Climbing the 14 8000m mountains has only statistical value

[Ming the Merciless]

A very good article, on mountaineering records and why style matters, as well as some other interesting facts that have surfaced.

https://www.mozgasvilag.hu/hirek/climbing-the-14-8000ers-has-only-statistical-value

 

[Rusty Nails]

Even though I know very little about mountaineering I found the article very interesting, especially the attitudes of those who know the mountaineering world well to those people who seem to be in it for bagging records, even if that includes a bit more help than others.

To relate it to cycling it reminds me a bit of the attitudes of those who collect Strava segment records.

Nothing beats challenges under the same conditions, allowing, as far as possible, for the vagaries of the weather of course.

 

[Jameshow]

A very good article, on mountaineering records and why style matters, as well as some other interesting facts that have surfaced.

https://www.mozgasvilag.hu/hirek/climbing-the-14-8000ers-has-only-statistical-value

Amazing the Manaslu summit looks difficult!!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Amazing the Manaslu summit looks difficult!!

Which why many guided parties don’t go to the summit!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Mixed feelings about the Messner etc demotions.

Whilst I cannot argue that the summit is a summit, the demotion does seem harsh imo.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's a bit like me wondering whether to include my ride in 1984 from somewhere in Devon to Abergavenny in my list of centuries. But maybe slightly more controversial.

(No I didn't include it. Although I'm sure it was over 100 miles, the fact that I can't remember where it started rules it out)

 

[Jameshow]

I took the Mersey and Clyde ferries am I to be excommunicated?!

Or perhaps retake the route....

let me know and I'll tell the Mrs the summer holiday is off as I've got to re-run lejog!!!

 

[matticus]

Do you just need to touch the summit (e.g. with your hand)? Or stand/sit/crawl on it?

(I can imagine in bad weather this making a difference!)

 

[Dogtrousers]

Box-ticking has a strange allure. Cyclists are very prone to it, fussing about Eddington numbers, Strava segments, Everesting, LEJOG, the myriad strange things that Audaxing has like RRTY, LEL, PBP ...

I have a friend who's a recreational runner. He churns out 10ks and fun runs, and has done for the 20-odd years that I've known him. He must be in his 70s by now. He'd love to do the London Marathon and enters every year without fail, and never gets a place. There are lots of other marathons available, but he's not interested in them. London is his box that he wants to tick.

Sure we could all take the "smiles not miles" approach, and look at style in mountaineering and so on. But without a box to tick it's not quite the same is it?

 

[T4tomo]

Which why many guided parties don’t go to the summit!

Possibly also a practical point of a big party all being able to fit on it for the obligatory selfie! Interesting article though from the "i've got you over 8000m and close enough to the summit now lets get out of here", to the "I'm a super climber, now wheres my helicopter to the next well trod path and team of sherpa's". It is a bit like smashing say age band TT or strava records being dragged along in a peloton of way better riders .