DM and Offwidth and Mt Robson
Here is the long awaited conclusion to my ‘interview’ of the Desert Mountaineer. What’s even more exciting is that we now live close to each other again, and are able to get the band back together for some more climbing…
So stay tuned for more adventures…
PGH: There is a saying and probably a bumper sticker that says even the worst day climbing is better than the best day working…maybe, but I’ve had some spectacularly crappy climbing days. Do you have any days or trips that stand out as being just downright nasty?
DM: Hmmm, good question. Our trip to Mt. Robson was certainly a crap-fest of weather. How long? 12 days in total, most of them in rain or snow, not much sun – pretty shitty weather overall, making for a nasty trip. Another contender would have to be one time on Aconcagua – 5 days and nights spent camped at the elevation of Mt. Logan, where it snowed non-stop. Miserable – cold, thin air, a meter of fresh snow.
PGH: Similarly… was there a time when you thought “this is it”? You know… bought the farm, the old closed casket hoedown.
DM: Only one time comes to mind. It was the day Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I was out climbing in the desert on a 106-degree F. day. Pushed my luck, got severely dehydrated, didn’t think I’d make it back to my truck. Muscle cramps that were so severe, they were biblical in scope. Lost consciousness. A close call indeed. That day, I almost joined the ranks of the hundreds who die each year here in my part of the Sonoran Desert while crossing illegally into the US.
PGH: Was there ever a time when you said to yourself “I’m done” (with climbing)
DM: Well, in spite of all the challenges and difficulties over the years, I can honestly say that I’ve never said that.
PGH: Technology… what do you feel is the piece of gear or technology that you got most excited over as being a positive impact to climbing?
DM: For me, it would have to be GPS. I’ve climbed in a lot of places where I couldn’t get enough of a visual to accurately place myself on the map, and a GPS can save your ass. Also at night or fog or dust storms. Also, the emergency rescue devices like the Delorme Inreach have given a lot of folks more peace of mind.
PGH: How about something that you wish never got developed?
DM: Hmmm…… Although they can be useful, cell phones really annoy the hell out of me, how utterly dependent upon them we’ve become.
PGH: You have been highly prolific in southwestern B.C. as well as in the Sonoran desert. Decidedly different environments. Can you compare and contrast the two for our readers?
DM: The two are about as different as can be. BC has spectacular mountains – high, snow-covered, amazing. Plenty of peaks that have never seen a climber. On the downside, crappy weather and poor access. The Sonoran Desert peaks have good access, perfect weather, but they are smaller and less challenging. The summer heat can be deadly, though. And the area is over-run with Bad Guys, thugs who work for the drug cartels. It makes climbing within a hundred miles of the Mexican border an adventure, and possibly deadly.
PGH: You just keep going. What keeps you motivated to keep on doing this stuff?
DM: I’m addicted, plain and simple. I couldn’t stay away from the mountains even if I wanted to. The rewards are so great. I just love being out there.
PGH: Every climber I know has their ‘list’. Even Becky at 94 years old still had his list. What’s on your list? (not the uber-secret classified stuff of course).
DM: Well, I’ve worked my way through a lot of lists. Peakbaggers are very list-driven and I’m no exception. One of my main goals has always been to stand on top of peaks that appear to have never been visited by other climbers, so I’ve made that a focus of my climbing for decades. I’ll keep trying to do that.
PGH: Most of us climbers have other climbers that we look up to, and possibly take inspiration from. Who are some of your ‘climbing heroes’?
DM: All of those who did the first ascents of the 8,000-meter peaks. Messner and Habeler who did the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen. Messner who did the first solo ascent of Everest. Messner who was the first to climb all of the 8,000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. Those who have done the amazing technical climbs in Patagonia, Antarctica and Himalayas. Barbara Lilley, the first person to climb North America’s 5 highest peaks. And all those who had a climbing dream and fought hard to accomplish it.
PGH: Is there some climb that you have heard about and said “holy shit… that’s impressive”.
DM: The first ascent of Mt. Logan, for sure. The northwest face of Devil’s Thumb, still unclimbed.
PGH: Where do you see the future of climbing heading?
DM: Climbers doing faster ascents; routes being attempted which were previously thought impossible; more repeats of routes and peaks as all of the world’s peaks are climbed.
PGH: Woulda, coulda, shoulda… I am not a big fan of hypothetical questions, as they only result in hypothetical answers, but here goes… If you had it to do all over again, what if anything would you do different?
DM: I’ve done more technical climbing these past 10 years than I did in the 45 years before that, but I’ve never been very good at it. I would choose to have spent more time at it, to be a better rock climber than I am.
PGH: Advice… What are the DM’s top ten do’s and don’ts about climbing in the Sonoran Desert?
DM: DO – always let somebody know where you’re going to climb (timetable; route, both driving and climbing); bring more than you need to drink; drink an electrolyte replacement; stay away from Bad Guys; have a plan for when you meet them, because you will; have plans in place for dealing with venomous bites (snakes, lizards, insects); be a good orienteer and don’t rely on GPS and other high-tech gadgets; have a plan to deal with vehicle breakdowns; disable your vehicle so Bad Guys can’t start it up and steal it. The Sonoran Desert can be a harsh place, and it will kill you if you don’t show her respect.
DON’T – don’t drink water instead of an electrolyte replacement (hyponatremia will kill you); never underestimate the heat and the effect it can have on your mind and body; don’t assume that any of the Bad Guys are your friends (they want everything you have, and may hurt or kill you to take it); don’t assume that Bad Guys won’t break in to your vehicle – they will, and you need to deal with that when they do;
PGH: When you aren’t climbing or planning for a climb what does the DM do for fun?
DM: I write about climbing, read books about climbing. I like a good movie, one that is pure escapism