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23-Jan-2017 10:01:34 AM
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As reported by Vertical Life:
One of the legends of Australian climbing, Roland Pauligk, passed away yesterday morning. Roland was a talented climber, the creator of Australia's most iconic climbing gear, RPs, and a wonderful friend and family man who will be much missed.
We at VL would like to pass on our condolences to the Pauligk clan in this difficult time.
In remembrance of Roland, we've just published an old profile of the great man.
The portrait of Roland is by Craig Ingram.
http://www.verticallifemag.com.au/?p=8219
From Rock and Ice profile of RP:
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23-Jan-2017 10:02:08 AM
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:-(
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23-Jan-2017 10:21:44 AM
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Very sad day. Roland was an inspirational climber and a wonderfully generous person. His name will be forever linked with hard, bold and sustainable climbing.
Ian
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23-Jan-2017 11:01:32 AM
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Condolences to those that knew Roland.
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23-Jan-2017 1:02:17 PM
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Reunited with Hexy and his other c0ckatoos/galahs/corellas. He will be missed. :-(
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23-Jan-2017 1:38:43 PM
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Courtesy of BA http://imgur.com/a/1cqE8 :
RP on Christian Crack 1975
![](http://i.imgur.com/NyOyGtF.jpg)
Ryan and RP 1981
![](http://i.imgur.com/nsIXDnj.jpg)
Big RPs
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23-Jan-2017 3:07:56 PM
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Wow that's a shame. RIP.
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23-Jan-2017 4:07:33 PM
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Sad news.
I loved the epigraph on the original write-up of Fuhrer Direct : "Look on my equipment ye mighty and despair"
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23-Jan-2017 6:52:02 PM
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We need a photo of Sedgy's "Big Red"!
(For the uninitiated, a giant aluminium RP on an ancient red tape sling that "must" be used at least once on every climb!)
Edit: I just realised it looks an awful lot like the one hanging from Roland's waist in the Christian Crack photo!
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24-Jan-2017 9:58:21 AM
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The photo of Roland and Hex (the c--katoo) in the VL article (see link above; the caption for the photo at Geryon Hut in Tassie is wrong, Roland is second from right and the others are described from left to right. Baxter is on the left) was probably taken at the base of Redmans Bluff. Roland took in lots of aluminium cans, built a fire (as only Roland could) and then melted the cans, poured them into moulds and cast some of his earliest giant RPs. He also made Bongs (not that sort), bolt plates and crackers. Sedgie wrote an article describing the history of his gear that appeared in a copy of Argus (VCC newsletter) quite a few years ago.
Memories include Roland making a fire at Araps for about 40-50 people, we were sitting about 10m away from it, it was that hot! Roland and Anne spending hours trying to find Hex in the Wolgan Valley. His old Toyota Crown station wagon which had every single bit of plastic removed by Hexie, the corella and galah that were his travelling companions.
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24-Jan-2017 1:43:06 PM
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Bugga.
Our world just shrunk a little more with the passing of another climbing legend.
Condolences to all who knew him.
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24-Jan-2017 2:54:34 PM
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Sad indeed Roland was a wonderfully warm person totally non judgemental and just ever so willing to
Chat or encourage you. Those birds were the most loyal ever. Watson and I grateful they slept sometimes.
Over in us at the moment I noteRoland and Ann made their mark on the Pauligk Pillar at Red Rocks, NV. I'm sure there were many more outside Australia as well as the ones we remember here.
Vale Roland I will think of you every time I get out the RPs.
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25-Jan-2017 9:08:55 PM
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Rest in Peace my dear, dear friend in Australia.
With my warmest thoughts to your family.
Stéphane
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3-Feb-2017 10:32:55 AM
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I received an email from Stéphane at Nutstory...
I have just received the very sad news of the death of Roland Pauligk (I have seen the posts on Supertopo), could you post the two attached photographs on chockstone as I have still not understood how it works…
(Apologies for the delay, as my home internet has had issues lately, and sorry for the resolution loss due resizing them to fit the upload criteria).
<![](/upload/userfiles/IdratherbeclimbingM9/Roland Pauligk 1.jpg)
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8-Feb-2017 10:57:42 AM
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With such an iconic legacy from a great pioneer, I reckon that there should be an award (ongoing) for Roland Pauligk and his Australian made RP's.
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