Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Conquerors of the Useless?

    Crescent Crack Buttress, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.

Those who frequently venture outside are often asked why they take risks.  Why do you hike into remote areas, cross hazardous terrain or climb exposed ridges to even more exposed peaks.  By quoting George Mallory’s three most famous words in mountaineering some would say, “because it’s there.”  Others seem to pursue climbing with an almost spiritual level by seeking the uninterrupted focus and vinyasa of each move.  Even still those who are most dedicated to the sport are endearingly called dirtbags and likewise described by the Alpinist Lionel Terray as “conquistadors of the useless.”  For whatever the reason people go to the mountains the answer most often is simply, “why not?”



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