OUR ARTICLES, EXPLAINED
‘CRAP’
‘BARELY LITERATE’
‘BIASED’
‘INSULTING’
‘INTENTIONALLY PROVACTIVE’
‘WRONG’
‘PROPAGANDA’
THESE ARE SOME OF THINGS SAID ABOUT THE CONTENT OF WHAT WE PRESENT HERE, AND THOUGH THE CRITICISMS MAKE UP ONLY A SMALL PART OF OUR INTERACTION WITH THE CLIMBING INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY, THEY NEVERTHELESS REPRESENT THE DIVIDE BETWEEN WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT AND SOME OTHERS OUT THERE.
WE LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK WE GET JUST AS WE EXPECT THE FEEDBACK WE PROVIDE TO BE HEEDED. THIS IS DIALOGUE. WE DON’T GHOST PEOPLE AND WE DON’T IGNORE ANYONE JUST BECAUSE WE DON’T LIKE THE QUESTION, AND BECAUSE WE ARE A BUSINESS TRY TO SEE EVERY EXCHANGE THROUGH TO A RESOLUTION.
PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, THESE ARTICLES (AND THE REVIEWS) GET QUITE A BIT OF ATTENTION. WE KNOW THIS SITE GETS PASSED AROUND THE LAST FEW YEARS ON THE CIRCUIT OF 8000m BASECAMPS, EVOKING DISDAIN AMONGST SOME AND THE ALTERNATIVE THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR IN OTHERS. REGULARLY STUFF FROM HERE GETS USED IN OTHER ARTICLES – SOMETIMES WITH PERMISSION SOMETIMES NOT – AND ABOUT HALF OF THE CORRESPONDENCE WE HAVE CONCERNS QUESTIONS, CRITIQUES AND COMMENTS ON STUFF WE HAVE SAID.
ALL UP WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT APPEARS HERE, AS EVERYTHING IS ORIGINAL AND WRITTEN FOR THIS INTERFACE. WE TAKE NO SPONSORED CONTENT AND HAVE NO VESTED INTERESTS, WITH THE ONLY DIRECTIVE BEING TO COMMUNICATE STUFF THAT MATTERS TO OUR AUDIENCE.
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WHO IS THIS AIMED AT?
HIGH ALTITUDE ALPINE CLIMBERS AND THOSE ASPIRING TO BECOME ONE. WE DON’T APOLOGIZE IF YOU ARE A COMMERCIAL CLIMBER OR TRAD CLIMBER OR TREKKER OR ARMCHAIR STATS GEEK AND FIND SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT OUR NICHE IS AND RARELY STEP OUTSIDE IT.
THIS CONTENT IS AIMED AT CLIMBERS WANTING WHAT THE REST OF THE CLIMBING WORLD WON’T PROVIDE, NAMELY SELF-SUPPORTED, HIGH ALTITUDE EXPEDITIONS TO THE CONTENTIOUS AREAS OF TIBET AND XINJIANG.
WILL THIS STUFF WORK IN ALASKA, NEW ZEALAND, NEPAL OR THE ALPS? MAYBE, BUT THAT’S YOUR CONCERN NOT OURS. THE SLICE OF THE PIE WE HAVE SERVED OURSELVES IS DEMANDING ENOUGH TO WARRANT OUR FULL ATTENTION, AND IS ALSO OUR PASSIONATE OBSESSION AND WHERE OUR INTEREST LAYS.
IF YOU ARE MAKING THE STEP FROM COMMERCIAL OR ‘KNOWN’ STYLE CLIMBING THEN CONSIDER YOURSELF AT HOME, AND THE BEST WE CAN DO TO CONVERT YOU TO THE DARK SIDE IS WHAT WE OFFER.
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WHO WRITES THIS STUFF?
WHAT YOU READ IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE DISTILLATION AND TRANSLITERATION (AND SOMETIMES TRANSLATION) OF CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE TRAIL, IN BASECAMPS, STUCK IN BIVIES AND ON LONG CAR RIDES, WHITTLED DOWN TO A NARRATIVE AND PRESENTED AS A RANT.
