Letters
By You, the readerWriter disses Gazette owners
As a mountain person, I do not think that the current Mountain Gazette is setting itself up to cater to mountain people. Since it was sold to GSM Media LLC and the pages got glossy and filled with colorful advertisements, the amount of free-thinking mountain literature and photography has shrunk. I have been looking for the best way to point out the hypocrisy that now exists in the shiny pages of Mountain Gazette.
In the editorial section of MG #138, there is a highlighted letter from Henry Woods describing his attempts to keep 2nd home owners and the like out of Lake City, CO. To the right of Henry’s letter is a 1/2-page advertisement for The Summit Foundation, which is a ski pass for all of I-70’s finest resorts that any mountain person can acquire with a minimum donation of $3,500. The mountain people that I know would be lucky to save that kind of money in a season.
Maybe the question that should be asked of the new management and old staff is what type of magazine is the Mountain Gazette? Do you want to be known as a glossy advertisement for all elements of neo-mountain person or a rag with deep literary thoughts and emotions that define what it takes to survive in a harsh environment by choice?
At any time any one of us could move to a place sans mountain people. We could jump into the non-mountain world; sit in traffic, fight for parking spaces, be over-stimulated with advertisements, pay too much for too little, not be able to play in the outdoors without a million people wearing gear they found in the pages of some shitty colorful magazine and as Edward Abbey said, “Doing work we don’t want to so we can live a life we don’t want to.”
I understand that in today’s society and economy, it is important to adapt to an ever-changing environment. As we continue to wreak havoc on our surroundings and consume more crap than ever before, why can’t the Mountain Gazette stand strong in the face of change and continue to print literature “that entertains, amuses, edifies and infuriates” about the mountains, the people and the ever-changing environment without selling out to a bunch of crap and consumerism?
If I want color glossy photos, I could go to Alice’s Restaurant or there are plenty of magazines filled with advertisements to sell me what it takes to be a mountain person. I don’t want to be sold on the idea or the costumes of mountain people. I don’t want to look at the Mountain Gazette to see what I need to be a mountain person. I want to look at the Gazette to gain an understanding of what other mountain people are doing in mountains across the country and even the world. I want to breathe a sigh of relief once a month when I can slow down and read through the stories of people with a common culture living in places by choice rather than by convenience.
I appreciate the work that you do and have signed up for a subscription to Mountain Gazette in hopes of eliminating a portion of the color glossy advertisements.
Sincerely,
Dave Kelly
Bozeman, MT
–Kray replies: Dave, muchas gracias for the subscription. Everyone in our extended Rocky Mountain network of home-based offices appreciates it. As you’ll see in the following letters, the new photos and departments we’ve introduced are far easier targets than an ad from the Summit Foundation for those readers who have spent the past year watching the Mountain Gazette for any sniff of a sell-out. I don’t have the $3,500 for a Summit Foundation pass either. But if I did, that’s exactly where I would spend it. These guys are completely committed to improving the lives of the people who do actually live in Summit County, through the arts, scholarships and the environment. I encourage you to check them out, www.summitfoundation.org.
New look, wow
I’ve lived in the Rockies for nearly half of my life and have seen, picked up and read your magazine along the way. I just grabbed the January (139) issue and thought I’d drop you a note let you know that I like the new look of the magazine. It’s clean – a welcome evolution ... and less like a String Cheese Incident tour newsletter. And I like the new cover font, too. Best of all, though, is the content, the mountain flavor, and especially the Lost Art of Ski Bumming – which made me feel guilty for working too much and missing too many powder days this year.
Keep up the good work.
Chris Denny
–Kray replies: Sweet. Thanks
Mountain Gazette’s spirit is dead?
I just saw a thing that says Mountain Gazette 139 on its cover.
This is EXACTLY what was feared when we got the word that Mr. Fayhee was passing MG on to GSM, Inc. The spirit and character of MG, which made MG special and unique, does not live in this “Mountain Gazette 139.”
I looked back at the November ’06 announcement titled “Short Haired men take over Mountain Gazette”. In it, Mr. Fayhee says that the intent is to “keep the Gazette the Gazette”. #139 is a far cry from that. Articles, departments even, about real estate and places to go? These are squarely contradictory to Mountain Gazette’s formerly stated principles that such things would never appear. Okay, so new owners, new rules. New owners can do whatever they want with Mountain Gazette, but what’s the point? Maybe just to slick it up some to prime the sell out to Outside magazine or some other such rag. It is outright painful to see.
I’m praying to see a return to the old ways of Mountain Gazette, but am not hopeful.
Regretfully,
Harley Wanless
Boise, Idaho
Have aliens taken over magazine?
I am so sorry to see the demise of Mountain Gazette.
