Ever been told to climb Mt. Everest???

When I was a lot younger I used to be an Alpinist as a hobby. I liked to climb mountains. As a kid I climbed dumb 'hills' of mountains, but later I actually got into some technical climbing. Real Alpinism.

Mountain climbing is hard. It's physically difficult, but more than this it's mentally difficult. Ergo...it can be scary sometimes!!! Really scary!

I loved the rock climbing part, but I wasn't that good, and there was always a rope and fall protection. But then there were these times when no fall protection could work....really scary times! Scary times like a walk across a 400 sand knife edge to the summit, like Long's Peak, in Colorado...where there's no fall protection and it's 2,000 feet straight down on both sides! You fall, you DIE...period!

On a side note, me and the Ex-wife went up there one February day. Wind was blowing 60mph when we got up there, and we did make it across (although, if she would have fell...well...I guess...OH WELL...LOLOL!) But she didn't fall.

There's a funny thing about mountains. Getting to the top, is much easier than getting down. This brings me to my point...

I've never climbed Everest, not even close! On my best day, I might done a 14'er or two, and even those were tough. And, I realized the really big hills weren't for me, I was too old.

So, why the rant?

Sometimes you (me) get challenges, professionally, which are great than summiting Everest, and I've been faced with one of these challenges for a while now. The order was..."CLIMB IT!!...or ELSE!"

I drew the Everest analogy for a reason. There's a limit to what you can do, and when faced with a challenge you clearly cannot accomplish, well, what do you do? When they NEVER let up...that's the goal, and you WILL climb it!

For a while you and your team try, and you do the best you can, but eventually you learn the people telling you to climb the mountain have exactly zero experience climbing mountains themselves!!! ZERO!! Yet, they still continue to whip you to summit the mountain. Never ending!

So, it IS a rant. It's a rant about people who push you for reasons of their own selfishness, to do things they could never do themselves. For their own greed and selfishness. For THEM, not you.

Yes, it is a rant!

So, as any truly good alpinist would say...NO! I'm going down...while I still can!

You do what you want!

The rest is up to YOU!

I've been told to take a flying leap a time or two, but no mountains.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

That’s right my friend.
But I’m bullheaded in another way.
If someone tells Me I can’t do something, I prove them wrong.
Or at the very least do my best trying.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

FCD my friend, good Friday to you! I've been told to jump off a cliff, take a hike, to s--t and fall back in it..even to go to Hell, bite me, get bent....oh...and to "take off, eh"...but never to climb Everest!.

Seriously, esoterically in an analogous way...the mountain top is a metaphor...but in the end? We all climb in our own way...to seemingly unattainable goals...everyone else be damned

For many...the destination isn't the prize, but the journey...and many wouldn't take the trip as being pointless for them...

We all have our peaks and valleys...I just keep walkin, carry a large stick...and world be damn...

Peace..
PS No bison this week...next!

originally posted by: HalWesten
I've been told to take a flying leap a time or two, but no mountains.

I'm pretty sure they meant you doing this instead.

The best part of that story is the part about the ex-wife.

Used to climb Long's Peak with friends as a tradition every Labor Day. About the last good day you can walk the trail before the autumn snows come and start to cover 'em. It's high enough it makes it's own weather. You want to start early, usually before the sun rises so you can get to the top by noon or so, before the winds kick in and rain or hail starts falling. That prevailing wind is vicious isn't it? Even in the summer it's cold stings, and it is strong and persistent.

Climbing Long's Peak in February when it could easily be covered in 20 or 30' of snow or more is a pretty tough feat.

The mountain over, Mount Auduobon, used to camp that one in summers too. But have been to all kinds, not all of em, but a lot of the 14ers in Colorado.

The only late autumn climbing I've done is pretty much hunting season, elk or deer. I remember last time I went, my mind was still young and ready, but my body was old and resisting. Ended up miserable with my friend for couple of days in -20 degree weather. We were both cranky from sore bodies in the cold and snapped at each other the whole time. Felt like I was with my wife almost. But it's always good returning to her after a week or so. It's good to miss the feel of her warm arms in a comfy bed.


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As for climbing Mount Everest. It's a selfish and stupid endeavor. Dumb dumb.

originally posted by: makemap

originally posted by: HalWesten
I've been told to take a flying leap a time or two, but no mountains.

I'm pretty sure they meant you doing this instead.

You know, that looks really fun but I'd have another heart attack if I did that.

Thank you for a well written and inspiring post!

I have shared it with friends (former co-workers) - who will empathize with what you have written. Impossible goals and unrelenting pressure - the daily grind that used to be rewarding turns into a source of stress and discontent.

Life is too short for that type of work environment!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk