I think you are being too harsh on yourself. As members of a club, the trip participants owe responsibilities to the trip leader. Do not take on responsibilities which are not yours to carry. These clubs are voluntary as is the leadership(this is not the military). Your anger properly reflects your frustration at being disrespected by Maverick as well as not being able to control the situation. He should have never have put you and the rest of the group in that situation. The trip leader should be consulted if someone wants to do something different from the plan. The trip leaders decisions stand or else why have a club and go on a club trip?
Thank you Bill for your considered comments. While what you say about clubs is true, I have come to realize that did not shield me from responsibility for the less experienced in our band, who did place their trust in the leaders mountain skill.
Personally, I think you are too hard on yourself in this. I feel you did no wrong. Yes, maybe you should have insisted the others stay on the planned route, but they were already making up their own minds and ultimately must be responsible for their own choices. You were not a paid guide with a legal as well as an ethical responsibility to the others. They were adults
and made their choices. It speaks well of you that you stayed with them and helped; I might have said to hell with them and gone back along the planned route, unwilling to risk my own neck for their stupidity and inexperience.
And that's what it came down to-- stupidity and inexperience. Frankly, I might have tried that other way down myself out of interest in something different and challenging, but I would not have dragged others with me, and I would not have done so if I had gone along under somebody else's guidance. I think the dumbest ones, though, were the ones who followed Maverick initially; maybe all you should have done was explain to the group why his move was a bad one, tell them you weren't following him, and let them make up their own minds.
Then again, maybe I'd have done what you did in keeping everyone
together. I don't know. But it underscores why I have absolutely no interest in group hikes and climbs. 3 or 4 at most for me. More people just means more issues.
Thanks for the comments Bob, in my original thought for the article, I envisioned a dialog that dealt with the responsibilities of both leaders and participants of such outings. But my process led me to admit my errors first, and make whatever amends that are possible. I believe that is the only way to truly learn from this experience.
Saintgrizzly - Aug 24, 2008 12:37 am - Voted 10/10
Tim...
...you are indeed being too harsh on yourself: you weren't the leader, you were a co-leader, and I bear as much responsibility for any errors in judgment as you.
The problem wasn't that the "shortcut" became quite a bit longer (an additional 2 hours) than the normal descent--that was, of course, unpleasant but relatively unimportant--the problem was that by entering the couloir we encountered terrain (and quite a bit of it) for which we did not have the necessary equipment for safety. No ropes, no helmets, and no ice axes--all three items of which the group had been specifically informed would not be necessary. And would not have been had we stayed on route. It was a safety issue! Not to mention that a group of 12 is WAY too large for exploratory excursions...! Three or four in a group, with the understanding (and equipment!) from the outset that exploration might occur can be a positive experience. This was not.
Well written report, but don't take the blame all on yourself!
Thank you for your comments saintgrizzly. While we did share leader duties, I understood that our duties would be essentially split, with me leading the climbing, and you as co-leader handling the administrative side of coordinating 12 people. I am not attempting to take all of the heat on this, just my part of it. I think our inability to coordinate a response to events is a shared blame. I will let others [Maverick and Goose et al]define their own culpability. I do agree that safety is the issue, and that we were unprepared for the terrain we were descending.
I just want to echo what the others said and say that, while it is good to assess what happened and learn from it, you are being too hard on yourself in the end.
The only good discussion of the topic of leadership that I have ever read/heard is the chapter on leadership in the Freedom of the Hills book. On the one hand, you've got very loose leadership structures/needs when a few people go out on a easy outing and the "leader" might just be the person who had the idea to go. On the other end, you've got a very high need for a hierarchy on a large expedition with teams, duties, etc. Your outing falls in between. Those people who ventured off on their own weren't bound to follow you (in some military sense) but certainly owed you (and the rest of the group) some courtesy and respect even if they thought the gully was a better option (which it wasn't and they didn't have the experience to know that). They owed you that respect due to your being a part of the organizing/leading of this day and due to your having more experience than them. In the end, you were in a ambiguous situation which couldn't neccessarily be foreseen. A few people went off on their own, others followed, and I think most people in your situation would have done what you did and gone along too so as to help oversee this unexpected new direction of the plans. There is indeed a good chance they were going that way no matter what you did.
Having the benefit of hindsight in reading your article I would take two things from it and not worry too much about the rest (easier said than done, I know). One is that big groups can be pretty unweildy. It can be really hard to get 10+ people to act in some organized fashion. And, secondly, if there is a group that size, then perhaps things need to be laid out a bit beforehand of how situations involving desicion making are going to be handled - just because of the size of the group.
