Date: December 29th, 2006
Charlie Fowler and Chris Boskoff went missing about a month ago in China. Their friends helped organize a massive search effort, which eventually found Charlie’s body a few days ago. Chris is likely in the same area. The duo were two of the most motivated climbers around, and losing two more good people is again really sad. I’ve known Charlie for so long that I’ve forgotten where and when I met him, he’s just always been around in the climbing world. A couple of years ago we worked a film job in the desert together, and snuck off to go climbing on a down day. The rock was pretty bad but we sure had fun, including downclimbing a reasonably hard corner because we couldn’t find a solid anchor and didn’t want to leave evidence of our passage on the cliff. On that same film job I pulled onto the top of a wild tower after a “safety scout,” while Charlie had been helicoptered onto the top to do some rigging for a film crew. The last time I’d been up there the top of the tower had hosted a really ugly cluster of manky bolts, horrendously weathered drilled angles and some weird old bits all tied together with yards of ugly webbing. I pulled over the top to find two very, very solid but well-camouflaged anchors, and all the mess perfectly cleaned up, a much more elegant solution but perhaps controversial due to the tower’s location (we were there legally). Charlie looked at me, looked at the anchors, and said in his unmistakable Charlie voice, “Well, those sure do look nice. Wonder how old they are?” The desert wind hadn’t blown the dust away yet, I about fell off the top laughing as Charlie just slyly grinned. We sat up there in the sky for a while grooving on the amazing place and life before the film circus started again, it was nice. I’m sad that Charlie’s gone, but he died with his boots on after a pretty damn solid life by anyone’s standards. I’ll grieve for him, but also laugh a bit more thinking about Charlie being Charlie. I’m looking forward to getting into the desert dust again, I know it has some Charlie mixed in it.
Some of Charlie’s friends are sharing stories here.
I’ve been depressed over the loss of Hari Berger for the last week, it just rips me up to imagine Kirsten and Zoe without Hari. Now this, and following the loss of Todd this fall, Sue and Karen in the spring, and some other people I knew less well but who were also once vital parts of the adventure world. 2005 was also a hard year on my friends, stacking 2006 on top of it is near-incomprehensible. I’m not sure how to sort this all out, it’s going to take some time to make emotional and intellectual sense of such horrific carnage. It’s like someone repeatedly blasted the well-woven fabric of our community with a shotgun. Hari, Karen, Sue, and Charlie were all likely at the Ouray Ice Festival a few years ago, now they are all gone. Here’s to hoping 2007 is a better year, play safe enough.
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 23rd, 2006
I’m heading over to the Kandersteg Ice Festival in Switzerland next week, always a fun event. Black Diamond Europe is giving all the proceeds from the slide shows to the Berger family, amazing generosity, thanks! If you’re in Europe I hope to see you at the shows, should be fun!
There are a lot of people working to raise small and large bits of money on both sides of the Atlantic, somehow this is in keeping with the true spirit of celebrating life, friends and family at this time of year. I like Christmas too–almost every culture has some sort of winter solstice celebration. The cool thing is that from here on out every day is a bit longer, yeah!
best,
WG
Training: Ran like a SOB in the dark last night, best run of the year so far. I’ve been really into night running lately, cruising through the woods by headlamp, great time to think and just let the night trail roll by. I’ve always liked running at night, it feels more free somehow, plus the hills seem shorter when you can’t see the top of ’em… Chili Dog also seems to like it, chases the headlamp beam along the trail in front of me. Then of course too much eggnog at night, grin. Elbow slowly improving, rest seems to do more than anything else, plus drinking copius amounts of water all day and hydrations beers at night.
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 22nd, 2006
Albert Leichtfried is a good friend of the Berger family, and is helping to fund raise for them. There is information up on his site about how to help if you can.
There is also some talk of a fund-raiser at Ouray, I’ll post details as they develop.
