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skiclimb
Dec 3, 2007, 7:24 PM
Post #26 of 30
(1223 views)
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Registered: Jan 11, 2004
Posts: 1938
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Pure climbing is usually only done by barefoot children.
Wanna hear something really EVIL!! Sometimes I wish there was a 3/8" bolt ladder that went from the bottom of el-cap to the summit. Cause it would be fun just to be up there w/o much gear just chillin..I still daydream about winching a jeep up el-cap too...On those days I usually just head up the fixed lines past heart ledge and drink a couple beers.
I got so tired of the usual petty nature of climbing cotroversies years ago. OMG they drilled a tiny little hole in the rock... sacrelige..lynch their arses..as they drive back home in a couple tons of steel on a road made with dynamite.
Challenge is only something you can gauge for yourself. Sometimes you want a challenge that takes you to the core of your existance to face oblivion and control it with skill. Sometimes you want others to recognize a challenge you succeeded at as impressive to them, Something your community of peers will look at in admiration generations from now. Usually this is done by people living the life at the cutting edge of the sport who "see" the next logical progrssion and go for it.. Sometimes you just want to stroll up an easy route and enjoy the place.
A truly classic climb usually has many exeptional features that make it such. Can be a number of things. Location, Something that is naturally compelling even at first glance, A decent level of challenge, risk..the list can go on.
Vice versa I think we have all been on routes where we wondered what the hell the FA was smoking when they put up this peice of crap. Actually we arn't wondering..we are pretty sure what they were smoking.
A great deal of the rant in the video is accurate from a certain point of veiw and values ..but completely off base from other equally valid points of veiw.. One of the things I love about life is that you should never let the facts confuse the truth and that the truth is often different for each person based on their values and point of veiw.
Much of what the ranter had to say was quite true .. but also at the very same time in very well-outlined ways mentioned here ...BS.
Guess what.. none of it mattered to my truth. I love to aidclimb...usually.
(This post was edited by skiclimb on Dec 3, 2007, 7:35 PM)
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altelis
Dec 3, 2007, 7:38 PM
Post #27 of 30
(1207 views)
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 2168
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richard...OMG.
i need to make absolutely clear here i'm not being sarcastic (which, by saying, kind of makes it hard to believe)...
but, in absolute sincerity: that post was beautiful.
truly TRULY inspiring, well thought out, and so salient to a lot happening in this thread and others.
kind of creates a clear divide between alpinism and mountaineering, eh?
it gives me faith that there are still climbers out there thinking about the issues in such deeply philosophical and aesthetical ways as you have presented the issue.
thank you.
seriously
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madbolter1
Dec 4, 2007, 6:38 AM
Post #28 of 30
(1169 views)
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Registered: Jul 28, 2006
Posts: 37
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Josh, I'm glad to see evidence that we're basically on the same page. It's been a good discussion, and I do thank you all for wading through my lengthy previous post. I have very much enjoyed the difference in quality here compared to the Taco. Thank you for starting and intelligently contributing to a very worthy discussion. Unlike so much at the Taco, this has been well worth my reading and contributing time.
altelis, I very much appreciate your post. It helps my faith to see that there are still some that can be edified by the sort of thinking and discussion that I value. It seems that the number is shrinking all the time. So, I was honestly touched to have you call my post "beautiful." VERY much appreciated!
I guess there will be those that will say, "Yuck, this is getting too damn mushy." But I so much prefer a civil and appreciative exchange of ideas than the pot shots and flames that make up most of the "discussions" elsewhere. This has been very refreshing for me. Thanks again.
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a.a.
Dec 4, 2007, 7:28 AM
Post #29 of 30
(1159 views)
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Registered: Feb 23, 2004
Posts: 74
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I really enjoyed reading madbolter's posts in this thread. And only 24 posts total? We need to find something else to get him going about!
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madbolter1
Dec 5, 2007, 7:28 AM
Post #30 of 30
(1116 views)
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Registered: Jul 28, 2006
Posts: 37
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a.a., ROFL... be CAREFUL what you wish for! I'm sure there are others here thinking, "Nooooooooo!" See my posts on the Taco before you wish to "get me going." Seriously, even you will be begging for the off-switch.
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