Discussion Topic |
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 9, 2014 - 04:58pm PT
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as Greg Crouch aptly described Cerro Torre in his book Enduring Patagonia. Cerro Torre has a dramatic and controversial place in climbing history. Kelly Cordes' new book "The Tower" brings to life the Maestri controversies and chronicles the colorful climbing history of this iconic mountain.
I got my copy and I'm sure more than a few folks here would be pleased to find one in their stocking.
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The Larry
climber
Moab, UT
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With the worst name.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 05:06pm PT
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Name works for me....better than naming it after a political figure that never saw it. Perhaps the indigenous name El Chalten works better.
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The Larry
climber
Moab, UT
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I agree but you gotta admit its a pretty generic name for such an amazing formation.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Cerro Torre Grande ?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 05:17pm PT
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Messner describes it as "a shriek turned to stone."
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Brock Wagstaff
Trad climber
Larkspur
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Here's a mountain I'll throw out there for "most beautiful" consideration. Popped out of the clouds on the last day of a three week trip in China. As far as I know, still unclimbed!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 05:22pm PT
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Yo baby....what are the coordinates for that puppy in China?
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WBraun
climber
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Mt Meru which is around 672,000 miles high.
The gross materialist will never see it but it is considered to be the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes.
It has no comparison to the mundane dinky gross material mountains .....
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Cerro Torre has become more than just a name .
Top of my list of dream climbs.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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This one is pretty close.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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"no comparison to the mundane"
Werner's approach seems trite.
The most perfect mountain in the world will become a jumble of stone with the passage of time.
Machapuchare, my vote.
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
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Is there any skiing on it?
lol.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 06:20pm PT
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The skiing, I have been told, is only for the bold....the very, very bold.
edit: Bring a file for your edges.
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
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I can only Imagine.
Love to get there someday.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Perfect 20 comment thread Jim
Great thought
Gentle kidding
Herr Braun bringing it all back home
Great photos
Hopes and dreams
No acrimony
Q.E.D.
All threads should be chopped at 20.
EDIT:
I hate it when that happens, now I'm gonna have to trade my position for somebody else's.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 07:03pm PT
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And therein lies the problem zBrown....this is a twenty post thread but if it moves to the back pages the message is lost. Kelly's book is very well written and scrupulously researched. It gives life to the history of one of the world's most important mountains.
Religious/poltical threads assume a life way out of proportion to their worth for a climber's forum. People love to wax poetic and pontificate their immutable biases. How do we keep climbing content up front and center so that it will be available for those who would appreciate it?
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Is Bear Creek Spire to close to home for consideration?
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Norton
Social climber
quitcherbellyachin
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How do we keep climbing content up front and center so that it will be available for those who would appreciate it?
by insisting to Chris and JR that there be two separate forums, one climbing and one not?
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cintune
climber
The Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
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... is the one having the most fun.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Say there say Jim:
What is needed is the "Greatest Hits" tab I've advocated for.
I'll nominate this one.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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I always chime in with Paiju Peak when threads like this appear. The linked image is all rights reserved, so you'll have to click the link to see.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/danspixels/5346661945/
If that peak were anywhere accessible, there would be 1000 routes on it.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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One of the most beautiful ones. Super fun and scenic too.
K2 seems like the definition of a bad ass mountain, unless it is fixed with lines like last year. But that is not the mountain's fault.
Actually there are so many bad ass peaks, faces and completed lines that I get kind of lost in it all.
Mongel, there are not many lines on Paiju? Looks fantastic. Friend on Facebook posted a photo of it after I posted a photo of Spantik's Golden Pillar (what a line that is!)
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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And therein lies the problem zBrown....this is a twenty post thread but if it moves to the back pages the message is lost.
Lost messages can be moved to the front easily.
Copy that line at the top that (at time of posting) says
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2543879&tn=20
pick a different topic_id number, for example 123456
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=123456&tn=0
Of course, you could use the search feature to try to find a particular topic, but you can also look around in the past of SuperTopo as you might look around in a library. The books are on the shelf by date and time, not topic, and it takes work to find something you like, but if the front pages of SuperTopo aren't good enough for you, look further.
edit:
And if you do that, and find good climbing content, please make a list and post it. Doesn't need to be greatest or even great.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Wow ,, Clint ,that is one of the sweetest pics ever !
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dhayan
climber
los angeles, ca
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Wow that is unbelievable! ^^
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crankster
Trad climber
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This ones not mythical..
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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"a shriek turned to stone."
