Weekend_Climberz Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 climbers. Yeah, yeah, the one having the most fun, right Seriously though, there's been a lot of pretty serious mountaineers and rock climbers coming straight outta of da PNW, wurd . To name a few: Whittaker's, Wickwire, Viesturs, Simonson, House, V. Anderson, a few that post here even. But what about other countries that most of us Americans never hear about. The Russians had a pretty serious investment in their climbers before the "Iron Curtain" fell and their country was split up. Hell, Boukoreev used to live in Seattle for a while and he wrote about alot of his old comrades whom he trained with in the Russian programs that had to kick the habit and find "real" work. So, back to my question, what country has produced the strongest climbers to date and is it a simple matter of geographic position (big mountains nearby) or a genetic fluke that might cause it? Quote
dt_3pin Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 As far as alpinists go, I'd think Poland . . . Voytek Kurtyka, Jerzy Kukuczka, Krzysztof Wielicki, the list goes on. Quote
kevbone Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Will you define "climbers" please? Are you talking mountaineers? Or rock climbing? You know the deference between God and mountaineers is? God doesn’t think he is a mountaineer! Quote
NYC007 Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Viesturs(mountaineer) and House(alpinist), which are ya looking for? Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 19, 2007 Author Posted January 19, 2007 I think the definition of a "Climber" is moot. My reasoning behind this would be that most of the true greats from Messner to Bonatti all started rock climbing as teens for the most part, and graduated into alpine mountaineering. Maybe I should have stated, best all arounder. Whatever, some good names have popped up so far. looking to move? Maybe... Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 19, 2007 Author Posted January 19, 2007 Best all arounder? Steve house. Messner would skunk House hands down...how many 8000er's has House solo'd without oxygen?? Quote
ericb Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Interesting......House did Cho Oyu in a day sans oxygen, just for fun. He doesn't seem to have any desire to join the 12 - 14 ner bandwagon, so we might never know how they stack up. He seems to much prefer more technical climbs at lower altitude, so it's a tough comp. He does some pretty technical stuff though. The impressive thing about Messner is he did his climbing before a lot of the newer lighter warmer gear. Quote
StreetBoss Posted January 19, 2007 Posted January 19, 2007 Best all arounder? Steve house. Messner would skunk House hands down...how many 8000er's has House solo'd without oxygen?? bah ha ha Ever heard of Steve Swenson doucebags???? Yeah Messner is/was THE man (he even was a rad rock climber before the toes were cut off) but all around. Hands down Steve is DA MAN Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 19, 2007 Author Posted January 19, 2007 I heard rumors that he's a bit lost as what to do now that he did the Rupal Face. Steve is definately high on the list of all time greatest all arounders and deserves mucho props, but I still think that there are/were others greater. Quote
pms Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 difficult to argue with dt_3pin, but here's another vote for SS, and George Lowe too. Quote
RuMR Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 swenson gets my vote...very understated, and has a family life and a career that have nothing to do with climbing/mountaineering and still puts stuff down... plus, he's not a shit spewing punk like house or twat/twight (at least in the mags)... anyone check out that gymjones.com site?? WE ARE SO CORE MAN, JUST CORE... Quote
G-spotter Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 you guys ever hear of Marko Preselj? He's the one who leads all the hard pitches for House... Quote
kevbone Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 Best all arounder? Steve house. Messner would skunk House hands down...how many 8000er's has House solo'd without oxygen?? Messner was the shit. I agree. But Steve House has put up the craziest athletic alpine routes imaginable. Try climbing 6000 feet of water ice/rock and snow and back to the tent on the glacier in a 60 push with no tent or sleeping gear. All the crampons on. Thats fucked up! Quote
goatboy Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 What does it mean when Kevbone says, "all the crampons on???" Quote
crazy_t Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 (edited) You have to look at them in context, you can't compare them. For example, when Messner climbed Everest w/o oxygen, it was in the face of a legion of doctors, scientists who thought a human could not exist in those conditions, would just die. He was like a spaceman, heading into some stuff that was heavy. He broke huge ground, but it was carefully done, advanced in his personal continuum and experience. He wasn't a huge gambler, just had skills and huge faith in himself. He broke a lot of ground, paved the way for so many, then moved on to the next stage and stages of his life. epic. House is in a similar place, but in a different time. He is able to take advantage of better gear, technique, access. But he is sticking his neck out as well, knows his "work", and is advancing it in a way that is meaningful to him, like an art. Another groundbreaker. SS and Marko too. I have known a lot of Eastern European climbers. No one epic, really, I just spend a lot of time in Russia but don't know any of the "stars". But I like how they rely on very little (notwithstanding the well-publicized epic siege climbs of late). The Russian and Eastern European spirit values suffering, knows it is good for the soul. They can hunker down and suffer with the best. They just go for it, often preferring less to more. Sometimes to a fault, but I still like their spirit. Some of the newer, younger ones now have the means to travel more than their counterparts 20 years ago, and have a little $ for the new gear, and are rocking it. But House is right up there at the top, I think. Cool stuff. The original question? I think historically Poland is strong, Slovenia. US has had some badasses too! Edited January 20, 2007 by crazy_t Quote
kevbone Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 What does it mean when Kevbone says, "all the crampons on???" It dosent! I ment to say all with crampons on. Sorry. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 mugs if he was still kicking Fuck Mugs, that route stealing bastard. This is a stupid thread, by the way. Quote
kevbone Posted January 20, 2007 Posted January 20, 2007 This is a stupid thread, by the way. Wow Dirty....for once we agree. Quote
Buckaroo Posted January 21, 2007 Posted January 21, 2007 Messner was bad but Jerzy Kukuczka did the 14ers in better style, all either first ascents or first winter ascents. Messner had titanium crampons, Kukuczka had ham and vodka. Dave Cheesemond George Lowe Catherine Destivelle Wanda Rutkiewicz Quote
drater Posted January 21, 2007 Posted January 21, 2007 I can smell the reak of fanboyism all the way over here in Idaho. Shamefull. Quote
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