LOCAL LEGEND // JEREMY “ROWDY” DOWDY Written By: David Crothers //
SCARFACE 5.11A/B // INDIAN CREEK, UTAH
JEREMY DOWDY is known by most climbers in the North-
east as “Rowdy Dowdy.” His personality radiates energy and it’s hard not to get psyched just talking with him. He is a guy that is stoked on life and what he’s doing in every moment. Dowdy grew up in the Vergennes area of Vermont, and with his mom work- ing at Middlebury College, he easily found his way to the bouldering gym, where he and his friends would run laps on long jug runs, competing with each other by seeing who could make it the farthest.
After leaving the homestead, Dowdy headed to UVM and graduated with what he and the OGE (Outdoor Gear Exchange) crew like to call the “retail” degree, which is also known as an Envi- ronmental Degree. He is newly married, living back in the Vergennes area and working at the OGE as the product manager.
6 climber MAGAZINEism |
DAVID: What’s up with Rowdy Dowdy? Where did the nickname come from and how did you get it?
JEREMY: My last name is Dowdy so Rowdy comes pretty naturally. I guess I am oc- casionally rambunctious, but I’ve had that nickname since I was like twelve years old. As soon as my friends made the con- nection, it never went away, people have been calling me that for years. The funny thing is, from the climbing world per- spective, I have been introduced, thanks to Josh and Ivan, across New England as Rowdy Dowdy. I was just talking to Bayard Russell in New Hampshire and we were laughing because he asked me “does anyone call you Jeremy?” I got introduced to him as Rowdy so he didn’t even know what my first name was. Same thing happened when I was climbing with Russ Clune and he said the same thing “does anyone know your first name?” He knows it because I introduced myself to him as
Jeremy. It’s funny to see how it’s continued on by itself.
DAVID: Any first ascents you want to brag about?
JEREMY: [laughs] The only two first ascents I have developed myself are mixed routes. There is Rainbow Pony, everyone likes to call it, and it’s like an M7. Also, in my huge catalogue of routes is Ghost Wars, it tentatively has got an M9 rating so we’ll see if it holds. Both routes are at Snake Mountain.
DAVID: How about Northeast climbing? Do you have a favorite area?
JEREMY: Man, tough questions, I think I am going to have to say the Adirondacks.
MAY JUNE 2011 |
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