THE MODERN CLIMBER IS MANY THINGS AND SUBJECT TO MANY INFLUENCES, AND CHOOSES THE PLAYING FIELD OF MOUNTAINS TO PLAY OUT THE OVERLAP OF THEIR IDEAS AND ACTIONS. THIS IS ALL AS MUCH A PROCESS OF LIBERATING THE CHARACTER AND PSYCHE AS IT IS GIVING IN TO DEEP AND CONTROLLING URGES, WITH OUR COMPANY BEING NAMED AFTER FEEDING THE RAT, THE VERY ESSENCE OF THIS PARADIGM. THOUGH THERE MAY BE THE CASUAL CLIMBING OF MOUNTAINS THERE IS NO CASUAL ALPINISM, THE ESSENTIAL INITIATIVE OF IT ALL BEING THE INTERPLAY OF WILL AND POWERFUL BEHAVIOURAL URGES.
EXPEDITIONS HAVE LONG BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH ADDICTION, WITH MOST BIG TRIPS FROM THE GOLDEN ERA THINKING NOTHING OF CARRYING A PHARMACY OF STUFF HUNTER S THOMPSON WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD OF, STUFF THAT IN THE EDWARDIAN ERA COULD OFTEN BE FREELY OBTAINED OVER THE COUNTER INCLUDING HEROIN, COCAINE WINE, METHAMPHETAMINES AND POUNDS OF SNUFF, WITH THE GREAT BILL TILMAN BARELY GOING A PAGE WITHOUT MENTIONING DWINDLING TOBACCO SUPPLIES.
TILMAN HIMSELF IS A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE ADDICT TO OTHER BEHAVIOURS AS WELL, BEING FAMOUS FOR HIS NEEDS TO BATH IN ‘SPECIAL’ WATER, AND TO CLIMB ITSELF AS A STRONG URGE THAT LEAD HIS DIRECTION IN LIFE, INCLUDING MAKING HIS SERVICE AS A PARTISAN COMMANDO MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT ALREADY WAS.
BUT WE ARE NOT HERE TO DISCUSS SERIOUS SUBSTANCES, NOR TO JUDGE FOR THAT MATTER WHAT ANYONE PUTS BY CHOICE INTO THEIR BODY. INSTEAD WE ARE HERE TO HAVE A RANT ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY CORNUCOPIA OF THINGS THAT INVADE CLIMBERS PSYCHES AND ACTIONS, THAT RISE UNPREDICTABLY TO THE SURFACE A WEEK OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS AND CAN STEER THE ENTIRE COURSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. ADDICTION IN ITSELF NEED NOT BE A BAD THING, SO LONG AS THE HABITS AND CHOICES AROUND IT ARE KEPT IN PLACE, BUT WHAT MAKES EXPEDITION CLIMBING SIGNIFICANT HERE IS THE ISOLATION AND STRESSES OF CLIMBING THAT MAY NOT BE THE BEST PLACE TO UNRAVEL. MORE THAN ONE CLIMBER HAS COME UNDONE, THINKING THEY WERE FAILING, WHEN ACTUALLY IT WAS JUST CONFRONTING THEMSELVES AS THEIR HABITS AND DEPENDENCIES WERE EXPOSED.
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BEING ADDICTED
ADDICTION IS A BEHAVIOURAL LOOP BASED ON A FEEDBACK RESPONSE THAT CREATES A NEED. BASICALLY IF YOU CAN WITHDRAW FROM IT YOU CAN ADDICT TO IT, AND THIS IS NOT CONFINED TO THE STEREOTYPE OF ADDICTION, ‘DRUGS’.
HERE IT IS NOT HARD TO SEE ADDICTION IN PLACES EVERYWHERE FROM THE APTLY NAMED GYM JUNKIES, TO HABITUAL RISK TAKING FOR THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL BUZZ, TO NUTRITIONAL HABITS AND CYBERNETICS WITH DEVICES, DATA PLATFORMS AND TANGIBLE DEVICES THEMSELVES. IF YOU ARE LOST WITHOUT IT YOU ARE ADDICTED, JUST AS IF YOU SUFFER LOSS OF MEANING AND ANXIETY ABOUT IDENTITY – ALL SIGNS THAT PARTS OF YOUR BEHAVIOUR HAS A CONTROLLING INFLUENCE BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOUR WILL AND INTENT.
