Regardless of her ability and achievements, the mountaineering boots are still funny and totally unnecessary.

Day Hiker wrote:Regardless of her ability and achievements, the mountaineering boots are still funny and totally unnecessary.

It would have been a lot cooler if she were wearing those shoes with separate toes, especially the ones covered with faux fur.

Diggler wrote:

jonesa37 wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:

jonesa37 wrote:I don't want to sound like an asshole

Then...?

touche shoulda just left that out then

but spending approx. $353,474 doesn't make you a climber it just means you can afford to have yourself brought up the mountains.

How about Link cams, Camalots, & expensive nylon dry ropes? Local porters & guides that live in many of the areas that we 'Westerners' dream of climbing will never be able to afford these extravagent toys to climb up a steep rock- they're too busy trying to scrape by. Also, the air doesn't get any thicker at 8,000m regardless of how much you've spent to be there. You really think that criticizing a lady (who saves stranded cats in her freetime) that is over twice as old as you & has summited Everest isn't poor form?? Just some things to think about.

Absolutely.

Diggler wrote:

jonesa37 wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:

jonesa37 wrote:I don't want to sound like an asshole

Then...?

touche shoulda just left that out then

but spending approx. $353,474 doesn't make you a climber it just means you can afford to have yourself brought up the mountains.

How about Link cams, Camalots, & expensive nylon dry ropes? Local porters & guides that live in many of the areas that we 'Westerners' dream of climbing will never be able to afford these extravagent toys to climb up a steep rock- they're too busy trying to scrape by. Also, the air doesn't get any thicker at 8,000m regardless of how much you've spent to be there. You really think that criticizing a lady (who saves stranded cats in her freetime) that is over twice as old as you & has summited Everest isn't poor form?? Just some things to think about.

Yes, all good points I do spend a lot of money on gear as well. The thing is true alpinism is based on ones own research on the climb, planning the route obtaining the gear, the food, the travel, permits, their own decisions on when to summit, when to turn around, these are all qualities of a real climber. It doesn't make you a climber if you pay someone to do all that for you. That being said, she is one hell of a woman for participating in something that is so much more than the normal 60 year old so huge props for that. But, I guess I took this in a different direction to highlight the difference between a climber and someone who is a client and goes on a trip planned by someone else not the same.

This thread has gotten way out of control. It is starting to resemble CascadeClimbers.com a bit too much for comfort.

Why do you guys hate America?

Diggler wrote:Anybody who mocks/critiques the techniques of a caring lady who saves a cat with any kind of seriousness needs to get a life. And if you haven't climbed an 8000-m peak, you probably have no idea of how difficult it is to function at that altitude. Props to her for saving the cat, using safe techniques, & to summiting Everest (& the others).

+1

Diggler wrote:You really think that criticizing a lady (who saves stranded cats in her freetime) that is over twice as old as you & has summited Everest is in poor form?? Just some things to think about.

+1

Mountainjeff wrote:This thread has gotten way out of control. It is starting to resemble CascadeClimbers.com a bit too much for comfort.

+1

It's nice to see some people on this site that haven't let their egos get the best of them.

jonesa37 wrote: The thing is true alpinism is based on ones own research on the climb, planning the route obtaining the gear, the food, the travel, permits, their own decisions on when to summit, when to turn around, these are all qualities of a real climber. It doesn't make you a climber if you pay someone to do all that for you

Really? Well, as far as I am concerned, you are a "climber" if you "climb".
There sure are alot of elitist attitudes around the word "climber". I never understand this. If you go up something, you climbed it, right? If you went from down stairs to the upstairs you most likely "climbed" the stairs right?

These stupid argument about what is and what is not "climbing" or a "climber" are just plain really stupid. But alas, some people have to create some kind of elitist surrounding to make them selves "seem special" from others.

When my co workers ask me what I did last weekend, I usually just tell them I went skiing. I don't get all elaborate and tell them it was off the summit of say, Mt. St. Helens, because that would make me a braggart.

The best "climber" is the one having the most fun.

OJ Loenneker wrote:

jonesa37 wrote: The thing is true alpinism is based on ones own research on the climb, planning the route obtaining the gear, the food, the travel, permits, their own decisions on when to summit, when to turn around, these are all qualities of a real climber. It doesn't make you a climber if you pay someone to do all that for you

Really? Well, as far as I am concerned, you are a "climber" if you "climb".
There sure are alot of elitist attitudes around the word "climber". I never understand this. If you go up something, you climbed it, right? If you went from down stairs to the upstairs you most likely "climbed" the stairs right?

These stupid argument about what is and what is not "climbing" or a "climber" are just plain really stupid. But alas, some people have to create some kind of elitist surrounding to make them selves "seem special" from others.

When my co workers ask me what I did last weekend, I usually just tell them I went skiing. I don't get all elaborate and tell them it was off the summit of say, Mt. St. Helens, because that would make me a braggart.

The best "climber" is the one having the most fun.

these are all valid points, I am merely suggesting that when someone is held in such high regard, with their climbing feats, I feel that it should be based on their own complete effort and not that of a guiding service. Yes what ever you do that is vertical could be considered "climbing" but you are then arguing the definition of just climbing I am specifically talking about alpine achievements. When I summit a climb, for myself it has been through my own planning and preparation. There is so much of this climbing in the mainstream these days that promote climbing for whoever can dish out the most cash. i.e. that discovery channel show on Everest. That is what I am against, whoever participates in this is not a true mountain climber (they are paying to be one).

Wonder if anyone at the scene ever thought of just calling the local animal shelter/animal rescue personnel?

While the gal has climbed a lot of well known (though not terribly technically difficult) peaks, her website reminds me of Paris Hilton - she's famous for being famous. I wonder if she might have called the media to make sure the rescue would be caught on video so she could use it for publicity for her motivational speaking business. Want to know more about her adventures? Then hire her to give your organization a motivational speech at your next function.

In short, she climbs all these well known peaks, then gives motivational speeches to raise MORE money to go on MORE climbing trips, from which she'll do MORE motivational sppeches to raise still MORE money to go on MORE climbing trips . . . .

Kind of cheapens her efforts, IMO.

The amount of negativity to a 60 year old woman who saved a cat is simply extraordinary.

Is life really that bitter?

jonesa37 wrote:
these are all valid points, I am merely suggesting that when someone is held in such high regard, with their climbing feats, I feel that it should be based on their own complete effort and not that of a guiding service. Yes what ever you do that is vertical could be considered "climbing" but you are then arguing the definition of just climbing I am specifically talking about alpine achievements. When I summit a climb, for myself it has been through my own planning and preparation.

It's one thing to plan, and execute a climb of some peak in Washington State where you live, and a whole other thing to climb a 8000M peak in some third world country. People usually do not climb those kind of mountains own their own. Usually there is some sort of team, and never in a "alpine single push"... so, I still don't see how if someone decides that it is worth the money to hire someone who will handle all the logistics (porters, food, sherpas to move that shit around, and a few guides who know the mountain) they all of the sudden are not considered "climbers"? Do you not think that all these "celeb" climbers that are breaking all sorts of records on the 8000M peaks are not using porters, sherpas etc. for their climbs? Is Ed Viesteurs not a "real" climber either? Where do you draw the line?

phydeux wrote: In short, she climbs all these well known peaks, then gives motivational speeches to raise MORE money to go on MORE climbing trips, from which she'll do MORE motivational sppeches to raise still MORE money to go on MORE climbing trips . . . .

I fail to see how that would be a bad thing. If someone paid me to talk about climbing that would be awesome! Right now my friends would probably pay me to shut up about it.