In memory of Paul, who was a friend from first grade till his passing, I'm posting here a short piece I wrote about a hike he and I took to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 1964. The other friends mentioned but unnamed were Arnie Katz and Joel Greenberger. Paul proved stronger than me, and suffered less, on the return to the canyon rim.
Grand Canyon
By Ralph J Shapira
We were four high school friends with a station wagon borrowed from my parents for a post-graduation trip, and the summer of ‘64 to explore the American West. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, two of our group were sick. Paul and I had time to burn while the others recovered.
I came up with the grand idea to hike to the bottom of the Canyon, to Phantom Ranch, and return. Unprepared and unequipped, we knew only from a ranger’s brochure to avoid mid-day heat.
We decided to start at 4 PM, planning to reach the bottom during the night, grab two hours sleep and return during the cool of night and early morning. In our daypacks we carried flashlights, water bottles, lunch meat sandwiches, snacks and an alarm clock to awaken us in the dead of night.
We headed off. The canyon is visually stunning, an inconceivably vast symphony of muted earth tones. Most of the trail was breathtakingly precipitous, a narrow ledge carved in bare vertical rock — a false step would have been our end. We saw a pink rattlesnake at eye level in a pocket of the rock wall rising on our right, and gingerly avoided it by tiptoeing along the brink of the precipice on our left.
As light faded into dusk we worried that our flashlights would burn out and leave us helpless on the dark trail, at risk of stumbling into the void. To conserve the batteries we held off using the lights as long as we could, and hastened our pace toward the safety of the distant bottom.
Somewhere between 8 and 9, our eyes straining in the lowering gloom, we stopped to get our lights out and for badly needed rest. We laid back exhausted on the dark trail. To our surprise, a corner of the sky began to lighten. We were transfixed as the stars dimmed and a brilliant full moon slowly rose over the Canyon. We didn’t know a full moon was coming; it was a godsent lifesaving surprise. We were able to see the narrow trail ahead clearly.
Our relief at our celestial rescue was great, but what I remember most was walking the lower canyon in full moonlight. The rock walls, so sharply etched and colorful by day, loomed pale, ghostly and ephemeral as we passed through them that magical night. Through sheerest dumb luck we had stumbled into the most beautiful scene I would ever witness. I can see it in my mind’s eye still, 55 years later.
We reached Phantom Ranch near midnight and collapsed in exhausted sleep on the bare ground outside it. Our alarm rang us awake at 2:00 am. We gobbled snacks and began the moonlit 4,400 vertical foot ascent to the trailhead. Walking that torturous uphill path in our depleted state was the hardest thing I ever did, and as night faded I wondered whether I could possibly make it. In late mid-morning, in brightening sunshine and as the air rapidly reheated, we ran into Arnie and Joel, our two friends, who had walked part way down the trail to greet us with food and water. After a replenishing rest, we staggered back to the trailhead and our car.
Paul and I still talk from time to time, sharing memories of our long-ago extraordinary adventure.
It is sad to receive notice that we have lost 2 more classmates. I did not know Paul Anolik, but Paul Recht was a friend during my years at Allderdice. Unfortunately, as was the case with so many of my classmates, I had no real interaction with Paul after graduation. He was a nice guy back then -- and his obituary indicates he remained a nice guy until the end.
I see that Paul Recht stayed around Pittsburgh his whole life. Just the other day I was wondering how things would have been if I had somehow done the same. Well, that's just a what if, but it reminded me that it is high time I get back "home" for a visit now that travel is possible again.
Ralph - great story! Glad you guys didn't end up as "trail kill" for the various scavengers to find at first light. You were pretty lucky!
My condolences to the surviving friends and family of both Pauls. And I sincerely hope not to see any new names (including mine) on the list of memorials for quite awhile.
Ralph well recalls our summer trip in 1964.Paul was a gret felow travellor. The packed stationwagon was filled with camping equipment and things that only high school kids treasure.In particular the Coleman stove for coolkng bacon and eggs every morning-great ritual for 4 Jewish kids from Squirrel Hill-huh!.What an experience to have before we went off to college-Ralph to Oberlin, Arnie to Duke, me to Columbia, and Paul to U. of Chicago..
Paul received an "A" in English from that infamous teacter Mr.Sommerfield.That will be one of his lasting victories..As we lose more classmates each year, we must treasure the time will have together. Thank you Paul for being a good friend and for the memories.
Paul was not a close friend, but I knew him from school and the neighborhood. He was a quiet, gentle soul, a very decent human being whose presence will be missed. May his memory be for a blessing.
Paul and I grew up, at least to the age of 16, at Temple Sinai. He was one of the quieter, but more witty people in a setting that called mostly for straight obedience and little reflection.
I only got back in touch with him in the last 15 years when first my dad, and then my mom became ill and died. He expressed his concern by phone and in notes that I appreciated.