———————————————————————————–
Here is the direct information from Albert in case that link isn’t working:
According to the words of Kirsten I would like to inform you, that the dougther of Hari Berger and Kirsten Buchmann was born this night at 0.31 AM and is well and healthy. The name Zoe was given after the wish of her father Hari.
To improve the critical financial situation of Kirsten and Zoe two fund raiser are set now, from friends of hari and from the guide association. See the accounts below.
Please help them to improve at least one of their worries!
Thank you!
Spendenkonto / fund raiser “Berger Harald – Spendenkonto”
Bank: Hypo Salzburg
BLZ/bank-nr.: 55000
Konto.Nr./account: 114 0000 1016
BIC: SLHYAT2S
IBAN: AT68 5500 0114 0000 1016
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 21st, 2006
Harald Berger, three-time ice climbing world champion and father-to-be, died while ice bouldering yesterday in Austria. His partner, Kirsten, had the couple’s baby last night. She must now be super-human, but I trust she will because she is.
This whole situation is crushing. The wheel of living and dying turns with such savage cruelty sometimes. Hari was a good man–a good climber, a moral human and, as he often demonstrated while staying at our house, a good cook. I’m sure he would have been a fantastic father to his new daughter. None of us get to choose when or how we die, but this is a rough one.
Peace and love to Kirsten, and Hari’s many friends around the world.
WG
PS–These photos show the sheer scale of the situation.
Web translation of the German story:
ce climbing world champion exhausted by ice with a collapse of the ice chapel with Hintersee (flat gau) died on Wednesday the threefold ice climbing world champion Harald Berger. With the enormous avalanche cone a eisscholle broke off, which buried him. Photo: Ferdinand Farthofer torso under 150 tons ice bury the 34-jaehrige ice climbing professional, who originated from Linz and lived in Salzburg, climbed into approximately three meters height of an overhang. Against 14.15 o’clock might have released a Pickelschlag a nuclear chain reaction in the ice – the enormous over-hanging eisscholle broke off. Berger was buried by approximately 150 tons, estimates the task forces. Like enormous the “Hinterseer glacier” and/or. “Eiskappelle” in the Salzburger flat gau is, shows the size comparison to an aid of the task forces. The dead one could be saved only after some hours – specialists of fire-brigade, mountain rescue and alpine police divided the 30 times 25 meters large and two and a half meter thickened ice block with Schremmgeraeten. With a lifting cushion the fragments were then raised, in order to save the 34-Jaehrigen. Berger leaves high pregnant woman Mrs. Berger leaves a high pregnant woman woman. With it three further Kletterer were with the ice chapel for training. These witnesses of the misfortune were not hurt. Fragments at the accident scene according to data of the eye-witnesses only one blow with the eisbeil is sufficient, in order to produce in the unstable ice tongue a long transversal crack, before the ice masses fell on Harald Berger. Heavy accident before 30 years already before approximately 30 years occurred in the ice chapel a particularly tragic accident: A German vacationer placed herself under the gewoelbe, so that their man could make a photo. After the Knipsen of lightning the ice chapel broke down and buried the woman under itself. She could be saved likewise only dead. Avalanche cone a popular goal the ice chapel below the Wieserhoerndls in the Osterhorngruppe is a popular moves and ice-climbing-obtains: The numerous avalanches, which go off into the valley boiler on 850 meters sea-height, melt often the whole year long not completely. As is the case for a glacier columns and caves in the old snow, which can collapse at any time, form.
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 18th, 2006
Slings keep getting thinner and thinner, to the point where they wouldn’t work even for the most optimistic G-String in Vegas. Kolin over at BD just did some more research on joining these slings to others, interesting results. Thanks to Chris Willie for the link. Kolin’s pages are always good reading.
There’s also been some talk of late about avalanche beacons and batteries, just had the following forwarded to me from Steve Christie at Backcountry Access via Garth Lemke, thanks:
““Batteries: Three AAA/LR03 alkaline batteries. Do not use rechargeable,
lithium, Oxyride or any other non-alkaline battery.”
