If I died tomorrow....

[scottgg]

....., I think I'd be pretty happy with what I've done. No small part of that enjoyment would stem from the mis-adventures I've found in our Cascade Mountains.

Since beginning to enjoy our mountains with not only my feet, but also hands and axes, I am continually in awe of the joy they bestow on me.

As I've recently entered the "corporate world" (more out of necessity than desire) I've been struck by the stagnation of my co-workers lives. Perhaps I've just embodied the alpinist elitism, but I think not. I look around me, and we are taught to embrace conformity. College, spouse, good job (401k), house, kids, etc. That’s all great, but what about the adventure? Our ancestors constantly lived in a state of fear...could I find enough food to feed my family....how about fending off the attacking animals or tribesmen? Safeway and our strong military answer these contemporary questions, so where do we obtain our current adventure? Where do we give "death" the finger, and live to brag about it in a warm pub with close friends?

Climbing is the answer, yet I hesitate to use so broad a term. Specifically I am referring to alpine attempts by two men(or women) with "...a rope, a rack, and two packs" on large mountains.

I have done a fair share of soloing, mostly close to home, which includes Snoqualmie pass and the odd-ball Leavenworth route. These routes, while scary, never touched me in the way that alpine routes undertaken with partners did. When sharing a rope (or just the rock of a route) with a strong partner, there is a electricity between you that spurs you towards the summit, and whether or not it is reached is insignificant.

Remember Jack Nichalson in "A Few Good Men"? He asked Tom Cruise: "..have you ever put you life in another man'

s hands, or asked him to put his life in yours?" As climbers we can say: YES! That feeling of mutual trust when a challenging route is undertaken together is liberating and fulfilling.

I have never really been on an extreme route, yet my experiences in the mountains have been both eye-opening and fulfilling. Partners dictate our experiences and lessons, so I encourage you to chose wise, and realize that the summit is not the goal, rather the journey.

Sure, its nice to stand on top, but how much sweeter is it to share your high point with someone you truly care about? I'd rather struggle up a trade route with someone who I genuinely cared about, than attempt a First Winter Ascent with an individual I had no respect for. Some friends/partners I have had the pleasure of climbing with:

Luke Gullberg

Aaron Blankers

Mark Bunker

Kurt Hicks

Jens Klubberud

I sincerly belive that sharing a life challeninging experience is the most profound effect that climbing can have on us, and I continually seek that lucid moment...

Edited September 18, 2006 by scottgg

[Alpinfox]

 

I know Jens is a badass, but that route looks SICK!!!

[TeleRoss]

wtf?

[ivan]

word

[G-spotter]

If I died tomorrow, it would still take olyclimber and iain 2 years to get to 30,000 posts

 

If I died tomorrow, my project would get sent by someone else

 

If I died tomorrow, I would never find The Nodder. Oh My God!

 

If I died tomorrow it would probably take at least 3 days before anyone noticed cause it's a weekend

 

If I died tomorrow in the arms of Annabelle Bond, the number of hits on Climbing magazine's news page would cause a crash of the entire Interweb. So I'll tell her to be gentle.

[StevenSeagal]

If I died tomorrow...wait, that's impossible. I'm Hard to Kill.

[Couloir]

Nice work Scott. This is reminiscent of Chad's post awhile back.

[Lowell_Skoog]

Good post. Thanks.

 

When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced.

Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.

 

--Indian Proverb

[dinomyte]

I like these posts, and I don't really think they are the embodiment of alpine elitism as they are written from one POV.

 

But a few points occur to me:

 

The dog route can be as much of a challenge to some as 5.thunderfuck to another, and I admire those who try either just as much.

 

A lot of us have jobs in cubes and have been forced to join the corporate world. The pro snowboarding tour prolly isn't in my future. But, the important thing is to work to live, not live to work. My job affords me more gear!

 

I love climbing with a partner. That's how I learn! I mean, the alternative is to join the fuckin' Mazamas! But, at times, the solitude of the hills can be quite nice solo. It depends on your angle. Putting your life in another's hands can teach you something. Taking your life in your own can as well.