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THE PROBLEM
HUNTER S THOMPSON WARNED US ALL OF THE DEPRAVITY THAT COMES WHEN SOMEONES DEPENDENCIES ARE MADE UNAVAILABLE, AMPLIFIED AND SQUARED BY EVERY HABIT AND ADDICTION THAT IS IN THE MIX. A GLACIER 100kms FROM THE NEAREST ROAD ISN’T A GREAT PLACE TO RECONFIGURE YOUR CHARACTER, WHICH IS ABOUT WHERE A TRIP CAN BE A WEEK OUT AS ALL THE DEMONS REALIZE THE HIT ISN’T COMING.
WHEN PEOPLE UNRAVEL IT TENDS TO BE A PREDICTABLE COURSE, AS HABITS THEY CAN USUALLY DEPEND ON FAIL AND ANOTHER IS LEANED ON, THE LIST GRADUALLY GONE THROUGH. WE ALL GET THIS, IT IS NORMAL DURING THE TRANSITION OUT OF THE ROUTINES OF WESTERN LIVING, BUT WHEN NOT PREPARED FOR IT THE EXPERIENCE IS UNKIND.
WHAT WE SEE A LOT OF IS TWO WAYS OF WITHDRAWING FROM THE FEEDBACK LOOPS OF NORMAL LIFE, RETREATING INTO BEHAVIOUR THAT DESPERATELY TRIES TO THROW FAMILIARITY OVER A SHORT CIRCUITING PERSPECTIVE, OR THROWING OPEN THE DOORS OF RAWNESS AND FEELING THE FULL FORCE OF EMOTIONS AND URGES CUT LOOSE.
WE DON’T JUDGE, BUT WE DO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE HAVE A TEAM TO GET UP A MOUNTAIN AND BACK HOME, AND GETTING PEOPLE THROUGH THE HUMP IS IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS ON LONG EXPEDITIONS CAN FEEL LIKE A PINBALL PARLOUR OF REVERBERATING AND GLANCING PSYCHES AS THE ADDICTIONS OF THE FLATLANDS SETTLE DOWN. TIME NEEDS TO BE GIVEN FOR THIS, PLUS THE EXPECTATION, THAT TO GO WEEKS OUT BEYOND NORMALITY ALWAYS HAS AN INTERIM PHASE TO GO THROUGH.
OF COURSE NOT ALL ADDICTIONS ARE EQUAL, NOR ARE ALL ADDICTIONS NECESSARILY BAD, WHAT MATTERS IS CONTEXT. FOR SOME THE SLEEP AND DIET ADDICTIONS WILL BE WHAT GETS THEM IN CONDITION TO CLIMB SERIOUS STUFF, COFFEE ADDICTIONS GET MANY THROUGH BUSY LIVES DEMANDING FOCUS, SOME ADDICTIONS ARE SIMPLY FUN. WHERE IT DOES ALL BECOME UNPREDICTABLE IS IN THE CONTEXT OF EXPEDITIONS, WHERE UNKNOWNS ARE THE CURRENCY AND EXTREMITIES OF EXPERIENCE ARE WHY WE ARE HERE, AND THROWING EXTRA VOLATILITY INTO THAT IS SOMETHING EVERY CLIMBER NEEDS TO THINK THROUGH AS PART OF WHAT HAPPEN.
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LISTED HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE SEE DISRUPT A CLIMBERS EXPEDITION, AS THEY CONFRONT THE EFFECTS OF NOT HAVING A REGULAR SUPPLY. THIS CAN BE AS TRIVIAL AS VAGUELY FEELING THE ABSENCE OF WHATEVER IT IS, TO PROPER WITHDRAWALS THAT CREATE CHAOS AT A TIME THEY NEED TO PERFORM.
NO ONE IS FREE OF ALL THIS BECAUSE WE ARE ALL CREATURES OF FEEDBACK AND HABIT, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS AWARE THAT THEY ARE BEHELD AT THE NEUROLOGICAL BEHEST OF THEIR CHOICES, AND THAT THE CHOICES OF ADDICTION ARE NOT REALLY CHOICES AT ALL.
