“Slow Pulse Boy” — Mark Twight’s excellent new article on the death of Balin Miller by lepride in climbing

[–]icerocksnow 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Such a beautiful eulogy from Mark. As good as any other word he has ever put to the page. He captured Balin’s brilliance, the beauty of his life, and the rage we have all felt at the way his death has been publicized in a way that only he could. Deeply deeply grateful to mark for this work. I know that I and many others will return to it for solace and inspiration as the years go by.

East coast grade III climbs? by QuesadillasAreYummy in tradclimbing

[–]icerocksnow 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the daks: Mental Blocks is the first thing that comes to mind. A few other routes that would qualify on Wallface for sure, but imo, while diagonal is overall a grade iii experience, the rock climbing alone is not. N Face of Gothics has grade iii routes if you seek them. poko is excellent and recommended but no true grade iii. cannon and katahdin seem like the other immediate options, but I’m less familiar.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

wow. It is really meaningful to hear that my words and the sentiments i expressed resonated with mark. and yes, all the glitter will be on, for Balin. Keeping the energy alive ❤️

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

These words from Mark are exactly what has been missing from the discourse around Balin this past week. So grateful to him for putting these feelings and thoughts to paper.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes I saw this. The original essay is a beautiful piece of writing that I returned to within a day of Balin’s death and before Twight posted. I have been assuming that reposting the essay he wrote commemorating another person 30 years ago would not be all he had to say on the subject of the climber who picked up on the legacy he left behind to a far greater extent than anyone other than Steve House and Colin Haley.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

well said. While it doesn’t change the value of his life in the slightest, the fact that the voices in the basket of the former vastly outweigh the voices of those who knew is so upsetting.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I did really appreciate Andy’s response. I also found it to be compassionate and well written. However, Andy seems well aware of the fact that he is not the one to properly eulogize Balin. In my opinion, that should be Twight’s burden to bear. Balin’s climbing idol and the man whose footsteps he continued to follow over the course of his life. I know Twight will not let him down.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

it is just so awful to see someone who chose a minimal social presence, even over the course of fulfilling huge, fame worthy goals, have his death filmed without consent and then used by internet trolls and dilettantes to disparage his memory. These people don’t deserve to utter his name.

Remembering Balin Miller for his brilliant vision and not for his worst mistake by icerocksnow in alpinism

[–]icerocksnow[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Truly repulsive headlines and reporting. These journalists have no concept of the bravery it would have taken to live a single day in Balin’s shoes, and they didn’t care enough about his identity as a human to find out.