LOL
That unclimbed peak in China looks like it's calling Donini.
Clint,
Awesome photo.
And of course the non mythical but awesome looking Matterhorn,
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Dingus McGee
Social climber
Where Safety trumps Leaving No Trace
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Dec 10, 2014 - 04:25am PT
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it is considered to be the center of all
We don't believe in unmanifest Destiny.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Dec 10, 2014 - 04:51am PT
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Clint, What rt/Mountain?
Clint we had a look @ Called sunday but ended up on Le Promenade:)
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clinker
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
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Dec 10, 2014 - 06:01am PT
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Plural
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Michael Hjorth
Trad climber
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Dec 10, 2014 - 06:07am PT
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@Marlow re. Stetind:
"An anvil the Gods can hammer on...!"
Zappfe, 1937
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Srbphoto
climber
Kennewick wa
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Dec 10, 2014 - 06:07am PT
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Dec 10, 2014 - 06:25am PT
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Lembert Dome
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Chugach
Trad climber
Vermont
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Dec 10, 2014 - 06:30am PT
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Banquo
climber
Amerricka
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Dec 10, 2014 - 07:15am PT
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I'm Voting for Mount Deary. My grandmother was born in Deary, Idaho (1898) as was my mother (1925). I'm sure everyone has heard of the dreary Drurys from Deary. We always called the bump behind town "Spud Hill." The local promoters thought this name less than adequate for a town with Deary's attributes so sometime after I climbed it as a toddler, it became "Potato Hill" which is certainly a more impressive name. I see now that it is being referred to as "Mount Deary." The geologic change from Spud Hill to Mount Deary has occurred within my own lifetime!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2014 - 07:22am PT
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Beautiful photos everyone.....thread drift at it's best!
Don't overlook the original intention of promoting Kelly's book "The Tower."
Nothing better than curling up next to a fire and getting totally immersed in the fascinaing history of Cerro Torre.
Leaving for 2.5 months in Patagonia tomorrow...bon voyage!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 10, 2014 - 08:04am PT
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El Cerro works for me, even if there are other pretenders like Mt Dreary...
No Shrooms! Wtf?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2014 - 08:09am PT
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Most perfectly symmetrical.
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nopantsben
climber
europe
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Dec 10, 2014 - 08:22am PT
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Reilly,
how did you take that picture?
Jim! Enjoy Patagonia! :)
most beautiful mountain i have seen? Fitz Roy or Half Dome to me.. but i haven't seen them all, i gues....
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Aurora Colorado
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Dec 10, 2014 - 10:21am PT
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I'd vote for Cerro Torre too, but in Nepal the sacred mountain is Machipuchare.
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Brock Wagstaff
Trad climber
Larkspur
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Dec 10, 2014 - 10:22am PT
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Same symmetrical peak in as in Jim's photo, but further away.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Oregon
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Dec 10, 2014 - 11:02am PT
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2014 - 05:06pm PT
Name works for me....better than naming it after a political figure that never saw it. Perhaps the indigenous name El Chalten works better.
Chaltén is actually the Tehuelche name for Fitzroy, not Cerro Torre, and is the name for the Argentine town now near it. The peak is the southernmost defined border feature between the two counties, putting Cerro Torre in undefined territory. Which way the Patagonian ice field drains isn't always clear.
It means " smoking Mountain" because it was covered in clouds so much they thought it was a volcano.
I'm not sure an indigenous name for Cerro Torre ( actually Cerro Torre Torre) exists anymore. The whole language group is almost extinct.
And Fitzroy did see the peak in 1834. The Argentine geologist Francisco " Perito" Moreno named it after him in the 1880's. From time to time both counties think about changing the name back, but never at the same time.
Perito is a spanish term that means expert or proficient.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 10, 2014 - 11:38am PT
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Lorenzo, how did Fitzroy see 'his' mountain? It isn't visible from anywhere
the Beagle went and I'm sure he didn't trek way up there.
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this just in
climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
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Dec 10, 2014 - 11:54am PT
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My favorite is Ritter.
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Dec 10, 2014 - 12:02pm PT
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The worst mountain in the world.
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CAC
Gym climber
Clairemont
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Dec 10, 2014 - 12:07pm PT
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I'd vote for Machipuchare in Nepal as well. The view of that mountain from the Annapurna Sanctuary was breathtaking, I couldn't stop looking at it.
Supposedly unclimbed as well, but I don't think anyone really believes that...