SUGAR
NOTHING IMPACTS OUR TRIPS MORE THAN TEAMSTERS GOING THROUGH THE HOOPS OF SUGAR WITHDRAWAL. EVEN CONSCIENTIOUS CAN FIND JUST HOW SUGAR LADEN THEIR WESTERN DIET IS WHEN THEY HIT THE BACK BLOCKS OF THE KARAKORAM, BRINGING ON NOTICEABLE EFFECTS ON THEIR CHARACTER ABOUT A WEEK IN. MOST OFTEN THESE SLUMPS AND SURGES ARE NOT RECOGNIZED FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND ARE SEEN AS THE EFFECTS OF TRAVEL AND OTHER VAGUE ISSUES, BUT THE TELLTALE SIGN IS THE RESORTING TO SNACKS AS AN ALLEVIATOR.
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DEVICES
WE WENT INTO THIS IN THE PREVIOUS SPIEL, ABOUT THE RELIANCE ON DEVICES THAT CAN DISTRACT AND DISTORT A CLIMBERS PERCEPTION OF THE RAW REALITY THEY ARE IN. DEVICES CAN BE BOTH ADDICTION AND SUPPOSED DIAGNOSTIC OF ADDICTION, IN A CLEVER META-LOOP WHERE THE DEVICE IS NEEDED TO ANALYZE THE DATA OF BEING ADDICTED TO IT.
THE BEHAVIOURAL LOOPS AROUND DEVICES CAN BE SURPRISINGLY VOLATILE, WITH GENUINE EXPRESSIONS OF ANXIETY IF THEY ARE LOST, CAN’T BE RECHARGED, CAN’T GET WIFI OR MALFUNCTION. FOR SOME THEIR DEVICES ARE THEIR APERTURES OF EXPERIENCE, REFERENCING THEM FOR EVERYTHING, AND IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO WATCH PEOPLE REFERENCE THEIR DATA AND PHOTOS OF A TIME AND PLACE RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE OF BEING THERE.
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COFFEE
IF THERE’S ONE THING WORTH BEING ADDICTED TO IT IS COFFEE. COFFEE IS A TRUE DRUG, WITH HARROWING WITHDRAWALS AND OVERDOSE EFFECTS, BUT THE POSITIVE SIDE OF IT MAKES WALKING THE LINE OF ADDICTION ACCEPTABLE – JUST DON’T RUN OUT.
IN COFFEE’S CASE THE HABIT IS PROACTIVE, KICKING IN THE EARLY HOURS, THE BOWELS, STIMULATING DISCUSSION AND BEGUILINGLY WHISPERING IN YOUR EAR AS THE NIGHT GROWS LONG, THE MIND WANDERS AND SAFETY IS A LONG WAY AWAY. LIKE ALL GOOD ADDICTIONS, COFFEE’S ADHERENTS ARE A CULT, AND CAN BE THE ONE THING THAT BINDS A TEAM OF OTHERWISE DISPARATE PERSONALITIES.
WE WISH WE COULD FIND SOMETHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT COFFEE, BUT WE CAN’T; A) BECAUSE WE ARE ADDICTED, BUT ALSO B) BECAUSE WE ARE YET TO SEE IT ADVERSELY AFFECT EXPEDITIONS IN THE WAY OTHER THINGS LISTED HERE DO. A FEW TIMES WE HAVE BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO GET, DRINK OR MAKE COFFEE, BUT IN A SELF-DEFEATING LOOP COFFEE USUALLY MAKES UP FOR THIS BY INCREASING ACTIVITY AS A NET GAIN. A GOOD THING WITH COFFEE IS IT IS RELATIVELY LIGHT AND SIMPLE TO CARRY, WITH THE CLEAR DEFINER OF THE ADDICT BEING THEIR WILLINGNESS TO CARRY AN ESPRESSO SET TOWARDS 6000m.
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SUPPLEMENTS
WHAT A LOT OF AMINO, CASSEIN, B12, GINKO, FLAX SEED, HORMONE JUNKIES WE HAVE BECOME, FORGETTING GREAT EXPEDITIONS HAVE BEEN DONE ON PEMICAN AND BLACK TEA, PIGS FEET AND TWO FINGERS OF BRANDY. SUPPLEMENTS OUT IN THE RAW LIGHT OF EXPEDITIONS DO NOT MAKE UP FOR ANYTHING, WITH US YET TO SEE A TEAMSTER STICK WITH ANY ROUTINE MUCH MORE THAN A WEEK. IN MOST CASES SUPPLEMENTS ARE JUST CODE FOR SUGAR CRAVINGS, THOUGH GLUGGY POOR ONES AT THAT, AND MOST TRIPS END WITH US DUMPING ZIPLOKS OF THE STUFF IN AMOUNTS THAT MAKE US LOOK LIKE TRAFFICKERS.
