Title: Three Cups of Tea

Author: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Year: 2006

Three Cups of Tea is an amazing story that every American should read. This book not only tells a thrilling story, chapter after chapter, but also is a history lesson in modern events, and seeks to dispel stereotypes of of Islamic culture.

The story begins in 1993, with Greg Mortenson’s expedition to climb K2 in Pakistan. His summit attempt was not successful. Worn from too many days at high altitude and feeling disheartened from his failed summit attempt, Mortenson missed a crucial turn in the trail while heading down the Braldu Valley toward Askole. Little did he know that his wrong turn would forever change his life.

Mortenson wandered into the tiny village of Korphe where he found a peace that he had long forgotten. In the village leader, Haji Ali, Mortenson found both a friend and a mentor. Slowly, Mortenson awoke from his dazed state and one day asked to see the village school. The next day, Haji Ali guided Mortenson to the village school. Mortenson was awestruck when he saw 78 boys and 4 girls kneeling on the open ground, working on their studies without the help or guidance of a teacher. “I’m going to build you a school,” Mortenson said to Haji Ali. And Mortenson was a man of his words.

I don’t think Mortenson really knew what he was getting into when he made this promise. He headed back to the US with the goal of finding a way to fund a school in Korphe. He sold his car, lived sparingly, and worked extra hours to save money for this project. He wrote several hundred letters, most without the use of a computer, but did not have adequate funding. Mortenson’s dream would not have been realized without the help of Jean Hoerni, a Swiss-born physicist and mountaineer enthusiast, who would become Mortenson’s benefactor.

Mortenson returned to Pakistan to build the school in Korphe, thinking he would be able to build it before winter. But, nothing is ever easy in Pakistan. Bridges needed to be built first, and men needed to work so they could live through the winter. Along the way, Mortenson realized that Korphe was not the only village in the Braldu Valley that needed a school, as other villagers begged him to build his school elsewhere. While laying the foundations of the Korphe school, Mortenson laid the foundations for the rest of his life’s work.

Through trip after trip to Pakistan, Mortenson expanded his contacts and his influence. “Dr. Greg” became known up and down the Braldu valley and beyond. Through Mortenson grew the CAI, Central Asia Institute, a non-profit organization that helped fund and oversee Mortenson’s projects. Mortenson began overseeing projects everywhere, from schools to women’s centers to aiding refugee camps. Between trips, Mortenson managed to marry Tara Bishop, and have two children. The book dialogues Mortenson’s highs and lows, successes and failures, and emphasizes how Mortenson’s success stemmed from his close-knit bunch of supporters, both in the US and Pakistan. Three Cups of Tea follows Mortenson through a Taliban kidnapping, events leading up to 9/11, the reporter-circus that followed, the US invasion of Afghanistan, and a CIA interrogation.

Though Mortenson began originally began building his schools because he believed that every child should have an education, he quickly realized the political need for such schools. At the same time, Islamic fundamentalists were building wahhabi madrassas which “targeted the impoverished students the public system failed. By offering free room and board and building schools in areas where non existed, madrassas provided millions of Pakistan’s parents with their only opportunity to education their children.” Unfortunately, some of these madrassas taught jihad and it is estimated that more than eighty thousand of these students became Taliban recruits.

Mortenson saw the need to provide a more neutral education, and education especially for women. “If the girls can just get to a fifth-grade level,” Mortenson says, “everything changes.” He continues, “Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities. But the girls stay home, become leaders in their community and pass on what they’ve learned. If you really want to change a culture…. the answer is to educate girls.”

Three Cups of Tea continuously tells story after story revealing the difficulties villagers had to face just to obtain a simple education- something American students too often take for granted. One of the most compelling stories is that of Aslam. When Aslam was only eight years old, his father woke him early one day. They walked two days to the end of their trail where Aslam’s father handed him two coins and said when “you get to the town of Khaplus, you will find a school. Give the Sahib who runs the school these coins to pay for your education.” Aslam’s father then pushed Aslam into the river. Not able to swim, Alsam floated down the river, in tears, to his new life.

Three Cups of Tea also provides an interesting insight into Islamic culture. Mortenson learns to pray like a Muslim, and through countless interactions, learns the ways of the culture. Though a patriarchal society, this culture dues not support suppression or abuse of women. American views of Islamic religion are poisoned by the images of Taliban oppression and abuse. But, the majority of Muslims are not so extreme. The book tries to dismiss American stereotypes of Muslims, and portrays them for what most of them are- kind and caring individuals, who care for their family, friends and neighbors, perhaps more than most Americans.

Aside from educating about the Muslim culture, Three Cups of Tea also tells a modern history lesson. Through the escalation of wahhabi madrassas, Mortenson could basically see the growth of the Taliban and the anti-Western sentiments that grew with them. Only something big could come from such a hatred-mentality where martyrs are heroes. After 9/11, Mortenson shifted some of his efforts to Afghanistan. A war supporter at first, Mortenson changed his mind when he realized that the US invasion was killing thousands and thousands of innocent civilians. Mortenson’s friend Bashir exclaims, “People like me are America’s best friends in the region. I’m a moderate Muslim, an educated man. But, watching this, even I could become jihadi. How can Americans say they are making themselves safer?” He goes on to say, “You have to attack the source of your enemy. In America’s case, that’s not Osama Bin Laden or Saddam or anyone else. The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to rebuild relationships with these people….. Otherwise the fight will go on forever.”

