"What Are We Really Seeking Through The Adventure Of Climbing..."

Mountains and climbing may have been my first adventure passion... In a recent lively discussion with friends we asked each other the above question; all agreeing it is a fundamental reason for musing... Some friends viewed this question as rhetorical... possibly in the way that in the question itself we may see our answer... Or that the effect wanted comes just from asking...

Another companion seems to be fond of the 'Socratic' method for inquiry... as where this adventure question is responded to as if it already were an answer; then reframe the first question in a different way, possibly to get to a higher level of meaning...

All agreed that any such adventure musing is fun and of real value to understanding ourselves as climbers... This enlightens us... promotes awareness and inspiration... and these wonderments are especially worthwhile when the inevitable adversities, slumps, and setbacks occur in our chosen adventure activity like climbing...

When reading posts on 'The Adventurist', 'The Adventure Blog', 'The MountainWorld', and 'Best Hike', among others... I often find myself also pondering the unwritten musings between the lines; maybe even behind the stories of what, who, where, and when... I guess to try and better understand the 'why' of it all... The 'why we do what we do' out in the wild places... especially when hanging precariously upon a face of rock...

As for what we seek and why we climb as a particularly potent adventure, I have often deferred to a most favorite book by S. Gardiner entitled: "Why I Climb". I have read this through and marked the pages seven times over the years. Enclosed in this tome of insights & inspirations are varied climbing experiences, powerful metaphors of altitude and mountains, and meaningful quotes I have pondered time and again...

C. Houston, in his Foreword to Gardiner's book said: "In this confusing and frenetic world we need to pause now and then for a moment to ask why are we here, where are we going, and what are we achieving. Humans do the bravest, wisest, and most foolish things, often not knowing why". He says the intention of such writing and musing is to: "At least it may prompt some people to look again at what drives them, look beyond today and tomorrow, and perhaps find in mountains more than climbing".

Gardiner himself in the Introductory Chapter writes: "I tried to explain the emotions I had felt... I don't think I succeeded, but it did cause me to think more about what motivated me to climb." "Perhaps there isn't a good answer or perhaps there are many good answers".

Gardiner refers to the purpose for this amazing book in that: "To explore why people climb... both climber and non-climber, will expect to find an answer to this age-old question... the answer may be more of a puzzle... It is certain, however, that when man mixes with mountains interesting things happen and thoughts about nature, religion, and the human mind, body, and spirit abound".

Gardiners' writing strikes the muse for our 'why climb' discussions, for us ordinary adventurers, and through his book, and with our ponderings we discover motives behind the summits we have gained, and motivation, vision, and inspiration for climbs & adventures yet to come...

The longer we choose to adventure climb, the more significance this question seems to take on. It is not that a post such as this answers or even addresses such a question; maybe it is more that the question remains unanswerable... except by each of us, in our own way, developing our own meaning, over the years...

What do you seek out there in the high places.....

DSD