Sunday, April 25, 2010

Climbing

I been thinking about climbing and what it means to me. It is spiritual and I think anybody who climbs outside will agree with me. But I wonder if our obsession with accumulation and challenging ourselves becoming the dominate mentality of climbing. Challenging yourself is important and those who push the boundaries of climbing are doing what climbers have done from the beginning; going after the next big route. But to be honest, I don't care if I ever climb 5.15, because in the end it is rock and rock doesn't give you anything back to you.
But the great thing about climbing is that you need someone to do it with. This is something exponential. We are forced to spend time with people because we need that belayer or spotter. I think this is important in climbing, which is the people that we climb with. I don't care if I am climbing in Squamish or at The Red; what matters to me, is who is with me. I found the love of climbing through a friend, Sam, in British Columbia and not the rock.
So next time you climb, sit down with your partner, get them a beer and talk about something else then climbing...like what else makes them tick.

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