Mountains of Terror, by Stevie Haston.

 Pakistan has some of the most incredible climbing in the world but I won't be going there again, and its tourist industry is on its last legs after ten climbers were killed at Diamir base camp. It's been called an act of Terror by the press, and climbers, but it is really not that an uncommon act in these parts, so naturally everybody who visits should understand. It is a fantastic region of sharp granite piercing often blue skys out of arid lands and glaciers, which makes for fantastic climbing, but when I visited years ago I was often scared outta my socks because of the sectarian troubles, and brigands.  

One of the valleys I visited was run like a feudal fife, with a lord who took all of the wealth for himself, and kept people in poverty and terror. There was nothing I could do for them. In other areas, notably Hushe, the people where happy healthy, and it was fun and safe. At one base camp we had a Olympic game comp, marshal arts class, and general fun- things could rapidly change from one side of a river to the other-trouble was often regional.

This photo show a bunch of lads after a trek to a mountain, we had some fun and a mutton feast.

Pastoral heaven in this photo belies the fact of continual bullying by the headman amoung the porters, knife fights, AK47s and general terror.

This area has never been under control by the Islamabad government, and it is now subject to the influence of Americas involvement. When I was there Clinton shot 26 missiles into Afghanistan ostensibly as some kinda complaint, but really to mask the evidence of his philandering on the famous stained blue dress. Some missiles landed in Pakistan, missiles don't help agitated people with their own problems of thief's, vagabonds with guns, and rival religions. Nowadays their are agent provocateurs, huge money from drugs and weapon sales, and big bribes, the country will have a hard time getting better.

I would love to go back, I never will, and my decision was made years ago. Climbers don't often see much of the country they visit, they are blinded by their own ambition, their minds are on summits and not people, conquest and not sustenance.

The most terrorable thing about the massacre at Nanga Barbat base camp was the lack of interest in it not just by the climbing world, but by the world in general. Compare the bombing at the Boston marathon with the illegal killing at Nanga- in climbing web sites some fairly trivial things got more clicks!

The children in the photos could be killed by drones,  sanctioned by some arbitrary American business president.   We live in a weird World, where morality is secondary to oil prices, and climbers are blinded by ambition.

I am appalled by the deaths of the climbers at Nanga Barbat base camp and if it means anything I send my condolences.  Peace and good will to everybody, and in some ways this goodwill starts in the economics of your shopping, and how you think.

Gear and stuffs, by Stevie Haston

Two big off-widthing friends arrived from Wild Country, it means I now have the correct rack of gear for a certain crack in America. Thank you Wildcountry, these are light and do the job, I have one already and it's very good. 

While on the subject of gear, I was in Britain and was astounded at the rubbish harness selection they have! Ok  Britain is a country where people don't climb much, and the average grade is 5+, but seriously some of the harnesses are just weird Health & Safety rigs for lumberjacks. Above are a couple of light do the job harnesses that I use. One was given to me by the V12 shop and it is really good, not too bulky thin at the hips for movement and takes a lot of climbing. Thanks Rob and V12.  

My favorite harness is this old Rocca from Spain rig, which weighs in at 180 grams! This harness or garter belt, is just as comfortable as any other, and you don't believe me! Thats because you haven't tried it, and are taken in by baloney, and nutty advertising shmazel! 

I do not guaranty that any of these products are healthy to eat, or Bio friendly, they do work however, I have not been payed to say this, its just a friendly heads up. Sadly I will probably never go to America to try the most beautiful off width  I have ever been on, so if anybody wants to give me a heads up on off widths I can hit near me, that I can get to by hot air balloon, I will be forever thank full. 

Last photo is an orchid of course, trying desperately to attract bees, in a bad year for bees, I did some pollinating with a small paint brush to help, they said thank you.

Weakness, strength and standing up, by Stevie Haston

Just got back from Britain, its an evil place full of sheep! I am naffed off with Britain and hope never to go back. I hate Liverpool airport and their stupid so called security staff,  I was touched up twice despite doing everything they said, incompetant and unnecessary. I am a 56 year old grandad! A guy in front of me was searched, and the baby he was carrying, his wife followed with another baby, she was searched, clearly they were going to blow their own babies and themselves up, its obvious isn't it! They said nothing! I spoke to the extremely dim so called security staff, and whispered in his ear that I thought he had a  queer idea who terrorists are. He didn't like that and tried to make me miss my plane. Ryan air have another ploy to fleece you of money, they weigh your carry on bag inside departure twice trying to catch you out. 

