John Sherman (born 1959), nicknamed Verm (short for "Vermin") is an American rock climber and a pioneer in the promotion and development of the climbing discipline of bouldering.
[4][5] He came to prominence as one of the developers of the important Hueco Tanks bouldering area in Texas, where he made over 400 first free ascents in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Don’t let the hyperbolic style fool you—this is one very smart guy", and also: "In Sherman we see the embodiment of both Royal Robbins and Warren Harding, a pair whose individual values are generally understood to be mutually exclusive.
"[10] In 1988, Sherman appeared in the spring catalog for mountaineering retailer Patagonia in a photograph where he is shown drinking a bottle of Coopers Best Extra stout beer while free solo climbing–in his sandals–the sport climbing route Lord of the Rings 8b (5.13d), in the Mount Arapiles, Australia; the image became popular amongst climbers, and Patagonia reproduced it in subsequent catalogs and also made it into a standalone poster.
[13] For many years, he pursued a mostly seasonal career working as a 'wellsite geologist' for oil exploration companies, which he attributed to giving him the financial freedom to indulge his passion for continuous travel.