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kimgraves
Aug 27, 2005, 11:09 PM
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I’ve been a subscriber to Alpinist since the beginning – well actually issue 2 – and have always been real enthusiastic about it. It’s even better than the ‘70’s Mountain. Alpinist and the AAJ are the two premier publications in the field. That said, issue 12 was a disappointment to me. Not that it wasn’t well produced; as usual it was exquisite! It was a disappointment because of the choices editor Christian Beckwith and publisher Marc Ewing are now being forced to make in order to keep the magazine viable.
In the March 2005 issue of Outside Magazine there was an insightful interview and article about the two men and the magazine they created. The idea was originally to be a journal for the handful of men and women on the leading/bleeding edge of alpinism – the House’s, Twight’s, Cordes’, etc. - the issues that they confront and how they move the state of the art forward. The problem is, and remains, that there are not enough of them to keep a magazine like Alpinist afloat. And the additional handful of armchair mountaineers can’t make up the difference. As of January 1, 2005 the magazine had 5000 subscribers. Reportedly Ewing is loosing his shirt. And he has a new passion – yacht racing which is taking up his time and money. So the question is how to make the magazine pay for itself. The obvious answer is to broaden the subscription base by opening up the editorial content.
Issue 12 is the first real instance where I’ve noticed Beckwith doing that. And I don’t have actually have any trouble with this approach as long as it keeps with the tradition of “alpinism” that was Alpinist's founding raison d'etre. The Fountainebleau article did just that by showing the relationship between alpinism and bouldering. But the article by Beth Rodden seemed self-serving and ultimately fundamentally dishonest, to me. Don’t get me wrong. Rodden is clearly a great talent and I’m sure a lovely person. But her description of her and her teams kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan seemed to be missing something. This sent me to Greg Child’s good book “Over the Edge” which is about the expedition. These four kids saw and then completely ignored the State Department warning that Kyrgyzstan was not safe. They repeatedly ignored obvious warning signs that they were in danger. And then to escape, Caldwell was forced to kill one of the kidnappers (we later learn that the guy survives). Clearly this was a horrific experience and no doubt Rodden was as severely traumatized by the experience as she says in her piece. I don’t necessarily blame them for the mistakes they made in ignoring the obvious warning signs and deliberately putting themselves into a war zone: when I was young I did stupid things too – though never anything that stupid. But there was nothing in her article to indicate that she had learned anything from the experience. Part of alpinism is to judge the objective and subjective dangers and make an informed decision about your actions. As my wife, a non-climber remarked, there is really no difference in judging political danger from judging avalanche danger. Both are dangers the climber needs to deal with. Clearly that team failed in that regard. Part of alpinism and being a grownup is to learn from your mistakes. There was nothing in Rodden’s article to indicate that she or her team had processed the experience other than to see herself as a victim who’s now healed/healing.
I don’t particularly care how Rodden processes the experience. She is, of course, free to do whatever she wants and I wish her the best. But I do care that Alpinist - Beckwith - decided to publish an article that betrays the traditions and values of alpinism in order to sell to a market that knows little or nothing about those values, who only sees Rodden and Caldwell as the darling “first couple” of rock climbing and not as flesh and blood human beings that make mistakes. Is this the point that Alpinist become People magazine? If so, than that, I think, is tragic.
Regards, Kim
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jer
Aug 27, 2005, 11:44 PM
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Kim-
Although I create the majority of the artwork seen in Alpinist, I am in no way affiliated with editorial decisions. Thus said, I am not standing up for "myself" per se, nor am I speaking on behalf of Beckwith.
I do think, however, comparing Alpinist to "People" based on one article is an unjust poke. Someone on here recently said they appreciated Alpinist because they printed "warts and all". I like that, too. Alpinism has a sordid history of type A personalities clashing on every topic from boot lace color, to ascent style. I appreciate the variety of individuals that show up in the mag. It's a challenge to find Alpine climbing women on the cutting edge, let alone those willing to share their story in front of an AllPenised audience.
Whereas the magazine boldly proffesses the pursuit of Alpine purity in all forms, it is entirely dependent on the actors and actresses playing out their lives in the mountains. I agree that it is (would be) an enormous challenge to fill those pages issue after issue profiling the same characters.
