Re: Is The Sport of Mountaineering in Decline?
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:34 pm
ExcitableBoy wrote:Ha, ha. I described the West Buttrash as being mostly pretty dull on an interwebs chat board. Boy, did people get upset.
I thought from 16 to 17K was kind of cool if you do not use fixed ropes(it had sections of up to 50 degree neve and some exposed 3rd class rock scramble some places), 17K/some other spots have good views, and summit ridge was cool. But in term of a personal challenge, something that you are glad you survived or anything similar- it was nothing worthy. I am happy that at least I got my feet wet, and went to check out a different range. To be honest when the plane dropped us on the glacier it was overwhelming to see all the towering ice filled, ugly-glacier surrounded monster peaks- harder routes on Foraker/Hunter are really impressive. Now need to get strong and come back for better routes the range has to offer. And there is a lot!
Don't get me wrong, Denali is a beautiful mountain etc, but 17K camp on West Buttress does not represent creme of the crop of American mountaineering. Mostly just people who wanted to climb this peak. Which offers a lot of challenges to people who do not climb mountains all the time, or can't afford to.