Ready for MW?

[climbabout]

If that is the case you should start all your climbs at sea level. Seems unsportsmen like to climb Mount Washington after driving a third of the way up to Pinkham.

Good point Bill - walking across miles of mushy tundra to reach the lower Kahiltna doesn't seem to serve much purpose at all.
Tim

[Bill O]

His name was Goran Kropp - he later died in a separate climbing accident.
Tim

Hmmm, you are probably right. For some reason I thought it was Mogens Jensen.

[MelNino]

Mogens is pretty awesome...I can't fathom hiking Everest w/ asthma and wanting to do it without oxygen! HE was one of my faveorties on "Beyond the Limit"

[Bill O]

Mogens is pretty awesome...I can't fathom hiking Everest w/ asthma and wanting to do it without oxygen! HE was one of my faveorties on "Beyond the Limit"

On the contrary for me. I can't fathom how many times they mentioned he was an asthmatic and how over-hyped they made his "disability" sound.

I had asthma as a kid and with an inhaler it was not an issue. With today's inhalers and medications I imagine it's even less of an issue. They just needed something to play-up. It's like trying to make a big deal out of someone climbing Everest with poor eye-sight that is easily fixed with glasses or contacts.

The other guy with the plates and screws made a little more sense. But in case you forget he was in a motorcycle accident (duh, anyone who rides motorcycles has a nearly 100% chance of being in an accident) they must have shown that x-ray circle view montage 1,000 times.

[MelNino]

Tim was cool too (the biker guy) A wee bit to bravado.....but seemed to be a cool. I'd have a few beers with him.

They hyped alot of stuff, gotta have drama!! lol

[Bill O]

Tim was an amazing accomplishment. Most people in the industry would give him close to a 0% chance of making it. Then add a broken hand to the equation. Very impressive.

[mk10]

Tim was an amazing accomplishment. Most people in the industry would give him close to a 0% chance of making it. Then add a broken hand to the equation. Very impressive.

Everyone in the world was rooting for Tim, so I'm sure he received extraordinary treatment from Brice, Sherpas, Discovery Channel crew, etc. Whether it was by carrying up more of his bottles of oxygen or putting him in the lead group so he wouldn't get stuck behind slower climbers at the 2nd step, they were going to do everything possible to give him the best chance for success (they raised his nearly 0% chance of making it by a few percent, which ultimately turned out to be enough). He did a great job though, and truly performed when he had to. My hats off to him.

Mogens is pretty awesome...I can't fathom hiking Everest w/ asthma and wanting to do it without oxygen! HE was one of my faveorties on "Beyond the Limit"

Mogens steadfast refusal to climb without oxygen (feeling that it was unsportsmanlike and beneath him) was idiotic and was ultimately leading him down a very dangerous path. It's a good thing that he came to his senses and eventually accepted the oxygen or else he would have to consider himself lucky to have just merely failed to summit again.

I wouldn't feel right about flying halfway up to climb. Imagine on Washington if you could arrange to ride the snowcat up Tuckerman's to the base of lion's head and only climb from there. I'd consider that to be unsportsmanlike...

I'm waiting for winter to come again so I can complete Washington...and then see about moving on to Hood...Rainier...

B102, don't be a Mogens. It's OK to start at a point above sea level. It's OK to climb after the spring equinox and before the winter solstice. It's OK to climb mountains other than Washington, Hood, Rainier, Denali, Everest. It's OK to use GPS. Your criteria are so arbitrary and capricious that you might as well start wearing only silk, wool, gabardine, and hobnail boots too. Aren't you supposed to be doing this for the scenic views, the cardio exercise, and the experience of the whole adventure anyway?

[b1029384756]

Never said it wasn't okay to do any of those things. If I had unlimited money I'd certainly bring a GPS unit, it just ranked lower on my priorities than other things and I had to make do without it. I'd be willing to climb whatever mountain I thought would be suitable and not limiting myself to those I mentioned, but I'm not very familiar with many of them by name, so I listed the ones I've heard of that interest me. I prefer winter because I hate heat and bugs and love the cold, and ice and snow is much more fun than collapsing from heat exhaustion and having half of my blood siphoned off. I lived in Hawaii for a while and while I like the ocean and beaches, I never quite got used to the endless heat. So, it's not about that it's not okay to do those things, some of them I'd just prefer not to. The sense of accomplishment also ranks just as high as the experience of adventure, so I try to plan it in such a way that I can get both.

[MelNino]

Meh, I still thought Tim was foolish to climb after breaking his hand....still, I agree, it was impressive he summited. I could go on another M vs T rant, but this derailed enough, haha.

[EWG]

back on point here for a minute... LOL... I just arrived in Maine and will be headed to Plymouth NH tomorrow. Hiking and skills in the Whites Saturday and summit attempt Sunday. Getting pumped. Weather, so far, looking promising. Will do the pic and TR as I can. Want to thank all on this thread for their help, opinions, and suggestions.