"There I was, my ice axe consisting entirely of my toothbrush, a pen, and a nut tool, all held together by rime ice..." these tough guy articles are a dime a dozen. Although I haven't read Beth's article, I am sure it is quite different than the above. Maybe I will also be disapointed in her decisions and unaffected manner and altogether gen-X attitude towards her experience. Maybe she's hiding something. Maybe she's repressing something. Maybe she's just...unaffected. And that's okay. That's her.
Beckwith of course, will always have his thumbprint, but still allow the voice of the writer to come through. Without reading the article I can't surmise how much of it is Beckwith's editing, or straight from the horse.
I am curious to read the article and see which traditions and values Tommy and Beth betrayed. Survival?
Comparing political danger and avalanche danger is interesting. If Alex Lowe had survived the avalanche that sadly took his life, I am sure we would all be dying to hear about his experience and perspective.
Hopefully Alpinist will never be all things to all people. Hopefully the audience will stay for the most part- specialty. Until then, I happily await each issue, knowing that although it may resemble the last in that 95% of the images will be blue in color, at least I know there will be something from someone different than me, with a different perspective, and every once in awhile, a different chromosome.
-jer
sorry no spell check..had to get out the door.
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kimgraves
Aug 28, 2005, 3:15 AM
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Hi Jeremy,
In reply to: comparing Alpinist to "People" based on one article is an unjust poke. Someone on here recently said they appreciated Alpinist because they printed "warts and all".
A poke; certainly. Unjust; yea, okay I’ll give you that too. The poke reflects my concern that Alpinist NOT be People magazine. The problem with Rodden’s piece is that it wasn’t “warts and all.” It was just a fluff piece that felt like PR for her and a way for Alpinist to attract a readership either not interested or not educated about the concerns of alpinism.
In reply to: I haven't read Beth's article... Maybe I will also be disappointed in her decisions and unaffected manner and altogether Gen-X attitude towards her experience. Maybe she's hiding something. Maybe she's repressing something. Maybe she's just...unaffected. And that's okay. That's her.
Let me just repeat: I have no truck with Rodden or any member of her team. And you’re quite right that wherever she is – that’s okay, fine and her.
Honesty is the only thing that has a chance of working in this thing called climbing. Rodden and her crew weren't honest with themselves. They took short cuts and had their heads handed to them. I feel sorry for them, but they're responsible for putting themselves into harms way. For example, if you read Twight's work, he's the first person to get on his own case if he does something stupid.
My concern is with Beckwith not pushing Rodden to get “the story.” But, I wasn’t there. Maybe there were deadline issues; maybe she did write about it and the copy had to be edited to fit. Maybe he did push her and she refused, was “hiding something, repressing something or just unaffected.” As a journalist myself I know that my writers always have an agenda. As editor, Beckwith’s job is to get “the story.” The bottom line is that “the story” (my playing editor/god) didn’t get published. What did make it into print was essentially silly.
I don't judge the quality of the magazine by this one story. I'm in it for the long haul. But it is something to note.
Best, Kim
PS: is that your cartoon on page 22? Brilliant!
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slobmonster
Aug 28, 2005, 5:11 AM
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In reply to: For example, if you read Twight's work, he's the first person to get on his own case if he does something stupid.
Plus, you're wrong: Ms. Rodden is plenty self-deprecating, and certainly willing to meter her talents agianst her shortcomings. Read it again. It might be "fluffy," but she's no more full of shit than any of us.
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fulton
Aug 28, 2005, 6:39 AM
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Alpinist: best climbing mag ever made. Period.
(ewww.. sounds like a Tampax commercial)
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kimgraves
Aug 28, 2005, 5:59 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: For example, if you read Twight's work, he's the first person to get on his own case if he does something stupid. How can you possibly ascribe this man's particular pathology to that of a 22-year-old woman? ....she's no more full of s--- than any of us.
