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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 19, 2009 - 09:15pm PT
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A classic high and wild adventure ala Twight and Jello from Climbing October 1986. This particular article ushered in a new look for the magazine graphically.
These two stretched em out pretty good! Amazing!
Jeff descending to his pack on Nuptse SE Spur 7th day.
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TYeary
Social climber
Huaraz, Peru
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Sep 19, 2009 - 11:57pm PT
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Twight can't be beat for "Strum and Drang". He's, beyond a doubt one of the most brutily honest writers of his generation. Pointed, "up in your grill", and un-apologetic. His writing style was mirrored by his climbing style. Twight may have mellowed in recent years, but his example has rarely been equaled. Steve House among others has picked up the call and become the "future."
I will never forget meeting Twight and his advise," come back alive, come back still friends, go to the summit: in that order".
Tony
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:19am PT
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I love these treasure trove postings.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Sep 20, 2009 - 03:25am PT
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When I read this article I was absolutely blown away. The climbs Marc wrote about and the experience of Nepal sounded horrendous. Then I realised that I was there, too, with Marc!
My experience was entirely different: we did a nice warm-up climb on Lobuche, then went to Kangtega, where I wasn't feeling good on summit day so Tom Frost and I went to the lower Nw peak while Alison and Marc climbed the higher peak. Then Marc and I tried the South Pillar of Nuptse, which would have been a great climb if we had been strong enough to complete it.
But as a team, we lacked a coherence of shared perception of reality. What Marc found to be ugly or desperate, I found to be interesting or challenging. I've thought a lot about this over the years, and have concluded it was not fair to ask Marc to go on this cutting-edge Himalayan excursion with no prior experience.
-Jello
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Sep 20, 2009 - 03:57am PT
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Jello, that's very charitable of you. I suspect that if Marc had drunk less and talked more to the Sherpani in the photo for example, he would have had less of a hangover, more of a good time, and learned something.
It reminds me of the Buddhist saying, that we are not made unhappy by reality, but by our expectations of what it should be.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 20, 2009 - 10:24am PT
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Jello,
Ah...the rest of the story, or at least the inklings of it.
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:11pm PT
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Having read, with great amusement, most of Mark’s stuff over the years, was pretty interesting to pick up his book, "Kiss or Kill", especially for the reflections on the original articles.
Pertaining to this...his comments on the original article (last two paragraphs):
"2000 Author’s Note"
"But Jeff Lowe had some trouble with the article. He could not believe what had been going on in my head during that expedition. It was my third trip ever outside the USA; my first to a third world country. I was with people I did not know, and one was a climbing legend. The routes we planned to attempt were harder and higher that anything I could imagine doing. I was scared out of my mind and trying to cover it up. That fear, present for 24 hours a day until we began the trek out, filtered each experience. Even the ones I was equal to.
The expedition was an epiphany. I learned that I had talent. I also learned that I was not as good a climber as I thought I was. At the time, climbing the new route on Kantega was little consolution for the failure on Nuptse. Years afterword, I appreciate Kantega for the transformation it caused. I stepped out of the bush league up there. After Alison Hargreaves, my partner on the summit on Kantega, died, the mountain meant even more. That and Lobuche were the only two peaks we ever climbed together. Others found her too ambitious, but this was a trait I knew well and encouraged. She was incredibly strong, and delightful to be around in the mountains."
In the back of the book there’s a section called "What’s in a Title". With respect to the "Kiss or Kill" article, he says, "Shouted by Exene Cervenka in a song titled "We’re Desperate." It was my mantra, either you love what I say and do or hate it. I tried to live the all-or-nothing philosophy too. It didn’t work out very well."
I’ve always wondered if he painted himself in a corner with the whole "Dr. Doom" schtick.
-Brian in SLC
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2009 - 12:15pm PT
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Compare and contrast Tom Frost and Marc Twight...LOL
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 20, 2009 - 12:16pm PT
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There could not be two more different people in climbing.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 9, 2011 - 05:33pm PT
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I just went through this article while working on the Kangtega chapter in the Frost book. Mighty Twightful! LOL
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marv
Mountain climber
Bay Area
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that's a cool line. I believe it has repelled all aspirants, much like Latok, no?
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
SoCal
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May 10, 2011 - 02:06am PT
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Fun article. I recall it well. Still have my copy.
Post punk techno alpinista from Seattle fails to find what he's looking for.
One of my heros.
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sportcamper
Trad climber
NEW HAMPSHIRE
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May 10, 2011 - 09:40am PT
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^^^ MS unfortunately-
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
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Is there a photo of a line they did on Kantega? Sounds like an interesting climb if it challenged them so much. I have read Kiss or Kill and enjoyed it. Nice to read about him opening up about his fears.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2013 - 01:34pm PT
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The route on Kangtega is pretty complicated and involved a lot of thin ice work ala Jeff Lowe. I don't have a good shot of the line to post.
Buy the Frost book once I get it out and learn more about mighty Kangtega.
Tom asked Jeff if he thought their route would ever be popular and Jeff replied, "No, it is much too difficult."
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 02:02pm PT
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Thank you for the reply!
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Somewhere on 395
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Jan 29, 2013 - 03:35pm PT
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those are some great quotes in that climbing article. glad to see Jello chime in too.
