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"Touching the Void" mountaineer giving presentation in Skipton

Pitlamp said:
Not directly to do with caving but maybe of general interest to outdoor folk? I don't know about his mountaineering abilities but the bloke can certainly write a gripping tale.

Simon Yates, Wednesday 7th October, Skipton Town Hall, 19:30.

Simon Yates of Touching The Void - My Mountain Life | Skipton Town Hall

skiptontownhall.co.uk skiptontownhall.co.uk
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Wasn't Joe Simpson the author of 'Touching the Void', Pitlamp? Simon Yates was the other climber who tried to save Joe after his accident. I've been to a lecture by Simon and it was interesting to hear his take on events.
 
You are, of course, right Lankyman! My apologies; long time since I read that book.
I might try and go if it works out I'm free that evening.

Perhaps a moderator could amend the topic title to "Touching the Void" mountaineer giving presentation in Skipton"?
 
alanw said:
"Saving" being "cutting the rope" and "burning his clothes".
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I think saving probably refers more to the helping to lower him down as far as he did, risking his own life. Cutting the rope was his only way of not dying himself once they were in that situation! Once you're in a rescue situation, it's Self, Team, Casualty. It's one hell of a situation to find yourself in
 
They both survived. If Yates hadn't cut the rope they both would have died. Difficult call, but absolutely the right one.
 
If anyone's not seen the film, especially somewhere with a good sound system, it's very gripping and effectively done, the book's a pretty riveting read as well.

Jim
 
rm128 said:
They both survived. If Yates hadn't cut the rope they both would have died. Difficult call, but absolutely the right one.
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A great chum of mine who's a globally renowned mountaineer and member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association said after watching the film that it (the whole shebang) was (paraphrasing) a litany of schoolboy errors.
 
Pretty much sums up Joe Simpson's climbing career - a previous time he was "sleeping" on a ledge in the Alps, when it disappeared from under them, leaving the pair (not Simon) hanging on a loose peg... , but makes for good stories!

Simon has written The flame of adventure and Against the wall, both of which are good reads, also The adventure within, which I haven't seen. [Joe was 25 and Simon 22 when it happened]
 
I attended a Simon Yates talk not long after the flm launch.
He summed the Touching The Void incident up in three short sentences.. and moved on :-D
 
I had a drink with Simon many years ago when he was working as a rope access guy with a caving friend in London. He had his site helmet with him, on which was written, in large capital letters, the word SLASHER. Fortunately he never had to cut any ropes on tall buildings, at least so far as I know.
 
Heard Joe Simpson speak at the outdoor show about 20 years ago, not long after the incident, the horror was fresh!!

My take on the whole shebang - dogy at best!!
 
Simon did joke at the talk I attended that if anyone upset him he would just appear above them whilst on ropes with a knife!
 
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