THE IDEA BEHIND SUPPLEMENTS CAN BE GOOD, WHEN IT CENTERS ON LIGHTWEIGHT WAYS TO MAINTAIN HEALTH, BUT USUALLY IT IS MORE A WAY OF TRYING TO EXTEND THE ROLL OF SUPPLEMENTS IN NORMAL LIFE AS A SECURITY BLANKET. WE NOTICE THOSE THAT DON’T USE THEM, DON’T NEED THEM, FINDING EASILY ENOUGH NUTRITION IN LOCAL FOOD, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF VITAMIN C WHICH GETS PISSED AWAY RAPIDLY DURING THE PROCESS OF ACCLIMATION.
UNLIKE REAL DRUGS, SUPPLEMENTS HAVE NO PLACEBO EFFECT AND DO NOT REPLACE FOOD, SO INFATUATIONS WITH DRINKING LITERS OF POWDERS DON’T MAKE UP FOR NOT EATING REAL FOOD. SURE, IT WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE, AND THE TIME MAY COME FOR THAT, BUT IN THE 8000kcal A DAY REALITY OF EXPEDITIONS LIVING OFF GOOP IS MORE DISRUPTIVE TO NUTRITION THAN HELPFUL
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MEDIA
FOR SOME, THE WORLD GOING ON WITHOUT THEIR SPECTATING, APPROVAL AND COMMENTARY IS HARD, BE IT THE POPULAR ANTICS OF THE LATEST IDIOTS IN POWER, MILLIONAIRES KICKING A PIG SKIN ROUND A FIELD OR WHAT THE KARDASHIANS ARE DOING WITH THEIR HAIR. MEDIA IN THIS CASE IS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF CONTENT THAT ARRIVES USUALLY ON YOUR PHONE, WHICH MEANS IT IS DESIGNED FOR LOW-GRADE CONSUMPTION TO HARVEST YOU AS A VIEWER.
THERE IS GOOD MEDIA AND BAD MEDIA, AND THESE DAYS IT IS DEPRESSINGLY COMMON TO SEE PEOPLE GLUED TO THEIR PHONES WHILST THE GREATEST VISTAS AND CULTURES SLIDE PAST WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT. THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN WITH NEWSPAPERS, WHERE INFORMATION WAS ENGAGED THAT WAS JUST AS DUBIOUS AS IT IS NOW, BUT YOU DIDN’T IGNORE THE REALITY YOU WERE IN PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE PAPER WAS THE CONSUMABLE NOT YOU.
MARSHAL McLUHAN SAID THE ‘MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE’ AND IN THIS CASE THE MESSAGE SEEMS TO BE TO IGNORE IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCE, BY HAVING IT OVER-RIDDEN BY A STREAM OF MESMERIZING INANITIES THAT ARE EMPTY SPECTACLE. THIS IS A BAD CHOICE ON AN EXPEDITION, WHERE ENGAGEMENT IS A VITAL THING, NOT LEAST BECAUSE YOU HAVE PAID REAL MONEY. THAT CONFRONTING THIS BRINGS OUT THE IRE IN SOME AND DISMISSIVENESS IN OTHERS IS THE HALLMARK OF ADDICTION, USUALLY UNDER THE PREMISE OF ‘HAVING TO STAY IN CONTACT’.
MEDIA GOES BOTH WAYS TO INCLUDE PEOPLE SOMEWHERE OUT THERE WHO MAY BE WATCHING, WHICH IS A BIZARRE METALOOP WHEN WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE WORLD IS JUST YOU LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOCUMENTING SOMETHING AND GRATIFYING AN OBSESSION WITH BROADCASTING, THE FORMER DEMANDING YOU ENGAGE THE REAL WORLD MORE AND THE LATTER YOU ENGAGE YOUR DEVICE. IF YOU AND YOUR YOUNESS IS THE FOCUS, AND NOT THE WORLD YOU ARE IN, YOU HAVE THE CLASSIC ADDICTIVE LOOP THAT INCLUDES THE ANGST OF WITHDRAWAL.
