Mal Daly's Alaska epic (with Jim Donini)

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 21 - 25 of total 25 in this topic

<< First | < Previous | Show All | Next > | Last >>

johnkelley

climber

Anchorage Alaska

May 15, 2019 - 10:10am PT

The Dolores River Canyon outside of Dove Creek Co. is the closest good crag to Mancos I think. About 60 miles

Decko

Trad climber

Colorado

May 15, 2019 - 11:55am PT

There are survivors and there are people who give up.

I remember a line in the epic Denali book Minus 148 Degrees.

These hard locals decide to attempt the first winter ascent of Denali and get pinned down in a raging blizzard at 17,000 feet in what sounded like some horribly cramped ice cave and run out of everything. Food, Fuel, anything to eat or drink.

One of them remembers that they might be near an old Cache a previous expedition had left in the area.

He set out in the blizzard with the mindset of "never give up always try until there is nothing left in you"

He hacked away blindly at the ice around them and he eventually found the food and fuel cache that saved their lives.

Mal never gave up on that ledge that's for damn sure.....

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

May 15, 2019 - 12:54pm PT

Mal had no choice but to stay on that ledge but the remarkable thing is the incredibly positive attitude he maintained in very trying circumstances. No sleeping bag or tent, little food or water, major injuries and constant spindrift avalanches covering him.
It has often been said that in survival situations, a positive attitude goes a long way towards a good outcome.

Nick Danger

Ice climber

Arvada, CO

May 15, 2019 - 02:01pm PT

Mal,
Happy hunting and I hope you find just what you are looking for. My lovely bride and I just found our retirement digs, 200 feet from Rio Chama, nearest trailhead about 1/2 mile away, road biking, mtn biking, and dirt biking right out the front door, skiing an hour away, and numerous rick climbing areas within 1 hr. We can drag our canoes or duckies from the porch to the river. Fruit trees abound and soon we will be planting a garden. Dream spots are out there, and the search is half the fun.

Once we close on the house, change what we need to change, and set up shop (late summer) I'll post up an invitation to one and all to wander down for some northern New Mexico phun. Totally wicked cool geology too.