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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 19, 2009 - 09:15pm PT
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A classic high and wild adventure ala Twight and Jello from Climbing October 1986. This particular article ushered in a new look for the magazine graphically.
These two stretched em out pretty good! Amazing!
Jeff descending to his pack on Nuptse SE Spur 7th day.
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TYeary
Social climber
Huaraz, Peru
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Sep 19, 2009 - 11:57pm PT
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Twight can't be beat for "Strum and Drang". He's, beyond a doubt one of the most brutily honest writers of his generation. Pointed, "up in your grill", and un-apologetic. His writing style was mirrored by his climbing style. Twight may have mellowed in recent years, but his example has rarely been equaled. Steve House among others has picked up the call and become the "future."
I will never forget meeting Twight and his advise," come back alive, come back still friends, go to the summit: in that order".
Tony
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:19am PT
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I love these treasure trove postings.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Sep 20, 2009 - 03:25am PT
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When I read this article I was absolutely blown away. The climbs Marc wrote about and the experience of Nepal sounded horrendous. Then I realised that I was there, too, with Marc!
My experience was entirely different: we did a nice warm-up climb on Lobuche, then went to Kangtega, where I wasn't feeling good on summit day so Tom Frost and I went to the lower Nw peak while Alison and Marc climbed the higher peak. Then Marc and I tried the South Pillar of Nuptse, which would have been a great climb if we had been strong enough to complete it.
But as a team, we lacked a coherence of shared perception of reality. What Marc found to be ugly or desperate, I found to be interesting or challenging. I've thought a lot about this over the years, and have concluded it was not fair to ask Marc to go on this cutting-edge Himalayan excursion with no prior experience.
-Jello
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Sep 20, 2009 - 03:57am PT
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Jello, that's very charitable of you. I suspect that if Marc had drunk less and talked more to the Sherpani in the photo for example, he would have had less of a hangover, more of a good time, and learned something.
It reminds me of the Buddhist saying, that we are not made unhappy by reality, but by our expectations of what it should be.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 20, 2009 - 10:24am PT
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Jello,
Ah...the rest of the story, or at least the inklings of it.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:11pm PT
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Having read, with great amusement, most of Mark’s stuff over the years, was pretty interesting to pick up his book, "Kiss or Kill", especially for the reflections on the original articles.
Pertaining to this...his comments on the original article (last two paragraphs):
"2000 Author’s Note"
"But Jeff Lowe had some trouble with the article. He could not believe what had been going on in my head during that expedition. It was my third trip ever outside the USA; my first to a third world country. I was with people I did not know, and one was a climbing legend. The routes we planned to attempt were harder and higher that anything I could imagine doing. I was scared out of my mind and trying to cover it up. That fear, present for 24 hours a day until we began the trek out, filtered each experience. Even the ones I was equal to.
The expedition was an epiphany. I learned that I had talent. I also learned that I was not as good a climber as I thought I was. At the time, climbing the new route on Kantega was little consolution for the failure on Nuptse. Years afterword, I appreciate Kantega for the transformation it caused. I stepped out of the bush league up there. After Alison Hargreaves, my partner on the summit on Kantega, died, the mountain meant even more. That and Lobuche were the only two peaks we ever climbed together. Others found her too ambitious, but this was a trait I knew well and encouraged. She was incredibly strong, and delightful to be around in the mountains."
In the back of the book there’s a section called "What’s in a Title". With respect to the "Kiss or Kill" article, he says, "Shouted by Exene Cervenka in a song titled "We’re Desperate." It was my mantra, either you love what I say and do or hate it. I tried to live the all-or-nothing philosophy too. It didn’t work out very well."
I’ve always wondered if he painted himself in a corner with the whole "Dr. Doom" schtick.
-Brian in SLC
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2009 - 12:15pm PT
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Compare and contrast Tom Frost and Marc Twight...LOL
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:16pm PT
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There could not be two more different people in climbing.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 9, 2011 - 05:33pm PT
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I just went through this article while working on the Kangtega chapter in the Frost book. Mighty Twightful! LOL
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marv
Mountain climber
Bay Area
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that's a cool line. I believe it has repelled all aspirants, much like Latok, no?
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
SoCal
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May 10, 2011 - 02:06am PT
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Fun article. I recall it well. Still have my copy.
Post punk techno alpinista from Seattle fails to find what he's looking for.
One of my heros.
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sportcamper
Trad climber
NEW HAMPSHIRE
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May 10, 2011 - 09:40am PT
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^^^ MS unfortunately-
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
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Is there a photo of a line they did on Kantega? Sounds like an interesting climb if it challenged them so much. I have read Kiss or Kill and enjoyed it. Nice to read about him opening up about his fears.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2013 - 01:34pm PT
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The route on Kangtega is pretty complicated and involved a lot of thin ice work ala Jeff Lowe. I don't have a good shot of the line to post.
Buy the Frost book once I get it out and learn more about mighty Kangtega.
Tom asked Jeff if he thought their route would ever be popular and Jeff replied, "No, it is much too difficult."
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 02:02pm PT
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Thank you for the reply!
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Somewhere on 395
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Jan 29, 2013 - 03:35pm PT
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those are some great quotes in that climbing article. glad to see Jello chime in too.
I have the Kiss or Kill book. Will have to go back and reread some tales.
as I said in the other thread, love him or hate him, you can't deny his climbing prowess, and his route "The Reality Bath" (WI6+?) remains unrepeated as far as I know*
* I think Uli Steck attempted it, but backed off.
The Reality Bath seems so dangerous as to be of little value exept to those suicidally inclined -Albi Sole
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 06:22pm PT
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as I said in the other thread, love him or hate him, you can't deny his climbing prowess, and his route "The Reality Bath" (WI6+?) remains unrepeated as far as I know*
I think when you climb at that level you do not really care to repeat other people's suicidal routes. If you succeed, it's just a repeat. If you die...well no one will give you a cookie. Small reward for a great risk.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2013 - 06:29pm PT
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Blaque Jacque Serac!
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