Mortenson’s reputation preceded him, across borders, mountains, and languages. Mortenson was originally drawn into Afghanistan by a band of Kirghiz horseman that rode over the mountains to seek Mortenson in Zuudkhan. They too, wanted a school for their children. Shortly after, Mortenson found himself in Afghanistan, talking to teachers who haven’t been paid in months, desperate for any book other than the Koran, all of which had been banned by the Taliban. A year after the initial US invasion, Mortenson conversed with the Afghan King Shah, who stated, ” We don’t see many Americans in Afghanistan anymore. A year ago this plane would have been full of journalists and workers. But now they are all in Iraq. America has forgotten us. Again.” Mortenson speculated that only a third of the money that America promised had made it’s way to Afghanistan.

Determined not to allow American to make the same mistake it made by abandoning Afghanistan after the Soviets pulled out, Mortenson began his own version of “Charlie Wilson’s War”. Mortenson found himself braving several life-threatening events to make his way to rural Baharak, to build a school for the Karghiz nomads. Upon his arrival, he immediately wins the support of Sadhar Khan, the leader of the region, who states, “There has been far too much dying in these hills. Every rock, every boulder that you see before you is one of my mujahadeen, shahids, martyrs, who sacrificed their lives fighting the Russians and the Taliban. Now we must make their sacrifices worthwhile. We must turn these stones into schools.”

Mortenson’s message reads loud an clear. War is not solved by killing, but by educating. I believe the education needs to happen on both sides. Not only do the poor villagers of Afghanistan and Pakistan need to be schooled, but we as Americans need a lesson. If we strive to understand Islamic culture, perhaps we can break the band of hatred that surrounds us. Perhaps we can achieve peace through understanding, one cup of tea at a time.

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Mortenson has recently written a new book about his more recent achievements, titled Stones Into Schools. I am looking forward to reading this book soon!

Movie of the Month: Push

Director: MSP

Year: 2006

Where can I find it? skimovie.com, netflix.com

MSP’s Push stays true to it’s Crested Butte routes by opening up with a scene shot in CB South. This scene features a local kid who is being egged-on by bigger kids to jump a ramp on his bike. His failure to jump the ramp repeatedly causes the kids to heckle him. But, after the bullies leave, this lone ranger goes for a ride off the ramp. This scene sets the stage for this movie whose theme is athletes who push skiing to the next level.

Push is filmed on location in China, Haines, Whistler, Park City, Japan, Norway, and Terrace, BC and features athletes like Mark Abma, Eric Hjorleifson, Ingrid Backstrom, Sarah Burke, Shane McConkey, Rory Bushfield, Hugo Harrisson, Simon Dumont, Sammy Carlson, Mike Wilson, Mike Douglas, and Chris Rubens.

The first ski scenes in Push feature a mod-podge of skiers and locations with a lot of tumbles, crashes, and tomahawks, again trying to bring the movies theme to life. Athlete voice-overs emphasize that skiing has become a lot more risky over the last 10 years. Lines keep getting gnarlier and longer. Falling doesn’t mean you just hurt your thumb or knee anymore. If you fall on today’s big lines “you’re going to the hospital”. “Sometimes you land and you’re a hero, but if you don’t land you’re on the couch- it’s over.”

Simply stated, as today’s skiers push themselves and their sport to the next level, many of them find themselves paying a price. Throughout the movie, athletes talk about this theme. Sarah Burke mentions how she’s paid the price with broken bones, a torn rotator cuff, and sore knees. Even Shane McConkey has cashed in. This season ended in Haines, AK as he flew down the hill, hit and ice chunk and went tomahawking down-slope, resulting in a dislocated hip. McConkey states, “I have had 6 season-ending injuries over the last 10 years. People always ask me, ‘Is it worth it? Getting hurt that much.’ And the answer is, ‘yes’. I would do it all over again- have 6 more season-ending injuries in the next 10 years in order to keep doing what we get to do. There’s nothing better than sliding down snow and flying through the air.” Yet, skiing lines that ultimately result in injury is not the only way to push skiing to the next level. Eric Pollard states, – “A lot of people are pushing out there… going massive and fast. I like to do that as well, but I just love to find lines that have a lot of flow to them.”

Push is largely divided by athlete segments.

