Shackleton and the Endurance

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

That was Captain Oats. Scott's expedition. The quote was." I'm going outside now. I may be some time." And he was. Still out there. He detested Scott at the end.

We all detest Scots, in the end :-)

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I have also read about the more recent disasters. Everest, it seems, never ceases to draw people in. Some of whom should never have attempted it.

Everest is no picnic, but apparently it's far from being the most technically difficult of the 8000ers. I know nothing about mountaineering, it's just what I've read and picked up from documentaries.
The only time I went rock climbing was in the valley across from Dinorwig, in Gwynedd. I was absolutely terrified the whole time. Roped up, but all I could think about was this great space at my back, which was death.
The problem with Everest is that it has virtually become an industry — a very lucrative one at that — with far too many people with more money than sense absolutely determined to get up to that summit, to say (back in San Diego or wherever) “I stood on the top of Everest”.
Base camp is apparently a bear garden now in high season.
K2 is the real killer. I'm very fascinated by K2. The fact that it doesn't even have a proper name is already menacing. I mentioned that Shackleton is one of my heroes. I've got a ton of respect for Ed Viesturs, for similar sorts of reasons. Viesturs is one of that select band of people who've done all the 8000ers on the planet (most of which are in the Karakoram, as it happens). It's a very small group of mountaineers. But Viesturs has a rule of thumb which seems eminently sane – and Shackletonian – to me: if you don't live to tell the tale, you haven't climbed the mountain. So, not infrequently, he's turned back when only a few hundred metres from the summit — knowing that if he forced it he'd leave his body and those of his party on that mountainside.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Here I am, sitting in my comfortable adjustable seat, typing at my computer. Had my two mugs of tea for breakfast and a kind of muffin (barm!), it's warm, sun's shining through the window. Spring's here.
I wonder why these people — Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen, Chris Bonington, Ranulph Fiennes, Ed Viesturs (and a few women who I'm probably forgetting), not leaving out Franklin and my greatest hero of all, Captain Cook — go and do this stuff…

 

[dobingsdobber]

I bump what I said earlier to another poster. Check out the beautiful and mournful “Lord Franklin” by Pentangle (on Youtube). The brilliant acoustic guitarist Bert Jansch takes the lead, and his understated voice seems to convey everything about that ill-fated expedition. Jacqui McShee doing haunting harmonies behind his voice. Someone plays a sea-shanty type accordion behind it — just moaning chords — which is perfect.

Been performing this song for many years,it's an almost permanent item on my set lists and is much requested up and down the country.Beautiful song,almost a lament.Nice to know it's made an impression on your good self.

 

[Protein Junkie]

Here I am, sitting in my comfortable adjustable seat, typing at my computer. Had my two mugs of tea for breakfast and a kind of muffin (barm!), it's warm, sun's shining through the window. Spring's here.
I wonder why these people — Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen, Chris Bonington, Ranulph Fiennes, Ed Viesturs (and a few women who I'm probably forgetting), not leaving out Franklin and my greatest hero of all, Captain Cook — go and do this stuff…

Because it’s there :-)

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Because it’s there :-)

I spent my teens in south Manchester. But I never felt the need to go to Oldham!

 

[Protein Junkie]

I spent my teens in south Manchester. But I never felt the need to go to Oldham!

Was hoping you’d have noticed it’s Mallory quote about Mount Everest :-)

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Was hoping you’d have noticed it’s Mallory quote about Mount Everest :-)

I was vaguely aware of it. But while we're on quotes from mountaineers, I'd like to quote one which exactly sums up my feelings about winning the CL. Eric Shipton, on the subject of Everest: "Let's climb the bloody thing, and then we can get back to real mountaineering”.

 

[Protein Junkie]

I was vaguely aware of it. But while we're on quotes from mountaineers, I'd like to quote one which exactly sums up my feelings about winning the CL. Eric Shipton, on the subject of Everest: "Let's climb the bloody thing, and then we can get back to real mountaineering”.

Ha like it :-)

 

[idahoblues]

Is anyone else on here also fascinated by the Mallory and Irvine story?
Think there was a thread about it once.
I became interested in it years ago, and when they found Mallory's body I couldn't believe how little time that particular expedition had taken to find it. It was wonderful really, such a brave man. Reckless yes, and his family left behind (including very young children) would have much preferred it if he had stayed home, and not gone on that last attempt.
Yet there was something magnificent in that whole story.
I bought a book many years ago that had photos of Everest at that time. Everest was beautiful, but also (in a way) "beckoning" so I can understand all the climbers at that time (not just Mallory).

I really hope they find Irvine's body one day, and give him the "decent" burial they afforded Mallory.

There's just something very pure about how they did that.

I have also read about the more recent disasters. Everest, it seems, never ceases to draw people in. Some of whom should never have attempted it.

‘Into thin air’ by Jon Krakauer is a great read too