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Dec 10, 2014 - 12:08pm PT
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Michael
Let's, to the words of Zapffe, add the words of Slingsby after his first and failed attempt to climb Stetind: "The ugliest mountain I ever saw. There is nothing like it in the world." ^^^^
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this just in
climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
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Dec 10, 2014 - 12:08pm PT
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And the Minarets
And Banner. So the whole Ritter Range.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2014 - 12:16pm PT
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Ironic, isn't it, that among the least perfect mountains on earth are the seven summits. All of them are way down the list in terms of beauty and interesting climbing.
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ddriver
Trad climber
SLC, UT
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Dec 10, 2014 - 12:18pm PT
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Most perfect roadside attraction:
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Aurora Colorado
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Dec 10, 2014 - 01:02pm PT
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CAC, Machipuchare is not unclimbed, and I don't think its particularly difficult considering the neighborhood. The govt discourages it by limiting permits and charging a $15,000 fee, more than any other mountain in Nepal.
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crunch
Social climber
CO
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Dec 10, 2014 - 01:35pm PT
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Jim, god knew the seven summits would be swarmed with number chasing posers so he put his best work at lower altitudes for real climbers to enjoy.
So true!
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zBrown
Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
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Dec 10, 2014 - 02:06pm PT
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Well so much for the 20 message cutoff. We would have missed some pretty darn good stuff (say e.g, Clint's ice photo).
Threads do however, oftentimes fill up with "overlookable" posts.
Still to be resolved, how to keep certain threads readily available.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Dec 10, 2014 - 03:48pm PT
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Ironic, isn't it, that among the least perfect mountains on earth are the seven summits. All of them are way down the list in terms of beauty and interesting climbing.
I would disagree on Denali. It's not perfect, Not as nice as many posted to this thread, it is beautiful and has some amazing climbs though.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2014 - 03:50pm PT
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Robert L....yes there are difficult ways up Denali and Mt. Blanc but, in my opinion, the true test of a mountain is it's easiest route. The easiest route defines how difficult it is to stand on the summit.
Denali and Mt. Blanc are okay mountains but they don't achieve the visually awesome category.
Like these:
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Dec 10, 2014 - 03:53pm PT
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The Tetons are incredibly beautifull to me. I lived there for a year when I was 18-19 and not a real climber. Did a lot of hikeing. summited Teewiniot on my 2nd try and failed on a few other peaks. passed through a few times since many years ago but only got to do a bit of cragging. baxters, guide wall, black tail Butte.. I regularly have dreams about climbing there.....
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Dec 10, 2014 - 04:30pm PT
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The one your on. You gotta dance with the one you brung.
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wbw
Trad climber
'cross the great divide
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Dec 10, 2014 - 07:51pm PT
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Does this one count as visually awesome?
The pillar is 2000 meters high and tops out at over 7000 meters.
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Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
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Dec 10, 2014 - 08:13pm PT
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I've got to throw my vote in for Baffin Island, hard to pick just one peak but I like to think in a search for the mythical perfect mountain that Baffin would be the resting place for the mountain gods...
Edit: None of these photos are mine and I will remove them upon request
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Dec 10, 2014 - 08:37pm PT
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Ironic, isn't it, that among the least perfect mountains on earth are the seven summits. All of them are way down the list in terms of beauty and interesting climbing
I would have to disagree. Everest is pretty hard no matter what way you take, unless you use the fixed ropes. But it is not the mountain's fault, it's the people who drag it down to their level. Not judging them, majority of them don't care to be climbers, they want to experience top of the world. K2 had a ton of summits last year when guides fixed the lines.
South fave of Denali. Man oh mannnn...
Man, so many awesome peaks out there.
WHAT ARE THOSE?!?!
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Dec 10, 2014 - 09:56pm PT
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You guys need to stop posting these pictures, it's making me want to get into alpinism. Baffin Island is incredible
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Kelly Cordes
climber
Estes Park, CO
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Dec 10, 2014 - 11:32pm PT
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Thanks a bunch for the good words, Jim! Cool thread, with some amazing photos. I'm thinking there's more than one "most perfect mountain on earth..."
Lorenzo had a good part about the early history of the Chaltén Massif, and wondered about the naming of Cerro Torre. In my research I couldn't find anything conclusive about its name, but it may have come from Viedma in 1782. Below I've pasted three grafs from my second chapter, which talks about the early history of the region. The CT ref is at the end.
