At the beggining of the Thunderbolt Trail

"Why climb? That’s a complicated question. We are such tricky creatures and any activity that reaches all the way into your center is bound to reflect all of your complexities. Climbing has meant so many different things to me over the years and it’s meaning continues to shift with my life. The layers add up yearly and none of them has ever fully disappeared. What does climbing mean to me? You might as well ask, ‘Who are you, who have you been and who do you want to become?’ Sport, philosophy, religion, love and friendship: climbing is connected to all five, and all five go right to the center."   --Alex Catlin from the article 'Landscaping' in 'Rock and Ice'