Kedrowski: 2016 Ski Project Controversy

[tmahon]

It's probably a good time to check in here.

Back in the spring I thought it would be cool to see how far Jon could take this. I believe there should be people trying for this every spring, much as they do in summer, like Eric last week.

So I got behind him and I trusted everything was being done right. We skied North Maroon. It was a fun day. But when I saw the cryptic Capitol post on Instagram and then learned of this thread I realized I was being too trusting.

I talked with Jon a bit after that, texts mainly, I tried to get him to offer some clarity on things, to fill some of the gaping holes in the trip reports and subsequent claims. I tried to explain why people were asking questions, that they weren’t all “haters” as he declared, that they just wanted some details, and that they had a right to ask. I asked him to explain his Instagram post and other “red flags” out there. He did a lukewarm job of explaining things on his website but still a lot of questions remained. I continued to press him on it, specifically about peaks brought up in discussions here— Pyramid, South Maroon, Capitol, in particular. He said he would post more photos and video, but instead he kind of went silent.

After seeing his email today we spoke again and he insisted he never claimed anything nor was he going for any record. From what I’ve seen, that’s just not true. (Why would you have a website called 14erskirecord.com?) He said the email was a typo and he would fix it, he said he didn’t even proof it, he’s been too busy. He said if I had tried to do what he did in as little time, I too would have found some peaks that required down climbing because there just wasn’t enough snow on some. I told him he should go back when there’s snow, maybe that takes longer than a year. He didn’t seem to think that was necessary.

He said we’re not giving him the respect for the effort he put forth, I told him he did a great job climbing all the 14ers in a short amount of time, but he didn’t ski them all. I asked him why he shouldn’t have to follow the standards set by those before him? He said,”I can certainly make my own standards- mountaineering is a sport that people are meant to enjoy and do the best they can and have fun.” I said he was being disrespectful to the efforts set by those before him. I told him that people I’ve talked with find him to be misrepresenting what he actually accomplished, and that he was being dishonest, and that I agreed with them.

I’m really disappointed. But I’m not sure what you do at this point since he doesn’t seem to think he needs to answer to anyone, nor does he think the history of skiing 14ers should apply to him at all. He would love the approval of the community but if he doesn’t ultimately get it, I don’t think he’ll care.

He put in a huge effort, that's not really up for debate. He was on a lot of summits this spring, but that doesn’t mean he gets to set his own rules. I told the Aspen Time two weeks ago,“There are strict rules in all arenas of climbing whether it’s on the Dawn Wall, on Everest or on a Colorado Fourteener. Does it really matter to the ordinary person that he down climbed Pyramid? Probably not. But if everyone is allowed to dilute the task a little bit at a time, what are we all left with? Someone goes up and skis a strip of snow in June and calls a mountain skied.”

I don’t think any of us want to see that. Style matters. Transparency is important. This forum understands that. I'm not sure that Jon does, unfortunately.

[Carl]

Well said Ted. Thanks for sharing the facts and your informed perspective. I agree 100%.

Looks like Jon has already blocked me on Facebook now too.

[susanjoypaul]

I hope he gets some help, and I mean that in the kindest way possible. This is not normal behavior and he seems like a very unhappy person.

[PaliKona]

Great insight Ted, thanks.

So this all begs the question: did he actually sleep on all the summits? Especially on Sunlight's real summit... I doubt it.

[benlen]

That's it. Anyone who disrespects Ted Mahon or Chris Davenport is getting coal for Christmas. Thank you Ted for contributing to this topic––your voice is imperative in this discussion because it is a voice of authority and respect with regards to skiing Colorado's 14ers, one that naysayers and the press will pay attention to.

I don't seek to demean the sheer physical effort it took for Jon Kedrowski to climb and ski the way he did, but as you so eloquently put it, style matters.

[yingyangsoup89]

Ted, you guys threw up some solid beta on north maroon north face at just the right time. We were planning to climb it that weekend and you guys hit it a few days before. Thanks!

[mountainute]

I do not like that the internet turns everything into such a bragfest.

[justiner]

I do like how much of a gentleman Ted's being. Kudos, Ted.

[XterraRob]

I do not like that the internet turns everything into such a bragfest.

Modesty or Ego - You must choose wisely.

[tmahon]

I do like how much of a gentleman Ted's being. Kudos, Ted.

Thanks, though I have to admit I was hardly a gentleman with him on the phone yesterday. I tried to talk to him rationally about this for several weeks now and he pretended to care about about things but then never really did anything about them. He happened to call yesterday right after he deleted his FB post I was in the middle of commenting on. I have zero tolerance for people squashing the discussion like that, much as he has done with this conversation before. So I unloaded on him.

I’ve come to realize there are two enormous discrepancies between Jon and the general public that help explain things a bit:

1. Jon insists he isn’t claiming anything or any record. He says he hasn’t and he won’t. No matter how many times I quote him from a newspaper or his email as doing just that, he denies it, he’ll say it was a mistake, he used the wrong words, he didn’t mean to do it. He walks it back. And then some time passes and he says it again.

2. Jon believes he isn’t being treated fairly. He thinks he has logged the biggest effort that has ever been put forth here and with that, some down climbing and incomplete descents are permissible. He was out for so many days and on so many summits he doesn’t feel like anyone has a right to question what he did.

It’s not a matter of proof on certain summits. He’s admitted he hasn’t done a few in the same way as those before him.

I’m not sure what you do here. He says he’s not claiming, everyone around him says he is. He says because he isn’t going for a record he can count his descents as complete, everyone around him says he can’t. And that’s where we are.

A reporter friend just emailed me that he just issued a redacted email just now.

[hberry]

I stand by my comment that all the Physicians I know that post here don't sign there stuff Dr Whoever and don't feel the need to boast about their credentials. Obviously he has an extremely fragile ego.

[Somewhat of a Prick]

I stand by my comment that all the Physicians I know that post here don't sign there stuff Dr Whoever and don't feel the need to boast about their credentials. Obviously he has an extremely fragile ego.

IIRC, he has a doctorate in philosophy or geography or something like that. Not an MD, Pharm, Vet...etc.