Nobody knows for certain when the first humans laid eyes on Cerro Torre. The Tehuelche Indians roamed the land around today’s El Chaltén for some ten thousand years before colonialization, disease, and assimilation rendered them virtually extinct. The plumes of wind- and storm-driven clouds that have forever streamed from the top of Fitz Roy led the Tehuelches to believe it was a volcano. The word chaltel, or chaltén, loosely translates to “smoking mountain.”
Magellan’s famous sixteenth-century voyage sparked interest among explorers in the region that we now call Patagonia, perhaps named after a mythical beast known as the Grand Patagon. Myths enshrouded the region. When Sir Francis Drake came to Patagonia in 1578 seeking riches but experiencing only atrocious storms, he blamed the natives: “They built great fires and then cast upon them heaps of sand, as a sacrifice to the devils.”
The first westerner known to see the striking peaks of the Chaltén Massif was Spanish explorer Antonio de Viedma in 1782. One of his diary entries provides the earliest suggestion of Cerro Torre’s name, when he describes a prominent peak as “una torre”—a tower.
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Scole
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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Dec 12, 2014 - 10:40am PT
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MisterE
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Dec 12, 2014 - 02:58pm PT
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 12, 2014 - 03:09pm PT
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Bruce, you're so late to the party - all the beer is gone!
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Dec 12, 2014 - 03:27pm PT
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Dec 12, 2014 - 04:07pm PT
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Clint- that is wonderful picture
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couchmaster
climber
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Dec 14, 2014 - 07:40am PT
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I don't see any pictures of THE most beautiful mountain here, I do see lots of pictures of beautiful mountains. I wouldn't be able to determine THE most beautiful one if my life depended on it, as they are all so pretty. Adding another one, of a 7th summit, to get it back to the top of the page.
Everest North Face
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donnski
Mountain climber
Nanoose Bay, BC
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Dec 22, 2014 - 10:39am PT
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Had to add Pumori to this.
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Montecarlo
Trad climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Dec 22, 2014 - 01:54pm PT
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I thought Khan Tengri was missing here. Terribly beautiful mountain (not my photo, though).
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RasVegas
Trad climber
Goodyear
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Dec 22, 2014 - 09:53pm PT
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That picture of the Matterhorn at Jizneyland is freakin hilarious mang! Damn that's funny!
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soaring_bird
Trad climber
Oregon
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Dec 22, 2014 - 10:37pm PT
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Crunch... I like the shot of Nez Perce in Blodgett. The FA of Marvin's Wall (dihedral on the West Face) was a blast, done in beautiful April weather with fun partners, about 35 years ago. I would think a Modern Home Environment on the south face is probably a better route.
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Dec 22, 2014 - 11:54pm PT
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great thread- keep em coming
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Dec 23, 2014 - 04:36am PT
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I thought that was Nez Perce in Blodgett. Cool.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Dec 24, 2014 - 04:17pm PT
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Vitaliy, I think Alpamayo is beautiful too.
It may not be a perfect mountain, but I always wanted to climb Cho Oyu.
I also agree, Ama Dablam is up there on the list.
Machipuchare.
Pumori on my list, sigh…
And, well, Mt Sill because it was my first alpine route. (Swiss Arête with John Fischer and Chris Fredericks 1971)
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alannamal
climber
B.C.
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Dec 24, 2014 - 04:55pm PT
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This one's cool. Over 5000 ft rise from the valley floor. There's a detached tower right above the highest snowpatch that is very Lost Arrow Spire like.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Dec 24, 2014 - 11:48pm PT
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That's the north face of Dag, and the Batwing in Mulvey Basin, part of the Valhallas. Gimli country. Impressive.
I haven't read the whole thread. Did anyone mention the Mustagh Tower? Sorry, no pic.
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Kligfield
Mountain climber
Boulder, CO
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North Face of Dag in the Valhallas? John Roskelley and I made the first ascent of this face way back in 1970 or 1971. Although a great climb and a memorable experience, it really doesn't qualify for the most beautiful mountain in the world. On the other hand, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?...
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, but here are a couple that seemed pretty close to perfect when I beheld them...
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tuolumne_tradster
Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
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I 2nd the Pumori vote...here's one from the Swiss Alps
Punta Pioda and Ago di Scoiora from the trail near the Sasc Fura Hut.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Where's Donini?
He should be back from Patagonia with some other
gorgeous mountains by now!!!
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Ms. Chief looking across Schelderup Lake at The Golden Hinde, highest peak on Vancouver Island on our three day round trip to the summit in summer of 2014.
At the time, the most perfect mountain on earth.
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