IF YOU ARE READING THIS NOW WHILST THE REAL WORLD GOES PAST THE WINDOW, KNOW THAT ACCEPTING YOU ARE AN ADDICT IS THE FIRST STEP IN INTERVENTION.
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GEAR
THERE’S BEING FANATICAL ABOUT YOUR GEAR AND THERE’S BEING ADDICTED TO IT, THINKING THAT MORE TITANIUM, MORE DYNEEMA, MORE GIMMICKS, MORE GADGETS, MORE SHINYNESS, MORE REVIEWS AND MORE MORE WILL A VOID. LIKE ANY DRUG, TAKING YOUR GEAR FOR A WALK IS FUN, BUT WHEN IT BECOMES YOUR GEAR TAKING YOU FOR A WALK THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG.
THE PARADIGM IS MEANT TO BE YOU CHOOSE AND LEARN TO PILOT THE GEAR FOR THE OBJECTIVE, NOT PICK STUFF THAT LOOKS COOL AND TRY AND HAMMER IT INTO THE ROLE, OR WORSE STILL, DRAG IT ALONG AND CONTRIVE A DEMAND FOR IT. WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF COURSE, TO SOME DEGREE, AND AT A TITANIUM SPOON LEVEL IT DOESN’T MATTER MUCH, BUT THERE IS A SERIOUS NED TO THE SPECTRUM THAT DELVES INTO BRAINWASHING, MONEY WASTED AND RISK YET IS DEFENDED AS AGGRESSIVELY AS HEROIN.
WHAT STEVE HOUSE WORE ON NANGA PARBAT AT THE PINNACLE OF HIS CLIMBING CAREER BEARS LITTLE RELATION TO WHAT YOU NEED, TWO DECADES LATER, SOMEWHERE ELSE. OF COURSE WE SUBSCRIBE TO ‘FAST & LIGHT’ BUT WE HAVE IT IN CONTEXT, AND FOIST IT AS SOME EMPTY MANTRA OR SLOGAN OF ‘NEW ALPINISM’. THE GEAR YOU NEED IS DETERMINED BY THE CONDITIONS OF THE TRIP OBJECTIVE, AND ‘FAST & LIGHT’ GEAR ONLY MATTERS IN THE HANDS OF A FAST & LIGHT CLIMBER. CONVINCING YOURSELF THAT DYNEEMA AND CARBON COMPOSITE WILL MAKE UP FOR VOIDS IN THINKING AND CONDITIONING IS JUNKIE-TALK, AND PUTTING FANTASY IN PLACE OF THE CRITICAL THINKING EXPEDITIONS SUCCEED FROM.
IF YOUR BRAIN AUTOMATICALLY SEEKS TO BUY AN ADVANTAGE WITH GEAR THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE SEEN DISASTROUS RESULTS IN THE PAST OF FUNDAMENTAL ERRORS IN THE NAME OF BEING DELUDED BY GEAR. THE WRONG BOOTS (BUT THEY WERE LIGHTER), DANGEROUSLY FLIMSY CLOTHING (BUT STEVE HOUSE WORE IT) AND INAPPROPRITE HARDWARE (WILL GADD WROTE IT, IN A BOOK IN THE 90s) ALL SMACK OF DELUSION THAT HAS CLOUDED SERIOUS DECISIONS.
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ADRENALINE
ADRENALINE JUNKIES DON’T LAST LONG ON EXPEDITIONS. IT’S NOT THAT IMPLODE FROM ALL THE RUSH OF INTENSITY, IT’S THAT PRETTY QUICKLY IT’S FOUND THAT EXPEDITIONS ARE JUST NOT THAT KIND OF HIGH OCTANE KICK. IF YOU’VE COME TO EXPEDITION CLIMBING WANTING WHAT CAN BE FOUND IN HARD ICE OR BASE YOU WILL FIND IT A LONG WAY BETWEEN HITS, AND THE DEMAND FOR THE ADRENALINE HIT IS HARD TO FIND AND EVEN HARDER GRATIFY.
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DIETS
LIKE TRAINING BELOW, WHEN WHAT YOU THINK YOU MUST EAT GETS IN THE WAY OF WHAT YOU NEED FOR CLIMBING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, AND SEEMINGLY NOTHING IMPRINTS HARDER THAN MYTHOLOGY AROUND DIET. FOR MANY DIET WILL HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO THE LONG PROCESS OF EXPEDITION PREPARATION – FAIR ENOUGH – BUT CLIMBING HAS LONG SHOWN THAT THERE IS NO MAGIC DIET FOR THE SHARP END.
