[pcthrowaway]

Uhhh from what I saw in dirtbag, he was not doing FAs in his 80s and while he marginally top roped at least once in his 90s, he was definitely struggling and practically had to have the documentary makers carry him to the crag so he could do it

[jjulius]

Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm not in a position to easily skip through the film on YouTube right now), but wasn't that the whole purpose of the international trip he made in Dirtbag? The peak had been summited before, but not via the route he intended to take.

[pcthrowaway]

I don't remember the film well enough to say whether he attempted a first ascent in his 80s (I don't think he did), but his last accomplished first ascent was Bomber Lake Arete in 1997 (at the still impressive age of 74). While a first ascent at any age is impressive, and in your 70s even moreso, it would still be an inaccurate claim to say he was making first ascents into his late 70s, let alone late 80s.

[jjulius]

>... it would still be an inaccurate claim to say he was making first ascents into his late 70s, let alone late 80s.

Right, which is why I said, "to TRY to be the first to ascend certain summits via certain routes, well into his late 80's and early 90's". I never said he succeeded, just that he was an older gentleman still putting forth as much as he could to accomplish a hefty goal, which happened to be a lot more than most at that age could do.

Edit: https://youtu.be/mc1sqxXSMZ4 at about 9 minutes 20 seconds in, they show him traveling to China at 83 to try to be the first to ascend Haizi Shan.

[pcthrowaway]

Interesting. From the video, it looks like he was coaxed into a FA expedition, and bailed somewhere around the base instead of doing any climbing.

Look, I realize he has a bit of a name brand that resulted in lots of people trying to do things with him in his old age that he really didn't have the ability to do at that point. It's also unclear if anyone ever tried to bring him on a FA after that expedition.

I realize that stoke for climbing never died for him, but the limitations of his body caught up with him, as they will with all of us. I don't think there were any serious FA attempts of his in his 80s, even if people liked to advertise an expedition with him as such.

Even getting to base camp of an alpine expedition is a remarkable accomplishment at his age.

[jjulius]

This conversation feels like an "ackshually" that completely sidesteps the overall point I was making, but okay.

[pcthrowaway]

This comment feels like the same. I wholeheartedly agree with your original point about people of any age being capable of impressive physical feats, and have no interest in refuting it or "sidestepping it".

But since you brought up Fred Beckey, I thought it was worthwhile to correct an inaccuracy about him. People on this forum tend to value accuracy of claims after all, and the man has accomplished enough that we don't need to go making up additional things.

This thread could have ended 6 comments ago with "my bad, he was maybe attempting first ascents into his early 80s, though probably not seriously past his 70s. I remembered wrong". Claiming it's an "ackshually" about your original point just seems like a mischaracterization of the whole thread, and honestly, we should be OK just taking ownership of mistakes instead of getting defensive.