Aron Ralston keeps going

[Dugan]

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20041202/RECREATION08/40428008/-1/RECREATION07

The article (too long to paste here) says he's in the 6th year of his quest to climb the Colorado 14'ers. Solo. In winter.

 

[beverly]

He finished it last week

First person to solo Colorado 14ers in winter.
link

Ralston is the first climber to complete the Colorado fourteener winter solo project (by a count of 54, 59 or whatever). And he's just the third climber to reach the top of all the fourteeners in calendar winter (from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox).

Ralston started the project seven years ago, during the winter of 1998-99. He climbed 45 of the fourteeners, including all of the Elk Range fourteeners in the 2002-03 season, before the accident in Utah's Canyonlands in the spring of 2003 cost him his right wrist and hand. He bagged two peaks last winter and the final 12 since this December, including the privately owned Culebra, wearing a 10-pound suit of plate-mail ice because of a storm.

Of the 59 climbs, Ralston retreated, or turned back, only once

Quite the accomplishment, with or without a right hand/arm.

 

[Sherpa John]

WOW... I am both humbled and yet... speechless

 

[Barbarossa]

Quite the accomplishment, with or without a right hand/arm.

Is this the same guy who freed himself from a rock using his Leatherman?

Yep, he is. He can compete with Joe Simpson for toughest human alive.

 

[Artex]

Wow, 50+ peaks over 14k'? That's insane. Makes our mountains seem like anthills. However, they don't have the weather we do.

 

[vtlukekultv]

Is this the same guy who freed himself from a rock using his Leatherman?

Yep, he is. He can compete with Joe Simpson for toughest human alive.

everyone agrees that this guy is tough as nails, but it's easy to overlook how careless his actions were that day. i can't remember how many miles he was from a road, but he was climbing solo, without telling anyone where he went. this is breaking a couple of pretty big rules in any outdoor endeavour, and every time he's called a hero it should be taken with a grain of salt.

luke

 

[Maddy]

and every time he's called a hero it should be taken with a grain of salt.


"Experience is not what happens to a person, it's what a person does with what happens to him."
Aldous Huxley
IMHO Simpson and Ralston's actions were heroic. They both survived against incredible odds.
We all have the capacity to do foolish things. Huxley was quoted to me by my Outward Bound instructor when I did something incredibly stupid and dangerous on our expedition. The message was to do the "heroic" thing and press on rather than do the cowardly thing and quit.
It's folks like Joe and Aron that help to motivate me when life gets really tough here at home, at work or in the mountains.
They did not allow their mistakes to defeat them. I regard them as heroes and true sources of inspiration.

 

[jbrown]

I was impressed with Aron Ralston's story on tv enough to go out and buy his book. After reading the book, I was no less impressed with the strength and personal fortitude it took to extricate himself from a seemingly impossible situation. However, I must totally concur with the comments of vtlukekultv.

The message was to do the "heroic" thing and press on rather than do the cowardly thing and quit.

By that rationale, when I encounter the day-trippers hiking Algonquin in a pair of loafers, khaki shorts, polo shirt and sipping a Corona on their way past the treeline, they should be considered "heroic" an not be labeled for the misguided, future cadavers that they are. Determination or pressing on through some difficulties that life will throw at you is one admirable trait that people may demonstrate. Placing onesself in a situation as Aron did that day is a foolish display of very, very poor judgement and unacceptable arrogance.

I don't think that he belongs on the same pedestal as Joe Simpson by any stretch of the imagination.

Thanks for the great topic.

Bye for now,

Josh

 

[Jaytrek57]

jbrown

I agree with you, however, some would argue that Simpson (and Yates) made several small, compounding mistakes that lead to their ordeal.

I think we tend to focus on the mistakes rather than the choices after the mistakes. I admire both in this case.

peace.

 

[John H Swanson]

I too read Ralston's book and came away with the opinion that he was lucky to have lived long enough to get caught in that canyon. I stopped counting the number of times he almost killed himself because of (IMHO) stupid mistakes at 6. By his own admission, he has several friend that no longer speak with him because of his actions in the mountains.

I am impressed by his actions and accomplishments. He certainly knows how to push the envelope. Also, I will not be surpised if I hear of his early death.