• Mark Abma- Whistler powder magnificence
• Simon Dumont- two large jibbing segments
• Sarah Burke- big air, backcountry booters
• Eric Hjorleifson- big mountain radness mixed with his overwhelming excitement
• Shane McConkey- the master, need I say more
• Rory Bushfield- backcountry booters, big lines
• Mike Wilson- hucks anything
• Sammy Carlson- another jib segment
• Eric Pollard-

There were three athlete segments that especially stood out for me in this film. First was Hugo Harrisson’s segment. Hugo seems to ski with a purpose- fast, aggressive, dropping big lines like candy. The second was Ingrid Backstrom’s piece. It is clear now that Ingrid was on the top of her game during the making of this movie. If Ingrid hadn’t been sporting her pink jacket during the making of this movie she could have easily been mistaken for one of the many males shot in this film. Skiing with the aggression of a boy but with the grace of a girl, MSP picked an appropriate tune to accompany her skiing- “The boys wanna be her, the girls wanna be her”. The last segment I particularly enjoyed was that of Chris Rubens. In this scene, Rubens skis high-speed big mountain lines with the cleanliness of McConkey. This segment made me wonder why I haven’t seen Rubens in more ski movies.

A few segments are divided by location. Push features a trip to China and Japan where boys make magic in the snow to the tune of “I’m Turning Japanese”. Another trip to Stranda, Norway reveals that Norway has lines that rival Alaska. But, most interesting was the heli-skiing segment shot in Terrace, BC. This segment is kept raw and real. There is no music, only wind, voices, grunts, and screams. Here, the athletes flail as much as they thrive. This is true skiing.

MSP narrates this movie using athlete interviews and voice-overs. I especially like that the film-makers took the time to interview each athlete about the other athletes. For example, Ingrid Backstrom describes Eric Hjorleifson as “passionate about skiing….. It’s not something he’s out there doing for the camera, it’s something he’s doing because he really loves it.” Rory Bushfield asserts, “Wilson is probably one of the craziest people I know, I think. He’ll look at something that’s just completely ridiculous and I don’t think that it crosses his mind that people look at it that it’s ridiculous. He sees it, thinks it’s doable, and goes for it.” Comments like this bring the athletes to life.

Even though Push is now three years old, it’s still a great movie to see. Avid skiers will appreciate viewing some of these athletes in their earlier stages. If you haven’t seen this movie before, Push is well worth the watch. If you have seen Push in the past, check it out again- you may catch something you haven’t seen before

Movie of the Month: Winter Magic Around the World

Director: John Jay

Year: Features footage from 1946-1970, could not find date of compilation

Where can I find it? amazon.com

I like old ski movies. I’ll admit, I have a weakness for them. The more old ski movies I watch, the more I realize we are doing the same things now as they did over 50 years ago. Only a few things have changed- helmets have replaced hats, ski equipment is not as sketchball, it’s now cool to wear sunscreen instead of walking with a lobster face, and people don’t ski like their ankles around bound together with rope anymore. Other than that, skiing and ski movies have not changed. The heart and soul of this sport evolved from an era where skiers were just as die-hard as the skiers today. Like I’ve said before, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

I also like ski movies because they teach me something new every time I slip a new one into the DVD player. Have any of the new-release ski flicks taught me anything new this year? I can’t think of any. But, Winter Magic Around the World was an entire learning experience in and of itself.

First, this movie taught me about John Jay. I’m young and I grew up in an era where Warren Miller movies rocked the ski world. Sure, Greg Stump had a brief stint of fantastic films. But, his legend was short-lived. As he began to fade, production companies like TGR and MSP began finding their way into the niche of skiers that found something lacking in WME. But, who knew the heart of all of this started with John Jay?

John Jay reminds me a lot of Warren Miller. In Winter Magic, Jay narrates in what I call “old style”. You hear Warren Miller telling this story all the time…. Old ski movies were shown as film, but the narration was done in person. Jay very obviously narrates this compilation of ski footage he has obtained throughout the years on a much later date. My guess is that his narration is taking place somewhere in the 1990’s, not long before his death in 2000.

John Jay has a long list of ski movies he has produced of which you can read more about in his bio. But, even more interesting, is Jay’s role in the army during World War II. Already being an avid skier and ski-film producer, Jay received his orders in 1942 to report to 1st Battalion, 87th Regiment at Fort Lewis as the Second Lieutenant to the ski troops. Jay then led an eight-man subdivision of the 1st Battalion on the first winter ascent of Mount Rainier in Washington. That same year, Jay became Captain and began what became known as the 10th Mountain Division. Shortly after, Jay began putting together his second film, Ski Patrol. Completed in the fall of 1943, the film drew 75,000 viewers and helped produce a wealth of army recruits. After his career in the army Jay continued his ski-filming career until he died in 2000 at the age of 84.

Winter Magic is a compilation of ski footage that Jay collected from 1946 to 1970. Judging by other ski movies he has produced in certain locations, I believe that most of the footage was obtained in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.

Much of the ski film is not unlike ski movies of today. There is heli skiing in the Bugaboos of Canada, a World Championship slalom race in Vail. Footage is also shot on location in Aspen, Zermatt, France, Japan, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand. The film has skiers rappelling on glaciers, backcountry skiing in Europe, staying backcountry huts, and doing fly-ins. Winter Magic is full of skinning segments, showing skins and even ski crampons of the day. The only major difference from the backcountry segments of today is that 40 years ago skiers didn’t have heals releasing on their bindings to make skinning easy. John Jay explains during one of these backcountry segments, “This is what skiing used to be 50 years ago….and now the wheel has come full circle” as more and more people take to the backcountry to avoid crowds. Perphaps that circle has spun around yet again!