The Powerpix batteries increase the voltage of the unit. This in turn
increases the background noise level in the beacon. You will see this issue
with all avalanche beacons, not just the Tracker.
If you would like to post my response on the internet chat rooms that you
frequent I would appreciate it. I am getting this email quite often, it
seems to be circulating out there in internet land.”
WG
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 17th, 2006
In my experience, injuries=monitor time. Here are some of the better, or at least more engaging, sites I’ve stumbled across:
Zefrank. Smart, funny, random, WTF on all the ducks? Thanks Jim.
Chernobyl: Still going on. Stay tuned for 24,000 more years or so. Forget nuclear power, it’s just not worth it. It’s like most mining–the total costs don’t add up to being worth more cell phones, gold bits or new cars. These are all things I own so I am guilty…
Is Iraq following the El Salvador plan? Thanks to Stoltz. Bit conspiracy theory, but maybe not.
Detroit Blog: What the future looks like?
Happy Surfing!
Training: Not going so great. I’ve been doing PT on the elbow regularly, plus massage, plus not working out, and it’s just not getting a lot better. I can climb on it OK on easy ice so that’s something, but enough whinging. I’ve been injured so little in my career that I’ve got nothing to complain about, this too will pass. I’m going kite boarding now, at least that’s super fun and doesn’t seem to hammer the elbow too much. Yoga, running, situps, do what I can and hope it improves sometime. I have a big trip to Sweden in January that I’m doing if I have to climb one-handed.
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 9th, 2006
The Arc’teryx Canmore ice festival is in full swing, good fun. Taught a clinic yesterday and climbed, elbow slightly better. Climbing sure is fun, best reason I know for doing it. I really like teaching clinics also, the people always fire me up. They are also great for my climbing as well, I honestly didn’t truly learn to ice climb until I taught others how to ice climb. I got “busted” by my clinic people for bad techique a few times yesterday, pretty cool to see people catch on to moving well so fast. Other sports have well-defined teaching curriculums, climbing is just starting to reach that point. Of course, techniques change and improve (Bode Miller on skis is a good example of this, he breaks a lot of the old “rules”), but understanding enough about the movement to teach it is a good start.
My old high-school friend Michelle sent me the following quotes, thought I’d share ’em because they’re good.:
Hello everyone!
Since next Thursday is my birthday, I thought I’d put together and share some quotes I picked up off the Internet that are interesting (at least to me) to keep in mind. Some are funny, some insight, and others…..well they just leave your mouth hanging wide open!
Enjoy the short read! Some of these are too true!
Michelle
To alcohol! The cause of and solution to all of life’s problems! Homer Simpson
In politics stupidity is not a handicap. Napoleon
A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it is written on.
Samuel Goldwyn
Haven’t we already given money to rich people? Why are we going to do it again?
–George w. Bush, Washington, DC, 11/26/2002: To economic advisers discussing a second round of tax cuts, as quoted by former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neil.
Life is hard. After all, it kills you.
Katharine Hepburn , 05/12/1907 – 06/29/2003,US-actress
There are laws to protect the freedom of the press’s speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press.
Mark Twain 11/30/1835 – 04/21/1910, US author
When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.
Mark Twain
Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.
Mark Twain
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
Mark Twain
You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.
Henry Ford 07/30/1863 – 04/07/1947, Founder of the Ford Motor Company
Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.
Albert Einstein 03/14/1879 – 04/18/1955, Nobel Prize Laureate (Physics)
I believe that Ronald Reagan can make this country what it once was – an Arctic region covered with ice.
Steve Martin 08/14/1945 – – US actor, writer and producer
If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans.
Woody Allen 12/01/1935 – – US writer, actor and director
If A is a success in life, than A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.
Observer, Jan. 15, 1950, Albert Einstein
Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
Henry Ford
I’m completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.
George Carlin US Comedian
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn’t it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted?
– George Carlin
Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
– George Carlin
“I am” is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that “I do” is the longest sentence?
