It was brought to my attention that I want to be like Steve House. I'm also a big fan of Mark Twight, Richard Harrison, John Bachar, Henry Barber, Dave Graham (for calling people out on weak ethics), and Dean Potter for doing what he wanted to anyway, paying his rent, and not giving a shit about what's fashionable or acceptable by anyone else's standards. Also Dona Jones, for all of the above.

Chouinard. That man had a definite eye for a line! Not to mention his contributions and ideas pertaining to the outdoor industry and business world.

in climbing alone...
My mentor Hunt Prothro

Fred Beckey for doing it longer than all of us. Harvey Butchart for login more miles in one hole than anyone has, and most of it alone and after 38 years of age

John Gill for being talented at mathematics and bouldering (and the other PhD/climbers out there)

Steve Grossman for pulling it off like we all should have.

Anyone who went to the desert circa 1939-1979 pre Friends (from the Kachina's to Kor to Jimmy Dunn and Earl Wiggins).

Fritz Weissner, for coming so close to an oxygenless first ascent of a 8,000 meter peak in 1938 and hats off to Herman for doing solo sans O2.

The statue of liberty play. Boise State vs. Oklahoma. Actually 3 minutes to go in the 4th quarter to the end of that game is my hero.

Layton Kor and my bro Mark.

Buckminster Fuller solved all the world's problems, but it'll take 100 years to understand what he said.

Hm, lets see...

6'3", 215# and ripped, pressing out B1 mantles with a cigarette hanging from his mouth..

It could only be John Long.

I think one of the all time great climbers is Lynn Hill. She set the standard for free climbing El Cap and is a wonderful role model for young climbers.
Larry Bruce

There are so many....But I have to put the British hardmen of the 60's and 70's at the top of the list. Don Whillans, Tom Patey, Joe Brown and later Doug Scott, Mo Anthoine, the Burgess Boys.

The Americans were well represented too, like Harlin, Kor, Robbins, Chouinard, Frost et. al..

Alpinists like Bridwell and Mugs Stump.

Rock climbers John Long and of course, Lynn Hill.

Chris Lindner and DG also for climbing all of Joe Brooks' projects and finally freeing Las Vegas limestone from his chisel.

Michaeld Reardon for upping the game and playing for keeps.

Layton Kor for doing it on his own terms.

All the friends I've made along the way who grew from climbing and became better people, stronger and more confident.

All the women that climb harder than me, usually without training, and have the courage to keep getting out there, knowing that I'm staring at them while they climb.

Lionel Terray, who recognized that if you're going to do something useless, you might as well do it the right way and with good friends.

Thor Heyerdahl.

My little brother(Air Force) and little sister(Marine) and ANYONE in the Military. Oh yeah, Steve Levin and Roger Briggs.

The early Hard Men like Royal Robbins, Layton Kor, Harvey Carter and Warren Harding plus their "descendants" John Long, Jim Bridwell and Earl Wiggins, for teaching us the true meaning of "no fear" and proving that our only limitations are those we make for ourselves; and anyone who put up routes on homemade gear and manila ropes.

All the ladies who made us put our tails between our legs and understand that this wasn't just a man's sport: Lynn Hill, Lisa Rands, Beth Rodden etc.

Michael Reardon, for reminding us that climbing is a communion between man and nature, a purity in beauty and essence.

My friend Wes Warwick, still climbing strong at 74 years young.

In mountaineering, George Mallory (see Hard Men, above), Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay for doing what most of the world thought impossible, Reinhold Messner and Ed Viesturs, for their solos, their climbing without supplemental O2, and for bagging all 14 of the 8000m peaks.

Outside of climbing, John Walsh, for taking an overwhelming personal tragedy, and turning it into a crusade to better our world.

And ditto what Hank said - anyone serving in our military.

Doug Coombs and Chad Vanderham
Mike Donahue

I'm with Hank. My father (Decorated HAL-3 Seawolf Pilot in Vietnam) and all those men and women in the armed forces....who provide us with the liberties that allow us the ability to sit around and talk about selfish climbing bullshit on the web. If ya didn't grow up in a military house..I don't expect you to get it.

Climbing wise? The "big boys" who still climb(ed) hard despite being linebacker size...Long and Dunne.

Steve Bartlett, Layton Kor, Fred Beckey,Derek Hersey, and Tommy Caldwell. For....for being themselves. Those are just a few names that came to mind, i have a lot of respect for all of the climbers out there doing work, covering ground and most important of all, having fun. Whether they raise the standers of climbing, give me something good to read on the toilet, or contribute to this website.

I guess one of my favorite climbers would have to be Marc Twight. His book on climbing fast and light introduced a methodology that has been instrumental towards the way I approach climbing; especially on big walls and mountaineering. I also appreciate anyone who has taken the time and effort to put together a guide book. Hats off to Steve Macnamera for his Super Topo series of books. They have taken the guide book to a new level of accuracy and have helped me with logistics towards climbing on El Cap as well as put a big itch in my brain to do the Cassian Ridge. Also appreciate all the people who have advanced the equipment we use these days. I look at the new gear in awe. The sport has come a long way since bongs, pins,chocks,wool and EB's. I would say that these individuals are my hero's. Without them, the sport we love so much would not be were it is today.

My father.

Charlie...that would be Chris Mac...not Steve.




Killis...get a life.

Bob,

Don't you hate being right all the time :). I guess I am old with very little brain matter left. Which does come in handy being a climber. At least I got Twights name right, so I am shooting 50% if you take out the grammatical errors.

Thanks Gigette.

The whole famn damily.

The inventor of the headlamp & those that get to use it with me.


& Jeff Lowe

Ron Jeremy. I acquired his autograph at a video store in Portland, OR back in '98. An incredible person, on and off the stage.

George and Jeff Lowe, Michael Kennedy, and of course Peter Croft! Come on people!

By last name only...
Terray
Lachenal
Reboufatt
Whillans
Brown
Scott
Bonnington
MacDonald
Kauk
Bridwell
Long
Gill
Barber
Chouinard
Robbins
Pratt
Harding
Lowe - Jeff, George and Alex
Beckey
Wiesner
Breashears
Donini
House
Stump
Habeler
give or take a few more...
thanks for listening.
mk