Winter Magic has some really interesting segments featuring skiing in non-traditional locals. He and his film crew traveled to Russia when it was still far behind the Iron Curtain. They also traveled to Iran, where they experienced some of the best powder in the world at the Shaw’s private ski area in the Alborz mountains. Most skiers even today are hardly aware that skiing even exists in Iran and those who do would probably think hard about traveling there to ski.

One of my favorite segments was the ski-bobbing Jay featured in Zermatt. Just catching on in the 1960’s, the Europeans took ski-bobbing to the extreme, as they seem to do with everything. Who knew that these cheesy ski-bike things could be so fun? Yet, the footage shows these ski bobbers heading down steep mountain slopes at speeds that might even scare me on skis. But, they do it with grace, carving fast turns all the way down the mountain.

Probably one of the funniest segments to me was the skiing of Stein Eriksen in Vail. A Norwegian skier that made his way to the US in the 1950’s, Jay, along with many others, regarded Eriksen as one of the best skiers of that era. Yet, if you watch his skiing today, you’ll find yourself wondering…. HOW? WHY? His legs are stuck together like glue, his pole plants are virtually non-existent, and his hands are flailing in the air with some sort of upper-body twist that’s supposed to counter the movement of his lower-body. Why it looked good then, we may never know. But, an even greater question I have is, “How did he even ski like that?” It seems so unnatural!

Present in Winter Magic, but absent from so many of today’s movies, is humor. Jay narrates his movie in near mono-tone laden with witty remarks. Jay refers to a crash by Billy Kidd as “bad day at the office” and when looking at two skiers basking in the sun, working on their tans, as “two well-done”. Comments like this are prolific throughout the movie and had me laughing out loud on a number of occasions. Similar to older Warren Miller movies, Jay has several segments of “bloopers”. In these segments he usually features beginner skiers flailing, falling, crashing into one another, being twisted and contorted, and generally losing the war with the skis. I’ll be honest, I kind of miss these segments in the intense huck-fest movies of today.

All in all, Winter Magic Around the World is a good movie. While the footage is 40+ years old, some of it still may surprise you. It’s worth the watch in my book!

Movie of the Month: In Deep

Who?: Matchstick Productions

Year: 2009

Where can I find it? Matchstick Productions

Matchstick Productions In Deep appeared at the Center for the Arts in Crested Butte on Friday evening. For most Buttians, the annual MSP films have become a September ritual. MSP was born in Crested Butte, and the locals here appreciate their consistent return, even though their films have spread far beyond the borders of Colorado.

In Deep opens with the inspiring 16-yr old skier, Sean Pettit. This fanatical teenager skis lines that most of us would dare to even dream about. Pettit, despite retaining the gorilla-park style that reveals his roots, is clearly the future of our sport.

MSP’s film continues, with several segments focusing on a specific athlete. This film is unique in the fact that it features constant voice-overs with the athletes speaking about their experiences. These voice-overs bring the scenes to life. Viewers have a better sense of what is occurring in each scene, making the movie more tangible. One of the most memorable voice-overs is Chris Davenport’s explanation of two major crashes while skiing in Haines, Alaska. In these scenes, Davenport comes dangerously close to serious injury or even death, yet escapes unharmed. But, Davenport’s voice-over reveals his feeling of humility for the mountains and relief that something more serious did not happen.

In Deep features many stellar athletes including Kaj Zakrisson, Hugo Harrisson, Mark Abma, Mike Douglas, JT Holmes, and many more. Segments were filmed from many places around the world including Squaw Valley, Keystone, British Columbia, Italy, Haines, Sweden, and Crested Butte.

My only complaint about In Deep, as with most ski movies, is their lack of female athletes. In Deep boasts that they feature Michelle Parker and Ingrid Backstrom. But, these females are “featured” in a tiny segment which also highlights other male athletes. The total female presence in this movie is probably around 1-2 minutes. These women may not ski quite as aggressive lines as some of the male skiers, but when given the opportunity, these girls can hold their own. They ski with such finesse that viewers rarely realize the difficulty of the lines they ski. Ski movies need more of these women.

Anyone who has seen In Deep will tell you that the most memorable part is at the end, featuring the last ski base jumps performed by Shane McConkey. The somber story is told in voice-over by JT Holmes, who was base jumping with McConkey when he skied off a cliff to his instant death. This heartbreaking account is followed by other “Shane stories”, celebrating his life and revealing what a funny, clever, and wonderful person he was.

All in all, In Deep is a movie to be seen. This movie not only commemorates the life and death of McConkey, but it reveals the growing success of the once-small filmmaking company, Matchstick Productions.

Movie of the Month: Teton Skiing- Legends of the Fall Line

Director: Derek Weiss

Year: 2006

Where can I find it? http://www.pitonproductions.com/

Legends of the Fall Line is a documentary created by Derek Weiss of Piton Productions. Weiss is a nurse in his working life. But, in his playing-life he is an avid backcountry skier, photographer, and filmmaker. A movie documenting the history of skiing in the Teton region has been long past due. Weiss saw this need and spent weekend after weekend traveling back and forth between Salt Lake City and Jackson, WY capturing bits of history and clips of film to bring together this fabulous skiing documentary.

Legends, narrated by Steve Baron, opens up with a quote that sums up the just of this movie: “In the history of skiing, few places have had as much influence as the sport of skiing as the Teton Mountains have. This story follows the birth of skiing as a necessity of winter transportation, through the revolution of steep skiing, and into the eventual revolution of ski alpinism.”

Before there was a lift and before people even knew what could potentially be done on skis, there was need for mail. And in Jackson, the mail was delivered by Fred Brown in the 1930’s. Mail carriers were some of the first people to use skis in the area and Brown brought the mail over Teton Pass. This is where Legendsstarts. Fred Brown is the first ski “legend” in this movie, as he pioneered skiing in the Tetons in the 1930’s.

Legends continues on, interviewing ski legends such as Ted Major, Muugs Schultz, and Virginia Huidekoper who themselves reminisced this interesting era. Each person points to 1938-9 as being a pivotal year for skiing in the Tetons. This is the year the first ski lift was built by Neil Rafferty, opening Snow King ski area. Recreational skiing had finally arrived in Jackson!

Legends both interviews and highlights Betty Woolsey as not only a influential women of the time, but also a central person in the development of skiing in the Tetons. Betty was captain of the women’s 1936 Olympic ski team and was racing in Sun Valley when she heard about Teton Pass. In 1940 she decided to visit the area. Betty had skied at numerous places including Aspen, Alta, and European resorts but decided none had the snow she desired like Teton Pass. She decided to relocate from New York to Jackson. Betty soon purchased Trail Creek Ranch, inviting vacationers to come stay and ski at the ranch. Woosley ran ski tours on Teton Pass and became known for her knowledge of avalanche safety. Trail Ranch continues today to provide skiers with a place to stay and access to Teton Pass.

My favorite portion of Legends is the story of Bill Briggs. Bill Briggs and Barry Corbett were both attending Dartmouth which, in the 1950’s, was a renown skiing school. Briggs and Corbett eventually decided to drop out of Dartmouth and move West to ski Teton Pass. In an interview, Briggs cited how he felt that the college was setting him up for city and corporate life. But, Briggs knew he didn’t want any of that. He decided, “To hell with all of that. I’m going to do those things which I enjoy doing- skiing, climbing, and music….. I’m going to make my life out of those three things and that’s it.”

Together, Briggs and Corbett made the perfect team for pioneering the next level of skiing in the Tetons. Aside from their Teton adventures, they also skied Mt. Rainier and pushed through a 100-mile ski tour in British Columbia. But, the whole time, Briggs was in severe pain. He had been born without cartilage in his hip and eventually had it surgically in 1961 fused to alleviate the pain. Briggs figured that he could no longer engage in the outdoor activities that he loved and he thought his ski days were over. He inspired his ski partner Corbett to tackle a new line that had never been skied- Buck Mountain. Corbett likely would have skied many other Teton lines had he not become a paraplegic after a helicopter crash in 1968.

Meanwhile, Briggs was slowly realizing that his activities didn’t have to be so limited, and got back on his skis again. He tackled the Middle Teton and the Mt Moran Skillet Glacier. These peaks came with ease to Briggs and he set his sights even higher- toward the Grand Teton. While the Grand Teton is now virtually a popular ski among ski mountaineers, no one had even thought about skiing the Grand at the time. The thought was simply preposterous. Jackson locals knew Briggs was crazy, though, and knew when the time was right, Briggs would ski the Grand Teton.

And ski the Grand, Briggs did, on June 15, 1971. After three years of waiting for the right conditions, Briggs headed out with a team of three others. Briggs account of the ski is simply amazing and is best heard from him, rather than retold. But, Briggs endured ice and avalanches to rise up to success in skiing the Grand Teton. Yet, he did more than that. Bill Briggs created ski mountaineering as we know it today.

Legends not only focuses on historical figures. The film also recounts the role of Jackson Hole opening in 1964 and the role it had on skiing. As the film moves through it’s chronology, the development of ski equipment is also presented. Also essential to the evolution of skiing in the Tetons were the Exuum Guides.

The movie continues to highlight the development of Teton Skiing through to the present day. Legendaries such as Andrew McLean, Rick Wyatt, Jeff Rhoades, Tom Turiano, and Stephen Koch are all interviewed. The story of how lines like the Black Ice Couloir and Hossack-MacGowan Couloir were skied are revealed through these interviews. Legends even details the first guided ski of the Grand Teton in 2004 with Doug Coombs (guide), Mark Newcomb (guide and filmer) and Cameron Romero (client), showing footage of the actual climb and ski.

Legends of the Fall Line has become one of my most favorite ski movies of all time. In true documentary style it highlights the development of skiing and the evolution of ski mountaineering in the hub of it all- the Tetons. Skiers and ski mountaineers alike will find the stories in this movie both compelling and inspiring. No, you can’t rent this movie on Netflix. But, it is well worth the purchase!