You can't, that's my point. While a great talent, Rodden is not in Twight's or House's league. She's not an alpinist. She's a young women who is very good at climbing rocks. Yet Beckwith put her in Alpinist (Steve House quarterly as someone else called it.) - I asume to sell magazines to younger climbers who know nothing about alpinism. If it accomplishes that and allows Alpinist to keep going, then maybe the tradeoff is worth it. I don't pretend to think the world is anything but shades of gray.
I agree about being full of s---. I'm as full of it as any one else. :wink:
In reply to: Alpinist: best climbing mag ever made. Period.
Yep. I agree.
Best, Kim
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holdplease2
Aug 28, 2005, 6:11 PM
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I was once an alpinist fan.
Having not posted for several months, I take this opportunity to log in.
Alpinist's proudest moment of recent issues was the article by the woman who "likes to shag smelly men" or somesuch, illustrated with drawings of her erect nipples on pert little breasts and some sort of slime dripping from the tent walls.
Another drawing was of her mouth and nose buried in a hairy armpit.
From the leading/bleeding edge of alpinisim to this in 12 short issues.
SHAMEFUL!
-Kate R.
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maculated
Aug 28, 2005, 7:04 PM
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Sadly, almost all lofty goals have to get yanked back down to the stark reality of appealing to the mass desire if they want to make money/break even.
Alpinist isn't an alpinists' magazine so much as it is a lifestyle magazine, in my opinion. One of my favorite pieces in that publication was the scrapbook of life in J Tree. That had NOTHING to do with alpinism, did it?
The name and the mission might be slightly awry from the publisher's true vision - OR, they could just be changing the demographic to appeal to people who enjoy sweating van walls and pert nipples. :)
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kimgraves
Aug 28, 2005, 7:12 PM
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In reply to: ...drawings of her erect nipples on pert little breasts and some sort of slime dripping from the tent walls. Kate R.
Somehow, I missed that!? I guess I only read it for the articles. :roll:
Glad you're back Kate. Are you back?
Best, Kim
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flanner
Aug 28, 2005, 8:22 PM
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I maintain that Alpinist is indeed devoted to those at the cutting edge of rock climbing/alpinism/mountaineering today.
Rodden's piece, which I found to be fascinating, demonstrates beautifully the sort of transformation that should be occurring in climbers today; from her gym/sport climbing naivete to her often brutal crash-course introduction to big walls and mountaineering.
As a climber whose experience has been mostly limited to bouldering and sport climbing, with only a handful of experiences in the higher realms, it's refreshing to read a success story of a climber transitioning from the safety of bolts and colored holds to the boldness of alpinism.
Rodden's article may not be exactly what one might expect from the typical Alpinist issue, but when teamed with the Font profile, the overview of the apparently epic-conducive Yamnuska and the establishment of Heidi on the Grandes Jorasses, it seems to me to weave a very colorful picture of some of the more wonderful aspects of life beyond the crag.
And if Alpinist is to be devoted almost entirely to those few brave pioneers at the forefront of alpinism, why then do so many I've talked to find so much interest in "The Climbing Life" segment at the beginning of each issue, which, I might add, is rarely devoted to such elite alpinism or even alpinism in general?
I hardly think Rodden's article is enough to charge the eds at Alpinist of selling out.
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mowz
Aug 29, 2005, 3:18 AM
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Is my writing fancy enough to grace the pages of this topic? Let us find out . . .
I was not impressed by the Rodden article in Alpinist 12. I found that it was a superficial and vague biography about her. I would have much rather read about her innermost mental battles about what she (she, not the press) beleives to be her top accomplishments in life and why and why her other accomplishments didnt' make her list. I would have also liked to find out who she is when she isn't climbing. Does she do anything else? Is she invovled in other activities such as NGO's or Access Fund, etc? How does Tommy feel about all this publicity that his wife is receiving and what does Beth think of Tommy's stance? I wanted Alpinist to offer me something I couldn't skim from crap magazines such as Climbing and R&I.
As far as the topic on Alpinist appealing to the masses, it's capitalism at work. It's what drives this country. I just hope if they do decide to do another "biography", it's about someone the climbing community hasn't heard from, or heard from in a while.
BTW, can someone bring me up to date witht he soap opera story they have going on in Alpinist? I can't bring myself to read it unless I know what's been going on.
