Seven Summits – Dick Bass & Frank Wells with Rick Ridgeway (Rick Ridgeway wrote it, Dick Bass and Frank Wells were the major contributors of information)

For the mountaineering reader who wants it all comes Seven Summits, the chronicle of Dick Bass’s endeavor to summit the tallest peak on each continent. You’ll get your dose of disaster porn with the tragic loss of Marty Hoey on Everest in 1982 (66-70). Story lovers will be satisfied throughout by stark but detailed descriptive tales of summit bids, treks, and bivouacs in the extreme reaches of every continent on Earth. Political buffs may be interested by the sheer magnitude of the hoops that Bass and Co. had to jump through during their escapades, facing resistance from the likes of the U.S. National Science Foundation (76), Chilean (82*), and Nepalese (282-294) authorities. Thankfully, doses of humor lighten the mood at well-timed intervals (190-191). Despite the strength and unapologetic honesty of the focal personalities of the book, Bass and Wells don’t quite create the same level of personal drama as the players from Annapurna (though some folks might say that’s not a bad thing). And through it all, classic themes of mountaineering literature can be sensed both below the surface and in stark relief; the wrenching difficulties of a life split between high altitudes and loved ones, and the hopeless wonder of the mountains. 

Determination (if blind) is perhaps the strongest sentiment provided by this impressively comprehensive, yet concise summary of a yet more impressive feat. Dick Bass and Frank Wells. Amateurs to say the least, the two were sorely lacking in experience, but certainly not in hubris when they undertook their ambitious goal: to climb the Seven Summits. This entails summiting the tallest mountain on each continent: Vinson in desolate Antarctica, near-arctic Denali, Aconcagua to the South, Kilimanjaro in Africa, the mother goddess Chomolungma, the veritable hike Elbrus of Europe, and Kosciuszko in Australia (Wells & Bass did not include Puncak Jaya, tallest mountain of Oceania, in their Seven Summits bid) (1). Despite tragedy, bureaucratic roadblocks, competing parties, and their own initial ineptitude, the two corporate giants managed the impossible when Bass stepped onto the summit of Mt. Everest on April 30, 1985 (321).

The human element, so present in Krakauer’s recollections from Everest in ’86 and Houston’s in The Savage Mountain, plays a large role in Seven Summits as well (319). Thanks to the contributions of Rick Ridgeway in compiling and organizing the exploits of Wells and Bass, moments of trepidation and danger, warmth and brotherhood were described accurately and with humility (316). This was in contrast to many of our readings this semester that focused directly on mountaineering, but resembled others . Certainly, the extreme contrast can be seen in Herzog’s egomaniacal abomination, Annapurna, where we saw the aspirations and actions of one man placed neatly on a pedestal of his own making. On a less delusional note, by Krakauer’s own admission it was a complex challenge to piece together the scraps of the ’86 disaster, even events that he himself had witnessed. For similarity, one cannot help but recall the ‘brotherhood of the rope’ so well-described in The Savage Mountain when examining the extraordinary friendship forged between Bass and Wells over their five year endeavor (104).

While it is not voiced from the perspective of our virtuous protagonists, it was interesting that some slandering of Asian folks’ mountaineering ability made it into this story (99). It is a demonstration that stigmas in such isolated or small user communities can be pervasive despite their inaccuracy, with Alaskans describing Korean as ‘goofballs’ for descending slowly from the summit cone of Aconcagua and disappearing. Don’t worry, the Korean had the last word, when he was found several days later on the wrong side of the mountain, having descended a valley several miles from base camp after becoming disoriented. 

One of the most interesting aspects of Seven Summits is that each summit provided unique challenges and required a novel approach. Of the seven summits, the Mt. Vinson is the most impressive to my eye despite its diminutive stature (4,900 m) and lack of technical climbing difficulty. It is the only peak on the list that rivals Mt. Everest in the level of preparation and planning needed to get in a good position to attempt the summit. On Everest or Vinson, it is difficult to fathom the  level of commitment required to function in such a remote environment, but Mt. Vinson has the aesthetic advantage of solitude, and the double bonus of safety. Just 1,200 people have summited the peak, and get this: nobody has died (Web)! 

As a goal, the concept of the Seven Summits is a little hard to grasp for me. The allure of Vinson or Everest as individual mountains is obvious (see above), but there can be little aesthetic or physical appeal to a mountain such as Elbrus, but for that it is the tallest thing around. The same could be said for Kilimanjaro: pretty cool, but really just a long ass hike. As a collection, I suppose there is some value, similar to a case of pinned butterflies. But for these two men, who could collect whichever butterflies they chose (Bass was the longtime sole proprietor of Snowbird ski area and maintained family oil interests, Wells was president of Warner Brothers Studios then Disney), why seek such prey (2)? It could boil down to the oft-mentioned age of the men, neither were spring chickens, with Bass achieving the dream at the ripe age of 55. At such a point in life it becomes prudent to focus not on difficulty but on what you’ve become good at; in Bass’s case this was organization and getting shit done. A perfect fit for the myriad challenges of the Seven Summits.

Regrettably, the breadth of this book makes it difficult to touch on each of its points in great depth. The content of each chapter could, and has, filled entire books (of which we’ve read a few). On the flip side, this made it a joy to read. No B.S. Just the facts, enlightened and reflective commentary, and a health dose of inspiration from an unlikely source. Which brings me to my final jab; who’d have thunk that a couple of old white guys climbed a bunch of mountains? Oh yeah…everybody, that’s who…

Web Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/7summits/vinsonfaq.php