Useless Summit Poster

[crackers]

...and summit post is a waste of time...so much bad beta mostly from people who don't get out much but really enjoy talking about being out...

 

While I mostly agree with the above, as somebody who's spent way too much time on many of the climbing websites in the world, I have to take a bit of exception to the above. I know that some of the more or less regular posters there include the correspondents for Alpinist and/or the AAJ for Antarctica, the Eastern Alps, Chamonix, CIS, and parts of Spain & France.

 

Of course, when they give good advice, nobody listens to a word they have to say, but ...

[Bug]

What did you say?

[KirkW]

...and summit post is a waste of time...so much bad beta mostly from people who don't get out much but really enjoy talking about being out...

 

While I mostly agree with the above, as somebody who's spent way too much time on many of the climbing websites in the world, I have to take a bit of exception to the above. I know that some of the more or less regular posters there include the correspondents for Alpinist and/or the AAJ for Antarctica, the Eastern Alps, Chamonix, CIS, and parts of Spain & France.

 

Of course, when they give good advice, nobody listens to a word they have to say, but ...

 

I'm sure that lots of great people post over there but IMO the mods are a bunch of fucking wankers more concerned about pretty pictures and people's feelings rather than accurate beta and a good exchange of ideas. Time and again I've headed out armed with "solid beta" from SP only to find out that the person who posted it must have been blind, retarded or both. This isn't just once or twice mind you but several times. Sooner or later you have to ask yourself why the fuck you're bothering. After my last attempt to get them to correct a route page that had enormous, obvious and dangerously misleading errors about crevasses on a route that I had just climbed. I was banned because I wasn't nice enough in my suggestion that maybe they don't let 12 year old's post route descriptions and present it as the word of hardened alpinists. I am a noob... but I'd rather go out with no beta than beta from that cess pool. Lot's of pretty pictures though if that's your thing.

 

...and Will...posting his name was a pretty shit head thing to do in my opinion. I'd like to hear his side of the story. If Will Hockitt isn't your name please post your's as well so I know who else I need to avoid climbing with . Did you even read his website before you took off on your climb? Obviously a noob with a little bit of coin to spare. Again I gotta say... bad on you for dealing with this here instead of in camp. Shitty deal for all involved.

 

 

[Bug]

Thank you Will.

[Plaidman]

From his web site, it appears he is use to doing guided climbs: previously on Denali (RMI) and in the Pickets, a day toproping an icefall in Michigan as part of a class....I guess I understand a bit better now. Wow, ambitious guy, wants to crank off the 7 summits....

 

...maybe "do you have a web site" will be a question we need to start asking new partners:-) My friend Dave has one, he doesn't get out much anymore as he's been bike racing. http://www.englishengineering.com/dave/adventures/adventures.html It would be a good way to evaluate a parner, you see they did a trip to the Cirque of the Unclimbables with a few buddies, should give you an idea.....

 

I like your friends stuff. He sounds like a riot. I am reading his Half Dome Assent TR. Awesome.

[RJRiha]

Just an observation here but you can see how well the mentoring thing worked out (or didn't) for Josh Lewis when he was outed on this site by someone from SP.

 

Speaking of which, we haven't heard from Josh in a long time. I wonder if he learned anything from this site, or if he's up to his same old game.

[rocketparrotlet]

Just an observation here but you can see how well the mentoring thing worked out (or didn't) for Josh Lewis when he was outed on this site by someone from SP.

 

Speaking of which, we haven't heard from Josh in a long time. I wonder if he learned anything from this site, or if he's up to his same old game.

 

The mentoring thing is working fine. He's a lot more responsible than he was half a year ago. Banning him from SP didn't do crap though but make everybody angry and satisfy the admins.

 

-Mark

[Dane]

Useless post.

[rocketparrotlet]

Useless post.

 

Who, me?

[rocky_joe]

Useless post.

 

irony?

[Dane]

Not you Mark.

My mistake...should have said, "useless thread".

 

[ivan]

10$ says yer boy doesn't smoke weed

 

pretty much the 1st item on the checklist when it comes for x-pedition partners

[rocky_joe]

that's first for you?!?! Ivan, you gotta sort out your priorities when looking for a (climbing) partner. Clearly the first item on the climbing partner should be tits. Check yes = game on. check no = ask more questions.

[billcoe]

that's first for you?!?! Ivan, you gotta sort out your priorities when looking for a (climbing) partner. Clearly the first item on the climbing partner should be tits. Check yes = game on. check no = ask more questions.

 

uhhh, Ivans wife has a different checklist I think.

[ivan]

that's first for you?!?! Ivan, you gotta sort out your priorities when looking for a (climbing) partner. Clearly the first item on the climbing partner should be tits. Check yes = game on. check no = ask more questions.

getting out of the tent is apparently unavoidable part of climbing

[Bug]

Not you Mark.

