Jim Bridwell, American rock climber and mountaineer
Jim Bridwell (July 29, 1944 – February 16, 2018) was an American rock climber and mountaineer, active since 1965, especially in Yosemite Valley, but also in Patagonia and Alaska. He was noted for pushing the standards of both free climbing and big-wall climbing, and later alpine climbing. He wrote numerous articles on climbing for leading sport publications. He was an apprentice to Royal Robbins and Warren Harding (climber). He was the unofficial leader of the Stonemasters.Bridwell is credited with over 100 First Ascents in Yosemite Valley, in addition to conducting the first one-day ascent of The Nose of El Capitan on May 26, 1975 with John Long and Billy Westbay. He founded Yosemite National Park's Search and Rescue Team (YOSAR), and spearheaded many rescues that became textbook for search-and-rescue operations. He was a leading force in the changing techniques of climbing and an innovator/inventor of widely used and copied climbing gear, including copperheads and bird beaks.Jim resided in Palm Desert, California, USA, until his death on February 16, 2018 from complications of hepatitis C, which he had acquired while receiving a tattoo in Borneo during the 1980s.