The Illusion of Control
Harvey Carter’s words become a catalyst for writer Chris Van Leuven’s quest to understand how climbing prepares us for the challenges of ordinary existence, the approach of old age and the unavoidability of loss.
The Life, Times and Scary Climbs of John Turner (1931-2014)
Fifty-five years ago, the famous Recompense at Cathedral Ledge was first climbed with wooden wedges. It was by the imagination and British boldness of this gentleman, John Turner, who injected new life into a stagnating New England climbing scene in the 1950s. Another New England great, Ed Webster, recounts Turners’ more venturesome climbing tales in this web feature.
The End of the Everest Myth
To look behind the layers of mythology that still gather around Mt. Everest is not merely a matter of pointing out differences in mountaineering styles. To the degree that Sherpas and other local guides remained invisible in international Everest stories, their concerns, their risks and the value of their lives appeared invisible, too.
Three Springs
“[I]n ‘post’-colonial democracies where ethnic minorities carry the burden of insidious and vicious prejudices at every turn, Sherpas are fortunate. Everyone loves us, everyone trusts us, and everyone wants their own collectable one of us….”