My mistake...should have said, "useless thread".

And yet,you choose to participate.

Self loathing perhapas?

[Lafayette]

Surprise, my name is indeed Will Hockett. I choose an avatar that reveals my identity, and stand behind my words.

 

As for the uselessness, probably right. A juvenile revenge, but after a few weeks it felt good. In my defense, I,d point out that this is hardly the first post to waste time. Hopefully, it will serve as a reminder to others when the look for a partner online.

 

I,ve also met a number of great climbing partners online. I,m an intermediate level climber with time to commit. Its been tough to find enough partners that are as eager to get out.

 

As for evaluating; plenty was done pre-trip. It wasn,t exactly easy to find a partner willing to ditch girl, job, or dog for a 3 week trip in South America. On the phone paul had plenty of tech skills from the ascents he,s done. He also had two trips, one independent on Denali. He sounded personable and amiable on the phone. My other partner, Mike and I didn,t have any expedition experience so we were looking for the extra knowledge. All that could have been done in pre-trip planning and evaluation was done.

 

Lastly, most of my climbs have been in OR and WA. I,d never seen much of the guide industry, let alone other climbers. In Ecuador and in Argentina we were both appalled and amazed by the minimal level of skill that can be hauled up a mountain by a guide. I was impressed with the guides and appalled by some of their clients. On Acon the guides were exremely helpful to our independent group with weather, and route info. Those thanks will be doled out in the TR.....eventually.

[tvashtarkatena]

It seems like this revenge was primarily self inflicted.

Edited January 2, 2010 by tvashtarkatena

[sobo]

...On the phone paul had plenty of tech skills from the ascents he,s done. He also had two trips, one independent on Denali. He sounded personable and amiable on the phone. My other partner, Mike and I didn,t have any expedition experience so we were looking for the extra knowledge. All that could have been done in pre-trip planning and evaluation was done.

So now the truth comes out... You imply that Paul had the requisite technical skills and base of experience from which to draw for the climb, but that you and your partner Mike lacked expedition experience. So each thought they could profit from the skills of the other by enlarging the group to encompass the three of you all. Paul profits from your group's "security in numbers" and your group profits from Paul's expedition experience. I think that you should now own up to some level of culpability in your group's decision to accept and retain Paul in your group, now that you admit to lacking the experience for the climb you attempted. Methinks you protest too much...

[Dane]

A juvenile revenge, but after a few weeks it felt good. In my defense, I'd point out that this is hardly the first post to waste time.

 

 

Guilty of wasting time and band width myself.

 

As far as juvenile revenge? This thread reads like a 12 year old girl's heart broken lament with her girl friends then piling on.

 

I've had terrible partners and clients. Been a terrible partner or guide in someone's eyes I suspect. Been left by partners on climbs and left partners on climbs. And had many more incredible partners and clients. None of the above met over the Internet. But many I'd never met until we got off the plane in some far way airport.

 

There are always two sides to every story.

Dinner and a beer after a climb might be considered a "thank you" or a tip....guess your "client" didn't think you worthy.

 

You start hauling someone's gear for them, you have at some level taken responsibility for them in the mtns. You should have had this discussion in private on the mtns weeks ago. And then that conversation should have stayed private, IMO. Still unclear if you met on the mountain or now as it seems, the trip was originally planned as a three some.

 

Haven't even heard the other guy's side. He has no place to go but up

 

 

 

[tvashtarkatena]

irony.

[Bug]

 

Maybe you're just jealous of our impetuous youth Dane?

 

I stick by my assessment. Narcissist. Avoid him. Thank you Will.

[Bug]

Time to go slow shoeing with my kind and giving wife.

 

[tvashtarkatena]

and to explore all the settings on my new used microwave, courtesy of same.

 

Just another day in the relativistic universe.

[Lafayette]

Thanks Bug, it seems that after satiating the initial curiousity of the community the ire has turned against me. However, Dane is right. Paul probably should post a reply. As I stated earlier I,m no saint. So for future partners he can go nowhere but up, I have yet to post a full TR to lay out the case.

 

In fact I was the last person to join the team. Luckily for Mike, otherwise it wouldn{t have worked out when Paul backed out at base camp. Mike and I have all the tech skills, this mountain was by no means a stretch. At this point these facts are just whining.

 

My revenge was but one small part of the point of this thread, and not what I set out to do. With luck his next set of Acon partners will do a google search and have this come up. It also forced me to confront him and lay out exactly how he disapointed, and laid out some specific items for future trips. Those two reasons made this exercise worth while to me. I may take my lumps from a bunch of bloggers, but so it goes. I stand by my statements.

 

With this post I{ll end my participation in this thread and we can all get back to the important tasks were were doing before.

 

Edited January 2, 2010 by whoiswillhockett