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General Climbing Discussion

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Why do you climb? 27-May-2015 At 7:31:49 PM camjammer

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Most people that climb incessantly get asked why by non-climbers (Climbers don't necessarily ask but smile when they have found someone with a similar obsession) . You have to accept the fact that climbing is essentially pointless and to claim otherwise is to delude yourself. Over the years I've realised that if I don't climb I get grumpy and so I need to climb to stay happy. The reasons I've come up with is that climbing is a physical and mental challenge and with a degree of fear thrown in for good measure. When I climb I solely concentrate on climbing out of fear of dying or injury (possibly over exaggerated fear but self induced). I forget about all the other stresses of life for the day and concentrate only on the next hold, the next piece of gear, the next belay. I also go climbing with people I like and get along with.

At the end of the day I'm physically and mentally exhausted, happy to have completed a climb or to have at least gotten away with out injury for another day, have spent the day in good company, and not having thought about about work, money or other generally life concerns all day. This makes me feel better and sleep better at night.

So climbing is basically a distraction from life but it's the best thing I've found so far.