"Because it's there."

[Peregrinator]

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx7idhBGl01qgk196o1_500.jpg

Moments like this are incredibly gripping to me. The exposure is insane.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8hotoFq91r8docpo1_500.jpg

Henry David Thoreau, VI Lenin, Mao Tse-Tung and Karl Marx action figures.

I want a set! Holy crap. Who makes these and where can I get them?

 

[trysail]

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx7idhBGl01qgk196o1_500.jpg

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiit. I get the willies just looking at the damn photograph.

 

[thør]

Moments like this are incredibly gripping to me. The exposure is insane.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiit. I get the willies just looking at the damn photograph.

Seems strange, but sometimes, it's easier to get footing on the snow (in winter) compared to the rock (in summer).

 

[thør]

I want a set! Holy crap. Who makes these and where can I get them?

I'll look to see if there's any sort of link to where this pic came from.

 

[John Doe]

"Because it's there."

I still say that's a bullshit reason to do it...or anything really. Do it because you want to. Don't take some dumb-ass, pseudo-philisophical copout.

 

[Peregrinator]

"Because it's there."

I still say that's a bullshit reason to do it...or anything really. Do it because you want to. Don't take some dumb-ass, pseudo-philisophical copout.

The famous quote is generally understood to have been uttered by Mallory in a fit of exasperation after a journalist asked him "Why do you want to climb it?" for the umpteenth time. I suspect he would agree with your analysis.

 

[thør]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwb8hwyhY51qc67l3o1_500.jpg

Alfred Gregory, Hillary & Tenzing Preparing for the Summit, Everest, 1953

 

[thør]

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvl5xcZfwn1qe0lqqo1_500.png

Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary pose for an official portrait after returning from their first ascent of Mount Everest during the 1953 Everest British Expedition

From Alfred Gregory’s Everest, published in 1993

 

[thør]

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvrcr81zta1r68qpxo1_500.jpg

Hillary and Norgay 1953

 

[thør]

I want a set! Holy crap. Who makes these and where can I get them?

Buy them here

£145 is a bit steep.

 

[thør]

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx9i1sDANZ1qgnqovo1_500.png

 

[Peregrinator]

Buy them here

£145 is a bit steep.

Yeah, shit. Maybe someday I'll sell a car and buy a set. Jesus.

 

[Peregrinator]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwb8hwyhY51qc67l3o1_500.jpg

Alfred Gregory, Hillary & Tenzing Preparing for the Summit, Everest, 1953

I love these old expedition pics. Look at the flannel shirt on Hillary!

 

[thør]

I love these old expedition pics. Look at the flannel shirt on Hillary!

It's nice to show young folk. It shows you don't HAVE TO HAVE the mega-buck equipment.

 

[MonaLittle]

It's nice to show young folk. It shows you don't HAVE TO HAVE the mega-buck equipment.

Amen, Thor!

Do it for the love and passion of it!!

 

[Peregrinator]

It's nice to show young folk. It shows you don't HAVE TO HAVE the mega-buck equipment.

So true. I keep telling people that new climbing shoes are the difference between 5.10c and 5.10d, not 5.4 and 5.11.

That said, Hillary and Tenzing were both extremely tough, determined climbers AND very lucky ones. Most people don't get to dress like that high on Everest. The weather must have been unbelievably perfect for them.

 

[MonaLittle]

So true. I keep telling people that new climbing shoes are the difference between 5.10c and 5.10d, not 5.4 and 5.11.

That said, Hillary and Tenzing were both extremely tough, determined climbers AND very lucky ones. Most people don't get to dress like that high on Everest. The weather must have been unbelievably perfect for them.

Perg, Have you seen the film 180 south?
I want you to see it! I think you'd love it

 

[thør]

Amen, Thor!

Do it for the love and passion of it!!

I live with the mountains within walking distance. You don't really need a lot of gear to stand on top of most of them.

So true. I keep telling people that new climbing shoes are the difference between 5.10c and 5.10d, not 5.4 and 5.11.

That said, Hillary and Tenzing were both extremely tough, determined climbers AND very lucky ones. Most people don't get to dress like that high on Everest. The weather must have been unbelievably perfect for them.

Tough.......that's a relative term these days.

 

[Peregrinator]

Perg, Have you seen the film 180 south?
I want you to see it! I think you'd love it

I haven't...tell me about it?

I live with the mountains within walking distance. You don't really need a lot of gear to stand on top of most of them.



Tough.......that's a relative term these days.

Indeed. There are still some tough bastards out there, but now, with the technical gear, they're doing stuff Hillary might have though impossible. One day ascents of Everest, El Cap, etc. Evolution...

 

[MonaLittle]

..........

 

[MonaLittle]

For Thor and Perg

http://www.180south.com/trailer.html

"In this feature-length film, shot almost entirely on route to and in Patagonia, Malloy follows mountain climber Jeff Johnson as he attempts to live out an adventure modeled after his heroes, Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, who traveled to Patagonia in 1968 and fell in love with the rugged country there"

 

[thør]

Indeed. There are still some tough bastards out there, but now, with the technical gear, they're doing stuff Hillary might have though impossible. One day ascents of Everest, El Cap, etc. Evolution...

Just the availability of up to date weather information allows people to proceed without having to push the edge. Of course, this can bite 'em in the butt.

 

[Peregrinator]

For Thor and Perg

http://www.180south.com/trailer.html

"In this feature-length film, shot almost entirely on route to and in Patagonia, Malloy follows mountain climber Jeff Johnson as he attempts to live out an adventure modeled after his heroes, Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, who traveled to Patagonia in 1968 and fell in love with the rugged country there"

That looks like great fun. Thanks, Mona.

Just the availability of up to date weather information allows people to proceed without having to push the edge. Of course, this can bite 'em in the butt.

True. I and a friend pulled the plug on a Presidential Traverse once because I called the Observatory from the parking lot and they said, "Don't come here." A different pair went up without checking and one of 'em got frostbite...

 

[thør]

True. I and a friend pulled the plug on a Presidential Traverse once because I called the Observatory from the parking lot and they said, "Don't come here." A different pair went up without checking and one of 'em got frostbite...

Otherwise, you should have been carrying the gear to hunker in and stay put while the weather moves over....

 

[Peregrinator]

Otherwise, you should have been carrying the gear to hunker in and stay put while the weather moves over....

We were, but we saw no point in doing that if we knew it was going to suck the whole time. Hauling all that shit up to above treeline just to decide that our window had closed was pointless.