RRC Archives

Youve gotta try. Is one life worth another? regaurdless of circumstance?

Something maybe with the same dilemmas envolved is the Dutch GP in '73 where Roger Williamson dies in his burning car. There's a hero though, David Purley trying to rescue his fellow driver, he's just at the mercy of all the other circumstances lined up against them.

The similarities I see are; like racing, mountaineering is a dangerous choice of pastimes so, there's this huge self-responsibility cloud of doom over it ready to damn you and pardon any spectators all at the same time. Some people will be afraid of risk or pain and can quickly process the rationales for avoiding them. Obviously fire screams urgent! and I can see people frozen in the shock of the situation, but all those on the mountain knew, failing help, this climber was just as dead. Just like the climbers marching past the downed guy, the race went on. :(

linked a video tribute made to Purley and Williamson. The music they used is pretty bad so maybe hit the mute. It's probably the most hopeless thing I've ever seen. Incredibly sad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqv68DkPi60

I wouldn't think of suggesting people stay off the mountain! Speak for yourself Piggie! A belay partner is responsible to the climber on the rock just as the climber on the rock is responsible to the belay partner. It's a kin to redundance, and checking your partners knots and belay set up. Team work and responsiblility.

Having spent a night over 14000ft without a jacket, hat, gloves, bag, tent or anything else more than a MRE I'm pretty comfortable suggesting that human beings have a responsibility to preserve the lives of one another on the mountain. Go freeze your ass of for a night then preach to the choir.

Wouldn't it have been better if you had been better prepared?

Sure, Things are always better if you have everything you need, everywhere you go. Sometimes judgement calls are made and situations develop that can't be foreseen. There in lies the problem.

We started a 2300ft summit climb early AM expecting it to take 8-9 hours and allowed for some additional time to return from the summit via another route. As we climbed everything was smooth until the 6th or 7th pitch then progress was slowed considerably. The last five pitches were significantly more difficult and we were already fatigued, and moving slower as we progressed. When we reached the summit the sun had just set. Not having climbing the mountain before we were unfamiliar with the route down and decided not to risk it. the decision was made by me and two other climbers (the Team), we all spent the night on the summit. it was cold as could be, the wind howled at whet seemed to be 1000mph and nobody got any sleep. None the less, that was a team decision and the team stuck with it. had two of the three decided differently the out come for all three would have been different.

I look at it this way, the team that summited the day before us did the last five pitches in the dark and summited at 12:30am after starting their climb at 5:30am the day before and then finished the night on the summit. I'm thinking 12.5 hours to reach the summit was a good climb. If anything we should have left camp an hour earlier.

you are making my point exactly OB Juan..his team was responsible for him, NOT the other climbers and guided persons up there.

btw, i've done the "freezing yer ass off" twice in my life, so save the drama. both times, it was MY fault. I take responsibility for my unpreparedness.

Agreed Piggie, ultimately it was the responsibility of his team and they failed miserably. That being said Mazur was the first to come accross the man still alive the next day and did what was right not what was personally satisfying or profitable.



BTW- I didn't dramatize it, and I stated it was "a decision made by the team". Get off your ego pony