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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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"What a stupid way to die."
Perhaps in a rational, linear, newtonian model of reality, that would be the case, but...
Some how the Crofts, Bachars, and Potters of the world are not found dying in front of the camera nor in the middle of some bold solo.
Somehow, Reality/God/??? seems to protect the bold and gifted savants during the intensity of their passion*
*at least for the most part, exceptions are noted but rare.
Who knows why it works that way but Potter should be a lot more scared when he gets in a car, motorcycle, or relationship.
Peace
Karl
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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A picture is worth a thousand words.
Bad Azzzzzzzzz Dean !!!
Cheers, JB
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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what is the 100,000lbs line that he uses? How does he make that?
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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That boy lives for maximum intensity.
Dean's living it like no one else.
These incredible moments have nothing whatsoever to do with spectator (or pundit) opinions.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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My prediction (from Dean's sheepish look)...
This isn't the only sick and scenic slackline he's got in mind for this season.
Check out his blog, linked by the OP. Interesting stuff. Much Respect.
Peace
Karl
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Someone wrote: "Wait... has he done anything, really?"
Is this a credible question?
Absolutely not.
Consider Dean's recent season in Patagonia, including solo ascents (if I remember correctly) of Cerro Torre and Fitzroy.
A psychologist or mythologist would have a field day with the firestorm that Dean kicks up with his every move. He's the ultimate, modern day, adventure sports anti-hero.
Fact is, adventure sports are way behind the curve per the old "hero" archetype (pure, flawless, humble, totally self contained and totally nonexistant), and the anti hoero, the later being far more interesting and having the added advantage of being real, not imagined.
The old "hero," to which Dean is always being measured, is a fictionalized character out of Outside Magazine print ads and Herzog's Annapurna, characterizations fashioned out of whole cloth by French dreamers and Manhattan ad men (stealing from the old Greek model). Better get used to the anti-hero, who is an actual person - perhaps not a great one, but someone with hopes and drives and powerful regrets — you know, all the messy stuff us real people always have.
Dean's at the top of the game in three disciplines. You don't have to like or respect him, or care what the hell he does; but questioning his prowess or murdering his character is not serious inquiry. It's a faux high-ground troll.
Feel free to correct me so long as you've never backed off a big wall, gotten divorced or spit up on bad terms, blamed others for your woes, argued with your kids, really lost your temper, cheated on your taxes or your wife or your boss, drank or smoked way too much, lied, been vain, smug, ritious, bitter, or (fill in the blank).
JL
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Gimp
Trad climber
Grand Junction
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Read Marko Prezelj's article in Alpinist 21 and you can't help but appreciate his understated admiration for Dean's abilities.
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smith curry
climber
nashville,TN
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Largo got to it before I could: why does this bother people so much? If you read the Prana blog too: People get PISSED. It was the same way with Dano... Interesting, new, scary sh#t gets people angry even if it's much safer than Himalayan alpinism. Climbers can be such a conservative, scared bunch of backbiters that it's a little embarrassing.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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wow.... cool.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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I think this is absolutely rad!! I used to do some slacklining myself and know what this entails...As to all the griping being done over this, (and the Delicate Arch Stunt, of which I am uninformed) I think it inane. This guy is just Mega-Badass (I just also finished watching his solo, including much free-solo, ascent of the nose.)People of less ability seem to always be gettig all over other people's sh#t. Just look at all the guff Michael Reardon was getting, May he rest in peace.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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I think we should always take care with how quickly we're willing to take a guy (who was widely respected as hero not long ago) and throw him under the bus after an unpopular misjudgment or a few human foibles.
The guy has done rad stuff and taken new visions to things we never thought of before (freesoloing 5.13 with a base rig on his back!)
He may be human but he's got some superhuman going for him too. Which irritates us more?
It's not really ego. We all have one but Dean is not a smack-down, I'm-the-baddest-dude kind of chest-puffer. So what's the beef?
If anything he even has a bit of "shy" in him, which makes it easier for the crowd to outcaste him.
Somebody sent me a birthday card that read "The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well"
I think it could well add, "if you think you are normal, you don't know yourself either."
So I suggest that we consider the ethic of judging others by the standard we would hope to be judged by ourselves.
Peace
Karl
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bubble boy
Big Wall climber
T100
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Props to Dean - especially for not getting involved in all this schoolyard banter - he's probably out climbing......
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GDavis
Trad climber
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someone stole the bottom half of deans pants.
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Mimi
climber
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Dean asked permission to climb Delicate Arch and received it from the Super of the Park. The Park Service changed the rules after he climbed it. Patagonia should have made this clear before dropping him and the other climbers they sponsored. Prana picked Dean up to his benefit.
My only worries about Dean is that he's taking huge risks and I'd hate to see anything happen to him. We've lost enough bright souls lately.
Onyx, you continue to be a flaming twerp while Dean is a nice and pleasant man.
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Bullwinkle
Boulder climber
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mimi you don't know what you're talking about, it didn't happen that way.
Oink, just another hater without the balls to use it's real name, so sad but what do you expect from a nonclimber. . .your mommie is calling you Oink, your nappie is full and she wants to change it, run along now as you really are stinking up the room. . .oh, and stop playing on the internet machine. . .
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GDavis
Trad climber
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Deans a bad ass dude, kind of retarded that people won't get off his nuts about the delicate arch issue. He soloed el cap and half dome in a day... @_@
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Mimi
climber
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So, Dean, what's your version???
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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bitches best respect.
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Blitzo
Social climber
Earth
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Circus tricks. Woopie-Doo!!!!
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