04 January 2009
Dead reconing
Category: Opinion
At the start of the hard climbing. Due to the deep snow and too much kit I’m totally spent. Got three emails from my son Ewen asking where I am and another from Karen hoping I’m safe. I think a phone a bad idea. As is having people who love you if your going to try stupid shit like this.
Starting this morning I put my solo belay device upside down. I didn’t even have the energy to sort my rack and in my mind the eiger stretched on to heaven.
Trying to solo the eiger has required all the skills and tricks i have. But finally it comes down to knowing when you’re beat. Its time to bail.
A Snickers bar costs 60p. Were these words worth as much?
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Andy Kirkpatrick
Andrew Kirkpatrick is a British mountaineer, author, motivational speaker and monologist. He is best known as a big wall climber, having scaled Yosemite's El Capitan 30+ times, including five solo ascents, and two one day ascents, as well as climbing in Patagonia, Africa, Alaska, Antarctica and the Alps.
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