I just got a copy of a publication that says it is Mountain Gazette #139, but it is really something other than a Mountain Gazette and should not be called by that name. This 139 thing is some slick corporate drek Mountain Gazette ripoff. It doesn’t have the fun, funky, irreverrant, even self-deprecating, persona of Mountain Gazette. Based on what 139 looks like, it shouldn’t be called Mountain Gazette any more. How about something like: “Mountain Times (formerly Mountain Gazette)” or maybe “Mountain Views — featuring selected writers from Mountain Gazette”.
Ever seen “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” where the pods take over peoples’ minds and bodies?
The infected people look physically pretty much the same (except for the blank stares and shuffling gait), but their souls, their spirits, their personalities are gone — they have become emotionless imposters who have assumed the identity of the person they inhabit. This 139 thing is the magazine analog of the “Body Snatchers.” It has the same name and some of the physical characteristics of Mountain Gazette, but not the soul or persona. It’s painful to see. More painful perhaps, than just having it die/disappear. If your dear friend died, you would be sad, but wouldn’t it be even sadder to see their soul-less pod person inhabited body still walking the earth?
Please re-consider and change Mountain Gazette back.
JW Galbreath,
Twin Falls, Idaho
Where is your Heart and Soul
Never had much of a reason to write, but here goes. Thumbing through #139 in the short walk between the mailbox and the front door, some things boldly stood out.
Peter Kray’s mug on page 6; hmmm, I always liked his musings in Couloir mag (RIP). What’s next? No poetry page, but, poetry mixed throughout. It’ll take some time to see if I like this.
Now, let’s get to the point: the Heart and Soul piece and the Real Estate piece. The Heart and Soul thing is the precise reason why (and I will make a broad generalization for all us readers here) I don’t read Outside, Skiing or even Sunset (yuk!), et al, magazines. Most of us here already know about these places, and if not, these places should remain quietly on the map as future exploration. If this continues, I’m pretty sure the residents of spotlighted towns would rather see you flayed and nailed to a leaning barn wall than see this in print.
The Real Estate piece: Again, this is good example of why most of us don’t read the aforementioned magazines. I’m sure this was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, being about a trailer and all, but you had to go and plug the price and the real estate agency. I sure as hell don’t want to see this repeated. Please, don’t replace good mountain life writing with this crap. I really don’t want to go back to reading Outside. I mean, Outside really sucks!
And lest ye thinks all has gone bad, I have enormously enjoyed the Smoke Signals series. In fact, I think it may be in a better position now. Wry wit is always welcome.
Rick Stanionis
Flagstaff, AZ
Kray replies: I’ve read each of your letters at east five times now and they’ve certainly generated a few phone calls amongst the entire Mountain Gazette staff. I won’t reiterate my Intro thoughts on the REAL Estate column (where frankly, we’d be stoked if you start sending in photos and copy about your own double-wides, outback shacks, cabins and yurts). But I will say that other than all the pretty photos and departments we added, the majority of what we published in #139 (George Sibley’s beautiful piece, Vince Welch’s amazing book review, doggie photos, Smoke Signals, etc..) was vintage Gazette. Our goal continues to be the best, most unusual and irreverent “outdoor” magazine in the world. I look forward to hearing from all of you on how we’re progressing. And just for the record, those three guys who make up the GSM corporate empire are, an organic farmer/non-profit employee from Paonia, a Boulder-based bicycle nut and a Vietnam vet that still telemark skis in his leather boots.
Send Tancredo back to Tex-ass
You folks in Colorado & your illustrious anti-immigration Senator Tancredo need to take a hard look at the real threatening immigrants to Colorado: Texans.
While “Mexicanos sin papeles” are cooking your Persian, Japanese & Italian food, cleaning your toilets, etc., you got Texans like John Daughtrey from Tyler, Tex-ass (issue #139, “The Last Ski Town”) whining & whimpering because he sees rusted trucks in Silverton. By golly, that’s yard art, you “pinche tejano”!
Hopefully, rusted trucks will keep the gentry, refined class out of some “last habitats of the West” … no wonder they call Tex-ass the “Lone Star State” — there’s only one lone star left in Texas: the great Willie Nelson. All the other Texans have moved to Arizona & Colorado to ruin us with communistic gated communities with nazi regulations. Colorado, send that whimpering aristocrat Daughtrey back to Tyler …
Tom Taylor
esa, AZ
–Fayhee replies: Tom, I live in New Mexico. We’ve got enough problems of our own with the likes of Sen. Pete Dominici and Rep. Steve Pearce. We don’t need the added burden or worrying about Tancredo too!