 

Elitism or not, all of us who do what we do, literally see the world from a point of view that very few get to see. The destination may give us that vantage point, but the journey show us the things inside ourselves that we may not have yet seen.

 

And, let's face it, it is nice to hit that pub afterward!!!!

[flyingpig]

if you die tomorrow, can i have your rack?

[sk]

if you die tomorrow, can i have your rack?

 

 

now that was funny!

 

if i died tomorrow my most profound accomplishment would be being the best mommy i can be (yes cheese so what) my funnest times and the best part of my life involve rock climbing and my climbing partners. If i die tomorrow i hope no one finds my journals. and i would hope that i would be remeber fondly and irreverently.I love my life. i love what i do 90% of the time weather i am at work or on the rock or driving somewhere inbetween. what i have found is not only can i find joy in most things, i don't have the time for something i can't find joy in.

[Winter]

If I dies tomorrow, I'd be dead AND hungover. I'll probably feel like I'm dead tomorrow morning anyway.

[celticclimber]

I can't die tomorrow, I haven't figured out how to explain everything yet to St. Peter at those pearly gates! ...seems I have some planning to do.

 

If I do die tomorrow, who is going to drink all of that Trout Slayer Ale in the fridge?

[dinomyte]

If you die tomorrow can I have your beer?

[ashw_justin]

We all died already but most of us are not done living yet

Still here, might as well do some cool shit tomorrow

 

 

 

 

 

Or maybe just study for orals

[Winter]

Nothing like orals to cure a good hangover!

[BillA]

Nothing like oral to cure a good hangover!

 

I couldn't agree more. Good post, by the way.

[pope]

That’s all great, but what about the adventure? Our ancestors constantly lived in a state of fear...could I find enough food to feed my family....how about fending off the attacking animals or tribesmen? Safeway and our strong military answer these contemporary questions, so where do we obtain our current adventure? Where do we give "death" the finger, and live to brag about it in a warm pub with close friends?

 

That's a romantic way to look at it. But if you could interview some of these acestors to whom you refer, you might find that they weren't looking for adventures. Life was pretty difficult, just putting food on the table and keeping the family warm and dry. The average family on the Oregon trail, the average tramp riding a train during the Depression...most of these people were just looking for an easier life.

 

Even today, talk to somebody who makes a living logging or farming in rural America (the way it used to be done) and you'll find that most of them don't have any longing for adventure, they don't go looking for hardship.

 

If I died tomorrow, if I died any time in the next 35 years, I'd feel I left work undone, I'd feel like I let people down who were counting on me for support, friendship, guidance, wisdom. I'd also feel cheated. I don't know what's on the other side, but I know things are pretty damn good right here, right now.

[thatcher]

If I died tomorrow, if I died any time in the next 35 years, I'd feel I left work undone, I'd feel like I let people down who were counting on me for support, friendship, guidance, wisdom. I'd also feel cheated.

 

you wouldn't feel anything. you would be dead. I talked to my dead uncle and he said that people don't feel anything after they die.

[flyingpig]

If I died tomorrow...wait, that's impossible. I'm Hard to Kill.

steven, so is the cc.com gig all your agent could land you, and how much is cc.com paying you?

[pope]

"If I died tomorrow...."

 

Here's a guy who saw it coming: Galois

[celticclimber]

If you die tomorrow can I have your beer?

 

 

...sure, actually, on second thought, I want to be buried with it.

[AllYouCanEat]

This thread reminds me of line from Aztec by Gary Jennings. It says,

 

You tell me then that I must perish

Like the flowers that I cherish

Nothing remembered of my fame

Nothing remembered of my name

But the gardens I planted still are young

The songs I sang still are sung

 

In light of that, I think the best any of us can do in life is leave behind something we are proud of in death and not necessarily a thing. It could be a memory of who you were leading to inspiration or courage for others? Any number of things really.

Edited September 18, 2006 by AllYouCanEat

[Dechristo]

it won't be tomorrow, it'll be the next moment.

[ken4ord]

.........I'd be dead and that would suck.