THIS IS EASIER TO SAY THAN DO THOUGH FOR MANY, AND FEW THINGS GET AS DEFENDED AS SAVAGELY AS PERSONAL DIET. ALMOST ALWAYS DONE AS AN EXPERIMENT OF ONE, SOME WILL GO TO THE GRAVE TO DEFEND IDEAS ABOUT EATING, JUST LIKE TRUE JUNKIES. SADLY, THE GRAVE CAN BE MUCH CLOSER THAN A METAPHOR ON EXPEDITIONS, AND DIETS LIKE CLIMBING TECHNIQUES NEED TO BE ADAPTABLE.
LIKE ANY REAL ADDICTION, THE PRESENCE OF A FAILING DIET WILL BE TALKED AROUND, EXPLAINED AWAY AND MADE EXCUSES FOR, BEFORE IT IS CONFRONTED AS BROKEN BEHAVIOUR. THERE CAN APPEAR TO BE A WALL BEYOND WHICH LESS PROTEIN, SOY MILK, PORK, THE WRONG KIND OF BROCCOLI OR WHATEVER CANNOT GO ON, BUT IT IS DISPROPORTIONATE TO LET AN EXPEDITION WAVER BECAUSE OF NON-MEDICAL EATING IDEAS.
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‘HACKS’
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS IN ALPINISM AND THE FEVERED SEARCH FOR THEM CAN KILL YOU. IT IS TOO EASY TO SIMPLY SAY ‘STOP’ IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THE CONFUSION FOR EFFICIENCY IS A PRIME SYMPTOM. HACKS ARE THE COOL LOOKING MEMES AND TROPES , USUALLY PICKED UP FROM UNQUALIFIED MEDIA SOURCES, THAT APPEAR AS BETTER WAYS OF DOING THINGS DESPITE USUALLY HAVING VERY LIMITED APPLICATIONS. WE SEE CLIMBERS WHO GET AN ALARMING AMOUNT OF THEIR INFORMATION LIKE THIS, UNAWARE OF PROPER TIME-TESTED STUFF, AND WHO PREFER THE HACK BECAUSE IT APPEARS EASIER.
OF ALL THE ADDICTIONS TO HAVE, THIS IS THE MOST CONCERNING (OK, MAYBE SPEEDBALL IS WORSE…) BECAUSE IT CAN COVER UP THE ABSENCE OF ACTUAL SKILL, WHERE LOTS OF FANCY SHORTCUTS THAT DON’T ADD UP IN REALITY BELIE NOT KNOWING FUNDAMENTALS. FIFTY WAYS OF TYING IN IS MEANINGLESS IF YOU DON’T HAVE A HANDLE ON A SINGLE BOMBPROOF WAY, AND THIS EXTENDS TO EVERYTHING, WHERE A MULTITUDE OF HALF-ASSED METHODS MAKES YOU A DILLITANTE NOT AN EXPERT.
HACKS ARE NOT THE SAME AS TRADE SECRETS EARNED FROM YEARS OF EXPERIMENTATION AND GETTING THINGS WRONG, AND IF LEARNED IT FROM INSTAGRAM YOU ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE THE FORMER NOT THE LATTER. WHAT LOOKS EASY AND OBVIOUS IN THE 30 SECOND EDITED BYTE IN IDEAL WELL LIT CONDITIONS AT SOME SEA-LEVEL CRAG IS USUALLY FANTASY OUT IN THE COLD, HIGH, MITTENED AND STARVED WORLD OF EXPEDITION CLIMBING, WHERE WHAT IS NEEDED IS SECURITY AND RELIABILITY NOT TRICKS TO IMPRESS.