Trailer:

Other Movie Excerpts:

35 MB mpeg
19 MB wma

Other Reviews:

Lou Dawson on wildsnow.com

Mitch Weber on telemarktips.com

Book Review: Swimming to Antarctica

Author: Lynne Cox

Year: 2004

During my last blog entry, I mentioned that my injury has allowed me some time to find sources of inspiration. Another source of inspiration is long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox. I recently read her autobiography, Swimming to Antarctica, and found it full of insight.

Not everyone sets huge athletic goals for themselves at age nine. But, Lynne Cox did. In her autobiography, she describes how a stormy day while swimming at her pool in New Hampshire, she set her sights on swimming across the English Channel. She worked toward that goal during her adolescence, moving to California in the meantime. Swimming 26 miles across the Catalina Channel at age 12 further provided further motivation for her English Channel swim. At age 15, Cox swam across the English Channel, breaking both the women’s and men’s world record times.

So, what do you do when you achieve your life goal at age 15? You strive for more challenges. And that’s exactly what Lynne Cox did. After her first swim at the English Channel, her record was quickly broken. So, she went back and broke the record once again. She also set a record on the Catalina Channel. Eventually, Cox began focusing on international swims with her ultimate desire being to swim across the Bering Strait into Russia, during the Cold War. The political maneuvering behind doing such a swim took years, so she began training in colder waters. Cox swam across the Cook Strait in New Zealand, joined by dolphins, being broadcast through the whole country, and with all of the Kiwis pulling for her as the weather continued to worsen. She then pushed her cold-water boundaries in the Strait of Magellan, swimming in 44 degree water, followed by swims in the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and Lake Myvant in Iceland (where the water was 43 degrees). All the while, she encaptured the hearts and souls of people in each country visiting, finding support in places she never expected. Cox never forgot her ultimate goal of swimming the Bering Strait and viewed all of her various swims as training for this swim. To prepare for swimming in the 38 degree water of the Bering Strait she ventured to Glacier Bay, Alaska where she swam 28 minutes with pan ice in 38 degree water.

The book seems to climax during Lynne’s swim of the Bering Strait. Cox spent years writing letters, making phone calls, and creating connections which would eventually allow her to gain the permission she needed for the swim. This swim would never have happened if it weren’t for her persistence and endless hope. Before she had even gained permission from the Russian authorities, she and her support team made there way to Nome, Alaska to prepare for the swim. Cox had a window of time she allotted for the swim and near the end of that time she still hadn’t heard from the Russians. But, then the long-awaited phone call was finally received and the swim was on. Lynne swam from Little Diomede and Big Diomede, from Alaska to Russia, in cold water, during the Cold War. Cox’s swim signified new relations between the two enemies, and allowed for a cultural exchange between the habitants of two countries that only knew rumors about one another.

Cox’s successful swims made her realize her true potential. Her swims began to develop into “three dimensional” tasks. Cox’s goal was not only to swim in unique places, but she also wanted to “establish bridges between borders”. In trying to accomplish this goal, Cox swam in Lake Baikal in Siberia, across the Beagle Channel between Chile and Argentina, across the Spree River from East Berlin to West Berlin (before the fall of the Berlin Wall), and across Lake Titicaca from Bolivia to Peru.
But, these swims were easy for Cox. She desired for something more challenging- something people thought was absolutely impossible. Cox wanted to swim in Antarctica. In 1992, Cox became the first person to swim the “Arctic mile”, swimming in 32 degree water from a ship called the Orlova to the shore of Antarctica at Neko Harbor. The swim was an enormous victory for Cox, although she sustained permanent nerve and muscle damage from prolonged exposure to the cold water.

I am not a swimmer, really. And the thought of swimming in water that cold makes me want to cry. Yet, I found this book absolutely enjoyable. As an athlete myself- a female athlete at that-, I could relate to many of the trials she encountered in her story. Cox battles issues of funding and sponsorship, often emptying her checking account to achieve her goals. She writes about the failure to achieve a goal, a matter that many athletes have to contend with from time to time, and demonstrates how overcoming failures is a matter of mind-set. Cox talks about why she swims and it’s a simple answer – she swims because she’s good at it. To accomplish her goals, she spends years planning and training with the end result being exposure to treacherous conditions, whether it is nearly freezing water temperatures, floating chunks of ice, sharks, or raw sewage on the Nile. Like any ambitious athlete, Cox devotes her time, her mind, her money and her life to accomplishing the goals that surround her sport. Because of this, Cox’s book is one that any athlete will appreciate.

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Lynne Cox now tours around the country speaking about her experiences and on other topics such as motivation and goal setting. You can hear an excerpt of one of Lynne’s talks here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_4rcs_iqN8

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Movie of the Month: The Man Who Skied Down Everest

Director: Budge Crawley

Year: 1975

Where can I find it? Netflix, Amazon.com

Yuichiro Miura, from Japan, was a notable alpine racer of the time. This film highlights his 1970 attempt to ski Mt. Everest. The movie opens with a quote stating, “Throughout time, mas has aspired to great heights in search of peace of mind and a quiet heart. This is the story of such a man.”