We are lucky to live in a country where one can pursue endevors with this approach, if desired.

 

[tonycc]

By the standards of many "normal" people I know, the things I do for fun make me an idiot at best, completely insane at worst. I am much more conservative in my activities than numerous members of this board.

What is it that drives us to the high places? Makes us don crampons and ice tools? Is it because we love wilderness, the natural world, the solitude of our own thouights? Is it setting challenges and proving we can overcome them? Partially. As much as I hate to admit it out loud, part of it for me is knowing that I am consciously stepping towards the edge and looking out over the precipice. There is no greater realization and appreciation of life than when approaching death.

I think everyone does this in some small way. For some, riding a roller coaster is a daring, death defying act. For others, it could be just getting out of bed and driving to work. How close we get to the edge is a personal choice, and if we choose to get too close some call it a sickness. Others call it heroism.

For Aron, soloing the winter 14ers is much closer to the edge than most of us are willing to go. It doesn't matter if he tells everyone of his itinerary. Some of those peaks require expert technical skills in severe snow, ice and weather conditions. Any little mistake or freak occurence could result in death. The difficulty of the challenge is demonstrated by the number of people who have accomplished it, exactly one! He is one of only three to do it solo or with partners?!?! This is not due to lack of people making the attempt.

While he admits he made a mistake in not telling anyone where he went that infamous day, does it really surprise us? Compared to the challenges he had already accomplished, that trip down the slot canyon was nothing more than a walk in the park. His getting in trouble was a freak accident. The competence, fortitude and shear courage of self rescue is always admirable, at least for me.

Tony

 

[Trekkin]

The "hero" would've never had to amputate his own arm had he followed some elemental guidelines to wilderness travel. Did he have some amazing fortitude to be able to get out of there alive? Hell yes. Is he a smart backcountry traveller? Not in my mind, and I'd not want him as a companion. FWIW I went to school in CO, have a brother who's lived there for 10+yrs, and this guy is widely viewed as an idiot to those who love the same activities, albeit with a trace of a brain in their pursuits.

But folks will continue to drop their jaws at his story, so he'll milk his fifteen mintues for all they're worth (book and interview deals included).

 

[sierra]

OK this is a sore point with me I cant believe people like posters here have the balls to sit there and critise how other people live, please tell me who who are and how you earned that right, from what throne do you sit and preach from.
Me, Im a soloist, currantly soloing the 14,000 peaks in the continental USA, half done in CA, 30 done in CO where I am now. I do not tell anyone where I go, period. I climb in, up and down on my own or I dont come out.High stakes, IM not sure, but thats how I live MY life. I just backed of a peak due to deep snow and avalanche danger, after 23 yrs in the hills I rely on my skills to acheive my goals.
Go ahead and comment if you want, but frankly the people who critisize us soloist the most, will never understand the commitment and level of dedication involved in true soloing.
Bottom line, IM a Christian with close ties to god, if and when he wants me Im ready, that by the way is commitment.

 

[Sherpa John]

I have two comments if I may:

Tonycc - A truly compelling post which I truly enjoyed and relate with. Your word choice says it all and I commend you for having such intricate thought. What does drive us to the edge? In my film, I used a quote from Chip Browns Book, "Good Morning Midnight, Life and Death in the wild," which speaks of part of the adventure in hiking is that Peril is part of its equation.

Sierra - I am a newborn soloist myself. I have tons to learn of it and what even drove me to the thought of it. My goal is to hike all 48 NH 4,000 footers, solo, in winter, from all 4 points of the compass. Only one man ever has done it and thats Guy Waterman. Like many soloists, he was criticized for the way he went about things. However, I don't think its a matter of people criticizing so much as it is perhaps them just not understanding.

You see, this country is so unique in the essence that so many people learn in so many different ways. Some boy scouts, some girl scouts, some from pop or mom, some... on their own. But when they see a way different from their own, they get defensive to stand up for what it is they learned to believe in. Because anything different than what they learned... is WRONG in their mind and forever labelled as not good enough. IMHO. People feel threatened by those who act or appear to be "better than they."