I have the Kiss or Kill book. Will have to go back and reread some tales.
as I said in the other thread, love him or hate him, you can't deny his climbing prowess, and his route "The Reality Bath" (WI6+?) remains unrepeated as far as I know*
* I think Uli Steck attempted it, but backed off.
The Reality Bath seems so dangerous as to be of little value exept to those suicidally inclined -Albi Sole
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 29, 2013 - 06:22pm PT
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as I said in the other thread, love him or hate him, you can't deny his climbing prowess, and his route "The Reality Bath" (WI6+?) remains unrepeated as far as I know*
I think when you climb at that level you do not really care to repeat other people's suicidal routes. If you succeed, it's just a repeat. If you die...well no one will give you a cookie. Small reward for a great risk.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2013 - 06:29pm PT
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Blaque Jacque Serac!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jan 29, 2013 - 06:32pm PT
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Good point Vitaliy. When it comes to serious alpine climbing, i, for one, have only been on one established climb- the Compressor Route on CT. I did that because my partner was a young German unfamiliar with alpine climbing.
To me, a major part of the alpine experience is exploring new ground in remote ranges. The only way to fulfill that "explorers urge" in the 21st Century.
There is still a surprising amount of untrodden real estate in the mountain realm if you are willing to dig a little.
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micronut
Trad climber
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Jan 29, 2013 - 07:54pm PT
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Tami,
"Hypurconshis" is my new favorite word. What a riot.
I eat up every word Twight writes and I admire his gusto in the mountains from when he was really gettin at it. His perspective is his perspective. Love it or leave it. Kiss or kill.
Theres a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle. I have no idea what that means but I dig it. And I have the t-shirt. I'm such a tool.
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Fletcher
Trad climber
The great state of advaita
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May 17, 2013 - 02:32am PT
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I have an old X t-shirt lying around here. My wife introduced my to them and she used to go their concerts. May have one of their playlists? She used to collect them. Sorry to hear about Exene and MS. It can be something you can work with. My brother in law has had it for quite a while now and he remains quite active and gets around a lot on foot (he can no longer drive). His mind is still super sharp too... his job is to play in a sandbox at Microsoft and invent sh#t.
I enjoy Twight's brutal honesty, and his ability, at least at times, to direct that toward himself. I also have enjoyed his writing, but find I like it in small doses, like single malt (to round it out and tie in Tami!). I love single malt, but am not going to pour half a bottle on my muesli every morning. If you do find me doing that, please put me on the ice floe straightaway.
It just came to me that Twight reminds me of Anthony Bourdain writing-wise. At least in the brutal, raw honesty department. Bourdain has a sense of humor, especially about himself at the end of the day. I'm not sure I've seen that in Twight. It might make him even more interesting to reveal that.
Eric
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 25, 2016 - 02:35pm PT
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Long Overdue Bump...
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Stewart Johnson
Mountain climber
lake forest
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Dec 25, 2016 - 04:35pm PT
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The late Mark Hesse before the climb
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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Dec 25, 2016 - 10:04pm PT
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Mr. Twight could coin a phrase, " I shat my pants"
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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Dec 25, 2016 - 10:12pm PT
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I repeatedly wonder at two climbers and the things they did in foul or desperate conditions...
Jello - Jeff Lowe, things that seem ignored that are mind boggling, the north face of Ama Dablam, solo, in a day, with peplaced bivvy gear, so if he did not summit and start down, he died... no problem but for the 7,000 feet of ice he had to climb, at altitude.
and
Norman Kingsley - 200 first ascents in uncharted beta absent peaks, dolomites, alps, and more.... with manky gear.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 30, 2017 - 09:11am PT
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Bump on demand...
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Sep 30, 2017 - 09:28am PT
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I know, a drift so far as to be admonished for:
THREDDRIFT;
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1073266&msg=1141368#msg1141368
The 4th post down from "eagel"
I climbed El Cap 3 months into my 16th birthday . . .
is then followed by
"mighty hikers rebuttal,
that a Dave lane also in 1976,at 15 climbed ElCap . . .
it was huge for D Lanman to post,
sad that warmer responses were not a part of his experience here at the mexican food trck.
(Dave & his brother Steve wre/Are? righteous folks)
on the sad note who is the dingbat "Dave" who took to grinding on eagel's responses?
i will not add more,
just that it is to bad that one dave couldnt cut -that Dave- some slack. . . . mike
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2018 - 06:34pm PT
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Bump for dancing under seracs...
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bit'er ol' guy
climber
the past
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Jan 19, 2018 - 09:09am PT
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great, life changing. read this article about 30 times when it came out. It justified me giving everything the bird and focusing all my energy on climbing. No Regrets.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 19, 2018 - 10:59am PT
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Steve G
Earlier in this thread you made 2 references to your upcoming book on Tom Frost. Was this ever finished/published? If so please advise the title and publisher. Thanks, HM.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 19, 2018 - 01:44pm PT
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hamie- We will be rolling it out at the Oakdale Climbers Festival in October and I will likely be doing some kind of public fundraiser ahead of that to help with the printing costs so that I am able to do a larger initial printing and keep the unit price lower.
NACHA and I are self publishing the book at this point so we need the help with costs.
I will keep everyone here posted.
Cheers
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 19, 2018 - 08:42pm PT
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Excellent. Well done!
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