AT - Alpine Style - UPDATE

[truepatriot09]

http://outside-blog.away.com/

 

[skiguy]

Hey at least he gave it a try....good line item for his resume if he ever applies for AMC hut croo

http://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/images/whtmtn-histhutcrew-summer.jpg

 

[Chip]

http://outside-blog.away.com/

"Coup quickly found that hiking with the weight equivalent of an average woman fastened to his back “really s*cked.” "

I guess he's not married...

KIDDING !!! Kidding...

I was going to say; We all could have told him hiking with that much weight would s*ck.
My heaviest back has been under half of what he tried.

 

[arm]

Coup quickly found that hiking with the weight equivalent of an average woman fastened to his back “really s*cked.”

you'd think the founder of go-lite would have carried an inflatable woman ...

 

[skiguy]

A couple of links for those of you that are married and looking for more Brew

http://portlandme.about.com/cs/recreation/a/WifeCarrying.htm

http://www.scandinavica.com/culture/sports/wife.htm

 

[DougPaul]

Seems to me he forgot that one of the principles of Alpine Style is "light and fast"...

Doug

 

[dr_wu002]

Lame

I think it's dumb. Free publicity for failure -- I doubt he ever intended to go more than a few days.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Snowflea]

My only reaction is...

"Well... DUH!"

 

[cbcbd]

I'm also not surprised... I just wouldn't want to put my body through all of that damage.

But... I am curious - Does anyone know who holds the 620 mile "alpine style backpacking" record, and if so, how did they do it?
I did some searching and found nothing.

 

[skiguy]

My only reaction is...

"Well... DUH!"

I'll secound that

Golite packs are good for what they are intended for.....but of course you can't carry a couch in a garbage bag out to the curb without the bottom falling out of the bag....DUH!

 

[sleeping bear]

I can't even imagine carrying 127 pounds. He's probably lucky he didn't injure himself- of course I know nothing about what sort of training he did for that- although I guess the answer is evident (not enough).

Outside online used to have a podcast where Eric Hansen (??) went to the Himalaya to carry loads with the sherpas. His struggles with carrying the heavy loads was pretty humorous.

 

[truepatriot09]

I think it's dumb. Free publicity for failure -- I doubt he ever intended to go more than a few days.

-Dr. Wu

I can assure you, that while the goal was perhaps obviously too lofty to most, his intentions were pure.

 

[TomD]

I'm also not surprised... I just wouldn't want to put my body through all of that damage.

But... I am curious - Does anyone know who holds the 620 mile "alpine style backpacking" record, and if so, how did they do it?
I did some searching and found nothing.

I think you are referring to Ryan Jordan and two other guys from BackpackingLight. Jordan twisted an ankle or something like that and dropped out earlier, but I think at least one of them made it about 1000 Kms, which was their goal.

Google or Yahoo Ryan Jordan's name and his website should pop up, plus some accounts about the trip. They carried only 50-60 lbs. which is a lot more reasonable.

http://www.ryanjordan.com/2006_arctic/

 

[cbcbd]

Wow, amazing read, thanks Tom!

"They traveled at night, and slept during the day - minimizing the amount of insulating gear they had to carry." - clever!

 

[DougPaul]

"They traveled at night, and slept during the day - minimizing the amount of insulating gear they had to carry." - clever!

That trick is sometimes done by high altitude (eg Himalayan) moutaineers attempting super-light alpine-style climbs. The night-time snow may also be firmer.

Doug