Show respect for Native Americans
I’m not in the habit of preaching, but I was appalled by Ben Johnson’s story about climbing the Totem Pole on the Navajo Reservation. For the sake of an adrenaline rush or climbing a seldom-climbed route, some rock jocks consider nothing sacred. Many Dine are upset about Whities climbing Shiprock, or Spider Rock, or the Totem Pole, considering it just another example of cultural imperialism. Acts of vandalism and disrespect (admittedly also committed by backpackers and off-roaders) already have lead to the closure of many canyons and archaeological treasures on the Reservation, especially in the Kayenta area. Acts of transgression by a few ADD-afflicted, ignorant mountain louts are not only disrespectful to indigenous traditions but also hurt desert aficionados. Climbers need not be surprised if their activities in culturally sensitive areas (like Hueco Tanks in Texas or Indian Creek near Moab) are being monitored and occasionally even restricted if they behave like selfish pigs elsewhere.
Initially, the last section of Johnson’s account of white macho exploit — “get off the Rez fast, in a prearranged getaway car” — made me think he was at least aware that he had done something offensive. But no, his only concern was to keep this route a secret, proof that he does not even care much for fellow climbers. (Ironically, he then rushes home and writes about it for publication.)
I’d appreciate if MG didn’t give a platform to attitudes, which rub blatant disregard into the faces of people dispossessed of their own country, people who live like beggars at their own doorstep.
Michael Engelhard
Allergic reaction to Johnson story
Ben Johnson’s how-to about climbing illegally on Navajo land gave me a rash. It isn’t enough for him to trespass and disrespect the sovereignty of the Navajo nation — he wants others to do it as well. No rock formation was put in place for anyone to climb, but borders and tribal laws were created for everyone to respect. What is on reservation land belongs to the tribe. They are free to do with it as they see fit but Ben Johnson is not.
In a weak justification, he accuses the tribe of hypocrisy for granting filming rights for climbing scenes on the reservation. So let’s remind him again — this is their land and they can do what they want with it. If these areas were opened to anyone, it wouldn’t be long before there would be garbage, more bolts and hordes of self-righteous idiots like Ben Johnson fouling the area. Maybe he thinks that as long as he leaves it as he found it and doesn’t litter, he’s in the clear, or maybe he thinks Native American sovereignty is too inconvenient for him to move around. Maybe he doesn’t think at all. It’s hard to tell.
Sincerely,
am Bridgham
urango, CO
Outrage voiced over Navajo climb
Re: Ben Johnson and his article “How to poach the Totem Pole” (Mountain Notebook, MG #138.)
I have been a devoted reader of the Mountain Gazette for many years now and have always enjoyed the range of articles and opinions I have seen there. Though I have not always agreed with everything I have read there, I have never found cause to be as alarmed as I was to read Ben Johnson’s piece. I have to say that I am appalled to see an article like Ben Johnson’s appear in your publication. I am outraged at what he wrote, but am almost sickened that you would publish it.
It is outrageous to me that you would publish and support the defiling of any people’s sacred site. His description of sneaking in on that rock that he just had to climb (are there not enough rocks in the West for his testosterous urges to conquer?) and instructions as to how others could do the same infuriated me. What else does he do in his spare time … contrive how to have a six pack of Fat Tires and some spareribs in a mosque?
Or maybe he is thinking of a way to pee in the holy water vessel at his local Catholic Church?
How can we coexist in this fragile floating orb if we don’t have the common decency to respect each other’s sacred spaces? Where does he live? What is his address? I’ll be getting a posse together to hang him by his carabiners and ropes, just cause I think that might fun.
Hoping to see better choices of work in your upcoming issues or I will be a reader of yours no more.
Cindy Morris,
Priestess, entrepreneur, author,
presenter and counselor-at-large
–Ben Johnson responds: I understand the offensiveness of the piece. I thought a piece such as this would not have a chance of being published, simply for that fact. First and foremost, this is a fictional piece. I have never climbed the Totem Pole.
Out of respect for the Dineh people and their sacred places, this is not likely something I would do, whether I agree with their policies on climbing, Hollywood and Red Bull air races or not.
This piece was meant partially to ask that question: Why can something be dropped on top of this tower for a commercial or why can an airplane race navigate between all the towers and buttes of the sacred Monument Valley, but no climbers are allowed to scale rocks?
This was not meant to be a macho “I climbed this to break the rules and stroke my ego.” Again: I have not climbed the Totem Pole. Many have, illegally. Their exact motives and reasoning, I can only make assumptions about. More than likely, it was not to piss off the Navajo people or to be big stars. The reason someone would do something such as this lies in the age-old question of why we climb — and if the risks and consequences associated with such a climb are worth what we take home after a climb, whatever that may be.
–John Fayhee responds: Choosing Ben Johnson’s story was one of my last official acts as editor of MG. Sorry that so many people found it so offensive, but the only reason I opted to run it was that it was obvious to me that Mr. Johnson had not climbed the Totem Pole and was attempting to make a point about what is sacred and where commercialism fits into that notion. I am surprised it was not as obvious to others.
MG
