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Fossil Alpinism

A bunch of old guys still enjoying the mountains, and the training they need to do to get off the couch

Monday, February 8, 2010

Documentary about Messner


Click on this test to access a documentary produced by Outside magazine about Messner and his Himalayan exploits. There is fantastic footage from Everest. Clearly this is a guy who walks the walk and talks the talk ... Keeping his "courage in your rucksack," or trying the "murder of the impossible," in the mountains were never his style, it was always "by fair means."

Finally from Mountain #15, I'll quote the final sentences of his famous article, "The Murder of the Impossible" ...

Put on your boots and get going. If you've got a companion, take a rope with you and a couple of pitons for your belays, but nothing else. I'm already on my way, ready for anything - even for retreat, if I meet the impossible. I'm not going to be killing any dragons, but if anyone wants to come with me, we'll go to the top together on the routes we can do without branding ourselves murderers.
Posted by Hock at 4:29 PM
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  • The Mountaineer’s Companion

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Fossils on Ishinca (18,500')