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brianinslc
Aug 30, 2005, 11:06 PM
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In reply to: Rodden's piece, which I found to be fascinating, demonstrates beautifully the sort of transformation that should be occurring in climbers today; from her gym/sport climbing naivete to her often brutal crash-course introduction to big walls and mountaineering.
I hardly think Rodden's article is enough to charge the eds at Alpinist of selling out.
I'll ditto that. I enjoyed her article. And, if she hasn't bared her sole to the public and chooses to never, good for her. I can't imagine what a painful experience that must have been (and she relays some of that journey in the article). I think a bit unfair to either demand or expect it.
To me, Beth is as bright as a shiny penny. Good on 'er for keepin' on keepin' on. Didn't come across as too fluffy to me at all. Refreshing, actually.
It'll be interesting to see where the magazine goes from here. Can't float forever. Been a great run so far (as the kids say, mad props for the cartoons, Jeremy!). Have to say, won't miss Hardy Grimper, though. Issue 12 was apparently the swan song for that bit...
I wish they'd cast a wider net for authors climbing in the alpine, but, maybe they are trying with no bites, or, nothing of substance.
And, actually, a few articles with some good ol' People-esque gossip related to alpine climbing expedition hanky panky might be a fun read. Like, who was sleeping with who, who pooped in who's sleeping bag, burned down their tent, ate their food, tried to set a high altitude sex record but couldn't rise to the challenge... Maybe take some dirt with the rock and ice...ha ha...
Hopefully Alpinist will hang in there for a few more issues...
Brian in SLC
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slobmonster
Aug 30, 2005, 11:23 PM
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In reply to: It'll be interesting to see where the magazine goes from here. Can't float forever.
The cynical truth: not that many on-the-fringe alpinists are writers worth reading. The "good" writing, that could stand on its own without Alpinist's context, is still quite rare. What the editors do to encourage more and better writing is to pay more, per word, than the other mags; printing it on quality stock, in big format, with awesome illustrations and few ads, somehow adds credence to the prose.
I was lucky (or un-lucky, depending on who's asking) to be published during Alpinist's first year in business. Not many of my friends have commented on it, and I haven't got that much feedback. But my mom went out and bought five copies.
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brianinslc
Aug 30, 2005, 11:33 PM
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In reply to: The cynical truth: not that many on-the-fringe alpinists are writers worth reading. The "good" writing, that could stand on its own without Alpinist's context, is still quite rare. What the editors do to encourage more and better writing is to pay more, per word, than the other mags; printing it on quality stock, in big format, with awesome illustrations and few ads, somehow adds credence to the prose.
That, or snuggle up to the right campfire, supply the beer, and turn on a tape recorder (!).
But, you're right. Still, with some prodding, I think they're out there. Problem is, appealling to a broader base to generate more sales at the same time. Maybe there just isn't the interest from enough folks to fund a magazine of this type.
Instead of committing hari kari, maybe CB could just morph it back into a low budget Mountain Yodel...save on printing at least...ha ha...
In reply to: I was lucky (or un-lucky, depending on who's asking) to be published during Alpinist's first year in business. Not many of my friends have commented on it, and I haven't got that much feedback. But my mom went out and bought five copies.
What page, which issue?
Be careful what you ask for...! Someone might accuse you of not having enough warts...
Brian in SLC
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dingus
Aug 30, 2005, 11:36 PM
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I just can't seem to identify with Alpinist Magazine. I want to be in tune with it. I want it to succeed.
And I should be in the sweet spot for the magazines demographic, middle aged, discretionary income, actually climb mountains and shit.
Still and all, I have read only an article or two and the great glossy pics don't seem to possess the allure they once might have held.
I want to like it.
But I just can't seem to catch this positive Alpinist Vibe you all glow with. Maybe its that lifestyle thing Mac spoke about, I don't know (I HATE lifestyle magazines! Like California Living and shit like that, god save us from THAT). But when I look at the pics and read the words, I don't think 'they are me and we are them.' In fact, I feel little to no kinship with them at all. We don't seem to be of the same tribe anymore.
Sorry. Maybe if they would lose the name brand climbers and name brand photographers I might be interested. But as it is, yawn.
DMT
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