Why climb?

[Bug]

b/c there's far fewer assholes at the top of mountains than at the base of them?

I got started climbing with my older brothers and father by ridge running and accessing remote lakes. I got abused a lot less in the mountains than I did at home so this one rings true for me too.

[Bug]

b/c i'm searching for the drugs

When I was in highschool I hooked up with a few guys who like to smoke pot and free solo. It was pretty cool. We did some big climbs and nearly died multiple times. But we had drugs already so this myth is busted.

The trip up Como pks on LSD was the coolest. I climbed the east face up through fog and couldn't see the top or the bottom. When I finally pulled up on the summit it was a pocket of clear air with a wall of fog shooting straight up from the up draft up the West face.

I stuck my hand out into the fog and wind and could channel streams of fog into my little clearing.

Then the fog cleared and I found myself leaning over a sheer 600 ft face. Climbing and LSD are not a good idea.

Look for something else.

[Bug]

I have a degree in Religious Studies and took a lot of philosophy. Growing up, my reasons varied and changed. Sometimes to forget, sometimes to fit in, sometimes to get outside.

All said and done, my reason is pure selfish pleasure.

It's just really fun.

[LostCamKenny]

...because it takes me away from the foul, inhospitable realities of this life and puts me into one where bills, and bosses, and co-workers do not exist! it is an escape... it is freedom... it is peace like the world will never know!

 

and yeah, why does she don that bikini?

[marc_leclerc]

why try and get a ball accross a line to 'score poionts'... its just something that is fun to do, and who doesn't want to have fun.

Me personally, I like puttin myself up against a physical or mental chanllenge, whether it be a purely physical sport route, or a long exposed free solo to test my mental endurance, I like overcoming the challenge, proving myself to be strong enough, or to back off, showing that I still need train myself up to the level of the challenge if I want to win.

[TrailRunFreak]

The bikini started years ago....it goes everwhere I go. Almost all of my summit pictures I'm in my bikini.

 

[TrailRunFreak]

you're right....cuz I can

[RokIzGud]

The bikini started years ago....it goes everwhere I go. Almost all of my summit pictures I'm in my bikini.

 

The only reason i try to summit peaks is the see that pink bikini... Just kidding. Its pure fun and exciting. I went on a climb today and it was freaking FUN!

[Displaced Native]

Because the biting wind, cold exposure, endless vistas remind me that I am not some sheep in the pasture being fed at the whim of The Man.

[Dannible]

I guess I've always pictured myself taking up racquetball when I am middle aged and golf once I retire, so I figure climbing is just a fantastic way to stay in shape in the meantime.

[ivan]

I guess I've always pictured myself taking up racquetball when I am middle aged and golf once I retire, so I figure climbing is just a fantastic way to stay in shape in the meantime.

the university of virginia officially cut me off from raquetball in '94 when, at the bottom of a typical rage-spiral, i broke my 5th university lent raquet against the wall after being beaten by a human potato

 

haven't looked back since

[BirdDog]

Why do I climb? Simple, cause I love the feel of rock. The real question is why I (or we) would risk life and limb 'cause we love the feel of rock, or ice, or snow, or freezing our asses off just to get to the top of something. "it makes me feel alive", "it gives life meaning", blah, blah, blah; I don't believe there is a rational explanation.

 

I first visited and climbed in Yosemite Valley over thirty years ago. I'd never been to Tuolomne until last year. Now I spend half my free time staring at pics and studying routes of the High Sierra's. This shit has gripped me. I got to go climb it. Why has it gripped me? Fuck if I know. I'm going to climb it this summer - that's a fact. Climbing is not the question. The question is how did it, and why did it, grab me - it's just rock.

[Kimmo]

b/c there's far fewer assholes at the top of mountains than at the base of them?

 

is this another way of saying you don't summit much?

[pink]

i like the actual movement over the stone, it's like sailing

[video:youtube]UQeqmNbA2Hs

 

and the ropes are my sails...

 

[MrClam]

My reason for starting to climb was completely logical.

 

In high school a friend and i took a tram up to the top of a popular mountain, but there were to many people around to smoke weed. So we climbed to the top of a big rock pinnacle where we were could see people before they saw us. The thrill and the resulting weed induced ambition led us to climb more stuff that day, and ive been hooked ever since.

 

So basically I climb because i tried it once and got addicted, weed IS a gateway drug.

 

[ivan]

My reason for starting to climb was completely logical.