As far as what happened on that day - you were in a bad spot and we all question how we handle things in those unexpected situations. Take what you can from the experience and move on better prepared for next time. Keep on keepin' on!
Thanks Les for the very kind and considered comments. I think your closing that I "take what you can from the experience and move on better prepared for the net time" is exactly correct. I think writing this article is a catharsis that will result that outcome.
Cheers;
Tim
I heartily agree with all of the commments above. It's good advice I completely support. In all of my years leading outings, I've never run across such a predicament. I've had situations where it was agreed prior to the hike that some may wish to turn around, wait, do a side trip or a different route. Knowing the group's abilities always determined who did what when and where. Due to conditions, decisions have been made by various parties at the given time to alter course. As long as I knew their experience and abilities, I've never had a problem with it, though in most cases, splitting up a group is a bad idea. Having a "mutiny" though, is something I've never encountered, so I feel a bit out of place offering any "I would do this" type of advice.
If I had been there in your shoes, I would have asked everyone "do you know what you're descending in to? Is it safe to do so?"--which you did. An ironclad rule I always follow on descents is to (A) see the entire route and be certain it was safe to proceed and (B) KNOW what to expect in terms of terrain from careful study of the mountain on prior trips or in photographs. If either of these items could not be satisfactorily answered, I would have urged that no one follow Maverick despite whatever his abilities may have seemed to be.
Your SP peers are right that there was nothing much you could do. You did the right thing to stay with the group and assure everyone's safety, but you also would have been right to remain committed to your route plans in order to get those that were willing to follow and support you as leader off the mountain in a safe manner as well. There is no one right answer to this difficult situation.
I'm betting Maverick, who was nowhere to be found once you were down off the mountain either realized the error of his ways in the way he conducted himself and in his choice of a descent route. Either way, I'm betting he won't be around any time soon and he'll do his best to avoid you, because he knows in all of this murkiness of what may be right or wrong, he was definitely wrong. He probably fears a slug in the mouth, but perhaps worse, and justifiably so (for him), you know from this experience that he is not welcome on any further outings you would host. At least you have the benefit of experience learned from this outing that Maverick is not one to be trusted in ANY circumstance in the mountains. If he shows up, I'd tell him to get lost (and he probably will eventually). He's the type you read about in SAR reports.
Thank you Aaron for your insightful comments, I am appreciative to hear from such an accomplished leader as yourself that my experience was a rare occurrence, this was an instance my experience had not prepared me for. I do however find myself in the unenviable position of defending Maverick; He did wait at the trail-head to make certain that everyone got off the mountain, at which time he did apologize to Vernon for his actions. By the time I had reached the trail head my thinking had begun to shift toward my culpability in the events that had occurred, so he has nothing to fear from me. He is actually a very personable guy, and I wish him safe travels. I hope that he has learned from this experience also.
As has been said, lots of good advice and good to learn the lessons possible to prevent a repeat happening.
It reminds me of a group of friends I invited to climb a local ridge here in Peru a number of years ago. There was section where we had to climb up a steep slope, fairly exposed with no good holds, mostly dirt, some weeds and a few loose rocks. It wasn't too bad going up but one influential member of the group didn't want to return the same way, but rather down a steep gully with sand and loose rocks, but no exposure. It was a long, slow, treacherous descent with just a rope to help protect on a couple of the worst spots. And then we finally split up and went our own preferred ways as we got near the bottom and encountered 20 foot cliffs. We all made it safely down but not an experience I want to repeat.
Thank you for the nice comments Vic, just as in your experience, it is the final funnel at the end [that can never be seen] that has always kept me from descending any couloir that I have not climbed.
I am glad that you all had a reasonable conclusion, as did we.
Cheers;
Tim
I haven't had anything this severe, but I sure have had people take off suddenly, then I've spent hours back-tracking to a ridge, or just screaming into the dark. It happens, especially when you are tired and the bells don't ring soon enough.
There are a lot of weird people out there, who always feel that they should be in control; sometimes they are pied pipers, very charming and effusing confidence. It's a tough situation; it can take the skills of a hostage negotiator.
Thanks MoapaPk for the nice comments. Now that would be some interesting training, a couloir clinic in hostage negotiation.
I can hear the echo in the cirque now "send up the civilians, and we will go easy on ya" Ha!