– George Carlin
Honesty may be the best policy, but it’s important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
– George Carlin
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.
Groucho Marx (1890-1977)
I was a prisoner too, but for bad reasons.
–George w. Bush, Monterrey, Mexico, 01/13/2004 to Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, on being told that all but one of the Argentine delegates to a summit meeting were imprisoned during the military dictatorship.
Let me put it to you bluntly. In a changing world, we want more people to have control over your own life.
–George w. Bush, Annandale, VA, 08/09/2004
Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
Henry Ford
Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock.
Ben Hecht (1893 – 1964)
America is a mistake, a giant mistake.
Sigmund Freud, 05/06/1856 – 11/23/1939, Austrian neurologist & the founder of psychoanalysis
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.
Bob Hope, 05/29/1903 – 07/27/2003, Engl. actor and comedian
Words ought to be a little wild for they are the assaults of thought on the unthinking.
John Maynard Keynes, 06/05/1883 – 04/21/1946, English economist
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
Winston Churchill, 11/30/1874 – 01/24/1965, British politician and Nobel Prize Laureate
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
Henry David Thoreau, 07/12/1817 – 05/06/1862, US author and philosopher
A day without laughter is a day wasted.
Charlie Chaplin, 04/16/1889 – 12/25/1977, English actor
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
from his book “Mostly Harmless”
Douglas Adams, 03/11/1952 – 05/11/2001, English humorist & science fiction novelist
Without music, life would be a mistake.
Friedrich Nietzsche,10/15/1844 – 08/25/1900, philosopher and lyricist
The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.
in the Appendix to Man and Superman: “Maxims for Revolutionists”
George Bernard Shaw, 07/26/1856 – 11/02/1950, Erse dramatist, author and Nobel Prize Laureate
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 08/28/1749 – 03/22/1832, German poet
To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer.
Paul Ehrlich
Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.
Danny Kaye, 01/18/1913 – 03/03/1987, US actor and Oscar-Prize-Laureate
The great question – which I have not been able to answer – is, “What does a woman want?”
Sigmund Freud, 05/06/1856 – 11/23/1939, Austrian neurologist & the founder of psychoanalysis
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
The Age of Reason
Thomas Paine, 01/29/1737 – 06/08/1809, “Founding Father” of the US
I generally avoid temptation unless I can’t resist it.
Mae West, 08/17/1893 – 11/22/1980, US-actress, playwright, screenwriter, and sex symbol
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. Albert Einstein
Posted in: Blog
Date: December 4th, 2006
A few people have suggested I start a second career as a “professional questioner of commonly held climbing beliefs.” That sounds almost fun, but the reality is that I’m mainly just sharing info from other people. I’m no physics major, just really curious about climbing gear, always have been. I do the same sort of work for BD and Arc’teryx on their gear, it’s fun for some reason. Maybe I’m really a geek.
Anyhow, I’ve been corresponding and thinking more about ropes after Jim Ewing’s data on half ropes tested with single-rope fall loads. The good news is that all the half ropes held one fall, but Jim is sure none would pass a full single-rope test of five falls minimum. This makes sense, companies would be marketing these ropes as singles if they did.
Here’s a really good link full of rope and other climbing gear test data, I especially liked the info on what various environmental contaminants (sand, water, freezing) etc. did to rope strength. Always wondered about that. Andrew McLaren seems to be doing or supervising some good work on climbing gear, thanks to him for that.
Training:
The elbow rehab continues, and a few of the exercises I’ve found seem to be slowly helping–I can now hold a frying pan one-handed! OK, so not so rad but a pretty good improvement for me. Went skate-skiing for the first time last week, sure is fun! Other than that just rehab, running, no climbing but hopefully soon. I’ve given up Yoga classes for now, the swinging through to seated and “tweaky” strain on my elbow just isn’t good. I’m continuing to do my own stretching and yoga at home, but if I go to a yoga class I tend to try too hard and then the elbow is really sore the next day. Yup, yoga kicked my ass.
WG
Posted in: Blog