Their expedition begins in the lowlands of Kathmandu in Nepal where they hired 800 porters to carry all of their gear up to the highlands. Over many days they travel 185 miles with 27 tons of equipment. The bare-footed porters carry their heavy packs with straps on their heads, typical of the region. The film shows several shots of the literal train of porters hiking through the forest to the mountains. Eventually the group reaches the land of the Sherpas. There, they send their lowland porters home and exchange them for 400 Sherpas. The group continues up the valley toward Everest. It takes them 40 days to travel the next three miles.

Along the way, Miura visits Sir Edmund Hillary, who had established a hospital in the area for the Sherpas. New Zealander Hillary along with his Sherpa partner Tenzing Norgay, were the first to climb Everest (and return), in 1953. Muira was often questioned as to why he wanted to ski Everest. But Hillary understands, saying, “When we stop looking for challenges, human beings will be in a very bad way.”

When the group reached the Khumbu icefall, they set up a camp where they remain for several days. The Khumbu icefall is known for being one of the most treacherous areas on Everest. It changes day by day and immense parts of the icefall can collapse at once. This is exactly what happened when a group of Sherpas was sent ahead to find a route through the icefall, claiming the lives of six men.

Nevertheless, the expedition continues. Everyday, more and more clouds appeared in the sky- reminding the group that the monsoon was coming. The men felt pressed for time.

In the meantime, Yuichiro Miura prepares his skis. The film shows Miura mounting the bindings on his brand new skis and sharpening them incessantly, as though it were a methodical obsession. Miura’s goal was never to ski from the summit of Everest. He wanted to ski it from the top of the Lhotse Face at 26,000 feet (7928 m) with the aid of a parachute. With the thinner air, he was uncertain what size parachute to use. So, he tested some of the chutes on the lower slopes of Everest. The film shows some of this test footage.

The film depicts Yuichiro Miura as a very introspective man, constantly contemplating the happenings around him. He questioned the death of the six Sherpas and wondered why a Japanese man wasn’t among them. And the film dialogues how he develops a connection with the high peaks that surround him. Miura is quoted saying things like, “The challenge of the peaks is the challenge of life itself- To always struggle higher.” Later he’s quoted again saying, “We have wandered from the paths of the wind and become children of fear.”

As the group ascends higher and higher on Everest, the group continues to get smaller. During their ascent the film focuses on the Bergshrund, a huge crevasse that divides the Lhotse Face from the Khumbu glacier. The scene leaves the viewer with a foreboding feeling.

Eventually, Miura and his supporters reach the top of the Lhotse face, where he plans to begin his ski. At first, it seemed as though the weather would not cooperate. But, Miura performs some ceremonial rituals that show he has come to understand the spirit of the mountains. Within moments, the wind calms. And his ski can begin.

Equipped with an oxygen mask, Miura bolts straight down the icy Lhotse face, barely making any turns at first. His chute releases without any problems. But Miura continues down the face with an unimaginable speed, despite having a chute to slow him down. Skiing on skinny skis and in leather boots, Miura holds his pose with his brute strength. But, eventually, the mountain gets him. He slips on some ice and begins sliding faster and faster at uncontrollable speeds down the icy face. He loses both skis and his parachute folds over, no longer slowing his speed. He tumbles over a small rockband, unharmed. And then moments later, he finds a patch of snow and the strength to come to an abrupt stop- 250 feet above the Burgshrund.

In the end, Miura skied 6,600 feet (2000 m) in 2 minutes and 20 seconds and then fell another 1320 feet down the Lhotse Face. Miura is left with nothing but questions. He wonders why he is alive, when others are not. And he questions whether the mission was actually a success when he ended up falling a large way down the mountain. Nevertheless, Miura is happy to be alive.

Whether Miura’s ski can actually be considered a success or not will be questioned for quite some time. Miura’s plan of not beginning his ski from the summit and skiing with the aid of a parachute leaves many of todays ski mountaineers scorning his actions. Nevertheless, the film has it’s place in mountaineering history. Shot in 35mm Panavision, this film was ahead of it’s time in cinematography, bringing the unseen Everest to the common audience of the era. It is no surprise that this film won the the Academy Award for best documentary in 1976.

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This YouTube video shows Miura’s ski down Everest continued by his slide-for-life. The excerpt comes up short, ending just moments before Miura actually comes to a stop.

The Banff Film Festival is always a delight to see as it makes it’s world tour to over 450 locations. Unfortunately, when living on the Front Range, the festival was difficult to see because ticket prices were helaciously expensive, and venues often sold out quickly.

The Banff Film Festival has come to Crested Butte for the last 18 years. We consider it an honor that this huge event travels through our small town. Needless to say, the event was sold out both nights. We attended the show on Saturday, March 7th.

For those of you not familiar with the Banff Film Festival, it is film contest that originates in Banff, Canada. There people enter their films which all have outdoors themes of some sort relating to sport, culture, and the environment. Some of the best films are selected to tour around the world. Typically, the festival stays at a venue for two different nights, showing different films each night. Most films shown on tour are less than an hour in length. Some are excerpts from longer films. And some films are short, about five or six minutes in length.