He had an interesting career in law library work. He was no doubt a valuable resource to many more flamboyant characters. He was also a caring and devoted husband who was the physical and emotional support to his wife during a long marriage.
I am so sorry to hear that Paul has died. We had many classes together at Allderdice and also spent time together outside of school. He lived only a few blocks from me so it was easy for us to get together. I enjoyed talking with him at our 50th reunion. I am so sorry that he has passed away so soon from us.
Paul and I were just acquitances most of our years at TAHS, despite having many classes together. But, there was a period of 2 to 3 months during our junior year where we hung out a lot together. I don't remember how or why it started, although I do remember how and why it ended. After that, we returned to being acquaintances again. After graduation, I didn't see him again until I bumped into him when we both were attending Pitt. We were acquantainces again. Years later, I ran into him again after he had attended Duquesne Law School and I had been back in the city for the unveiling of my mother's gravestone . He was married by then and seemed very happy; much more self-assured than I had remembered him. We had lunch, and he described his life in very positive terms. I remembered him as always having a little smile, with his lips hardly open. That day, he had a bigger, brighter smile. That was our last conversation, and I'm glad my final memory of him was of a happy, content person.
I have been very touched by the warm and thoughtful comments my TAHS classmates write of friends, colleagues, classmates. I knew Paul only through the various classes we shared. He also sat next to me in Mr. Beck's homeroom (which offered its share of giggles).
High school was so traumatic for me that I was only too happy to sever ties when I graduated. Yet the passing years blurred much of the trauma and left some sweet memories. I mourn the growing list of those we have lost. Thanks to Lee and others for keeping this forum going.
I hope that Paul's family will have some comfort of knowing that he is fondly remembered.
I lived down Bartlett street from Paul Recht. We both went to Falk School together before Allderdice, so like Ralph Shapira (great Grand Canyon story, BTW), I knew him at grade school, too. I loved visiting Paul and reading his comic collection. He really had the best collection of Superman.
I really enjoyed seeing Paul again at our reunions and meeting his sweet wife.
I'm pretty sure Paul was living in his childhood family home on Bartlett Street.
It's very sad to lose a longtime classmate. It helps to read your comments.
Paul and I had a bond of shared memories going back almost seventy years. It was a shock to hear of his passing, and sad to lose a caring lifelong friend. May he rest in peace.
Ralph Shapira
In memory of Paul, who was a friend from first grade till his passing, I'm posting here a short piece I wrote about a hike he and I took to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 1964. The other friends mentioned but unnamed were Arnie Katz and Joel Greenberger. Paul proved stronger than me, and suffered less, on the return to the canyon rim.
Grand Canyon
By Ralph J Shapira
We were four high school friends with a station wagon borrowed from my parents for a post-graduation trip, and the summer of ‘64 to explore the American West. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, two of our group were sick. Paul and I had time to burn while the others recovered.
I came up with the grand idea to hike to the bottom of the Canyon, to Phantom Ranch, and return. Unprepared and unequipped, we knew only from a ranger’s brochure to avoid mid-day heat.
We decided to start at 4 PM, planning to reach the bottom during the night, grab two hours sleep and return during the cool of night and early morning. In our daypacks we carried flashlights, water bottles, lunch meat sandwiches, snacks and an alarm clock to awaken us in the dead of night.
We headed off. The canyon is visually stunning, an inconceivably vast symphony of muted earth tones. Most of the trail was breathtakingly precipitous, a narrow ledge carved in bare vertical rock — a false step would have been our end. We saw a pink rattlesnake at eye level in a pocket of the rock wall rising on our right, and gingerly avoided it by tiptoeing along the brink of the precipice on our left.
As light faded into dusk we worried that our flashlights would burn out and leave us helpless on the dark trail, at risk of stumbling into the void. To conserve the batteries we held off using the lights as long as we could, and hastened our pace toward the safety of the distant bottom.
Somewhere between 8 and 9, our eyes straining in the lowering gloom, we stopped to get our lights out and for badly needed rest. We laid back exhausted on the dark trail. To our surprise, a corner of the sky began to lighten. We were transfixed as the stars dimmed and a brilliant full moon slowly rose over the Canyon. We didn’t know a full moon was coming; it was a godsent lifesaving surprise. We were able to see the narrow trail ahead clearly.
Our relief at our celestial rescue was great, but what I remember most was walking the lower canyon in full moonlight. The rock walls, so sharply etched and colorful by day, loomed pale, ghostly and ephemeral as we passed through them that magical night. Through sheerest dumb luck we had stumbled into the most beautiful scene I would ever witness. I can see it in my mind’s eye still, 55 years later.
