John Bachar, the climbing legend and design director for Acopa climbing shoes, apparently fell to his death while free soloing a rock climb at the Dike Wall near his home in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Bachar is best known for two feats: his first ascent of the Bachar-Yerian route in 1981 in Tuolumne Meadows and posting a note in Yosemite promising a “$10,000 reward for anyone who can follow me for one full day.” No one took the challenge.
In Business, Bachar formed Acopa USA in 2003 when he got together with Dario Piana and Steve Karafa to modernize and perfect the already existing Acopa factory in Guadalajara, Mexico. With the help of climber and master shoemaker, Ernesto Vazquez, Bachar was able to help create a successful rock shoe brand with nation-wide distribution.