The first film shown for the evening was Shikashika. This film portrays a Peruvian family that hikes into the Andes to “harvest” ice from the glaciers. This process has been a family tradition for a long time. They sell the ice in the Peruvian town as a slush-ice treat that the locals call shikashika. This film is not only enlightening into a small part of Peruvian culture, but it also makes one think about what people will endure just to earn a little bit of money. After all, that’s what started this tradition in the first place, right? Another thought that came to mind after having traveled to Peru myself is how this tradition fit in to the local’s reverence of their mountains. Peruvians still hold some native beliefs that literally worship the mountains. I would have liked to see how this shikashika tradition fit into these beliefs.

Find out more about this film here:
http://www.shikashika.com/index.html

The second film that was shown was Red Helmet. This story begins with a young boy who is afraid to jump into the water with his friends. He runs away into the forest where he finds a red helmet. He puts on the helmet. Then the movie switches scenes showing a daring kayaker, climber, mountain biker, paraglider, and more, each wearing a red helmet. The red helmet is a symbol for what the boy could potentially do, and also symbolizes “protection” from his own fears. Wearing it, he jumps into the water. I thought this movie had some clever ideas in it and showed some excellent outdoor footage.

See the entire film here:

The next film was a 53 minute documentary called The Last Nomads. In this documentary, linguist and anthropologist Ian Mackenzie tells the story of the Penan people in Borneo. He’s been following their story for over 15 years, documenting their language and in turn also documenting their lives. The Penan’s nomadic lifestyle is being threatened by the encroaching logging which destroys the old growth rainforest and muddies the rivers that sustain their lives. Over the last 10 years or so the Penan have been having to give up their nomadic lifestyle in order to survive, being forced to settle and grow rice. Mackenzie has always known that as he documented the Penan, he would eventually see the last of the nomads. This film documents his search for the last nomadic tribe of the Penan. When he finds them, they too have settled. Mackenzie is heartbroken, yet doesn’t blame these people for having to settle to survive. The Penan cannot read or write, and therefore cannot put up a fight against the Malaysian government. Although Mackenzie has tried to help the Penan all he can, he knows one person is not enough to put up a fight against an entire government. All he can do is try to document their life, their culture, and their language before that too dies. This movie cannot help but be moving to viewers. It’s hard to believe that nomads could still exist in today’s world and it is sad to see a whole culture begin to perish.

View the trailer here:
http://www.90thparallel.ca/videofiles.html

The Last Nomads was followed by another documentary called Seasons. Seasons tells the story of four downhill mountain bikers throughout the four seasons of a year. Through the excellent cinematography, the viewer comes face to face with the danger and challenges that downhill mountain bikers experience on a day to day basis. However, I found that the film was not clear on the names of the riders and who was racing/riding at certain times. I found myself confused. But, nevertheless, this film leaves viewers with added respect for the downhill racers of today.

View the trailer here:

A seven minute animation called The Cable Car was next in line. Here, an old man with a big nose starts going up a cable car up a mountain. The location is inexact, but it is presumably somewhere in Europe. On the way, he decides to have a bit of snuff, which causes him to sneeze. With each sneeze, the cable car begins to fall apart. The man keeps pulling out a roll of yellow tape, trying to tape the cable car back together. But, alas, the cable car falls away, and he is hanging on to the cable with his yellow tape. I struggled to find meaning in this movie. I wasn’t sure what its purpose was in the Banff Film Festival. Frankly, it left me with a very sad and empty feeling in the end.

The last two films of the evening were my favorites. The first was a 14 minute film called The Unbearable Lightless of Skiing. This film was created by ski mountaineer Greg Hill. He tells the story familiar to most ski mountaineers: When he would go home, his family would ask, “What have you been up to?” He would explain that he’s been skiing lots of high peaks, cross-country skiing to the top, and how good the turns feel. But, half way through the story, he would see the person’s eyes glaze over. So, he decided to grab a video camera and start filming some of his outings. This film is a collection of his highlights for one season. Any backcountry skier can relate to the feelings expressed by Greg Hill in his film. And non-skiers can hopefully begin to understand why we do the things that we do!

Below are two videos that Greg Hill used for some of the footage in his movie:

The last film of the evening was called The Sharp End: Eastern Europe. This film documents a group of seasoned climbers from the US that travel to this area full of magnificent spires in the Czech Republic, near Germany. The climbers find that the area holds true to it’s tradition of climbing. Chalk and cams are not allowed. Putting metal bolts into the walls is also not allowed. So, how do these people climb? They take pieces of cord, tie a knot, and jam them into the cracks in the walls. This somewhat seemingly sketchy technique proves to hold through several of the climber’s falls. The climbers challenge themselves here, even making a first ascent on a route, and leave with an added respect for the culture of climbing in the area. Anyone who sees this film will undoubtedly think that these climbers are a bit crazy. But, the film does an excellent job portraying both the climbing culture there and the difficulty of the routes.

Below is a link to another Sharp End film created by the same people. The Eastern Europe film is currently not available.

For more on the films of the Banff Film Festival, please click here:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/tour/faq/filmmakers.asp