Memorial plaque on Sewrey's Roof at Camelback Mtn, Arizona

​Bill was a one-of-a-kind, unique individual and a special friend to so many people.  Of all the people that knew him or dealt with him in the stores, I never heard anyone that ever said anything but praise for him. So kind and caring, but with a unique sense of humor and a great twist on life and all of its activities. When we moved to AZ, Pat and I knew almost nothing about backpacking. I wandered into the Hi Adventure store when it was on the west side of Phoenix on a lunch break, and he immediately took us under his wings. Still remember the first time he took me on a BP trip into the Sups. 

Thanks for the photo reminders of such a great guy that made such a difference in so many people. 
- Ron Sigler
To Tom Kreuser and Art Christiansen,

Well that's pretty wild. I have been searching for my Bill Sewrey memorial book for a few weeks now and suddenly Thursday it surfaced. Then I came across it again and again on the same day. I was like "Bill you hid from me and now you are not going away!" Then yesterday Ashby texted saying hello, Ashby Robinson with the Vertical Archaeology website (great site showing climbing gear) and the first post that pops up is a LONGware Tpin piton that I traded Ashby a while ago for a special one of a kind Dolt nut. The LONGware Tpin piton is a tough item to find but Ashby tempted 
me with a one of a kind Dolt 88 nut which was made out of Magnesium. The LONGware T-pin Piton was once owned by Bill Sewrey and has Bill's personal three dot markings on it. Later it was given to Dana Hollister. Dana a few years back donated it to the Karabin Museum. In Ashby’s description he mentions Bill. So now I see that Bill Sewrey was saying hello to me since it was his Birthday. Super cool!
- MK 2020
Tom Kreuser to MK,
Another reply to Bill's birthday email…from Carolyn Schmitz.  Artist and friend of Bill’s. She painted climbers, scenes, animals on the walls of Desert Mountain Sports, Bill’s store. Even a small scorpion at ground level in the dressing room.   - Tom
MK - So the artist was Carolyn Schmitz, hmmmm. When the Desert Mountain Sports store closed, Keith Burdette gave me the front door key for the museum. I returned to the store shortly afterwards with a saw to cut out and save the art pieces painted on the walls of 
the store. The key lock was unfortunately changed. So for one month I kept returning in hope that I could catch a person being inside of the store so I could get in, but no luck. Then I came by again and all was ripped down and gone. I even went in back of the store and checked if anything was in the dumpster. It was all gone, but I still have the front door key. Does anybody have photos of the art paintings? I know one was Bill in the hammock under Sewreys roof.
From Tom - Carolyn…Great!   I think Marty would love to see them or have copies or something. Very nice. I use the mad dogs and Englishmen saying often…Rudyard Kipling quote I think. No one was offended…how could you be it you knew Bill and his personality.  Stay in touch.   - Tom

From Carolyn: I do have photos! Next time I go to storage locker I will get them. It's been a long time since I saw them. Hope someone saved them to decorate with. Oh, French! Sorry-- I was reminded of that phrase "mad dogs and Englishmen out in the noonday sun", because of how Bill loved to get out in the desert. I really wasn't sure that he was English. I hope no one was offended!
Bills haul bag used on his FA ascent of Vulture Peak, AZ. Donated by Art Christiansen
Three pieces of gear from Bill Sewrey's rack that was on display for years at the Desert Mountain Sports store - Indian School rd location. When the store closed, Keith Burdettte donated them to the museum. MoAc nut, US Army carabiner and Leeper bolt hanger all from the mid 1960s.
Photo of Bill Sewrey in the Desert Mountain Sports store, Campbell road location. Photo donated by Art Christiansen.
................................................................................................
(From: Tom Kreuser: April 12, 2024)
Allan…these are the photos I was talking to you about. Tom Kreuser and Bill Sewrey.
 
First four are at the entrance to the old mine entrance on Grand View Mesa.
Tom in the crawl way was taken  in a limestone cave in the Red Wall beyond Grand View Mesa.
Tom driving the old car at the Bass Camp in the Grand Canyon. Hermit Trail.
Tom at a spring near the cave in the Red Wall east of Grand View Mesa.   I am holding what we named “the snot tube”.The water from the
spring was flowing down the wall.  We could not fill our canteens until we found that if we pulled the snot tube away from the wall it would run down it and into
our canteens. A survival tactic not written up in the best of survival manuals of the day.

Fun photos.  They bring back memories of good adventures and great fun.         Tom …canyon hiker

photos taken by Buzz Peterson.
CMI 34 steel angle piton
- Donated by: Paul Diefenderfer
- Original owner: Bill Sewrey ( three dot mark)
c. mid 1960s
MoAc nut
- c. mid 1960s
- Donated by Paul Diefenderfer
- Original owner: Bill Sewrey ( three dot mark)
LONGware 1 3/4 steel angle piton
- Donated by: Paul Diefenderfer
- Original owner: Bill Sewrey ( three dot mark)
- c. late 1950s
Page from the Phoenix Rock guidebook by Jim Waugh


Chouinard 2" and 2 1/2" pitons.
Original owner: Bill Sewrey
Donated by: Paul Diefenderfer