I agree with everyone who's saying you're being too harsh on yourself.
But what you could have done differently? The trick would be to establish some group rules early on: how and when can a group member suggest a different route? what's the latest turnaround time? if you're separated from the group, what's protocol? That sort of thing. It's especially important in a large group, essential on a long expedition, and very easy to forget on a day hike in summer.
Perhaps a skittish and inexperienced hiker like Maverick would have bolted anyway, but it's also possible that if you'd established clear rules about how the group would negotiate an alternate route at the start, you could have yelled down that the whole group needed to talk before Maverick explored that route any farther.
Still, one of the tests of leadership is whether once you're thrown into an unexpected, dangerous situation you can retain enough control to keep the group acting safely and deliberately. You did: no one cleaved off into additional routes when the couloir got tough, for example. You pass my leadership test!
And by the way, aren't those mountains just astoundingly beautiful?
Thanks for the kind and considered comments dscharfman. I agree that some of the errors made that day were fundamental, and that they were made in an astoundingly beautiful setting!
Cheers;
Tim
My experience is that only those lacking confidence have issues with authority. Confident, secure people are happy to quietly follow a competant leader. Mature, sensible people know when it's time to lead...and when it's the right thing to just shut up and be a team player. This story also illustrates how difficult group dynamics are for anyone to manage. Kudos for sharing.
Re: Only the insecure have problems with authority
Thank you sincerely for your kind and insightful comments sarah.simon. We knew that 12 people was an awful lot to try to get up this route, but there was such a terrific response of climbers who wanted to get on this peak that made it seem worth a try.
In my opinion you acted appropriately, given the circumstances and your past experience. Having never previously experienced a "mutiny", you had no way of recognizing the pre-event symptoms which in retrospect now seem obvious to you. And, when the unfortunate event did occur, you kept the group together and followed what I believe to be the most important rule for group outings, "Every person is not only responsible for him or herself, but for every other person in the group."
Maverick was obviously at fault for instigating the uprising, but equally responsible (and maybe more so) were those who felt it okay to follow his lead. I’m guessing that Maverick and his little group of mutineers were each thinking only of themselves and disregarding the fact they were also part of a group – Maverick, because of his "fear" or lack of skill at down-climbing the short Class 5.2 section, and the others because they wanted a "faster" way down.
No, Tim, I believe I know you well enough to imagine that even as your anger grew, somewhere in your mind percolated the thought, "I’ve got to keep this group together and even though he’s an idiot, do what I can to make sure Maverick doesn’t kill himself or worse, someone else." Casting aside thoughts of "self" you recognized your responsibility for "others", and against your better judgment plunged into the gully to use your considerable mountaineering skills to resurrect what you could from the situation.
I’m equally convinced that it was your good example which prompted others in the group to come to their senses and realize they should help the less experienced members during the tricky down-climbing through the unknown gully.
Not every alpha male has the need to "bite". A few are able to lead without outward displays of ego or pride and outperform the "testosterone poisoned" among us, and you, Tim, are one of those. Your style of leadership may not include biting, but I believe only those with an IQ below room temperature would not be able to recognize your mountaineering abilities.
Once again my hat is off to you, possible the only person I know who could have rescued such a bad situation and managed to lead every member of the group (idiots included) back safely. As I’ve told you before, you are the one person I trust above all others in the mountains, myself included.
Thank you very kindly for the rousing vote of confidence in my abilities Mike! As I am sure you know you are one of the trusted partners that I hope to continue to climb with well into the future. As my narrative states though, I am human and capable of mistakes. Please rest assured that I will learn from this experience, and be a better partner on our next outing.
Tim
Bill Kerr - Aug 23, 2008 8:15 pm - Voted 10/10
Muntiny?I think you are being too harsh on yourself. As members of a club, the trip participants owe responsibilities to the trip leader. Do not take on responsibilities which are not yours to carry. These clubs are voluntary as is the leadership(this is not the military). Your anger properly reflects your frustration at being disrespected by Maverick as well as not being able to control the situation. He should have never have put you and the rest of the group in that situation. The trip leader should be consulted if someone wants to do something different from the plan. The trip leaders decisions stand or else why have a club and go on a club trip?
T Sharp - Aug 23, 2008 10:54 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Muntiny?Thank you Bill for your considered comments. While what you say about clubs is true, I have come to realize that did not shield me from responsibility for the less experienced in our band, who did place their trust in the leaders mountain skill.
