Texas Climber

Soloing in Stolby, Russia

There’s an incredible video on SendAustin! about a national park in Stolby, where the locals have been soloing for over a hundred years. Not just your stereotypical climbers either, this is fun for the whole family.

And they keep dying. I’d heard about this place before after seeing some incredible pictures of a well known local guy, Vladimir Teplyh, doing his last solo in 1989. The 4th picture is work safe but… take a good look at the thumbnail before clicking.

It’s the little kids watching that get me in the 4th picture. Is it worth it? Am I a hypocrite for thinking this is crazy when I accept the risks of roped climbing, which can go just as wrong although the chances are slightly lower? Yeah probably.

I guess our obsession with safety in the western world has done something to me. What makes climbing exciting in the first place? Why are we in love with danger and risk? I wish I didn’t suck at chess or I might take it up. Actually, I suck at climbing too. Damn.