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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

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Canadian Rockies Ice Climbs


Click on this text to access a video of Twight and Rackliff soloing some hard routes in the 1990s (including Polar Circus). The gear is a bit "old-fashioned" but the standard of alpinism is obviously cutting-edge. This video is sure to get you excited about the upcoming ice climbing season. Enclosed is also a summary from Twight's website ... While working at Wild Things I learned my way around the video camera and editing gear. First I shot and cut a paragliding video. The sport was quite fresh at the time and we recorded some fairly entertaining and harmless accidents. When Randy Rackcliff and I went on a road trip to the Canadian Rockies John Bouchard loaned us a VHS camera, which, at the time, was very high tech. Randy and I recorded each other soloing a few different ice routes. I don't know where the raw footage is otherwise I might "re-master" it but as it is the clip is a truthful record of a particular era. This trip is documented by a single paragraph in the chapter titled "I Hurt Therefore I Am" in my book "Kiss or Kill" but a full article is posted on the site under the title "Naked and Savage."
Posted by Hock at 5:34 AM
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Important Climbing And Skiing Website Links

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Aiguille de Gliere

Aiguille de Gliere
Hock on the 5.7 "Razor" Pitch

Hock's best. What were your Five biggest and best routes?

  • South Ridge of the Gliere
  • North Ridge of the Grand Teton
  • North Buttress of Middle Cathedral
  • Sentinel Rouge on Mount Blanc
  • Black Dike on Cannon

Hock's handful of could have, would have, wished I had, and still hope to do routes!

  • West Face Tocllaraju
  • North Face of the Matterhorn
  • Black Ice Colouir on the Grand Teton
  • Cassin Ridge on Denali

The Historian

  • Hock
  • Hock
 

Fossil Clubhouse

Fossil Clubhouse
Selden and Gary getting ready to frame the cabin

Cordillera Blanca

Cordillera Blanca
Fossils on Ishinca (18,500')