As a bumbly alpinist with big dreams I had followed several of Jule's trips and read about some pretty audacious and impresseive climbing. IMHO the Macintyre comparison is probably a good one. A tragic loss and my condolences to his family and friends.

I had the pleasure of climbing with Jules in the Peak District on a number of occasions, and of seeing his legendary prowess at the bar. He'll be sorely missed. My condolences to his family and friends.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead, Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves, Let the stanage boulderes wear black cotton gloves. He was our North, our South, our East and West, Our working week and our Sunday rest, Our noon, our midnight, our talk, our song; We thought that he would last for ever: it seems we were wrong. The mountains are not wanted now: pull down every one; Pack up the axes and throw away the rack; Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upstairs at the TAT bunkhouse in Talkeetna in early June 2000 I met a blonde bloke with braces on his teeth who looked even more like shit than I did. I asked him what he had been doing and straight up he told me "we did a new route on Hunter. It's called The Knowledge". That he had none of that false modesty and pretend understatement bullshit that infects alpinism hit me at the time and I still remember it now. It was a plain and simple statement of what they had done, no bragging, just a hint of justifiable pride. I can still hear him say "The Knowledge". My thoughts are with his family and friends. D