THIS IS NOT JOURNALISM, BUT IS THE COMBINED OPINIONS OF A BODY OF CLIMBERS OVER MORE THAN A DECADE, THAT COME FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. THE CONTENT IS DIRECTED TO FIT WHAT FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS DOES – NEVER FORGET THIS IS A BUSINESS – SO IS PRESENTED AS THE COMPANIES OPINION NOT A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL.
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DO YOU SAY WHAT YOU REALLY THINK?
SORT OF.
WE DON’T PULL ANY PUNCHES, BUT WE LEAVE SOME THINGS OUT WHEN THEY REFER TO PROPRIETRY ELEMENTS, TRADE SECRETS, PERSONAL IDENTITIES AND PRIVATE INFORMATION. WE DON’T COMMENT ON WHAT OUR TEAMS DO UNLESS THEY ASK US TO, OR GIVE AWAY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS AND THE LOGISTICAL EQUATIONS WE USE, NEVER USING UNTRUTHS BUT SIMPLY BY NOT RAISING THE SUBJECTS.
OUR OPINIONS ARE HONEST, BUT WE DON’T INTEND TO INSULT, AND CRITICISMS WE HAVE ARE NEVER AT INDIVIDUALS OR COMPANIES BUT AT PRACTICES IN GENERAL.
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WHY SO HARSH?
WHAT INSULTS SOMEONE IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE DON’T CONSIDER CALLING OUT A PRODICT OR PROVIDER OR INDUSTRY FOR BAD PRACTICE TO BE UNDUELY HARSH SO LONG AS WE ARE CONSTRUCTIVE AND OFFER A SOLUTION.
WE DON’T PRESENT ‘FIGHTING WORDS’ BUT WE DO INTEND TO SPARK DEBATE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE THINGS SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT ANYWHERE ELSE WOULD BE DERIDED. WE TRY TO USE TACT, BUT SOME THINGS JUST DON’T HAVE NICE WAYS TO SAY THEM, BUT WE STOP SHORT OF ANYTHING THAT IS PERSONAL OR UNREASONABLY DIVISIVE.
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HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT TO REVIEW AND WRITE ABOUT?
SOME STUFF IS TOPICAL , CROPPING UP IN DISCUSSIONS AND THE NEWS. SOME STUFF IS AN ENQUIRY THAT DESERVES A BIIGER AUDIENCE. SOME STUFF IS TIMELY, SUCH AS NEW ADVANCES IN LOCATIONS OR GEAR. SOME STUFF IS JUST AN IDEA THAT CAN DO WITH EXPLANATION OR EXPOSURE.
ONCE OR TWICE WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING, AND STUFF WE REVIEW IS ALWAYS WITH THE INTERACTION OF THE PARTNERS WE WORK WITH, THOUGH THINGS LIKE GEAR NEEDS TO BE TESTED FIRST.
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WHAT’S WITH THE SPELLING?
WE KNOW WE SHOULD CARE MORE, BUT THE TRUTH IS THIS STUFF GETS TRANSCRIBED FROM NOTES, RECORDINGS AND MEMORIES, HAMMERED OUT FAST, PUBLISHED THEN MOVED ONWARDS FROM. IT IS NOT LITERATURE, IT IS BASICALLY NOTES FROM THE FIELD
SOMETIMES WE TIDY IT ALL UP, AND THE STUFF THAT’S BEEN PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE HAS THIS DONE FOR US, BUT WE LIKE THAT THIS IS RAW, DIRECT FROM THE FRONTLINES, AND UNEXPURGATED, NOT SOME POLISHED FINAL EDIT WRITTEN TO FORMAT.
PLUS IT HELPS REDUCE PLAGIARISM AND ACCUSATIONS OF BEING AI.
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CAN I USE SOME OF IT?
SURE, SO LONG AS IT’S CREDITED TO US AND LINKED IF IN DIGITAL FORM.
WE DON’T OWN THE OPINIONS, WE ONLY OWN THE IDEAS AND PRESENTATION, SO IF THE INTENT IS TO PRESENT INFORMATION THEN THE MORE OF THAT THE BETTER. JUST DON’T THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU READ IT HERE IT IS YOUR OPINION TOO, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU MAY AGREE. IF YOU COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSIONS YOURSELF THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR THEN GREAT, BUT OPINION MUST BE EARNED NOT GLEANED OFF THE PAGE.
