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Outside magazine, March 1999


Out on the Edge of Never Been Done
Masters of Extreme


The word has almost been lost to us ù extreme ù tarnished by outr‰ antics and hucksterism and, sadly, the reckless deaths of the inexperienced, those who pushed far beyond the warning track of common sense. Strip clear the tinny glitter and needless flash, however, and you'll locate the pure heart of extreme. It can be found on top of a sheer mountain wall, or in a cavern shot deep beneath the earth, or in the thin brittle air at the edge of the atmosphere, or out on the open sea. It's often both a glorifying and utterly dangerous place. But ù and this is the important part ù the real extremists know that danger and glory aren't goals unto themselves, and that callow ambition is no substitute for authentic values. What they seek on the edge is elusive, even mysterious. Some might call it truth, or soul. Or maybe (and here we are back at the beginning again) a single word can't begin to describe it.

The Climber
The Mutant and the Boy Scout Battle at 20,000 Feet

The Skier
Peerless

The Alpha Class
A few more unrivaled masters