said very evocative of the era - for me, fastening crampon straps in spindrift particularly so! I like JC's wee skips up the ice... compare that with most folks' battering away at every step.
Great video. The zoom-in shot looks like zero gully, but the film has been flipped horizontally so everything's in reverse. The shots of John moving quickly up ice with an icicle in the foreground nearer the end of the film reminds of the initial icefall of Glover's Chimney, but I'm only guessing. Yvon Chouinard showed this film at the Fort William festival last year, and it's great to see it again. Thanks, Jamie
The motorbike route seems a bit confused: first he's going down Glencoe, then he has turned back up past JC's cottage, then he is crossing the Corran ferry.....very scenic though!
My understanding is that this was originally going to be part of a Nat Geo documentary, but the show got cancelled after the crew making the other half were in a plane crash. Yvon sat on the unedited footage for a while and eventually decided to put together this short film. I don't know if there is much else.
I was on the Ben at the time. Notice Chouinard ridged crampons and he curved his own tools with the leashes taped to the shaft. He curved my brothers old Ashenbrenner wood shafted axe and Aid said it was the best tool he'd used until Chacals arrived.
I met JC about 45/50 years ago on a Dumbarton district outdoor training corse. JC was the climbing instructor we had on the Cobbler and on the Buichaille. I was a complete novice and had never heard of the Creag Dhu or Johnny C. He was a magnificent person to be with, great humour and really down to earth with us his pupils. I was very sad when I heard of the events which caused his death, he was a great instructor and a pioneer climber. A great vid which brings back memories of the times I met JC on the training course.
Glad that I found this video, I have just re-read "Creagh Dhu Climber - The Life & Times of John Cunningham" by Jeff Connor. I am always proud to say that I was once a student of John's. When he was working at Liverpool's I. M. Marsh college with Ron James. I was there as an in service teacher specialising in Outdoor Education. Sadly he was lost on Angelsey South Stack whilst I, & others on the course, were back at the college, it came as a great sadness to all his students. I remember those days fondly & how he could inspire us to greater things, I also remember how he had a knack of appearing alongside you, just as you were tackling the crux move of a rock climb ! Sadly missed but many thanks for your inspiration John, & to Paul for posting this video.
Thanks David. It's always great to here stories of how Dad inspired others.
ah yes the good ole days of chouinard alpine hammers, piolets, and rigid strap on crampons with super gaitors on leather boots. When ice climbing was a fringe sport done by a brave and crazy few.
Thanks for posting!
nearly42,000 viewers,,,,paul you are totally justfied in putting this up.....these videos i treasure,,the best of times was the month i spent with the lads,in 1956?..in wales and in LANGDALE...where i made the mistake of challenging,jc to a wrestling match..i was 19 and VERY cockyl,,when i picked myself up...??? I ALWAYS HAD THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR HIM..and have great memories of him,,he was such a pleasure to be with,,THANX Paul...from BALLOCH JACK
Briliant video. As someone who is just starting out mountaineering, it's great to see john climbing and so fliudly, very inspirational to see him climbing solo as I would like to do!
he rode through the highland winter on his motorbike..without gloves. Brilliant bit of film, cheers mate.
Paul I knew JC when I spent a year at I M Marsh. He was a huge influence on my life! I met you too camping in Langdale, but then you were a babe in arms! JC taught me to ski and sold me a set of skis and poles that had been part of the payment he got from Chouinard for making this film. The skis are long gone, worn out, but the poles I still ski with. I have spent a lifetime teaching climbing and outdoor pursuits in NZ on his recommendation. He said that NZ was probably the best place in the world for Outdoor Education. Like in most thinks he was right. My Hero!
Hi John, thanks for the story! I lived in Queenstown between 2014 and 2018 guiding and teaching mountaineering, it's an amazing place!
I am in Dunedin now, if you were still there, I would have come over for a pint! Where are you now?
@@johndcorcoran6550 I'm back in Scotland. I have a good friend who live there, always climbing at long beach
@@PaulMJCunningham Just down the road! I live in Port Chalmers. If you come back this way, we should meet up!
@@johndcorcoran6550 that's where he lives 😅. I've been there a few times. Not sure I'll be back any time soon, but I'll be sure to be in touch if I am, likewise if you're in Scotland, get in touch
Thanks for posting this Paul,although Stuart Johnson emailed it to me this morning.
Mo-bike [Norton?] no helmet, no gloves, climbing the distilery gates north of the Fort.
Great scenes, great memories.
GG
Cheers Paul - real pleasure to see him flowing up the ice like that. Think the starting gully with all the spindrift is Garadh. Here's hoping for some conditions like 76 in 10.... All the best, Rob.
Fantastic video, as many have said very evocative of the era - for me, fastening crampon straps in spindrift particularly so! I like JC's wee skips up the ice... compare that with most folks' battering away at every step.
Great video. The zoom-in shot looks like zero gully, but the film has been flipped horizontally so everything's in reverse. The shots of John moving quickly up ice with an icicle in the foreground nearer the end of the film reminds of the initial icefall of Glover's Chimney, but I'm only guessing. Yvon Chouinard showed this film at the Fort William festival last year, and it's great to see it again. Thanks, Jamie
Wonderful!
Thank-you kindly for this wee film of a LEGENDARY man.
Nice wee video. I've been to the summit of Ben Nevis twice bu took the tourist route.
Hazel.
badasss movie, badass climber. Thanks!
The motorbike route seems a bit confused: first he's going down Glencoe, then he has turned back up past JC's cottage, then he is crossing the Corran ferry.....very scenic though!
If you're confused by that, try to work out what climb he's on...
also, see the last paragraph of the description for info on the ferry
Davy Gunn was telling me that this is part of a longer film? Any ideas where the full film might be found as this is great footage.
My understanding is that this was originally going to be part of a Nat Geo documentary, but the show got cancelled after the crew making the other half were in a plane crash. Yvon sat on the unedited footage for a while and eventually decided to put together this short film. I don't know if there is much else.
Really nice, thanks for sharing!
Great film Paul. Very inspirational.
Great movie! Great Climber!
I was on the Ben at the time. Notice Chouinard ridged crampons and he curved his own tools with the leashes taped to the shaft. He curved my brothers old Ashenbrenner wood shafted axe and Aid said it was the best tool he'd used until Chacals arrived.
It's actually a mixture of shots form different climbs. I haven't quite worked out where he is when it zooms in from a distance...
did you watch the whole video? producer is chouinard and camera man is charles grosebeck
Great flick.. thaaank you!!!
One of the greats.
Fantastic video.
Great little film.
Left hand was a Chouinard hammer.
Thank you! Inspiring.
No crampons until half way up!
touch of class
i want to know who is the camera man?
tough chapie he was..led the way in many areas
...
Brilliant!
How soft we have all become with our hard hats and safety boots , this is a good example of how to live , brilliant film
i would love to know as well!
Yes, 👌👌👍👍
What a lifestyle!
No gloves !
yeah baby, shagadelic! the gritty mill town scottish working man out for a day in the moors.
pre helmet motorcycling!
epic