 Malta is tops of this little chart and good old Britain is joint second! The Minister of Agriculture informed a friend of mine that Malta soil was safe in reply to a question of mine. The reason the soil is so pure is because we are using human Maltese kidneys to purify the soil -a cheap but possibly dangerous use of human humble bees- complain FFS.

Stand up for your rights before you have none left. I couldn't do ten squats with this 50 kgs of Organic grain, it took us ages to source it, and because I am still sick from eating shite I could barely stand up.

While in Wales I did a route with my seven year old grandchild Harmony, she loved it. I also did marshal arts with all of them, and indoctrinated them about GMOs, pesticide and herbicide. I have completly stopped eating meat that isn't my own, and will change my nationality from United Kingdom of Sheep, to the Republic of Standup for Your Rights.

Monsanto, politicians, lies and you, by Stevie underground Haston

I have been underground, totally amazed at the underground world, and the hidden things that lie just skin deep.  Behind the cliff I climb at, lies 10 kilometers of passage, huge halls, big formations and even a little lake.

One cliff leads to another. Its very much like, the American governments involvement in Monsanto,    and other extremely unsavory people, and corporations.

This cliff for instance, was hidden even from me for a few years, till I followed a rumor, it doesn't appear in the French guide book, or the recent  UK copy of the french guidebook! Interestingly the Uk copy of the French guide book, obviously reprints errors and miss information!  This cliff has one of the best 8a routes in the world! In-fact I am trying to produce one of the most overhanging routes in the world there!

It's a little bit dark, but its wonderful. It's a huge hidden marvel, but it's not dangerous like Monsanto. Nor is it worrying like Bill Gates owning 500,000 shares in Monsanto, worth 23 million dollars-well actually less because they are losing money now, thanks to some people waking up!

A few years ago Donald Rumsfeld earned 12 million for selling his shares in Aspartame, you may know that Aspartame is associated with damaging your health. You probably don't know that the US government had it banned twice, but pressure from people like Donald Rumsfeld got it back in again.

There is a lot that is hidden, some of it like these formations are very beautiful, some things that are hidden are rotten, like the USA government some how poisoning the rest of the world! Obama is the head of the US of A and is pushing OGM! What else is he pushing and for whom?

This is an hidden agenda, notice Hillary Clinton's name and Donald Rumsfeld in the following list.

Thanks Doc Jon and Matt Perrier for sharing it on FB

Rainy day training. By Stevie wet Haston.

Kids, and family are here, in the worst spring and summer of 1OO years! The floor and roof of the cave are wet and going green. It's making the routes really hard, but the kids have been caving which is always great fun. Does anything give you the sense of discovery, and exploration that caving can?

Indoor training, martial art based as two of the kids are up for belts. I still think after all these years that Martial arts training was the most valuable because of the discipline, it instils in people consideration, and respect for other people, whilst giving you a great all round workout.

Melody blocking, when I blocked 20 or so of her turning kicks I developed quite a sore fore arm! 

 More normal stuff was done after an hour and a half of yoga where the girls really shined. Leo needs to sort out his pull ups and press ups, but he is very keen.

Melody is getting better on her pull ups, but is concentrating on her Black belt at the moment.

Harmony cranking!

Harmony doing box splits, no warm! 9 months ago she didn't quite have box splits, now she is beyond.

Harmony will obviously be able to bridge any groove in the world!

Grand Papi with eyes shut about to get an un-fore seen left cross from wee Spiderman. Foot work is perfect, footwork is half of balance, and its hard to have power without balance, climbers are often not very good in this respect. Still, climbing at high standard is only 25 years old, where as fighting is the oldest sport of all! For instance Thailand has 500,00 Naks or boxers, and most boys in Korea are very proficient at their national sport, Climbing is taking over in some places of the world, but its teachers are few, and not very experienced for the most part. Seek out good teachers, and the job becomes easier. Today there are a few, I live in a land -France- which has many, and you can always get a good lesson here.