2004 Newsletters
Climbing Exhibition in the Dolomites
Jul 23rd, 2004
Climbing Exhibition in the Dolomites
People crowded into the mountain town of Cortina, Italy last week for a climbing exposition in the Dolomites, an historic center of alpine culture and the birthplace of such mountaineers as Reinhold Messner. Hugh Herr, double-leg amputee who conducts state-of-the-art research in robotics and human rehabilitation involving prosthetic legs at Harvard, Mark Wellman, a paraplegic who has twice scaled Yosemite?s famed El Capitan, and Erik delighted fans as they climbed the face of Cinque Torri, despite driving hail and rain storms ... unassisted. None of the three could have scaled the face individually, but together they were able to pool their talents, compensate for their limitations, and reach the top.
Chance in A Million Meeting With a Blind Climber
Days later, Everest teammate Mike O?Donnell and Erik found their own secluded face on one of the many great walls in the Dolomites. Halfway up the 15-pitch climb, helicopters were hovering nearby, creating big wind gusts and making it almost impossible for Erik to hear Mike?s instructions. Annoyed, Erik yelled to Mike, asking him what was going on. ?I think they?re filming you, dude.? ?Impossible,? shouted Erik, ?no one knows we?re here.? After enduring this hindrance for 10 pitches, they pulled up onto a ledge for a bit of a rest. ?You?re not going to believe this,? says a stunned Mike, ?but there?s another blind guy up here.? Andy was a 37-year old blind climber from Austria, and the chopper was filming him for an Austrian TV show. Erik introduced himself, and when Andy asked him pointedly what was the highest thing he had ever climbed, Erik sheepishly muttered ?Everest.? ?You?re the Erik from Everest?? Andy gasped.
The group climbed together up the remaining pitches. Andy was indeed a strong and accomplished climber. When they reached the top, Andy said to Erik, I have a surprise for you.? With that, a helicopter backed up to the ledge, and everyone precariously climbed a rope ladder into the chopper. For Erik, the rock wall was business as usual, but the entry into the helicopter was ?exhilarating?. Immediately, the aircraft dropped out of the sky, and within two minutes was positioned next to the refugio at the base of the wall, 2000? down, a descent which would have taken Erik and Mike 2 ½ hours otherwise. Says Andy, I'd love to climb with you again, dude,? to which Erik replied, Andy, you can climb with me anytime as long as you bring your helicopter!
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