12 step program for Alpinists

I am currently fighting a huge wave of wanting to go on a high altitude climbing trip. I promised myself I was done with it after my last trip, but something in the last couple of weeks has really got me craving that feeling again. My obsession has not gone away since I first saw a picture of it many, many years ago. The North Ridge of K2.
Hard? yes.
Remote? yes.
Dangerous? yes.
Expensive? Hells yes.

But I still am trying to figure out a way to make it happen. Argh!

Is the a 12 step program for this addiction?

Step one, find a partner you trust your life to.

Step 1: Climb a 7000m peak. See how you do.
Step 2: Climb an 8000m peak. See how you do.
Step 3: You will know the way.

Meh, life is too short and money is too tight to do it that way. Just go for it I say.

ChapelPondGirl wrote:Is there a 12 step program for this addiction?

If you've been withstanding it for several months already, then it's not an "addiction".

The mountain K2 will not be impressed if you succeed in climbing to its top. Will not care what route you did.

99.9999% of the human race will not be impressed. Will not care what route you did. Or the name of the mountain. Will not know even what country it's in.

I will not be impressed.
I've already been to higher altitude than that.

Ken

P.S. Under the questions answered "yes", how about add:
"Permanent damage to brain cells?".

You and NEsteve should make it happen. Since you guys live so close to each other.

KenR, why do you mention impressing people? Why would I care if someone or something was or was not impressed with my goals and achievements? I guess I don't understand what you're getting at. I also don't understand how you having been higher than K2 has anything to do with me jonesing to do a big peak.

Please don't pay attention. Typical lame internet chest beating from someone irrelevant. Good luck with your dream.

Just start drinking a lot. It will suppress your desire to do outrageous activities and there's a 12 step program already waiting for you at the end.

SirTobyThe3rd wrote:Please don't pay attention. Typical lame internet chest beating from someone irrelevant. Good luck with your dream.

So kenr is just a toolbag?

ChapelPondGirl wrote:KenR, why do you mention impressing people? Why would I care if someone or something was or was not impressed with my goals and achievements? I guess I don't understand what you're getting at. I also don't understand how you having been higher than K2 has anything to do with me jonesing to do a big peak.

Why would you post here if you didn't care?

Storm, the post is about the craving Alpinists get to go back into those high places, when all rational thought says otherwise....hence a 12 step program for dealing with it. It was sort of tongue in cheek.

I don't know, I thought maybe in the Mountaineering section I could find like minded souls who have similar feelings. Silly me.

ChapelPondGirl wrote:Storm, the post is about the craving Alpinists get to go back into those high places, when all rational thought says otherwise....hence a 12 step program for dealing with it. It was sort of tongue in cheek. I don't know, I thought maybe in the Mountaineering section I could find like minded souls who have similar feelings. Silly me.

I believe storms response was to kenr not you... We could all use a 12 step program but that would make it too easy and uneventful. As Alpinist, who would want to take the easy way?

Actually I was talking to ChapelPondGirl

I often crave to go Mountain climbing. Then I just think about all my dead friends (and there are many) and the feelings go swiftly away.

Look what happened to Ed Hillarys son Peter when he went up K2. He went up with a whole bunch of people and came down on his own and that was it. Maybe one other person survived but I don't think so.

'Peter Hillary was the only survivor of a group of eight climbers heading for the summit of K2 in 1995. To the other seven climbers the conditions seemed fine for a summit bid. But not for Peter. His intuition made him question going on. It was a combination of not liking the look of a bank of cloud, and something less tangible; a feeling of unease and disquiet at ascending the final slopes to the summit. The words of his father, Sir Edmund Hillary, rang in his ears: “Never be afraid to stand alone.” Peter listened to his intuition and started back down the mountain.'

That is a great looking line.

I can't remember if I saw a video about it or a slide show back in the day. The approach was cool too, camels, deep river crossings, really remote.

Is China allowing expeditions there? Maybe the CMA can be your 12 step program.

Also, actually going on a climbing trip to Pakistan would probably be one of the cheapest places anywhere to go on a climbing trip. 5G for permits, 5G for gear food and flights and BOOM K2 is yours.

Stormannorman wrote:Also, actually going on a climbing trip to Pakistan would probably be one of the cheapest places anywhere to go on a climbing trip. 5G for permits, 5G for gear food and flights and BOOM K2 is yours.

But don't you approach the N Ridge of K2 from China?
Which is usually pretty expenive I believe.
Might be safer than Pakistan these days.

Eh, forget the north ridge. That river crossing sounds too gnarly. Well if is anything like the Glacial rivers down here in NZ I wouldn't be going near it.

As for Pakistan being dodgy. Doesn't sound too bad. I had a few good long chats to some Pakistanis in the Theo Lacy Immigration Camp down in Orange County. They were friends with that school girl who got shot in the head by the Taliban on the bus for speaking out about them. Remember that? Anyway they said that going to K2 would be fine and not to worry about the Teliban. They said that the Teliban are nowhere near as bad as the American Media makes them out to be.

It might be a bit different as an American just for what your country has done to theirs but. We play Cricket against them so they love New Zealanders.

I'm pretty sure the Taliban wouldn't want me in their country.....lol. Call it a hunch. And yes, the approach to the north ridge is through western China...uiger territory.

ChapelPondGirl wrote:I'm pretty sure the Taliban wouldn't want me in their country.....lol. Call it a hunch. And yes, the approach to the north ridge is through western China...uiger territory.

It is not as hard to be not wanted in a country as you may think. I in my life time am never allowed to step foot on US soil again.

Care to share what it is you did to get barred from entry? Or is it top secret?