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While I can understand people with thier headphones in while atop small,popular, undangerous mountains, but I saw about ten people climbing The Trough on Longs Peak while listening to music this summer on the way down. I asked one guy why, he told me for motivation, but as anyone who's climbed Longs Peak knows, avoiding rockfall in the trough is pretty good motivation in itself!!! You cannot hear people screaming ROCK!!! when youre blasting ACDC

Besides, while you have the music cranked, you cannot hear
1. Other people--especially those from afar who need help
2. Approaching (but still distant) thunder
3. Potentially dangerous animals
4. ME SLOWLY FOLLOWING YOU ON THE TRAIL HOPING YOU'LL PULL OFF AND LET ME PASS

What do you guys think?

CSUMarmot wrote:While I can understand people with thier headphones in while atop small,popular, undangerous mountains, but I saw about ten people climbing The Trough on Longs Peak while listening to music this summer on the way down. I asked one guy why, he told me for motivation, but as anyone who's climbed Longs Peak knows, avoiding rockfall in the trough is pretty good motivation in itself!!! You cannot hear people screaming ROCK!!! when youre blasting ACDC

Besides, while you have the music cranked, you cannot hear
1. Other people--especially those from afar who need help
2. Approaching (but still distant) thunder
3. Potentially dangerous animals
4. ME SLOWLY FOLLOWING YOU ON THE TRAIL HOPING YOU'LL PULL OFF AND LET ME PASS

What do you guys think?

While climbing, I like to put Cage's 4'33" on repeat and crank the volume all the way up.

Number 4 is the cost of hiking a popular trail and, in my experience as both a passer and a passee, happens regardless of headphone usage.

I listen to Captain and Tenille. The music is upbeat and soothing -- from back when songs really meant something -- and doesn't interfere with my fancy footwork.

I just keep thinking, every time I pass someone with their headphones blaring . . . where's a bear when you need one.

I don't listen to music while I'm climbing or hiking. I find it annoying honestly. I listen to it when I'm biking or running happily but when I'm doing something more focused then I find excess noise annoying and at those times music qualifies as excess noise no matter what it is. Plus as stated I think it's important to have all your senses available to keep you updated and aware of whats going on around you. That way even if your not hiking with someone and you notice someone who could use help, even if it's just they ran out of water and are talking about being super thirsty and you have plenty extra you can help.

Exactly which sounds of the outdoors do the headphone wearers not want to hear?

I listen to music in the tent or when hiking and I need some kind of uplift. This is usually on the descent on an easy, relatively boring trail. Technical endeavors that require great focus don't get the music treatment because they're usually not very boring.

Music can be great for alpine starts when it's an easy trail and you're half asleep anyway...but it gets turned off as soon as the sun hits or the route finding gets challenging. And I suppose when you're tent bound for three days having an audiobook on an ipod nano is worth more than it's weight in platinum.

MoapaPk wrote:I listen to Captain and Tenille. The music is upbeat and soothing -- from back when songs really meant something -- and doesn't interfere with my fancy footwork.

Do you change the words to Marmot Love

I'm guilty. I'll have one earphone on. Other off. I still have a fear of falling and it relaxes me and I'm able to have better focus. I don't do it all the time and if my partner does not feel comfortable, I have no qualms on taking it off. I also listen to my ipod in the climbing gym most of the time while bouldering - they forbid this in Asia gyms I noticed.

I had one partner who, while climbing Frogland - a multi-pitch route here in Red Rock, took a phone call while ascending one whole pitch and was repeatedly texting on his iPhone on the approach in, transitions at the belay, depproach etc. That disturbed me. Have not climbed with him since.

jmh5331 wrote:Music can be great for alpine starts when it's an easy trail and you're half asleep anyway...but it gets turned off as soon as the sun hits or the route finding gets challenging. And I suppose when you're tent bound for three days having an audiobook on an ipod nano is worth more than it's weight in platinum.

Very true, having something to listen to when youre stuck in the tent is a luxury

In reality, I don't own an MP3 player. I just love the thought of people listening to "Captain and Tenille." Love will keep us together. Muskrat love.

I used to have a Sony Walkman several years ago, but it got run over by a car, and I lost a very
rare and inexpensive Barry Manilow tape.

From that moment on, I immersed myself completely in Pink Floyd..

Wow! Pink Floyd was in The Wave?

I do know Roger Waters was in Minneapolis last week doing The Wall.