Bob Sihler - Aug 23, 2008 8:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Some thoughtsPersonally, I think you are too hard on yourself in this. I feel you did no wrong. Yes, maybe you should have insisted the others stay on the planned route, but they were already making up their own minds and ultimately must be responsible for their own choices. You were not a paid guide with a legal as well as an ethical responsibility to the others. They were adults
and made their choices. It speaks well of you that you stayed with them and helped; I might have said to hell with them and gone back along the planned route, unwilling to risk my own neck for their stupidity and inexperience.
And that's what it came down to-- stupidity and inexperience. Frankly, I might have tried that other way down myself out of interest in something different and challenging, but I would not have dragged others with me, and I would not have done so if I had gone along under somebody else's guidance. I think the dumbest ones, though, were the ones who followed Maverick initially; maybe all you should have done was explain to the group why his move was a bad one, tell them you weren't following him, and let them make up their own minds.
Then again, maybe I'd have done what you did in keeping everyone
together. I don't know. But it underscores why I have absolutely no interest in group hikes and climbs. 3 or 4 at most for me. More people just means more issues.
T Sharp - Aug 23, 2008 11:27 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Some thoughtsThanks for the comments Bob, in my original thought for the article, I envisioned a dialog that dealt with the responsibilities of both leaders and participants of such outings. But my process led me to admit my errors first, and make whatever amends that are possible. I believe that is the only way to truly learn from this experience.
Saintgrizzly - Aug 24, 2008 12:37 am - Voted 10/10
Tim......you are indeed being too harsh on yourself: you weren't the leader, you were a co-leader, and I bear as much responsibility for any errors in judgment as you.
The problem wasn't that the "shortcut" became quite a bit longer (an additional 2 hours) than the normal descent--that was, of course, unpleasant but relatively unimportant--the problem was that by entering the couloir we encountered terrain (and quite a bit of it) for which we did not have the necessary equipment for safety. No ropes, no helmets, and no ice axes--all three items of which the group had been specifically informed would not be necessary. And would not have been had we stayed on route. It was a safety issue! Not to mention that a group of 12 is WAY too large for exploratory excursions...! Three or four in a group, with the understanding (and equipment!) from the outset that exploration might occur can be a positive experience. This was not.
Well written report, but don't take the blame all on yourself!
T Sharp - Aug 24, 2008 1:02 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Tim...Thank you for your comments saintgrizzly. While we did share leader duties, I understood that our duties would be essentially split, with me leading the climbing, and you as co-leader handling the administrative side of coordinating 12 people. I am not attempting to take all of the heat on this, just my part of it. I think our inability to coordinate a response to events is a shared blame. I will let others [Maverick and Goose et al]define their own culpability. I do agree that safety is the issue, and that we were unprepared for the terrain we were descending.
Wandering Sole Images - Aug 24, 2008 3:04 pm - Hasn't voted
TimHey Tim,
I just want to echo what the others said and say that, while it is good to assess what happened and learn from it, you are being too hard on yourself in the end.
The only good discussion of the topic of leadership that I have ever read/heard is the chapter on leadership in the Freedom of the Hills book. On the one hand, you've got very loose leadership structures/needs when a few people go out on a easy outing and the "leader" might just be the person who had the idea to go. On the other end, you've got a very high need for a hierarchy on a large expedition with teams, duties, etc. Your outing falls in between. Those people who ventured off on their own weren't bound to follow you (in some military sense) but certainly owed you (and the rest of the group) some courtesy and respect even if they thought the gully was a better option (which it wasn't and they didn't have the experience to know that). They owed you that respect due to your being a part of the organizing/leading of this day and due to your having more experience than them. In the end, you were in a ambiguous situation which couldn't neccessarily be foreseen. A few people went off on their own, others followed, and I think most people in your situation would have done what you did and gone along too so as to help oversee this unexpected new direction of the plans. There is indeed a good chance they were going that way no matter what you did.
Having the benefit of hindsight in reading your article I would take two things from it and not worry too much about the rest (easier said than done, I know). One is that big groups can be pretty unweildy. It can be really hard to get 10+ people to act in some organized fashion. And, secondly, if there is a group that size, then perhaps things need to be laid out a bit beforehand of how situations involving desicion making are going to be handled - just because of the size of the group.
As far as what happened on that day - you were in a bad spot and we all question how we handle things in those unexpected situations. Take what you can from the experience and move on better prepared for next time. Keep on keepin' on!
