The Consequences of Climbing

[JoshK]

you know, i don't find risk all that alluring or i would drive around without a seatbelt, smoke 2 packs a day, have unprotected sex while being tattooed with a recycled needle, eat raw cow brain and walk 13 black cats under ladders while breaking a mirror......

 

what i like about climbing is not the risk but the challenge. i don't dislike the fact that sport climbing is less risky than trad climbing but i do dislike the fact it is less challenging to clip up a line of pre-placed draws than to search out a series of gear placements while route finding up a featureless alpine face.

 

some challenges have inherent risks (loose rock, seracs, weather, commitment) and some challenges don't (pulling a low v4 with 4 spotters and 6 mats) but the challenge, not the risk, is what appeals to me in climbing.

 

 

 

Climbing can be SCARY. I don't get my thrills from scaring my self shitless. If I did, I would solo everything. I mean, why not? It's not like it's *good* to fall when you have a rope, so most of us don't. Given that, why don't I just solo everything and my kicks that way?

 

No thanks, I'm there to push my limits in terms of physical and mental challenge and do everything I can to make sure if I fail that I have the best chance of not dying because of it.

[JoshK]

I by no means have a death wish but have a life wish. As the saying goes, a life without risk is no life at all. May you all chose your risks carefully and may the gods favor yall.

 

the "risk" in that quote doesn't nescessarily mean a risk of death. It means (in my opinion) a risk of failing at trying something.

 

By all means it's a risk to try climbing a bit above your level, but I by no means think that the risk of possibly dying by trying it is what gives people their "high."

 

When I see "extreme" sports people on TV (like how the fuck is bunjee jumping extreme or a sport?) I dont buy the shit about it being so cool because there is a risk you might die. Human instinct goes against that. They said that cause it sounds cool.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

what i like about climbing is not the risk but the challenge.

 

Word.

 

Is clipping a bunch of draws all that difficult? No (well, if the holds are shitty enough ... but that's not the point). But climbing at your limit between all those draws is always damn hard, and that's where goods are at.

[texplorer]

What I was trying to get across is that anything worth doing and working towards usually has some sort of risk involved. That can be emotional, financial, health, or physical risks. Now granted all risks do not need to be taken. For instance, not wearing a seat belt is not a necessary risk. Granted, climbing is not necessary to live or "be successful" in life unless that is how you self actualize.

 

I admit that I like adrenaline rush but that is only a part of the appeal of climbing. I know that with climbing I can achieve new and more challenging objectives. One of the greatest things about climbing is the variety of ways to "up" the ante. You can do harder routes, longer routes, sport to trad, trad to aid, run things out, solo, climb on ice, rock, snow, choss, shrubbery, etc. There are so many ways to challenge yourself. Increased risk is only one of those ways that is usually not the goal but inherent in doing longer routes, scarier routes especially in the mountians.

 

I think the fact that climbing appears and sometimes is dangerous is at least part of the appeal of it for most of us. Otherwise you would all be doing other "extreme " sports like golf for example. Golf and other sports are outside and require an intense concentration that is present in climbing but lack the danger element. So if you detest the risks that climbing provides there are alternative forms of climbing and alternatives to climbing.

[lummox]

I think the fact that climbing appears and sometimes is dangerous is at least part of the appeal of it for most of us.

it is written in the stars for me. my astrology symbol says:

DISLIKES

Doing things safely

Ordinary,Day to day living

Small minded people

Penny pinching

Mean spiritedness

 

all true except for the last one.

[Dru]

tex agreed with you climbing is not golf but i like the exploration aspect of climbing vs. golfing not the fact the climbing is riskier.

 

did you know that more golfers than climbers are killed by lightning every year?

 

as to climbing vs. hiking, climbing is riskier, both have similar exploration factors, why do i like climbing more, is it for the risk? no it is because of the fact you can still make first ascents climbing but really this isn't all that possible hiking. also i do like to hike butto stand at the bottom of a mountain looking at it and then go away without climbing it seems like a cop out. so all you polypro over-short wearing faux-mountaineer hikers.

[Bug]

Ya sure. That's the other side of the hair. But what fun would the challenge be if there were no risk? Why don't you play chess instead and stay in shape by going to the gym?

[Dru]

chess is fun, i was on the chess team in high school but going to the gym is boring.

[Bug]

Chess is fun. But climbing is funner. My gym no longer attracts the G-string type. I quit.

[eric8]

While i don't think i could write out the whole formula for why climb I part of it is because its challenging. but I'm going to have to agree with tex on the risk factor. It may not be the primary reason why I climb but there is definetly something to be said about finishing a lead at your limit with gear just little farther down then you like and it maybe not as good as you would have liked then gabbing the chains knowing its all cool again, the adrenline, feeling of accomplishment I could not get that with golf or even sport climbing, spray away, I like sport climbing just feel a greater sense of accomplishment after pulling for me what was a hard trad lead and I think risk has something to do with that, since the climbing on sport routes I get on is offen harder than on trad routes.

 

See aspects in my partners of enjoying risk too and it varies from person to person, just as the level of risk each person is willing to take varies. Just simple stuff like soloing a low fifth class first pitch when we have time to belay it out, the glean in there eye when talking about an alpine route that is just a little to dangerous or that smile on there face after a sketchy lead and of course the partner who will get on anything even its way over there head.

 

I don't know about others but I think I'm much better off now that I have realized that risk is part of the attraction then when I tried to fool myself into saying it was for being at one with nature or some other form of bs.

Edited May 20, 2004 by eric8