But since you brought up Fred Beckey, I thought it was worthwhile to correct an inaccuracy about him. People on this forum tend to value accuracy of claims after all, and the man has accomplished enough that we don't need to go making up additional things.
This thread could have ended 6 comments ago with "my bad, he was maybe attempting first ascents into his early 80s, though probably not seriously past his 70s. I remembered wrong". Claiming it's an "ackshually" about your original point just seems like a mischaracterization of the whole thread, and honestly, we should be OK just taking ownership of mistakes instead of getting defensive.
I don't see what is inaccurate about what I said. Coaxed or not, he still got out there and tried for that first ascent, even getting to base at 83 which, to your point, "is a remarkable feat at almost any age". I never claimed anything inaccurate - he tried, and that's the truth.
But alright. I'll sit with this for a bit and maybe I'll end up understanding my inaccuracies.
Enjoy your weekend.
You do the same
Look, I realize he has a bit of a name brand that resulted in lots of people trying to do things with him in his old age that he really didn't have the ability to do at that point. It's also unclear if anyone ever tried to bring him on a FA after that expedition.
I realize that stoke for climbing never died for him, but the limitations of his body caught up with him, as they will with all of us. I don't think there were any serious FA attempts of his in his 80s, even if people liked to advertise an expedition with him as such.
Even getting to base camp of an alpine expedition is a remarkable accomplishment at his age.