We reached Phantom Ranch near midnight and collapsed in exhausted sleep on the bare ground outside it. Our alarm rang us awake at 2:00 am. We gobbled snacks and began the moonlit 4,400 vertical foot ascent to the trailhead. Walking that torturous uphill path in our depleted state was the hardest thing I ever did, and as night faded I wondered whether I could possibly make it. In late mid-morning, in brightening sunshine and as the air rapidly reheated, we ran into Arnie and Joel, our two friends, who had walked part way down the trail to greet us with food and water. After a replenishing rest, we staggered back to the trailhead and our car.
Paul and I still talk from time to time, sharing memories of our long-ago extraordinary adventure.
Tom Allison
It is sad to receive notice that we have lost 2 more classmates. I did not know Paul Anolik, but Paul Recht was a friend during my years at Allderdice. Unfortunately, as was the case with so many of my classmates, I had no real interaction with Paul after graduation. He was a nice guy back then -- and his obituary indicates he remained a nice guy until the end.
I see that Paul Recht stayed around Pittsburgh his whole life. Just the other day I was wondering how things would have been if I had somehow done the same. Well, that's just a what if, but it reminded me that it is high time I get back "home" for a visit now that travel is possible again.
Ralph - great story! Glad you guys didn't end up as "trail kill" for the various scavengers to find at first light. You were pretty lucky!
My condolences to the surviving friends and family of both Pauls. And I sincerely hope not to see any new names (including mine) on the list of memorials for quite awhile.
Joel Greenberger
Ralph well recalls our summer trip in 1964.Paul was a gret felow travellor. The packed stationwagon was filled with camping equipment and things that only high school kids treasure.In particular the Coleman stove for coolkng bacon and eggs every morning-great ritual for 4 Jewish kids from Squirrel Hill-huh!.What an experience to have before we went off to college-Ralph to Oberlin, Arnie to Duke, me to Columbia, and Paul to U. of Chicago..
Paul received an "A" in English from that infamous teacter Mr.Sommerfield.That will be one of his lasting victories..As we lose more classmates each year, we must treasure the time will have together. Thank you Paul for being a good friend and for the memories.
Maxine Heller
Paul was not a close friend, but I knew him from school and the neighborhood. He was a quiet, gentle soul, a very decent human being whose presence will be missed. May his memory be for a blessing.
Paul Safyan
Paul and I grew up, at least to the age of 16, at Temple Sinai. He was one of the quieter, but more witty people in a setting that called mostly for straight obedience and little reflection.
I only got back in touch with him in the last 15 years when first my dad, and then my mom became ill and died. He expressed his concern by phone and in notes that I appreciated.
He had an interesting career in law library work. He was no doubt a valuable resource to many more flamboyant characters. He was also a caring and devoted husband who was the physical and emotional support to his wife during a long marriage.
Joseph Sack
I am so sorry to hear that Paul has died. We had many classes together at Allderdice and also spent time together outside of school. He lived only a few blocks from me so it was easy for us to get together. I enjoyed talking with him at our 50th reunion. I am so sorry that he has passed away so soon from us.
Michael Brourman
Paul and I were just acquitances most of our years at TAHS, despite having many classes together. But, there was a period of 2 to 3 months during our junior year where we hung out a lot together. I don't remember how or why it started, although I do remember how and why it ended. After that, we returned to being acquaintances again. After graduation, I didn't see him again until I bumped into him when we both were attending Pitt. We were acquantainces again. Years later, I ran into him again after he had attended Duquesne Law School and I had been back in the city for the unveiling of my mother's gravestone . He was married by then and seemed very happy; much more self-assured than I had remembered him. We had lunch, and he described his life in very positive terms. I remembered him as always having a little smile, with his lips hardly open. That day, he had a bigger, brighter smile. That was our last conversation, and I'm glad my final memory of him was of a happy, content person.
Marilyn Schorin
I have been very touched by the warm and thoughtful comments my TAHS classmates write of friends, colleagues, classmates. I knew Paul only through the various classes we shared. He also sat next to me in Mr. Beck's homeroom (which offered its share of giggles).
High school was so traumatic for me that I was only too happy to sever ties when I graduated. Yet the passing years blurred much of the trauma and left some sweet memories. I mourn the growing list of those we have lost. Thanks to Lee and others for keeping this forum going.
I hope that Paul's family will have some comfort of knowing that he is fondly remembered.
Janice Richman
I lived down Bartlett street from Paul Recht. We both went to Falk School together before Allderdice, so like Ralph Shapira (great Grand Canyon story, BTW), I knew him at grade school, too. I loved visiting Paul and reading his comic collection. He really had the best collection of Superman.
I really enjoyed seeing Paul again at our reunions and meeting his sweet wife.
I'm pretty sure Paul was living in his childhood family home on Bartlett Street.
It's very sad to lose a longtime classmate. It helps to read your comments.
Ed Ruttenberg
Paul and I had a bond of shared memories going back almost seventy years. It was a shock to hear of his passing, and sad to lose a caring lifelong friend. May he rest in peace.