Les
T Sharp - Aug 24, 2008 4:35 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TimThanks Les for the very kind and considered comments. I think your closing that I "take what you can from the experience and move on better prepared for the net time" is exactly correct. I think writing this article is a catharsis that will result that outcome.
Cheers;
Tim
Aaron Johnson - Aug 24, 2008 6:10 pm - Voted 10/10
Well written-tough subjectI heartily agree with all of the commments above. It's good advice I completely support. In all of my years leading outings, I've never run across such a predicament. I've had situations where it was agreed prior to the hike that some may wish to turn around, wait, do a side trip or a different route. Knowing the group's abilities always determined who did what when and where. Due to conditions, decisions have been made by various parties at the given time to alter course. As long as I knew their experience and abilities, I've never had a problem with it, though in most cases, splitting up a group is a bad idea. Having a "mutiny" though, is something I've never encountered, so I feel a bit out of place offering any "I would do this" type of advice.
If I had been there in your shoes, I would have asked everyone "do you know what you're descending in to? Is it safe to do so?"--which you did. An ironclad rule I always follow on descents is to (A) see the entire route and be certain it was safe to proceed and (B) KNOW what to expect in terms of terrain from careful study of the mountain on prior trips or in photographs. If either of these items could not be satisfactorily answered, I would have urged that no one follow Maverick despite whatever his abilities may have seemed to be.
Your SP peers are right that there was nothing much you could do. You did the right thing to stay with the group and assure everyone's safety, but you also would have been right to remain committed to your route plans in order to get those that were willing to follow and support you as leader off the mountain in a safe manner as well. There is no one right answer to this difficult situation.
I'm betting Maverick, who was nowhere to be found once you were down off the mountain either realized the error of his ways in the way he conducted himself and in his choice of a descent route. Either way, I'm betting he won't be around any time soon and he'll do his best to avoid you, because he knows in all of this murkiness of what may be right or wrong, he was definitely wrong. He probably fears a slug in the mouth, but perhaps worse, and justifiably so (for him), you know from this experience that he is not welcome on any further outings you would host. At least you have the benefit of experience learned from this outing that Maverick is not one to be trusted in ANY circumstance in the mountains. If he shows up, I'd tell him to get lost (and he probably will eventually). He's the type you read about in SAR reports.
T Sharp - Aug 24, 2008 7:23 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Well written-tough subjectThank you Aaron for your insightful comments, I am appreciative to hear from such an accomplished leader as yourself that my experience was a rare occurrence, this was an instance my experience had not prepared me for. I do however find myself in the unenviable position of defending Maverick; He did wait at the trail-head to make certain that everyone got off the mountain, at which time he did apologize to Vernon for his actions. By the time I had reached the trail head my thinking had begun to shift toward my culpability in the events that had occurred, so he has nothing to fear from me. He is actually a very personable guy, and I wish him safe travels. I hope that he has learned from this experience also.
Vic Hanson - Aug 24, 2008 7:32 pm - Voted 10/10
TimAs has been said, lots of good advice and good to learn the lessons possible to prevent a repeat happening.
It reminds me of a group of friends I invited to climb a local ridge here in Peru a number of years ago. There was section where we had to climb up a steep slope, fairly exposed with no good holds, mostly dirt, some weeds and a few loose rocks. It wasn't too bad going up but one influential member of the group didn't want to return the same way, but rather down a steep gully with sand and loose rocks, but no exposure. It was a long, slow, treacherous descent with just a rope to help protect on a couple of the worst spots. And then we finally split up and went our own preferred ways as we got near the bottom and encountered 20 foot cliffs. We all made it safely down but not an experience I want to repeat.
Vic
T Sharp - Aug 24, 2008 7:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TimThank you for the nice comments Vic, just as in your experience, it is the final funnel at the end [that can never be seen] that has always kept me from descending any couloir that I have not climbed.
I am glad that you all had a reasonable conclusion, as did we.
Cheers;
Tim
MoapaPk - Aug 24, 2008 9:56 pm - Voted 10/10
sort of familiarI haven't had anything this severe, but I sure have had people take off suddenly, then I've spent hours back-tracking to a ridge, or just screaming into the dark. It happens, especially when you are tired and the bells don't ring soon enough.
There are a lot of weird people out there, who always feel that they should be in control; sometimes they are pied pipers, very charming and effusing confidence. It's a tough situation; it can take the skills of a hostage negotiator.