Everyone does what they do in these mountains for whatever reason is theirs. Its not for us to judge what is right or wrong because in essence... there is NO right or wrong, only what those before us have taught us along the way. Leave No Trace, Hike Safe... right? Who knows if they actually are RIGHT... morally right for the protection of our forests? Yes. Aaron doing what he does right? To some of us probably not. Morally right? To him... yes. And so he'll do it... because of whats right or wrong... but because to Aaron.. thats life... HIS life.

OK... i'll step off the soapbox now. Thanks!

Oh.. one more thing... Aaron a Hero? To some.. YES. For us to decide? NO

 

[John H Swanson]

please tell me who who are and how you earned that right, from what throne do you sit and preach from.

When you have been involved in SAR - looking for people that need rescuing because of their stupid mistakes, then you have earned the right to critizie them.

I just backed of a peak due to deep snow and avalanche danger, after 23 yrs in the hills I rely on my skills to acheive my goals.

Unfortunately Aron was not as safety conciencious as you - as is evidenced in his book. This was my point.

Go ahead and comment if you want, but frankly the people who critisize us soloist the most, will never understand the commitment and level of dedication involved in true soloing..

It's not about going solo, it's about being stupid. Many of the people who have critisized him are acomplished hikers that have gone solo before.

Bottom line, IM a Christian with close ties to god, if and when he wants me Im ready, that by the way is commitment.

It has NOTHING to do with religion. You may be ready for the afterlife, but using that as a defense for your body not being found is quite selfish and does not consider the affect your non returning will have on your loved ones ... assume you have them.

JHS

 

[Puma concolor]

One thing I've learned by commenting on Ralston on another board is that some people absolutely don't want to hear any criticism of this man, no matter how poignantly stated the critique is.

Ralston is an amateur adventurer not unlike many here and has done some cool things and some real dumb things. As a soloist myself, I'm not going to criticize that aspect of it. However, as John Swanson points out, Ralston has a long history of recklessness that is well documented in a well-written and entertaining book. Just months before his now famous Blue John Canyon incident, he nearly killed several others in a massive avalanche that he triggered. Not much positive there. Climbing the 14ers in winter, though, is very cool.

Lots of good things can be said about him; lots of bad things can also be said. He is an interesting character, but I would reserve the word "hero" for those mentioned in the below tagline.

 

[Maddy]

Webster:
HERO: a man admired for his achievements and qualities/one that shows great courage.

The definition does not say the "PERFECT man who shows great courage".
In my first post I referred to Aron as one of my heroes.
I admire Aron because of his "achievements", and because he showed "great courage" in the face of adversity. Does he not acknowledge that he learned from his mistakes??? I suspect that just like the rest of us he will make a few more along the way. Some more STUPID than others.

I don't want Aron, Joe S., or countless other mountaineers to be without flaws. Just think of a press release that would read" Aron Ralston, the perfect mountaineer, who at his tender age has never made a mistake, has successfully completed his solo peak ascents in CO". On the flip side it would also be very dull if we did not have those folks who love to demean other people's accomplishments. We have a nice balance which is what makes the world go 'round. Constructive/destructive. Positive/negative. It would be very boring if we all agreed with each other. The learning process would come to a grinding halt!
There is a topic on these forums where some of us refer to Brutus as a "hero".By doing so I think people are affording the mountain Newf and Kevin respect for their "achievements".
Can't we at least put Aron in the same catergory as Brutus? After all did Brutus climb the 48 abiding the rules of doggie mountaineering???
Was he on leash at all times? Did he frighten any unsuspecting hikers?
Did he knock any body down??? If he is guilty of any infractions would that make him any less a "hero"? Would that make his accomplishments dangerous and not worthy of consideration???
I really don't think Aron is all that bad! Young maybe, trying to survive the "I am invincible" years, foolish sometimes but what a great teacher!
Like it or not we cannot deny that he has "accomplished great things" and that his self-rescue was anything less than very courageous". He has incredible determination and perseveres in the face of adversity. GO ARON!
LOVE YA! ( BRUTUS TOO!!!)

 

[Sherpa John]

Very true maddy... I've heard the question brought up many times on... if brutus was hoisted up sections via harness and rope... then did he REALLY hike all 48? WHO THE HELL CARES?! YOU DANG RIGHT HE DID!

