 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sad indeed. Our local hero and all-round nice guy. When asked why he liked to climb the Eiger so fast, he replied that his wife liked him to be home in time for dinner.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have just seen this, terrible news. He was such an inspirational alpinist, I just cant believe it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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On my regulr guys only skiing weeks we used to have a tradition to watch North Face, the movie (even if it is a movie a good sober reminder that mountains are strongerbthan you). And then watching Uli climbing the North Face of Eiger and his face describing it - unreal. I know he has done more remarkable things then Eiger' north wall, but what an inspirational person.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ricky game, hope Kilian will stay safe
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| kedsky wrote: |
| Ricky game, hope Kilian will stay safe |
Memento mori
Kílian Jornet takes the same big risks, maybe bigger. He was with Stéphane Brosse when he died - a cornice fall which has taken so many alpinists and is just a game of chance with the routes they are tackling. No reflection on their considerable abilities.
Then there was his strange rescue with a girlfriend (Fosberg I think) when they were blocked on Mont Blanc in tennis shoes. Well I've got a couple of friends who did Mont Blanc with tennis shoes but not on a technical route like Jornet and as one told me - "don't be surprised if you fall off the gouter ridge and die if you do it."
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That is on Mont Blanc isn't it?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@davidof, "tennis shoes" is slightly misleading - the technical approach shoes they use are definitely more substantial than a 'tennis shoe'... Not that I particularly approve of the current uber-fast but uber-light approach as the end results are fairly obvious.
But then where to draw the line? Ski tourers are obsessed with weight saving and taking the lightest possible (and least possible) equipment into the mountains - lycra one piece touring suits, toy shovels and all that, but are they actually equipped for when the proverbial hits the fan? There was a good video with Tony Lamiche recently (a 'whats in my pack' type thing) where he talks about carrying the necessary kit ('get out of jail free' rope/tat etc, crampons, harness, axe, transceiver, shovel, probe) even if he has no intention of using them, simply because he is then in a position to help someone else in trouble if need be. I had a prime example a few years back when we rescued a girl with a broken pelvis in a Norwegian blizzard - the 4-man emergency shelter that I carry in the bottom of my pack in more remote areas definitely played a big part in keeping her alive, even though most of the time it is 'excess' weight and space.
Equally some of the most impressive mountaineering & ski touring feats have been performed by those prepared to shave off every last grams (cutting labels out of clothes etc etc), so where does 'fast & light' become 'too light'?
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PS @davidof hope you had a good winter down in 'smog valley'? Looked like there were some good days to be had in Chartreuse & Belledonne at times.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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This news hit me pretty hard too, I had followed a lot of his exploits over the years.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@davidof, two things - Davidof and galpinos - you're both right of course - FS is in Mont Blanc Massif - the huge area of bumpy bits of which the Mt Blanc summit is a part.
Second thing. I swore many years ago I would stop mountaineering, when the kids came. So many people dying - in the high ranges, in the Alps. The whole thing is predicated on pushing harder, faster. But the draw is SO strong - and some excellent writing about it, such as
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Mountain-Casts-Its-Shadow/dp/0312339011?tag=amz07b-21
There are many who climb and continue to live out rewarding lives, so it's important to look at the stats and the realities. But stating the obvious, the objective dangers of the mountain environment are high, and when the best are pushing it, the risks high. The best, and the ones who we all respect are those that run closest to the ragged edge, and run the greatest risk of a bad throw of the dice. And they are greatly missed when their light goes out.
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| offpisteskiing wrote: |
But then where to draw the line? |
This is probably not the right place but you are correct that the fashion for going super light leaves you exposed if problems happen. Especially if you are not a Jornet or Steck.
I think Emilie F is going a bit too far now: http://www.emelieforsberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/1939944_551989571581783_7741940972324218881_o.jpg
Rubbish season here in general. Late start, too warm and never much base below 2000m. I'm looking forward to summer now once we get over the "petit hiver".
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You know it makes sense.
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| davidof wrote: |
This is probably not the right place |
Very true - just read a very good tribute from Jon Griffiths who had worked with Ueli a lot and also a piece from Stephen Venables on the Annapurna rescue - a sad loss to the mountain community...
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