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Wow! Hadn’t seen this before. Bridwell was bad-ass and a really good guy. He was a lover not a fighter. I never saw him get mad at anyone. We were talking one time oh so very long ago in Camp 4, while a bunch of young climbers were spewing and spraying about all the stuff they had done that day and what they were going to do the next day when Jim leaned over to me and said, “You know, it doesn’t matter how hard or how much you climb in this life, what matters, when you cross over to the other side, is how you treated people along the way.” I’ve never forgotten that. The world doesn’t seem the same without Jim in it.

I read Noah's blog and its pretty good. I like the detail, the photos', etc. It is his blog so he is entitled to his opinion. He sounds young and I remember being young, invincible and judgmental too. 25+ years of climbing experience changes a person's perspective so while I may not agree with everything Noah writes, I understand why he is writing it. I can't necessarily disagree 100% with his perception of guides. A few years back I was leading a group of inexperienced climbers up Rainier and leapfrogging a RMI group as we took breaks. After one break, we were moving slow and one of the RMI teams decided to pass us by cross through our rope team! Yup, crossed his entire team right between my 2 and 3rd person, with all his clients stepping on our rope. When I called him out, he challenged me to a fight at 12,000 feet. After the climb I had a long discussion with RMI managers back at their HQ's and they knew exactly who I was talking about since they have had issues with him before. That being said, I having nothing against RMI. I first climbed Rainier with my dad in 1996 under RMI's tutelage, and I still remember the trip and the really good guides we had. There are good guides out there and bad. But many of the guides I have come across are just tired of dealing with climbers trying to either mooch free training/advice from them or just follow in their footsteps. I was at Camp Sherman a few years ago on an independent climb and a guide was sitting among the rocks talking to his clients. I sat back just to listen to him and gleam any insights he had on the route conditions. Independent climbers kept coming over and asking all sorts of technical/weather/stupid questions. The guide gave them very curt replies and continued to advise/train his clients. I didn't mind his attitude at all. His clients paid for his services and independent climbers were trying to get it for free. So it really does go both ways: prick guides and prick independent climbers. Noah is a little harsh on the "Take your money" thing so either he had a bad experience with a paid guide or never had a good paid guide. A good guide is well worth the money, a bad one should be left in a crevasse with nothing but a bottle of hot sauce and a box of toothpicks. Anyway, enjoyed your write up Noah. And just to add to this thread, I am interested in Denali this year. I am not getting younger so I am reaching a now or never stage. If anyone is still looking for partners or teams, give me a holler at kevindenali2019@gmail.com. (Had 2019 plans fail when my partner had to call it quits a month before our climb due to family issues.)