Reasons to climb

If a non climber said " why would i ever even try THAT? (Sport, trad, alpine, whatever). What is your response,..... Go

Why not?

"because it was there" capt James Tiberious Kirk (star trek v referring to the nose of el cap.)

"Because its there" was George Mallory to a reporter in ny when he was on a lecture tour, probably a reference.

"Why would you ever even try that?"

I would say....."with an attitude like that, I guess you never know"

"Why would you ever even try that?" 

If I told you...

I'd have to kill you

I had somewhat of an epiphany the other day in regards to this. I'd recently bought a house and have a one year old son (who's awesome) so there had been some significant stress in my life. I was climbing with a buddy on Cathedral Ledge around this time of significant stress and realized that while I was climbing I was so totally focused on the task at hand (i.e. not dying) that I completelty forgot about all the other stuff that was stressing me out. That need to be so completely focused that all other worries just melt away is why.

Paul LaFontaine wrote:I had somewhat of an epiphany the other day in regards to this. I'd recently bought a house and have a one year old son (who's awesome) so there had been some significant stress in my life. I was climbing with a buddy on Cathedral Ledge around this time of significant stress and realized that while I was climbing I was so totally focused on the task at hand (i.e. not dying) that I completelty forgot about all the other stuff that was stressing me out. That need to be so completely focused that all other worries just melt away is why.

Same, at any given point in a day I can usually remember what I was thinking about driving to work, walking around on campus etc, but when I'm climbing there's not a single thought I can recall later. Simply the best cure for life.

So we have something to talk about!

As you know, climbers like to talk about what they did..

So extreme. (Especially if you tell your tale to a non-climber)

I heard on a show (don’t remember) but a mountaineer said if you have to ask that question you will never understand the answer. But I usually say why not?

Brendan Blanchard wrote: Same, at any given point in a day I can usually remember what I was thinking about driving to work, walking around on campus etc, but when I'm climbing there's not a single thought I can recall later. Simply the best cure for life.

Yup. A classic flow activity. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology):

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does.

Because we revel in how layman questions like that stroke our egos... Climbing is so rad!

Logan Schiff wrote: Yup. A classic flow activity. From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology): Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does.

Yep, basically. The more stress I have in my life, the more I wish I could just be climbing for hours every day, just to keep a clear head. Damn you, recovery time!

it's fun

"Because I can, and you can't."

It's not for everyone, especially a sissy like you.

because you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning, and what's climbing without a couple pre/post brews