Great points!

 

[RGF1]

The "hero" would've never had to amputate his own arm had he followed some elemental guidelines to wilderness travel. Did he have some amazing fortitude to be able to get out of there alive? Hell yes. Is he a smart backcountry traveller? Not in my mind, and I'd not want him as a companion. FWIW I went to school in CO, have a brother who's lived there for 10+yrs, and this guy is widely viewed as an idiot to those who love the same activities, albeit with a trace of a brain in their pursuits.

Trekkin , I also have family in CO and hike there every June and sometimes in the fall. You are correct many that know Ralston view him as dangerous and reckless. In his book I take it he talks about the avalanche he triggered! . Had he checked the avalanche conditions for that day, which can be done on the Internet. He would have seen they were considerable to extreme where he was. Many experienced climbers out west will not climb with him at all I think that the two other people who where caught in his avalanche will not hike climb or ski with him. In fact if I recall they we both against skiing when Ralston just took off. And set off the avalanche. Others are right had he simply let some one else know where he was going he would not have had to cut his hand off.
Sure it takes guts to do that but it takes more guts to have some humility and back off when the situation is getting dangerous or worse. . If a few people who know Ralston could chime in here, that would be interesting to read. I do know a person in Aspen Mountain Rescue, he despises Ralston and thinks he is a self absorbed jerk who places himself and others in danger. . I think the SAR people who deal with Ralston opinions are of great value when discussing him. He is by no means a hero I think of him in the same manner as Aspen SAR To put it into perspective if he was some so called” yahoo” who did that every one would be criticizing him as a idiot and deserving what he got
I solo often and I have climbed 14,000 ft peaks in the winter (it is nice to have free lodging!) I always tell people my route and if I am going to be late or am taking a room because I feel to tired to drive I let them know it is called being responsible.


Here is a intersting artical about his book. The two skiers who were with him in the Avalanche now have nothing to do with him and there is more.
Sounds like he enjoys this stuff .
http://www.whatzup.com/Features/br120904.html

A little more on Ralston read what to Everest climbers say about him Apsen Mt Rescue Thinks he will eventaull be the nxt rescue bait Meaning he will be involved in a dangerous rescue .
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20030321/SPORTS/303200031&SearchID=73202435595873

A litle more about the Guy. http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20030313/ASPENWEEKLY/303120006&SearchID=73202435595873 After reading thease articals it appears clear that Ralston enjoys danger and pushing himself over the line. He is not a hero at all.
I have climbed easy 14,000 ft peaks such as Elbert or Quandry in the Winter. .I have Climbed Bell Cord in the spring when most sane climbers do . It is a long tought and at times scary route . I would not even think of doing it in the winter. Other posters are right this is not about going solo it isabout being reckless .

 

[Maddy]

RFG1
Thank you so much for sharing the articles. I really enjoyed them.
In one of his many books Reinhold Messner stated that "50% of climbers freeze, plunge to, or otherwise meet their death in the mountains". At the time he was referring to Everest, K2,Denali, etc.
RM has a lengthy list of outrageous accomplishments and still walks the face of this earth. On Nanga Parbat he crawled and was without water or food for five days after his brother was killed in an avalanche. Reinhold is well aware that some folks love him and respect his accomplishments and others despise him, or at the very least think he is a flaming fool.
In one article it mentions that Aron feels he is driven to do what he does. He loves it. It's in his blood. He also appears to feel a great deal of remorse for his mistakes ( the avalanceh fiasco). Like so many others gone before him, he may very well "plunge to, freeze, or otherwise meet his death in the mountains". I will be very sad if this happens and I will shed tears for him just as I have for the many who did great climbs and for whom the bells have tolled. If one reads enough about these folks you feel a strong connection to them. At least I do. They have all inspired me. Perhaps "hero" is too strong a word but they are all my heroes. I more often than not hike solo and often think of them when I'm out there. They give me courage. I cannot even imagine hating them.
I look forward to seeing how Aron's life evolves. I hope he survives to write many more books about his adventures and all that he has learned along the way. I would love to meet him, shake his "hand", and say thank you.