Skier Descends K2 Solo: Nat Geo

[wallyk]

Not sure if anyone saw this or posted, if so thousand apologies......but the article is about Andrzej Bargiel, a 30 year old who ascends and skis K2 solo. Without oxygen. Amazing feat. Too many superlatives to write, will let the article speak for it's self.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...-the-year/andrzej-bargiel-ski-mountaineer-k2/

 

[Goose]

I don't really see this (and I did see the vid as well) but don't see it much of a ski thing as I do a mt hiking climb thing. And not to bust any bubble here but I don't get the whole death-defying what id consider stupidity. I mean whatever floats your boats but when I see/hear/read people die doing things like this or Everest climbing I just think its senseless. Not heroic at all in my mind but just dumb enough to intentionally walk into the face of certain death...for what?
And please don't compare this to say how skiers die on slopes every year. Or in other things we do for recreation. There are just things that make sense and then there are things that are downright asking for death.
When your at that altitude exerting oneself without 02 your asking for death not only from the exertion with no 02 but also from the weather, and conditions, and unstable terrain. Not to mention highly likely with no one to come help or save or even retrieve your body. Im not aginst one doing these things if they chose. But in my mind your no hero for doing it nor do I admire it nor praise what a feat it was to do it. When ever I've read about or watched the documentaries of all the bodies on Everest , I think...but why? and how foolish. But hey.....if people want to try to cheat death for no reason then go ahead, but I wont be looking for their autograph or praise them if they return like as if it was heroic or for sake of science and discovery to benefit mankind. To me this is foolish when all for just to say "look what I did" . Ok...yippie for him.
Just my opinion only on that

 

[wallyk]

crazy, foolish, stupid......all appropriate adjectives. But they don't take away from the fact that K2 was skied. That is unreal athletic feat that captures sense of adventure and determination that man has been perusing since the beginning of time. People are always doing foolish activities and this one could've been another name in the books of those who perished attempting to do what was called the impossible. But instead of perishing he was successful. That is what makes him a legend. Maybe not a hero but certainly a legend.

 

[pipestem]

That was a great read, thanks. I find those stories absorbing by the commitment to an ultimate goal and the dedication and skill to achieve it. One of my all time favorite books is Hillary's High Adventure. Same with stories about Shackleton, Sheppard, or any other great explorer. It's may not be heroism or science, but it is pushing the bounds of what is known. Thanks again.

 

[Goose]

Well....no rights or wrongs....just different opinions. The only thing I can really appreciate is the beauty of the mountains. Id like to be up there just for that reason. But of course only under much different circumstances and with more than enough safety and far less risk of death. Id liove to fly into space too and go the moon. And that's actually safer to do than this was...lol

Come to think of it , with how grumpy Ive become in my mid aged life due to being tired of people and the lack of common courtesies and etiquettes and respect I may actually move to the moon.
And I hear there are no lift lines

 

[Tytlynz64]

I met him here in Chicago. Real interesting cat. I think he is less compelled by seeking thrill as in executing a plan. anyway he was real interesting to talk over beers along with about ten others. we were enthralled by his stories not only this but others as well.

 

[focker]

He did it by himself so there are no pictures of it basically. Kinda of sucks to be honest.

 

[Tytlynz64]

He did it by himself so there are no pictures of it basically. Kinda of sucks to be honest.

He told us no one thought it could be done and were wary of sponsoring him. Also he didn't want to have a huge support team as it would have taken away from the "plan".

 

[focker]

He told us no one thought it could be done and were wary of sponsoring him. Also he didn't want to have a huge support team as it would have taken away from the "plan".

Understood but still doing something this big and having no photos or video of it in this day and age is kinda weird.

 

[Seldomski]

Wasn't clear to me from the article regarding photos/video -- some bits in there about a friend helping scout with a drone? The site also has some video footage on loop.

Still crazy to hear that he skied 11,800 ft vertical from the summit -- from ~28kft to ~16kft. Nuts!

 

[Mothertucker]

https://www.redbull.com/us-en/andrzej-bargiel-summit-k2

 

[Primoz]

These sort of things are, well in best case, hard to be described as skiing. I admit I didn't really check much about this K2 stuff, but just last time I just saw video of Killian Jornet "skiing" down Trollveggen in Norway as first one ever. Of course we can all have different opinions on this and we can all disagree on this, but in my mind, climbing down or even belaying down the wall, even if you have skis attached can hardly qualify as skiing.

 

[Goose]

These sort of things are, well in best case, hard to be described as skiing. I admit I didn't really check much about this K2 stuff, but just last time I just saw video of Killian Jornet "skiing" down Trollveggen in Norway as first one ever. Of course we can all have different opinions on this and we can all disagree on this, but in my mind, climbing down or even belaying down the wall, even if you have skis attached can hardly qualify as skiing.

I agree, and imo as well its not really skiing. . But to be fair and even though I find it senseless as indicated in my post....it doesnt take away from the risk and difficulty for what the guy did. Whether one wants to admire him for that (I wouldn't be one of them for my reasons given) but I suppose is up to the individual. I can see someone choosing to admire him for it. No rights or wrongs imo. But skiing? that part I would not call it.

To be honest I often find/view a percentage of big mountain skiing not really skiing so much as I do find it more surviving down on skiis. Imo is somewhat two different things. Imo its very similar to how even on a basic groomer there are those skiing down a black vs those surviving down. That same thing imo applies all the way up the ladder. Id be the first one to admit when I skied down something vs survived down it on my skis. I suppose one could argue Im splitting hairs now. lol