thousands of years?
sorry, any activity requiring driving a great distance, buying a ton of crap, and purposefully putting oneself in ugly situations just to get a thrill, that is an activity reserved for the elite, who have time, money, and extra energy on their hands. dirtbag climbers are hardly in a position where they are about to die of starvation, and most weekend warriors are just looking to find an outlet from a life that is too dull and too easy.