On Scout Otzi style
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... the 2015 attempt to climb Mount Whitney in Otzi styled gear ended in a retreat, at almost the same altitude of the Otzi find in the Italian Alps...it was hard to turn back but the lesson learned was ...to be continued is better than the end.
I almost knew from the first view of the area the Mountain was supposed to be.then,starting out in a blizzard confirmed that thought...
I continued to upgrade gear and build on the "lifeboat" plan from previous lessons learned, as well as the continued respect for the Man and the time sticking to the fact it was not a stunt.the words of a dear friend that past on K2 after saving another climber rang with every refinement "I never want to be helped off a Mountain,it endangers so many others" my rendered version.
Never activate the chain of risk to Rescue
Mount Whitney is locatated in the Eastern Sierra Nevada near Lone Pine California and is 14,505 feet marking it as the highest Mountain in the contiguous US...this is video of the trip to the top.
The vid complete with burly intro
was made by a fellow Summiteer who secured the permits to climb in a lottery system alost 3 years after the first attempt.
Also on the trip was a USAF SERE Specialist who I had had the Honor to work with at the SERE School for several years as well as get in some pretty solid "continuation training" in many environments from river,Mountain as well as a couple guest instructor spots at the main school near Spokane Washington.
I hope to share more as well as add some pics
The summit temperatures were 8* with heavy gusts so again constant adjustments leading up to the trip,as well as things that I had to do as far as donning a few modern layers was for safety but I have to say a 20 mile round trip in cold dry weather in improvised footwear and goat hide was the most comfortable walking ive ever done.
Thanks for your time hope to share more soon
I almost knew from the first view of the area the Mountain was supposed to be.then,starting out in a blizzard confirmed that thought...
I continued to upgrade gear and build on the "lifeboat" plan from previous lessons learned, as well as the continued respect for the Man and the time sticking to the fact it was not a stunt.the words of a dear friend that past on K2 after saving another climber rang with every refinement "I never want to be helped off a Mountain,it endangers so many others" my rendered version.
Never activate the chain of risk to Rescue
Mount Whitney is locatated in the Eastern Sierra Nevada near Lone Pine California and is 14,505 feet marking it as the highest Mountain in the contiguous US...this is video of the trip to the top.
The vid complete with burly intro
was made by a fellow Summiteer who secured the permits to climb in a lottery system alost 3 years after the first attempt.Also on the trip was a USAF SERE Specialist who I had had the Honor to work with at the SERE School for several years as well as get in some pretty solid "continuation training" in many environments from river,Mountain as well as a couple guest instructor spots at the main school near Spokane Washington.
I hope to share more as well as add some pics
The summit temperatures were 8* with heavy gusts so again constant adjustments leading up to the trip,as well as things that I had to do as far as donning a few modern layers was for safety but I have to say a 20 mile round trip in cold dry weather in improvised footwear and goat hide was the most comfortable walking ive ever done.
Thanks for your time hope to share more soon
The leggings as well as the tunic (I dont believe it was as elaborate the Inuit looking parka as the many illustrations depict) was mostly strips and patch work some im thinking there were several methods used bark tanning,brain or raw hide made soft with use as in the "boots" im not really sure but my guess would be several methods used in that time.
I recall seeing early photos (mid or slightly later) photos of Inuit and Saame people, and their every day clothes were very plain.
Of course, many photos are done where the people dressed up for the occation. Not representative.
We do the same today.
Of course, many photos are done where the people dressed up for the occation. Not representative.
We do the same today.
Yes, Photos need to be set into context.
Interesting likening him to those folk...But Oetzi needs also to be set into context and its not in the high mountains!
I doubt he was at a similar technological level either. The Thule people were pretty sophisticated. (Couldnt smelt metal...But seeing as they were using native copper and iron metrorites maybe they had no need to)
Dorset Island maybe? (No dogs, no boats, no waterproof seams, no blubber lamps and all we require to survive in those climes)
(But they seemed to be more interested in art)
I have worn Oetzis coat...very NOISY.