 

In high school a friend and i took a tram up to the top of a popular mountain, but there were to many people around to smoke weed. So we climbed to the top of a big rock pinnacle where we were could see people before they saw us. The thrill and the resulting weed induced ambition led us to climb more stuff that day, and ive been hooked ever since.

 

So basically I climb because i tried it once and got addicted, weed IS a gateway drug.

i believe i covered this on page 1

[MrClam]

Actually you said nothing about climbing to not get busted!

 

On a more serious note, the real reason I continue to climb is the fact that life is simply to easy. I feel that suffering brings about the potential to experience happiness, climbing is the perfect way for me to add more suffering into my life because i can trick myself into thinking its going to be fun! It also inspires me to train which is just self induced suffering. All the while creating great stories and building strong friendships! Nothing beats it.

 

To quote Nietzsche (a philosopher not a climber) "those who are addicted to the religion of comfortableness are small mean people who hide in the forest like shy dear, but those of us who dare to climb up above the treeline will see the views and breath the air, it is then that we'll understand the benefits of abandoning comfort for true fulfillment."

 

Not that I have any problem with small mean forest people (some of my favorite musical artists are trolls!), to each their own and all.

[mike1]

Everyone askes me why I run. (I run marathons)

and I still dont have an answer. Why must we have an answer for all that we do and enjoy?

Why do I climb? Cuz I want to and I can.

Why do I run? Cuz I want to and I can.

It’s completely different, I think. You aren’t jogging across the pavement risking a fall into a crack in the earth. You don’t have the risk of a rock falling from the sky or a block of ice breaking off from some nearby building.

Seriously though, you don’t run a marathon knowing you are voluntarily running into possible adverse dangers that could kill you. It’s not an adrenalin junky thing either. It’s completely unique.

Maybe I live around a different crowd here, but more than a few have asked me why. I was getting out of the elevator at work and a couple engineers talking about something I had no clue about looked at me and said, let’s ask Mike, why did they do it? I had no idea what they meant and the first thing I said was, because they’re bored. When I asked what they were talking about they said those 3 climbers that just died on Hood. Hmmm... They think it’s a little crazy to take that kinda risk without some really good reason. Especially when it kills. I think its fun, I enjoy it, I like to do it because I can, all work for me because I HAVE done it. Explain it to those who have not done it without sounding crazy, pretentious, egotistical, name it... But that’s the harder question. My question was simpler. Why do you do it? I think there’s more to it than most here have admitted.

Edited February 2, 2010 by mike1

[billcoe]

I wasn't going to answer this.

 

 

I am open to bikini pictures though. As long as it's not a dude...that's not right. I'm serious here. Don't think this is just another glib reply. I came back from a funeral recently of a young man ....Saturday. He stopped to help folks in a traffic accident. A truck stuck and killed him. Good guy. The clock ticks for us all. NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE!

 

http://www.kgw.com/home/Service-held-for-Samaritan-killed-in-Hwy-47-wreck-83175887.html

 

http://www.kgw.com/home/Good-Samaritan-killed-helping-victims-in-Forest-Grove-accident-82396457.html

[Dirtyleaf]

Why climb? That's a stupid question.

[G-spotter]

I wasn't going to answer this.

 

 

I am open to bikini pictures though. As long as it's not a dude...that's not right.

 

 

there are definitely guys into that whole summit bikini thing out there

[Peakpimp]

One word... Satori

[mike1]

Why climb? That's a stupid question.

ahhh the stupid question... should be an easy answer then.

 

I think I'm done trying to squeeze water outta this rock.

Edited February 2, 2010 by mike1

[Maine-iac]

I enjoy the views. I enjoy the bonds I form with friends. I also enjoy the hardships both physical and mental; it puts things into perspective. It makes you value things in a different way because you have to work hard for it.

I recently had a bad skiing accident where I easily could have broken my neck; I managed to ski away with only a shattered clavicle. I am now two weeks out from surgery and have had plenty of time to think about the 'why' question. Certainly if I didn't ski, or push the limits (although my accident was more bad luck than me pushing my limits) I would not be sitting here typing one handed and crossing my fingers on the bad arm that I will be able to carry a backpack once I heal; or that my shoulder won't be permanently shorter.

 

But these hardships make you stronger. I am counting down the weeks until spring skiing on Hood...

[Dirtyleaf]

It is. My answer is another question. Why climb?: Why not? Easy.