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SUMMITS
‘SUMMIT FEVER’ HAS PROBABLY KILLED MORE CLIMBERS THAN ANYTHING ELSE, ESPECIALLY THOSE MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM GUIDED AND INDUSTRIAL CLIMBING OVER TO REAL INDEPENDENT ALPINISM. A HISTORY OF FAIR-WEATHER SUMMITS BASED ON COMMERCIAL ITINERARIES IN POPULAR PLACES CAN INCUBATE THE ASSUMPTION
MOST SUMMIT JUNKIES ARE INDUSTRIALLY GUIDED ADVENTURE TOURISTS, WHERE THE THRILL OF TOPPING OUT IS UNCLOUDED BY AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS THINGS LIKE THE DESCENT TAKEN CARE OF. THIS ADDICTION IS ALLOWED TO BUILD AND FLOAT WITH AN ENTIRE COMMERCIAL SYSTEM SELLING IT, KEEPING THE HARD REALITIES OF INDEPENDENT, EXPEDITION CLIMBING WELL AWAY OTHER THAN AS SOME ELUSIVE FANTASY. WE DEEM INDUSTRIAL CLIMBING ITSELF TO ACTUALLY BE THE FANTASY, AND VIEW LONG LISTS OF SUCCESSFUL SUMMITS WITH UNAPOLOGETIC SUSPICION UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE.
THE DRIVE TO SUMMIT STUFF CAN BE A CORRUPT AND DISTORTED ATTRIBUTE, A LONG WAY FROM THE PERCEIVED PURE MOMENTS AND IMMATURE CONQUESTS IT IS OFTEN SOLD AS, AND THE DRIVE CAN BE STRONG, OFTEN PERCEIVED AS SOME SORT OF JUNGIAN, ARCHETYPAL THING – WHICH IT IS, BUT ALMOST NEVER IN THE WAY THE CASUAL CLIMBER THINKS IT WILL BE.
SUMMIT FEVER CAN BRING OUT THE WORST IN A PERSON, AS IRRATIONAL AND SELFISH AS ANY CRACK HEAD. THIS IS NOTHING NEW, HAVING PLAGUED MOUNTAINEERING FROM ITS INCEPTION, WITH MANY TALES OF HEROICS BEING EVENTS REINTERPRETED KINDLY OF WHAT WERE ACTUALLY UGLY EVENTS.
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SLEEP
YOU DON’T NEED THE SLEEP YOU THINK YOU DO, AND A LIFETIME OF REGULAR HOURS – HOWEVER MUCH ADVOCATED – IS A HARD THING TO BREAK OUT IN THE NON-STOP REALITY OF EXPEDITION CLIMBING. USUALLY A STANDARD OF LONG AND SERIOUS TRAINING REGIMENS, REGULAR SLEEP CAN BECOME A SOPORIFIC THAT GETS IN THE WAY WITH PLANNING AND CONFRONTING IT CAN FEEL INVASIVE.
WHILST RELIABLE SLEEP IS A GOOD THING WHEN YOU CAN GET IT ON EXPEDITIONS, WE SEE THOSE WHO CAN HAPPILY DO WITHOUT IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEFORE, BE THE ONES WHO GO FURTHER. OUT IN THE BIZARRO WORLD OF EXPEDITION LIVING WHERE THE REAL SKILLS ARE THOSE OF DOING WITHOU NORMALCY, HEAVILY IMBEDDED SLEEP HABITS BECOME A LIABILITY.
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WEATHER FORECASTS
EVEN IN NORMAL LIFE THE OBSESSION WITH WEATHER CAN BE CONSUMING, WITH THE BOREDOM AND COMPRESSION OF BASECAMPS OFTEN TURNING A CASUAL INTEREST INTO A FULL BLOWN ADDICTION. WEATHER FORECASTS ARE THEIR OWN SPECIAL CLASS OF MEDIA, BECAUSE THEY DON’T DISMISS THE REAL WORLD OUTSIDE THE DOOR, INSTEAD THEY FETISHIZE IT. WATCHING PEOPLE IN LARGE BASECAMPS ALMOST COME TO BLOWS OVER WHICH FORECAST SERVICE TO USE IS COMPELLING, WHEN BOTH ARE POINTING AT THE SAME CLOUDS AND LOOKING AT THE SAME ANENOMETER.
USUALLY WHAT HELPS BREAK THE FORECAST ADDICTION HERE IS RECORDING THE CONDITIONS YOURSELF, WITH SIMPLE THINGS LIKE A WEATHER DIARY, ANENOMETERS, THERMOMETERS AND VANES. THESE THINGS CAN BE RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE CLIMBING IN REAL TIME AND SHOW UP FAILINGS IN MODELLED SYSTEMS, AND REPLACE OBSESSIONS WITH CONSTANTLY WATCHING FORECASTS WITH OBSESSIONS WITH ACTUAL RECORDING WHICH IS A BETTER ADDICTION TO HAVE.
