joblo7

those guys are the heroes this time! look how many people they brought together.ah tha Lord works in mischievious ways....

a few years back i climbed up mt cuerno (17000ft) in winter alone up and down 80% ice,with no ropes, in a developping snowstorm, with 1l water and a bar.what i brought was 2;40 marathon fitness, acclimatisation to 22000ft, sharp tools and some faith. what we bring is always relative. another time i was climbing mt washington (6000ft) with 50 lbs of gear and got blown off, spent 5 days out until choppa came......i had to pray , but it came... gear,prep,etc is no garantee .

.life is suicidal. we all die in the end.... the intensity, commitement,focus,and hardships that high level endeavours demand are insignificant entree fees into a world of true freedom.

those guys would have lasted 15 days in these conditions with what they had, if not for their accident. i'm not sure you and shimi would ,with any gear.

you tell him mike!( shimigami) big hand to all the rescuers! " i try and try with every breath to give lethargy a quick death. ckg.

i agreee . those guys were mountaineers! everything they did was serious; route,preparation,gear,cell,notes,attitude,previous experience etc. they are strangely enough good role models .then again no one can appreciate something they know little about.

on another subject, we all live "as we chose". wall street guys get their kicks at the expense of others also.... and soldiers too . doctors get high from saving others, so do those rescuers.(and they accept failure also ) like we say ' one man's fear is another's gear'. we all do what we do for transcendence, for growth.pray, then climb on.

it seems they left kelly because he was hurt(fall?) and they went down the route they had decided as an exit, for help.he waited until he felt his only chance to survive was to go over the south side(footsteps) but weather forced him to cave-in again but with less gear.i would look on the proposed descent for them.

we learn by observing.absorbing.remembering. and carrying on climbing .we all have done worse mistakes and survived.hindsight can be useful if we dont judge.

i have been following closely all week .i have been lost and rescued off a mountain in winter after 5 days . i have climbed many high peaks. from this tragedy and the other rescue/recovery of couple lost in their car,i have learned that often when you split up, you in effect create two rescues.it makes sense to split up only if it is the LAST RESORT(no cell call or rescue plausible from friends knowing itinerary etc)or one is SURE of reaching help(good weather/visibility ,known escape route etc.)i was told by my rescuers that after they had a general idea of my from position it was better for me to wait there and really focus on making myself visible.i only bring this up for myself and others who will keep mountaineering knowing very well that WE DONT DECIDE MUCH in the mountains but we can try ..... those guys were very experienced yet they had to check out ....i guess it was time.....god bless their souls.