SummitPost.org

Posted: **Mon Apr 16, 2012 5:05 pm**

I think people may find it more "interesting" than "impressive" these days.

Posted: **Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:12 pm**

Hotoven wrote:I think people may find it more "interesting" than "impressive" these days.

If you spend much time around non-climbing forums, almost no one finds it impressive. Most climbing looks a lot like walking, and what's so impressive about that? It's certainly interesting to many people insofar as it doesn't look like any fun at all and folks can't understand why anyone would do it.

The Hottest Chick I Met on a Mountain and I enjoy climbing and backpacking, and her outdoorsman brother simply cannot understand the appeal. He said he could see backpacking into the wilderness if there's a trout-filled river at the end of the journey, but going out there for no tangible reason? Makes no sense at all.

Posted: **Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:22 pm**

Hotoven wrote:I think people may find it more "interesting" than "impressive" these days.

They don't find it "impressive" because they have no concept of what it involves. Also, they hear of wannabees with money paying to be taken to the summit of Everest and they figure "how hard can it be?"

Posted: **Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:25 pm**

simonov wrote:
Hotoven wrote:I think people may find it more "interesting" than "impressive" these days.

If you spend much time around non-climbing forums, almost no one finds it impressive. Most climbing looks a lot like walking, and what's so impressive about that? It's certainly interesting to many people insofar as it doesn't look like any fun at all and folks can't understand why anyone would do it.

The Hottest Chick I Met on a Mountain and I enjoy climbing and backpacking, and her outdoorsman brother simply cannot understand the appeal. He said he could see backpacking into the wilderness if there's a trout-filled river at the end of the journey, but going out there for no tangible reason? Makes no sense at all.

Reminds me of a guy I used to work with. After a weekend hike he'd ask me if I returned to the same place that I started. When I said yes, he'd say "So you accomplished nothing?"

Posted: **Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:30 pm**

Buz Groshong wrote:Also, they hear of wannabees with money paying to be taken to the summit of Everest and they figure "how hard can it be?"

I try to point out that even those "wannabes" who pay guides to get them up Everest are still doing something far more difficult and challenging than almost anything the rest of the public can or will ever do. After all, no one is carried to the top. That usually doesn't go over well, even here on SP.

Posted: **Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:51 am**

...and her outdoorsman brother simply cannot understand the appeal. He said he could see backpacking into the wilderness if there's a trout-filled river at the end of the journey, but going out there for no tangible reason?

One's tangible reason is another's intangible reason.

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Most people who don't climb or hike get their impression of the pastime from the occasional tragedy that makes the evening news, where it gets mangled by the media anyway, or from the movies, where it gets mangled in a different way.

So they may be interested that you climb, but what, where and how exactly you climb is another story. The ability to impress is lost as there are no benchmarks for them to gauge your exploits. Names of peaks, walls, locations, ratings, gear, etc are unknown to most people. How can you impress someone you have climbed a 5.13 when they have no idea what class 5 means?

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Reminds me of a guy I used to work with. After a weekend hike he'd ask me if I returned to the same place that I started. When I said yes, he'd say "So you accomplished nothing?"

Same argument could be made for anyone who starts and ends their day at home.

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