T Sharp - Aug 24, 2008 10:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: sort of familiarThanks MoapaPk for the nice comments. Now that would be some interesting training, a couloir clinic in hostage negotiation.
I can hear the echo in the cirque now "send up the civilians, and we will go easy on ya" Ha!
dscharfman - Aug 24, 2008 11:49 pm - Voted 9/10
How to avoid the probI agree with everyone who's saying you're being too harsh on yourself.
But what you could have done differently? The trick would be to establish some group rules early on: how and when can a group member suggest a different route? what's the latest turnaround time? if you're separated from the group, what's protocol? That sort of thing. It's especially important in a large group, essential on a long expedition, and very easy to forget on a day hike in summer.
Perhaps a skittish and inexperienced hiker like Maverick would have bolted anyway, but it's also possible that if you'd established clear rules about how the group would negotiate an alternate route at the start, you could have yelled down that the whole group needed to talk before Maverick explored that route any farther.
Still, one of the tests of leadership is whether once you're thrown into an unexpected, dangerous situation you can retain enough control to keep the group acting safely and deliberately. You did: no one cleaved off into additional routes when the couloir got tough, for example. You pass my leadership test!
And by the way, aren't those mountains just astoundingly beautiful?
T Sharp - Aug 25, 2008 12:08 am - Hasn't voted
Re: How to avoid the probThanks for the kind and considered comments dscharfman. I agree that some of the errors made that day were fundamental, and that they were made in an astoundingly beautiful setting!
Cheers;
Tim
Sarah Simon - Aug 25, 2008 4:03 pm - Voted 10/10
Only the insecure have problems with authorityMy experience is that only those lacking confidence have issues with authority. Confident, secure people are happy to quietly follow a competant leader. Mature, sensible people know when it's time to lead...and when it's the right thing to just shut up and be a team player. This story also illustrates how difficult group dynamics are for anyone to manage. Kudos for sharing.
T Sharp - Aug 26, 2008 2:12 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Only the insecure have problems with authorityThank you sincerely for your kind and insightful comments sarah.simon. We knew that 12 people was an awful lot to try to get up this route, but there was such a terrific response of climbers who wanted to get on this peak that made it seem worth a try.
Tim
Michael Hoyt - Aug 25, 2008 4:50 pm - Voted 10/10
You Acted AppropriatelyIn my opinion you acted appropriately, given the circumstances and your past experience. Having never previously experienced a "mutiny", you had no way of recognizing the pre-event symptoms which in retrospect now seem obvious to you. And, when the unfortunate event did occur, you kept the group together and followed what I believe to be the most important rule for group outings, "Every person is not only responsible for him or herself, but for every other person in the group."
Maverick was obviously at fault for instigating the uprising, but equally responsible (and maybe more so) were those who felt it okay to follow his lead. I’m guessing that Maverick and his little group of mutineers were each thinking only of themselves and disregarding the fact they were also part of a group – Maverick, because of his "fear" or lack of skill at down-climbing the short Class 5.2 section, and the others because they wanted a "faster" way down.
No, Tim, I believe I know you well enough to imagine that even as your anger grew, somewhere in your mind percolated the thought, "I’ve got to keep this group together and even though he’s an idiot, do what I can to make sure Maverick doesn’t kill himself or worse, someone else." Casting aside thoughts of "self" you recognized your responsibility for "others", and against your better judgment plunged into the gully to use your considerable mountaineering skills to resurrect what you could from the situation.
I’m equally convinced that it was your good example which prompted others in the group to come to their senses and realize they should help the less experienced members during the tricky down-climbing through the unknown gully.
Not every alpha male has the need to "bite". A few are able to lead without outward displays of ego or pride and outperform the "testosterone poisoned" among us, and you, Tim, are one of those. Your style of leadership may not include biting, but I believe only those with an IQ below room temperature would not be able to recognize your mountaineering abilities.
Once again my hat is off to you, possible the only person I know who could have rescued such a bad situation and managed to lead every member of the group (idiots included) back safely. As I’ve told you before, you are the one person I trust above all others in the mountains, myself included.
T Sharp - Aug 26, 2008 2:22 am - Hasn't voted
Re: You Acted AppropriatelyThank you very kindly for the rousing vote of confidence in my abilities Mike! As I am sure you know you are one of the trusted partners that I hope to continue to climb with well into the future. As my narrative states though, I am human and capable of mistakes. Please rest assured that I will learn from this experience, and be a better partner on our next outing.
Tim