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Really fantastic piece that explores the life of a free solo climber without straying too far into hero worship. I've long been troubled by other pieces on thi

Really fantastic piece that explores the life of a free solo climber without straying too far into hero worship. I've long been troubled by other pieces on this corner of climbing as they always felt a little too approving, a little too encouraging of such a dangerous practice, but this one manages to avoid that trap.

hotpotamus 3y ago
It reminded me of the story of a famous (within that community) Appalachian Trail through-hiker who went by the name "Baltimore Jack" (from the Springstein lyric, "had a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack. I went out for a ride and I never went back.) that I read some time ago. He had abandoned his family to essentially live on the trail and eventually died there, seemingly of exposure. I googled it and it's from the same publication, so I'm sensing a theme.
- mauvehaus 3y ago
  I met Baltimore Jack in the Smokies in 2010 and crossed paths with him a few more times between there and Hanover. I think it's a bit more complicated than that. With the limits that come of only seeing him a few times on the trail, I'd like to suggest that he clearly had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and probably had some other demons. With that said, he was also a kind soul and the conscience of the hiker community. He was unafraid to say something to people acting in a way that was detrimental to the community at large. He encouraged other hikers and shared freely of what he had be that knowledge or food. Because of all of that, there was a certain amount of hero worship around him. He was a much loved character. But I get the sense that Baltimore Jack was a bit of a character, and assuming that role let him avoid some of the other things in his life that he might've lived longer had he addressed them.
sneak 3y ago
Is it a trap if the only danger is to the climber themselves? If our lives are not our own to use or risk as we choose, then to whom do they actually belong?
- Auracle 3y ago
  Would you feel the same way about a bulimic/anorexic person? What about someone that’s addicted to opioids?
  - andrewflnr 3y ago
    No, because those are different situations.
  - pbhjpbhj 3y ago
    In your opinion is desire to do extreme sports a mental illness? (Of course there is toxoplasmosis, toxiplasma gondii (sp?), which causes risk taking and is a literal brain parasite ... perhaps we're due a repost of that one.)
    - Auracle 3y ago
      Not in itself but the end result can be, parasites aside. I had a friend in high school that ran/exercised (wayyy) too much, studied too much, and needed surgery to fix a receding gumline when she was 16 or 17 from overbrushing. That would be just one example.
  - sneak 3y ago
    Yes, 100%. Our bodies are our own and we should always be completely free to dispose, modify, destroy, build, protect, or damage them as we see fit without external interference. It is entirely valid to choose to build one's own body and health, and thus it is entirely valid to choose to damage one's own body and health. Even in the case of addiction or disease - who can possibly be a higher authority on "should" than the person in question?
    - Auracle 3y ago
      As long as you're consistent that's fair, but I'm not sure if you'd feel that way if it were a loved one.
- Ntrails 3y ago

hotpotamus 3y ago

It reminded me of the story of a famous (within that community) Appalachian Trail through-hiker who went by the name "Baltimore Jack" (from the Springstein lyric, "had a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack. I went out for a ride and I never went back.) that I read some time ago. He had abandoned his family to essentially live on the trail and eventually died there, seemingly of exposure. I googled it and it's from the same publication, so I'm sensing a theme.

mauvehaus 3y ago
I met Baltimore Jack in the Smokies in 2010 and crossed paths with him a few more times between there and Hanover. I think it's a bit more complicated than that. With the limits that come of only seeing him a few times on the trail, I'd like to suggest that he clearly had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and probably had some other demons. With that said, he was also a kind soul and the conscience of the hiker community. He was unafraid to say something to people acting in a way that was detrimental to the community at large. He encouraged other hikers and shared freely of what he had be that knowledge or food. Because of all of that, there was a certain amount of hero worship around him. He was a much loved character. But I get the sense that Baltimore Jack was a bit of a character, and assuming that role let him avoid some of the other things in his life that he might've lived longer had he addressed them.

sneak 3y ago

Is it a trap if the only danger is to the climber themselves? If our lives are not our own to use or risk as we choose, then to whom do they actually belong?

Auracle 3y ago
Would you feel the same way about a bulimic/anorexic person? What about someone that’s addicted to opioids?
- andrewflnr 3y ago
  No, because those are different situations.
- pbhjpbhj 3y ago
  In your opinion is desire to do extreme sports a mental illness? (Of course there is toxoplasmosis, toxiplasma gondii (sp?), which causes risk taking and is a literal brain parasite ... perhaps we're due a repost of that one.)
  - Auracle 3y ago
    Not in itself but the end result can be, parasites aside. I had a friend in high school that ran/exercised (wayyy) too much, studied too much, and needed surgery to fix a receding gumline when she was 16 or 17 from overbrushing. That would be just one example.
- sneak 3y ago
  Yes, 100%. Our bodies are our own and we should always be completely free to dispose, modify, destroy, build, protect, or damage them as we see fit without external interference. It is entirely valid to choose to build one's own body and health, and thus it is entirely valid to choose to damage one's own body and health. Even in the case of addiction or disease - who can possibly be a higher authority on "should" than the person in question?
  - Auracle 3y ago
    As long as you're consistent that's fair, but I'm not sure if you'd feel that way if it were a loved one.
Ntrails 3y ago