Originally Posted By PerryMK
I recall reading something that I think was by Jon Krakauer but I'm not sure. In it he talks about a climb in Alaska where he is tent bound and chain smoking. I had always envisioned climbers as being somewhat fit as a necessity. Of course I know in the military there are some very fit individuals who smoke. Why this is the nugget of information that sticks with me I don't know. I'm not a smoker but I'm not a militant anti-smoker either. I feel adults can make their own decisions, whether it's to climb mountains or to smoke cigarettes.


He talks about climbing the Devil's Thumb in Into the Wild and Eiger Dreams. He also attempted and failed to climb Eiger Nordwald. Apparently he is not a climbing novice, but did not have high altitude experience.



I thought the same when he talked about the smoking in the tent, but after crossing the icefield/glacier and thinking he was nearly dead on the mountain before finally climbing it, I image I would have smoked the same (and I don't smoke).


Edited by dolomiti (03/16/10 06:16 PM)
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