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DRUGS, REAL ONES.
CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL AND WEED ARE NOTHING NEW TO EXPEDITION CLIMBING
DIAMOX, THOUGH NOT PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE, WILL NOT SOLVE EVERYTHING, AND LEANING ON THE STUFF FOR THINGS IT IS NOT INTENDED TO DO TURNS IT FROM HELPFUL CHANGE-AGENT TO SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE CASES OF WHOLE TEAMS MALFUNCTIONING BECAUSE THEY ARE USING IT AS A CRUTCH AND NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. CASTING ALL OF YOUR ANXIETIES ABOUT ACCLIMATION ONTO A PILL THAT JUST MAKES YOU PISS MORE IS BIZARRE, AND THE ERAL-WORLD EFFECTS RELATING TO HYDRATION IN A WORLD BASED ON MELTING ICE MAKES THIS FAR FROM THE NOVELTY IT SOUNDSLIKE.
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HYDRATION
IT SOUNDS STRANGE, BUT OBSESSIONS WITH FLUID INTAKE CAN BECOME OUT OF PROPORTION AND HAVE REAL EFFECTS ON TEAM DYNAMICS, NO THANKS TO AN INDUSTRY TURNING OVER BILLIONS THAT HAS WARPED PERCEPTION OF THE MATTER IN ORDER TO SELL COLOURED SUGAR. OF COURSE YOU NEED TO DRINK WATER, AND OF COURSE ALTITUDE AND EXERTION INFLUENCE THAT, BUT UNLIKE THE ALARMIST HYPE ON THE PACKAGING OF MOST SPORTS PRODUCTS, DEATH DOES NOT AWAIT.
SOME OF THE MOST FEROCIOUS ARGUMENTS WE HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN AROUND HYDRATION AND WATER, SECOND ONLY TO FIGHTS WE HAVE SEEN AROUND WEATHER FORECASTS, VEGANISM AND OXYGEN. EVEN COFFEE DOESN’T BRING OUT THE HULK TO THE EXTENT THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT FLUID INTAKE CAN, WITH THE WATER JUNKIE CONVINCED THEY WILL PERISH IF THEY GET WHAT THEY THINK THEY WILL NEED.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAKING HYDRATION SERIOUSLY AND BEING OBSESSED, AND IF YOUR THINKING IS NOT BASED ON FELT EXPERIENCE, YOU HAVE YOURSELF AN ADDICTION. WE HAVE SEEN CLIMBERS DISTRESSED OVER THE FUEL THEY GO THROUGH MELTING LITERS OF SNOW THEY ARE JUST PISSING AWAY BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THEY HEARD ELSEWHERE, WHILST THE VERY REAL DOGS OF DOOM OF HYPONATREMIA LURK.
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THE ANTIDOTE
OF COURSE THE BEST WAY TO KICK YOUR ADDICTIONS IS AT HOME BEFORE COMING, BUT FOR MANY THE PROCESS OF LEAVING ON EXPEDITION IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE PROCESS. LIKE AN IBOGAINE PROGRAM, THE ORDEALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF REAL EXPEDITIONS ORIENT ONES CHARACTER WITH REAL CONSEQUENCE AND REAL ABILITY, MAKING THE CHAPEL PERILOUS OF EXPEDITIONS BRING OUT BETTER QUALITIES PERHAPS TO BASE A LIFE AROUND.
THE ANTIDOTE TO ADDICTION IS BETTER CLIMBING, AND HAS LONG BEEN OBSERVED IN ILLEGAL DRUG CIRCLES, GOOD DRUGS DISPLACE BAD ONES WHEN THE AVAILABILITY FOR THEM IS ALLOWED. THIS MEANS BOTH INCREASING THE QUALITY OF THE GOOD STUFF AVAILABLE, AND GETTING RID OF THE BAD DEALERS WHO PROFIT FROM PERPETUATED BEHAVIOUR. LOOKED AT CYNICALLY BUT PERHAPS NOT UNREALISTICALLY, EVERY CLIMBER INOCULATED WITH GOOD HEALTHY INDEPENDENT EXPEDITIONS MIGHT BE ONE SAVED FROM THE ADDICTION INDULGENCE THAT INDUSTRIAL CLIMBING FEEDS ON.
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