thegib wrote:Sorry, off OP Topic, but it's a lazy Sunday and just to stir the pot;
The need some climbers have to publicly and repeatedly differentiate their activity from that of hikers is at least as pathological as hikers not appreciating the difference between hiking and climbing.
Good point. When I started hiking I did not really call it 'hiking' because it was very physically straining to me, had exposure at times, and really did not resemble hiking. "I went for an extremely straining hike" just does not sound cool!
Although still, "I hiked Casaval Ridge on Mt. Shasta" just doesn't sound right.
After I started climbing, and especially trad climbing (not following), I really noticed the difference between the two.
Now I do get kind of annoyed when people tell me "Oh my friend is also a climber, he just climbed Half Dome." I understand it was probably a big challenge for that person but in my opinion it does not make you a climber if you hiked the trail and pulled on some cables for the first time in your life. I love hiking, and I love climbing, and I do not see anything wrong if someone likes one or the other. But please, call it what it is. Going to the gym once a year does not make you a body builder.