Month: October 2023

WHEN ALL IS DEEPLY FROZEN, THE ROCK IS GOOD, YOU ARE ON YOUR TOOLS WITH BIG GLOVES AND THE RACK IS ALREADY AN ORCHESTRA OF ASSORTED OPTIONS, CAMS FILL THE PLACE FOR SMALLER CRACKS THAT ARE SMOOTH, WHEN THINGS ARE TOO INTENSE TO SPEND THE TIME ON A GOOD NUT. THIS ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY A SMALL PART OF ANY ASCENT, BUT A PART THAT IS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE SO DESERVES ATTENTION.

OUR PREVIOUS POST WITH THE ALEISTER CROWLEY SHIRT CERTAINLY ACHEIVED ITS AIM; TO SELL SHIRTS AND TO GET INTEREST, EVEN IF ONLY BY THE LOW HANGING FRUIT OF CONTROVERSY. THANKS TO INSTAGRAM MOST OF THE INTERACTION WAS ABOUT CROWLEY AND THE NATURE OF HIS IDEAS, AND WE FOUND A SECTOR ALMOST AS DROWNED IN COMPETING…
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WE LEARNED EARLY ON THAT THE WAY TO WORK IN CHINA IS TO PLAY THE LONG GAME, TO DEVELOP PERSONAL TRUST ACROSS A PROCESS OF DISCUSSIONS, DEMONSTRATIONS AND QUALITY COMMUNICATIONS. THIS HAPPENS IN THE OFFICES AND OUT IN THE BASECAMPS, BUT ALSO IMPORTANTLY AT THE DINNERS, OVER COFFEE, SHARING WHISKY AND SMALL GIFTS. LIKE ANYWHERE THERE IS A CERTAIN INSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGE, AND IN CHINA IT IS NO DIFFERENT TO ANY OTHER BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS.

IT IS ENTIRELY FEASIBLE TO PAIR AN 8000m LINER WITH A 6000m SHELL, FRANKENSTEINING THE BOOT YOU WANT FROM THE PIECES YOU LIKE. COST IS OBVIOUSLY MORE, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF A WINTER HIGH ALTITUDE TRIP IS NOT MUCH, CONSIDERING THE IMPACT IT HAS ON YOUR CLIMBING.

NO WE ARE NOT OCCULTISTS, BUT THE STATEMENT IS ONE WE THINK ALL CLIMBERS SHOULD BE CLEAR ON, FINDING IT INTERESTING THE INTERACTIONS WE HAVE WHEN POSED WITH THE IDEA. AND YES, THAT IS ALEISTER CROWLEY, NAKED IN A HOTSPRING IN THE NORTH KARAKORAM (THAT WE KNOW THE LOCATION OF).