DISPATCHES

O'Fallon

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It was not the ballet-grace or the technical difficulty that awed us — quite the opposite. Before this trip, Gill James had never been above Denali's Football Field at 19,500 feet. On this occasion, he had the sharp end of the rope, leading to more than 7,500 meters (25,000 feet), our high point so far.

Rather than the usual one-rope lead of 100 meters, two ropes were tied together to make a 200-meter pitch. The slope was no steeper than 45 degrees, but the snow was often waist-deep. It was a lead that would do a middle linebacker proud — wallowing, butterfly stroke, freestyle, wading. Not pretty, but...whatever worked. And all this after jugging ropes for nearly 2,000 feet and two nights at Camp 2 with very little sleep.

His was the final lead of the day. The ropes were secured to Camp 3, ending a five-day binge of frantic climbing that began without a Camp 2. Paul Teare and I ran away to Advanced Base Camp while Gill and Wayne Wallace stayed at Camp 2.

In typical Gilly fashion, he stayed late the next morning to take down tents and secure camp after most of the team had already left. On another occasion, Gill had gone back to Camel Dump for nearly a week to coordinate porters and essential equipment, giving up his acclimatization to insure we had what was needed at Advanced Base Camp.

It is unlikely that anything will be written about Gill after this trip. He rarely talks about anything he has done. On occasion, as some of us have talked about some difficult route in Yosemite or Canada that we hope to do some day, and Gilly walks by and says "great climb." That's it. Not the usual declamatory description of graceful heel hooks, figure fours or mantles, just "great climb."

It's not that Gill is quiet. No one here would ever claim that. He's just not a braggart. A French-trained chef, Gilly talks more about epicurean delights, spices, and cooking techniques than he does about previous climbs. Nearly everyone in camp has invited him to visit.

It would be difficult to paint a G-rated picture of Gill. He is irreverent, coarse, and very intelligent...if you care to listen to his undeveloped, contrary, and usually perceptive diatribes. It is easy to imagine Gill as either a 19th-century muleskinner or the head chef at a three-star French restaurant (in France it only goes to three stars, Gilly has informed us).

In private, whatever the trade, I doubt Gill's language would ever be refined, but if you ever need a trench dug at 25,000 feet, you know who to call.

— Shawn O'Fallon, MountainZone.com Correspondent

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