I dont think he went hunting in it (Unless his prey were unbothered by continual rustling of stiff grasses)
Interesting likening him to those folk...But Oetzi needs also to be set into context and its not in the high mountains!
I doubt he was at a similar technological level either. The Thule people were pretty sophisticated. (Couldnt smelt metal...But seeing as they were using native copper and iron metrorites maybe they had no need to)
Dorset Island maybe? (No dogs, no boats, no waterproof seams, no blubber lamps and all we require to survive in those climes)
(But they seemed to be more interested in art)
I have worn Oetzis coat...very NOISY.
I dont think he went hunting in it (Unless his prey were unbothered by continual rustling of stiff grasses)
I suspect they hunted mainly by hiding then shooting when the animal was close.
I learned a technique to insulate my footwear with a special grass that grows in the Arctic Scandinavia, and the first few minutes is noisy indeed, until the grass 'settles'.
But very soft and comfortable!
I learned a technique to insulate my footwear with a special grass that grows in the Arctic Scandinavia, and the first few minutes is noisy indeed, until the grass 'settles'.
But very soft and comfortable!
The clothes recovered from the site to seemed to be simple.the reconstructions and artist renderings many times show a flowing caped, thick furred,high booted,tailored dandy.
I settled on a vest style to reduce cutting the hides and added "le manche" or sleeves which were not found but are basically arm leggings.I tied these to the pack frame.due to the cold on this trip only a small symbolic grass "cape" was brought.In no way am I trying to compare people or cultures its just that in research of this Man I found alot of interpretation that dont line up with the items found.
This again was not a scientific quest but a Adventure of a old man wanting to pay tribute to another.it just so happens the Paiute name for Mount Whitney translation means "the very old Man"...win
Take care.
I settled on a vest style to reduce cutting the hides and added "le manche" or sleeves which were not found but are basically arm leggings.I tied these to the pack frame.due to the cold on this trip only a small symbolic grass "cape" was brought.In no way am I trying to compare people or cultures its just that in research of this Man I found alot of interpretation that dont line up with the items found.
This again was not a scientific quest but a Adventure of a old man wanting to pay tribute to another.it just so happens the Paiute name for Mount Whitney translation means "the very old Man"...win
Take care.
Maybe not scientific in intention, but still valuable from a scientific point?
When you experienced must have brought more understanding about his clothing.
Did you contact the team working with Ötzi before or after?
When humans solve a problem, and have similar resources, the solution is usually very similar.
When you experienced must have brought more understanding about his clothing.
Did you contact the team working with Ötzi before or after?
When humans solve a problem, and have similar resources, the solution is usually very similar.
Yes. wearing the clothing and using the gear to build the find site bits was truely very educational.the "dagger" I used for months to collect sedges,strip bark and cut meat held in the teeth.I made several versions during the build as well as fashion some quick metal versions and used those daily to open fertilizer sacks and bird and squirrel food bags at work.
I think the shoes were the most amazing thing to me the comfort was amazing.there were some things that at first were hard to justify like 14 arrows in differant stages of construction and
On this I decided willow for the (salicylic acid)pain headache. Oak shoots for sore throat (tanic acid) as well as easing sunburn and a couple other to treat common Mountain ailments, all shaped like arrows.I also had prepared barks and powders made from these shoots in little pouches.
I did contact a fellow in Germany who has worked and is still working on the museum displays and He passed on photos and notes along to many involved with the find,nothing but great support and kind words
There was some concern after news of the first go and relief after I sent the Summit photo haha.
I do not now how the shoe soles was created, but if there were traces of fur, then the fur should have been orirnted pointing to the heel.
It is a great way making a shoe that does not slip to the back.
In flat country skiing, skins were used for that purpose until the 1980’s in scandinavia, I have used them myself. Works great with wooden skis with a tar hardened gliding surface.
It is a great way making a shoe that does not slip to the back.
In flat country skiing, skins were used for that purpose until the 1980’s in scandinavia, I have used them myself. Works great with wooden skis with a tar hardened gliding surface.
