I’ve seen your stuff, it’s excellent, and I’m a fan. But if you were actually 50% genuine in what you say, what you publish, and present, we would not know who you are. You would be out there climbing, simply for joy and “experience,” and not for the attention and hype. One thing for sure though, you would definitely not be hanging with Adrian Ballinger. That is one individual who is DEFINITELY out in the mountains for the wrong reasons. There is not room for infighting in our tribe, but that is one individual that simply does not belong.

1.What interest does Esteban Mena have, especially considering that Adrian Ballinger is paying him.
2. What interest does Ralf Dujmovits have to not tell the truth?

It’s pretty obvious and in black and white where the truth is, especially considering the social media attention whore that Adrian Ballinger is.

In fact he’s not casting judgement at all. It’s an interview. The purpose of an interview is to present someone’s personality to the reader. It does that very well.

Most people reading the last two paragraphs will have dismissed Dujmovits claims as sour grapes by someone who is disappointed and slightly embittered. Until you guys waded in. Now we see your personalities too.

We enjoy reading Stefan’s blog because he’s independent, and doesn’t let himself get bullied by climbers worried by their image. It’s a different type of journalism from what you might read in Outside magazine, for example. But his readers appreciate him for it.

As for the in-fighting in your tribe, well that was your choice, not Stefan’s.

Congratulations on your Everest summits from someone who has climbed the north side with supplementary oxygen. I take my hat off to all of you. You should all just let your achievements speak for themselves.

Peter