Books we love!

ghaznavid wrote: Just finished reading Naked Mountain:

Its an amazing story. Its crazy, Reinhold and Gunter Messner spent a night in the open at 8000m with only a space blanket, no sleeping bags, ground mats or anything.

It seems that to this day, only the Messner brothers have ever climbed the entirety of the Merkyl Coulier. Both soloed it, and Gunter managed to do the entire coulier in 4 hours - insane for a 800m extreme climb at over 7000m...

Though Gunther paid the ultimate price for the effort.

Was lucky enough to meet RM at a function in London last December. Its always hard to say something sensible to someone like that. A few weeks ago he was interviewed on BBC radio after the incident on Mnt Maudit near Chamonix - there was an avalanche in which a number of people died. The media are always so clever after the fact and Reinhold was able to put them right in the most precise way. The interviewer was lost for anything to say after that.

I knew that Gunter was going to die before I even started reading the book, but for some or other reason (maybe just how well the book is written) I really wanted him to survive as they came down the Daimir Face. It was so sad when he died - especially after the incredible achievement he had just completed, so much for being off the dangerous part of the mountain...

I am so jealous! Of all the famous mountaineers there is not one I would like to meet more than Messner. I should try to get hold of that interview, maybe on Youtube or something, should be good.

mnt_tiska wrote:

ghaznavid wrote: A few weeks ago he was interviewed on BBC radio after the incident on Mnt Maudit near Chamonix - there was an avalanche in which a number of people died. The media are always so clever after the fact and Reinhold was able to put them right in the most precise way. The interviewer was lost for anything to say after that.

Came across this:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18834085

Interesting article, and I see the link to the story of Gunter Messner's death and subsequent discover of the body - interesting stuff.

There were some additional interesting bits to the info reported on BBC web article Kliktrak pointed us to. While the journo/news reporter was casting about for blame, RM said that when we walk down the street, there are authorities who are responsible for our safety and putting in the infrastructure to keep us safe. When something goes wrong, we blame those responsible for the infrastructure. Mountains are not like that and can't be like that. If there is an accident, the responsibility is with those who chose to be there - not anyone else.

Mapping onto this is the trend now for people without the experience to be guided up big mountains. RM was emphatic that the learning curve which he experienced through his life and which is a key part of the reason his surived many climbs, is now being removed by guiding. Many more deaths are the result.

After years of looking out for it in second hand book stores I picked up a copy of M.L. Pearse's Camera in Quathlamba today. A great book that lived up to my expectations, definately worth getting if you ever have the chance. Its interesting comparing its black and white photos to the all colour ones in Encounters with the Dragon. Both are great books that just make me want to head out and explore areas in the berg I've yet to see!

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