August 16 2010
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Climbing the “Cassin” on Denali – a solitary journey
1. It’s been snowing for days and I am going bonkers at the Ski Hill (NE Fork) camp (cca 2400 m alt.). Tent bound since the 13th of June I start doubting I’d be able to get on the “Cassin” on this trip and I’m getting sure my acclimatization is wearing out by the hour now… I’ve listened my music, I’ve read my books, I’ve weighted my options all the while the snow was incessantly falling… Then it’s 20th morning and the sun is shining and the skies are clear. Mark, back at KIA, mentioned something about a break in the weather for the weekend and I guess this must be it. I am weighting my options: go light – no tent, no sleeping bag just the stove, my Sirius down jacket and compressor pants and some bars and gels. Or plan for a three days ascent and go heavy:…
Why are you climbing, dude?
– What am I doing here? – Inching my way up – what a stupid question! – No – what am I actually doing here,? Like in ‘what the hell’ am I doing here? Still a stupid question – like the classic ‘why do you climb’? Difference is that I have neither a clever remark like Mallory’s nor a soapy one. I don’t even have a moronic answer! – Because it is a stupid question! That’s why! – Then why am I asking it? Here I am, half way up a hundred and something meter wall, it’s pitch dark and I’m nothing than an insect, a firefly with the speck of light from my torch shining on the ice encrusted rock. I am tapping gingerly on anorexic seams of ice and I reach for blind spots – blind as in devoid of light and blind because of overhangs. I’m loving…
Costila-Galbenele M6, 10 pitches, winter free solo, onsight
De data asta am avut grija sa pun ceasul sa sune la 4:30 AM si nu PM, cum facusem cu 20 de zile inainte… Am si verificat de vreo doua ori. Vremea se anunta proasta insa speram ca diferentele mari de temperature din ultimul timp imi vor oferi macar beneficiul ghetii. In rest, au englezii o vorba: There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. 27 Februarie 2010 Ora 4:30 AM: suna alarma. N-am dormit prea bine noaptea de dinainte. M-am hotarit sa merg din nou in Costila pe moment, cu o seara inante, cind anulasem o tura in Fagaras, la Caltun. Am impachetat in graba si am baut, toata noaptea, 2L de apa. Justin nu parea prea incintat, mai ales dupa ce aflase prognoza meteo. Mi-am spus ca ajung acolo si iau deciziile la fata locului. Am mincat doua cutii de iaurt cu gem si o…
One up – one down.
29/30 January 2010 I’m at my mother’s house in Northern Transylania – I haven’t been home since Christmas and now, barely arrived from the train station, I’m getting my skis ready. I’m leaving in ’15… When I returned home from Asia, a year ago, I promised longer times at home – a promised I fell short off… In the evening, on the way back, the phone rings. Tomorrow it’s ice climbing – my partner tells me not to worry about a thing: ‘Just bring your axes and crampons. I’ll bring the rest. We are leaving at 7:30am. I’ll call you at 7:00.’ I’m dropping my skis off and I eat dinner. I’m actually talking with mom… true, about my skiing day, but I’m sharing…. I forget to ask though… Phone rings again. I’m off to the pub for a quick drink. 8 jack & coke and several hours later I’m…
Peretele Vaii Albe: ‘Ultimatum’
Simbata 1 august si duminica 2 august am incercat parcurgerea solitar a traseului lui Titus Gontea, Ultimatum. Un proiect ambitios, tinind cont ca din ce stiu este prima tentativa de repetare a traseului, s-a dovedit a fi mai mult decit pot eu sa fac in acest moment si am abandonat dupa parcurgerea unei lungimi si jumatate. Pentru mine traseul a fost cam mult – solitar, la vedere si pe o roca pe care nu am rulaj aproape deloc insa o experienta placuta. Fara ajutorul lui Justin si Vasile nu as fi reusit sa ajung la perete si le multumesc inca o data. La fel si lui Titus pentru beta si imi doresc sa aud cit de curind ca o echipa sau un temerar au reusit parcurgerea integrala, dintr-o singura intrare a unui traseu care este, inexplicabil si injust evitat.
Turning tail on way to Eastern Tibet…
My last two attempts at having fun in Qionglai shan didn’t bring about much fun… let alone a route… Last year I didn’t manage to at least touch the wall i was there for; this year i didn’t even make it into the range! Busy in London with piles of books in the Institute of Classical Studies I was more than happy to let the planning to be someone else’s task. I wanted to climb something but gladly let someone else to worry about the details. Bob (my partner on Transilvania avenue) was happy to do the worrying and he enlisted the Canadians Erik and Jen and i brought in my British friend Eben. With fairly loose plans (Bob and Erik and Jen were looking for some alpine style objectives while I was set on a big wall attempt of a face, most likely with Eben) we were planning to…
Back in the UK … and in the Peak District…
Yes – just off the boat so to speak… Back after almost four years. Not much seems to have changed – maybe more Polish spoken in the streets, a wing here or there but essentially old London is still the same. My first impression was how quiet and slow everything seems. I got serious laughter for saying this but, hey, that’s true. I guess its hard to compete with one o the most dynamic cities in the most populous country in the world. Am parked on Mark’s couch (many many many thanks again) and easing back into being European. I came to lay the final blow to my Ph.D. dissertation, a book I so cruelly abandoned four years ago completed but not defended, and travelled to the other end of the world…. Last weekend we went to the Peak District – I forgot how beautiful it was, especially in the…
把攀岩当作一种生活方式
Climbing as a lifestyle 把攀岩当作一种生活方式 文：安龙（Cosmin Andron) 译：周霞（Joanna Zhou) Published in Shanye, May 2007 I see rock climbing not just as sport, but a way of life. Sometimes I can just sit at the bottom of a cliff, look around and feel good. I don’t even have to climb. (Stefan Glowacz) 我把攀岩不仅仅看作是一种运动，而是一种生活方式。有时候坐在峭壁下，环顾四周，甚至不用去爬它我就能感觉非常好。（摘自Stefan Glowacz） It is definitely something odd and rather unsocial for a person to put so much effort, time and sometimes their lives on the line and to try to move up on vertical ground. Climbing is not a team sport but most likely a highly individualistic one and yet in few endeavours (maybe with the exception of BASE) such a community centred one too. 对于一个人来说，把如此多的精力和时间花在一个绳子上，并尽力在一个垂直的岩壁上向上爬，有时候还搭上他的性命，这的确显得有点奇怪和相当不合群。攀岩不仅是一个团队运动而更多是一个高度个人主义运动，然而在少数运动中(也许除了BASＥ这项极限运穿着降落伞从高空跳下的运动以外），它也是一个以团体为中心的运动。 Climbers are quite proud to mention that climbing is more than an ordinary sport, that it is a way of life. It likens a bit to martial arts where in both cases one’s…
Liu Xi Nan 1971-2007
I didn’t know Liu Xi Nan for a long time and I didn’t know him as well as many of his other friends did. I thought, though, that I would have the time to catch up… That will not happen anymore. Liu Xi Nan was killed on March 29th in a mountaineering accident when descending Danzen shan near Batang in Eastern Tibet. I lost many friends to the mountains over the years but in no way this miserable exercise prepares me for any further tragic news nor that I want it to. Last time we met was in a Tibetan house in Shuangqiao gou in Siguniang shan on the Chinese New Year night, only a bit over a month ago. We just stumbled upon each other there – he who just arrived to help run an ice climbing school, me after a day of climbing ice; we hugged and we…