WHERE THINGS CHANGE IS IF YOU MAKE MONEY OFF IT, INCLUDING PAID OR SPONSORED REVIEWS. IN WHICH CASE IT IS APPROPRIATION FOR PROFIT UNLESS YOU TALK TO US FIRST.
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ARE YOU EVER WRONG?
NO, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE TRY NOT TO INHABIT A NICHE WHERE THINGS ARE SO 2 DIMENSIONALLY EXISTANT.
SOMETIMES WE GET DATA WRONG, OR THINGS GO OUT OF DATE OR ARE PROVEN OTHERWISE OR WE PUT STUFF TOGETHER THE WRONG WAY, BUT ALMOST ALWAYS THE INTENT STAYS CORRECT BECAUSE THE PREMISE IS DECONSTRUCTIONIST.
THIS MEANS WE START WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKS THEN ANALYZE WHY IT DOES, SO EVEN IF WE MESS UP SOME OF THE FACTORS THE RESULT IS UNCHANGED. OF COURSE WE TRY TO AVOID THIS BY NOT PRESENTING SPECULATION AND WISHFUL THINKING, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN WE GO BACK AND EITHER CORRECT OR REMOVE THE ARTICLE.
QUITE OFTEN WE ARE TAKEN AS WRONG BECAUSE OUR EXPERIENCE RUNS COUNTER TO THE POPULAR IDEA, OR WHAT WE PRESENT IS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT, USUALLY PLACED INTO THE LOW ALTITUDE OR O2 USING OR UNEXPLORATORY WORLD.
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WHAT IF I DISAGREE?
THEN TELL US ABOUT IT. IF YOU ARE WRONG WE WILL EDUCATE YOU, IF WE ARE WRONG YOU WILL EDUCATE US.
FIRST THOUGH DO ALL OF US THE FAVOR OF SELF-EVALUATING WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE; IF YOUR OPINION COMES FROM EXPERIENCE UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES THEN WE HAVE A CONVERSATION, IF NOT THEN YOUR CASE NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED SOME OTHER WAY.
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WHERE ARE THE PICTURES FROM?
EVERY IMAGE HERE IS FROM OUR OWN TRIPS EXCEPT FOR THREE WHICH WERE WITH PERMISSION FROM THE OWNERS AND A FEW OF GEAR THAT ARE OPEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVIEW. ASIDE FROM THE IMAGE FROM RALF DUJMOVITZ SHOWING THE ROUTE THEY USED ON K2 IN 2011, EVERY IMAGE WITH A PERSON IN IT IS WAS TAKEN ON OUR TRIPS.
MOST OF THE LANDSCAPE IMAGES WERE TAKEN BY ALEX AS HIS OWN BUSINESS, SICHUANG MOUNTAIN GUIDE.
WE PRIDE OURSELVES THAT THESE ARE REAL PICTURES TAKEN WITH COLD HANDS WHILST ACTUALLY OUT DOING IT. NOTHING IS STAGED, HEAVILY EDITED OR CONTRIVED. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT OUR EXPEDITIONS LOOK LIKE, THOUGH SHOW ONLY A SMALL PART OF WHAT GOES ON, BECAUSE MOSTLY WE ARE DOING IT NOT TAKING PHOTOS OF OURSELVES.
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OVERALL, WE THINK WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS BEST THOUGHT OF AS FUN, STUFF TO PROVOKE THOUGHT AND EXPERIMENTATION AND GET A FEW PEOPLE OUT REALLY CLIMBING.
TIBET AND XINJIANG ARE NOT SIMPLE, CLIMB-BY-NUMBERS KIND OF PLACES, SO THIS WILL ALWAYS BE A WORK IN PROGRESS, MADE UP OF BRAVE IDEAS AND TINKERING AND RESEARCH AND OBSERVATION, AND ARE THE PLACE TO DO THIS STUFF NOT JUST REDUCE IT TO STATISTICS AND THEORY. WHAT YOU ARE READING PRESENTS THE DISTILLED MINDSET OF CLIMBERS WHO HAVE STEPPED OUTSIDE THE COMMERCIAL BOX, SO IF THESE IDEAS RESONATE WITH YOUR OWN THEN YOU MAY HAVE FOUND THE RIGHT OUTLET FOR YOUR CLIMBING.