The English had an advantage in the early days of the sport of mountain climbing. They had India and Pakistan as colonies. Of course, the Germans, Italians and French have always had the Alps in their back yard.
A tradition of the climber-philosopher grew in Europe in the early 20th century. Most of the great climbers in history have also been very introspective people, and good writers.
I'm reading the Boardman Tasker Omnibus right now. It's actually 4 books; Savage Arena; Shining Mountain; Sacred Summits; Everest The Cruel Way. Joe Tasker and Peter Boardman were Brits, and scholars, and they pulled some gnarly bad acid routes in the Himalayans during the '70s and early '80s. They were last seen from binoculars as two specks up at 27,000 feet as they passed behind Second Pinnacle on the North-East ridge of Everest.
Anyway, I think I'd like to bag Mt. Shasta this spring. That's a good beginner mountain. Maybe do it again in winter. Eventually work my way up to Ranier??? I don't know. We'll see. My interest for the sport has been pricked. And Mt Shasta can be done in a weekend from here. You can add a day to the trip by taking a snowboard or mountain bike to the slopes.
Anyway, I might type up some portraits of climbers and the 'savage arena' in which their sport takes place.
A tradition of the climber-philosopher grew in Europe in the early 20th century. Most of the great climbers in history have also been very introspective people, and good writers.
I'm reading the Boardman Tasker Omnibus right now. It's actually 4 books; Savage Arena; Shining Mountain; Sacred Summits; Everest The Cruel Way. Joe Tasker and Peter Boardman were Brits, and scholars, and they pulled some gnarly bad acid routes in the Himalayans during the '70s and early '80s. They were last seen from binoculars as two specks up at 27,000 feet as they passed behind Second Pinnacle on the North-East ridge of Everest.
Anyway, I think I'd like to bag Mt. Shasta this spring. That's a good beginner mountain. Maybe do it again in winter. Eventually work my way up to Ranier??? I don't know. We'll see. My interest for the sport has been pricked. And Mt Shasta can be done in a weekend from here. You can add a day to the trip by taking a snowboard or mountain bike to the slopes.
Anyway, I might type up some portraits of climbers and the 'savage arena' in which their sport takes place.