I don't even like hiking, let alone climbing. A nice walk is pleasant. And I like to paddle places if the opportunity presents itself. I have done many very challenging hikes in my day, despite never enjoying it... Now I avoid it altogether, because I finally learned my lesson, lol.
Meanwhile, my dad was a very accomplished mountaineer in his day. He climbed both the Eiger and the Matterhorn, among many others. He actually got trapped in a terrible blizzard on the face of the Matterhorn, and had to just huddle on a little ledge for 3 days. He did get frost bite on his face, which turned his entire eyebrow white for life, and he actually thought he was going to die up there while trapped, but after the storm ended, he kept climbing and reached the peak. Pretty amazing. Of course Mount Everest is far, far higher. My dad never had to worry about not being about to breathe.
Wow- Eiger and Matterhorn! Exceptional! Great story!
You might really enjoy Jon Krakauer's book Eiger Dreams. I thought it was at least as good of Into Thin Airor Into the Wild. You can go their in your mind and not have to hike, lol!
I was almost paralyzed from the waste down hitting a rock in a rapids on a river. The doc told me I missed being paralyzed by by a few centimeters. Another time, on another river, my canoe dumped me and my foot got caught in a sieve in rapid water. I made one last desperate pull and managed to escape. That's the last time I got on the water. So you do the paddling, I'll do the hiking, haha!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
@brianluxHi Brian! Pre climb check-in, crampons on, ready to climb... I tried finding either book in local independent bookstores to no avail, so I finally went to The Strand. Easy decision, Annapurna was not in stock.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,683
@brianluxHi Brian! Pre climb check-in, crampons on, ready to climb... I tried finding either book in local independent bookstores to no avail, so I finally went to The Strand. Easy decision, Annapurna was not in stock.
Good choice! Viesturs' stories are fascinating. Would love to hear what you think once you've read it!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
The climbing season is now over. So let's hope Nepal develops better regulations and issues fewer permits...
let's also hope that no child goes hungry tonite. not going to happen.
True, and the sherpas and porters in the more remote, less traveled areas even more so- way more so. Steve Swenson talks a lot about that in this book and he's a great advocate for helping the poorest of the poor. And considering the horrid politics that go on between India and Pakistan, that's a very difficult task.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
The climbing season is now over. So let's hope Nepal develops better regulations and issues fewer permits...
let's also hope that no child goes hungry tonite. not going to happen.
maybe you should look up the definition of hope...
"Hope is not the conviction that things will turn out well. Hope the the conviction to do what makes sense no matter how things turn out."
-Vaclav Havel
Then why do we say "I hope you feel better", etc.? It can be something which we do on someone's behalf. I guess I do, anyway - it's something to aim for.
I hope I've articulated this well. Ha.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,683
The climbing season is now over. So let's hope Nepal develops better regulations and issues fewer permits...
let's also hope that no child goes hungry tonite. not going to happen.
maybe you should look up the definition of hope...
"Hope is not the conviction that things will turn out well. Hope the the conviction to do what makes sense no matter how things turn out."
-Vaclav Havel
Then why do we say "I hope you feel better", etc.? It can be something which we do on someone's behalf. I guess I do, anyway - it's something to aim for.
I hope I've articulated this well. Ha.
Different kinds of hope, maybe? Taking action or wishing well.
I hope my recycling helps the planet = doing what makes sense by taking action.
I hope you feel better = wishing someone well.
I think there may be other kinds of hope. I hope I can remember what they are, LOL.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
The climbing season is now over. So let's hope Nepal develops better regulations and issues fewer permits...
let's also hope that no child goes hungry tonite. not going to happen.
maybe you should look up the definition of hope...
"Hope is not the conviction that things will turn out well. Hope the the conviction to do what makes sense no matter how things turn out."
-Vaclav Havel
"Hope is not a plan" -A cynical dude I know
The dude sounds hopeless.
I guess by definition you're right! It's not my favourite quote, but it's true that ideas don't generate change - ideas with actions attached do.
True...and I try to do my small part - common sense shit: recycling, no littering, my husband drives a muscle car so perhaps that's an indulgence, but it's been put to good and fairly responsible use in the years since he bought it, all the regular things.
Some accomplish greater feats in this realm and that's wonderful. I'm just doing what I can. Every individual's tiny dent makes a difference.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,683
The climbing season is now over. So let's hope Nepal develops better regulations and issues fewer permits...
let's also hope that no child goes hungry tonite. not going to happen.
maybe you should look up the definition of hope...
"Hope is not the conviction that things will turn out well. Hope the the conviction to do what makes sense no matter how things turn out."
-Vaclav Havel
"Hope is not a plan" -A cynical dude I know
The dude sounds hopeless.
I guess by definition you're right! It's not my favourite quote, but it's true that ideas don't generate change - ideas with actions attached do.
With actions, yes Ben!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,683
Further proof that many humans, even those who seek the wonders of beautiful, high mountains, have utter disregard for nature. This boggles my mind- a rowing machine abandoned on the top of France's highest mountain, Mount Blanc? Four kilograms of chewing gum removed from a single mountain? Utterly disgusting behavior! Hikers that pull this kind of shit should be chained to a rock like Prometheus at the top of the mountain and have their livers pecked out by eagles.
Further proof that many humans, even those who seek the wonders of beautiful, high mountains, have utter disregard for nature. This boggles my mind- a rowing machine abandoned on the top of France's highest mountain, Mount Blanc? Four kilograms of chewing gum removed from a single mountain? Utterly disgusting behavior! Hikers that pull this kind of shit should be chained to a rock like Prometheus at the top of the mountain and have their livers pecked out by eagles.
Further proof that many humans, even those who seek the wonders of beautiful, high mountains, have utter disregard for nature. This boggles my mind- a rowing machine abandoned on the top of France's highest mountain, Mount Blanc? Four kilograms of chewing gum removed from a single mountain? Utterly disgusting behavior! Hikers that pull this kind of shit should be chained to a rock like Prometheus at the top of the mountain and have their livers pecked out by eagles.
Also, leave it better than you found it - i.e., take out some of the garbage that you find when you hike.
Yes!
That's the first thing (and repeated each outing) we were taught in scouts- pack in in, pack it out, and leave the site cleaner than it was when you arrived. When I lived up in Washington, whenever I took my young nephews out to the spit along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we came back with bags of garbage we picked up. They were really cool about sort of making a game of it and any cans or bottles they found they got to keep the money when we cashed them in at the recycling center. And we had fun!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Comments
https://slate.com/culture/2019/06/john-oliver-mount-everest-last-week-tonight.html
p.s. love the faux photo shoot
https://thetopofmounteverest.com/#home
@Horos We must have just missed each other🤣
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Those photos are some of the best of this thread.
I hope I've articulated this well. Ha.
-A cynical dude I know
EV
Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
EV
Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
Some accomplish greater feats in this realm and that's wonderful. I'm just doing what I can. Every individual's tiny dent makes a difference.
Pack it in, pack it out, people. It's not the difficult a concept.