The Lil Folx go climbing with the humans at an Outdoor Activity centre in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales. Photo by Nick Meers
The Climbing Mind
Finding routes in the most unlikely of places
Not to brag or anything, but I’ve put up approximately a hundred new routes in China, all of them solo, all of them executed with impeccable style. Freestanding limestone spires: been there. Whole-horizon enchainments: done that. Because I’m a humble, self-effacing fellow, I haven’t formally documented these ascents, preferring to keep such quests between me and the mountains. I climb solely for the love of landscape, the love of envisioning elegant lines through complex terrain.
Pause. Let me make it perfectly clear that I’ve never set foot anywhere near the People’s Republic. And that each of my bold, forward-thinking ascents was launched from a living room base camp: overstuffed armchair, mug of hot cocoa, reading lamp, glossy coffee-table book filled with ancient Chinese landscape paintings. See, as others are passionate about the hardship and glory of real mountains, I am passionate about doing the same for representations of mountains.
Book in lap, I shrink down. I scan for weaknesses, for off-width
500 words to go
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