Green Boots and Sleeping Beauty

248

two hundred and forty eight
happy bodies at altitude
inside fancy boots
now frozen flesh markers
carefully adorned

in warm winter jackets

sleeping peacefully

on a tall rock

now eternally

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Reminds me about Mallory dying on the slopes of Everest, found face down in the scree 70 years later. His co mountaineer also died, he has never been found. Wedded to the mountains, pursuing a dream. Mallory a hero of mine.

Chris

[Davidgeo]

He's still there, so is Sandy Irvine somewhere up there.

They are heroes of mine as well. To climb something that fierce and at the time so unknown with rudimentary gear, no pre placed ladders, no pre determined routes and no supplemental oxygen is pretty much as hard as it gets (Annapurna in the winter is a different conversation). I think they made it and perished on the way down. Not even Neil Armstrong or Yuri Gagarin or any other astronaut for that matter could match that degree of courage and difficulty. It takes a very special kind of human to even think about attempting something like that.

[Chris Shaw]

I think they made it and perished on the way down. Mallory carried a photograph of his wife and promised her he would leave it on this summit. When he was found, all his stuff was in tact, perfect condition. No photograph. That speaks to me. It was an amazing act of courage to attempt that with basic equipment and clothes not fit for purpose. He was a true pioneer. I hope one day they make a film about him and Sandy Irving. I don't know much about Annapurna. Will have to check it out.

[Davidgeo]

It's kinda weird, Conrad Anker found his body about 19/20 years ago. It still looked fresh due to the cold and altitude (birds pick at sometimes now as it hasn't been moved). It was clear he was anchored to Irvine by the way the rope was attached but it's hard to tell for sure how he fell since no one's been able to find Irvine and they weren't exactly using planned out routes. It looks like they were descending and of course, the picture was not on his body so I'm with you... he made it. Even though they were kinda sorta used to the altitude I think they might have been compromised physically... when your oxygen deprived everything becomes harder. Even basic things, but you don't really recognize it... it's really weird, you'll swear 2+2=5 in that state.

Annapurna's a little shorter but far more treacherous. It's actually comprised of a few different peaks (hence the "massif" qualifier after her name) And it's quite a bit steeper with not a whole lot of scouted routes and there are very few porters/guides willing to take you. At least there's no glacier in front of it, but, it's exponentially harder to climb in almost every other sense. And the weather... ugh, to this day no human has ever been able to summit her in the winter. And I highly doubt anyone will in my lifetime.

[Chris Shaw]

I thought Mallory had an ice axe wound to the head. Not sure how he would gave got it. Whether he got it after the fall or before he fell. Any ideas? Thanks for info on Annapurna.

[LazerRays]

Such a tragic poem. The tone was calm and solemn which made it even more emotional to read. Nice job David,
this was a pleasure to read...
I just love the line
"now frozen flesh markers"
this was a vivid descritption for me.

-Sarah

[AYVID N]

Sad to read...he (and the others) died pursuing a dream though. A grim reminder that it is something most don't, in more hospitable environments. If you've seen them, it must be a sobering (kind of chilling) view, up there. Appreciated much.