Hemingway and Mt. Washington vs Nanga Parbat

Ernest Hemingway said "There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games" (I feel it's only right to include the fact that Steve House quoted this during a bivy on the side of a mountain)

The machismo in this sport is so palpable, I probably need not even write any more about it. In fact, I am willing to bet nobody wants to read about it. Nor does anyone want to read some observations of its grace, or anything of that nature. Something I have noticed though is that once one takes on a mountain- even the silly little Cascade volcanoes I climb- all other sports, pastimes and activities seem to lack the epic scale. In comparison, other activities, while perhaps requiring as many or more years of dedication and practice, and untold quantities of skill, do not pull at ones imagination the same way; they feel like games. Or perhaps climbing a mountain is much more than sport.

I feel at times I risk redundancy in my descriptions of something I still have such limited experience. My words tend to take on that of a groupie at a concert; I observe the music more than I can play it. Sure, I have started to develop an intense passion for mountaineering, and I drool over beta, photos, descriptions and stories. But aside from challenging myself with some easy climbs over exposure, and working on exploring and expanding my limits, what have I done? Nobody knows how many have climbed these mountains, for counting the hoards of people scrambling up them is impossible. Few appreciate what I have accomplished, but most are aware it is still a feasible task for anyone who can focus a few hours and face a small amount of risk.

I do not live up to the giants of this sport. I am not even an ankle biter to them. I see what they accomplish, and I feel small. Yes- I am facing the same thing they are in myself; I challenge my limits, I take calculated risks, and I feel triumph at the peak. I enjoy the experience as much as the summit. But if you measure the man by what he does in his life, those measurements are certainly hard to compare. I question if I have lived up to my potential in my life, and whether I can make up for it now. Some say "Drew, you are young, don't worry!", but I see most who accomplish great things in their lives start much younger than I.

Even a dangerous classic like the north face of the Eiger seems unattainable... a wall so easily accessible seems far beyond my reach, let alone a first ascent or a new line on some peak in the Karakorum range. The thought of climbing the crumbly North Sister still gives me a bit of a racing heart and a shot of anxiety. I have not tamed my sense of fear in a way that would allow me to do something grand. Maybe climbing the most simple of mountains will be grand enough, though I doubt it.




My greatest alpine climb; a 3 pitch summit block featuring mostly class IV scrambling with sections up to 5.3/4 at best. Yes- there was exposure with a fall resulting in death, but it does not measure up.



Steve and Vince's route, "Nanga Parbat's infamous Rupal Face, a vertical 13,500' challenge of snow, rock and ice,
is widely considered the greatest alpine wall in the world!"

I suppose I take one step at a time, one mountain at a time. I might never be a world class climber, but as long as I am exploring my own limits, I suppose I should feel proud (even if those limits are nothing to brag about).

I'll end this with some additional Ernest Hemingway- you're welcome.

“Never mistake motion for action.”

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”

“All things truly wicked start from an innocence.”

“An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.”
“Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” (incorrect quote, or alternate version?)

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”